Anna Moench and Christopher Oscar Named Lark's 2012 Van Lier Playwriting Fellows

Playwrights Anna Moench and Christopher Oscar Peña were awarded to a one year residency at the Lark Play Development Center in the organization's second year of their Van Lier Fellowship Program.

These Fellowships will annually support two promising young artists in making the leap from training to a professional career in the theater. During their tenure, Moench and Peña will work with Onsite Program Director Lloyd Suh and Artistic Director John Clinton Eisner, on multiple artistic projects through an individually-tailored program of Lark development opportunities, and form relationships with other theatermakers at various career stages from all parts of the world. The Fellowship includes a cash award of $8,000 and access to a wide range of Lark resources, including office and rehearsal space, and staff support.

Moench, 27, is originally from Baltimore, MD, and has been a recipient of Jerome Foundation's Travel Grant, Ensemble Studio Theatre's Sloan Commission. She is a member of Youngblood at EST and alum of The Public Theater's Emerging Writers Group.

Peña, 27, is originally from San Jose, CA, and has had residencies/fellowships at the O'Neill Playwrights Conference, Sewanee Writers Conference, INTAR's Hispanic Playwrights Lab, Rising Circle Collective, Playwrights Realm, andNew York Theatre Workshop.

Suh stated, "Christopher writes so theatrically and poetically on deeply human themes. We love his energy, passion and urgency - his head is always so full of ideas, and it's exciting to see him continually push the boundaries of his unique and imaginative voice. Anna has such a keen theatrical intelligence, and tackles big, ambitious subjects in really smart, focused and personal ways. We're excited by her deeply inquisitive mind, and love how her curiosities extend from different theatrical styles and forms, to cultural explorations both near and far. I can't wait to see what they're each able to dream about and develop in their year at the Lark, with the time, space and support of the Van Lier Fellowship."

On being selected, Moench says, "This fellowship will give me more time to write than ever before. At this point in my career, I can't think of anything more valuable than that." Meanwhile, Peña spoke about how the opportunity will provide an "artistic home and a sense of community, which the Lark has already begun to provide, opening up their doors in every way, whether it's setting up roundtables, making introductions to other artists and collaborators, or sharing advice both personal and artistic."

Although this is the program's second year at the Lark, The Edgar and Sally Van Lier Fund at The New York Community Trust has been underwriting similar fellowships since 1991 at other New York City organizations including New Dramatists, Second Stage Theatre and the Asian American Writers' Workshop. Ms. Van Lier, the visionary behind the fund, was born into a Hungarian immigrant family at the turn of the century and struggled to launch a career in show business. She got her break in 1923 when she won a beauty contest and was subsequently cast in Florence Ziegfeld's "Follies" and in his production of "Showboat." In later life, the Van Liers-who had no children of their own-took great delight in introducing young people to the arts and providing assistance to those who aspired to careers in the theater but couldn't afford training on their own. To read more about the fund's history, please visit: www.nycommunitytrust.org/EdwardandSallyVanLier/tabid/341/Default.aspx.

For more information at other opportunities at the Lark, please visit:www.larktheatre.org.

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