Cast Announced For Week Two Of The Blank Theatre's 32nd Annual YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

Casting has been announced for week two of The Blank Theatre's 32nd Annual Young Playwrights Festival. The next three of 12 winning plays by young playwrights aged 15–19 will be presented live onstage July 18–21. The plays are John Cusack is for Dead People Too by Emerson Coffee (age 18, from Dallas, TX); Gene by Alexander Sanfiz (age 15, from Lyndhurst, NJ); and Ketchup & Mustard by Anna Parker (age 16, from Houston, TX).

John Cusack is for Dead People Too will feature (in alphabetical order) Lori Mae Hernandez (The Villians of Valley View, Mona, iCarly, Everything's Gonna Be Okay), Paul Christopher Legallet (Lunch Money Improv), Eddie Kenneth Park (Them, Quantum Leap, Criminal Minds), and Jeff Witzke (Pickled, Runaways, Jane the Virgin). Carter has a crush on Teddy but isn't sure he's gay. His bestie Phoebe encourages him to go for it … but he chickens out. Carter asks an unlikely ally, Harry, for help crafting a proposal. When Harry sees a poster for Say Anything in Carter's room, he suggests Carter do something like John Cusack with the boombox. Will Teddy say yes or think Carter is insane? The playwright was mentored by Aliza Goldstein. Directed by Asaad Kelada.

Gene will feature (in alphabetical order) Tianna Louise Cohen (Sam & Emma), Lenny Jacobson (For All Mankind; Big Time in Hollywood, FL; Peacemaker; Station 19; Narcos: Mexico; Frequency; Nurse Jackie), and Brandon Root (Physical, Better Call Saul, The Sex Lives of College Girls). A talking infant named Gene tries to get his father to get some rest (sort of). As new and exhausted parents try to do the best they can, their lack of sleep creates a humorous and thought-provoking exploration of parenthood, reality, and the bonds that unite families. Through witty dialogue and imaginative premise, the play invites viewers to reflect on the complexities of parental anxieties and the transformative power of familial connections. The playwright was mentored by Gary Tieche. Directed by Scott Lowell.

Ketchup & Mustard will feature (in alphabetical order) David J. Castillo (The Gourd, the Brad, and the Ghostly; The Rookie; Makeup with Mallory), Michael Osborne (Mighty Ducks Game Changer, Ernie in Solve, The Late Late Show), and Cait Pool (Party Girl, Sun Records, Vice Principles, Class of Lies). Painter Hugo and his poet partner, Emily, stare at his latest painting — yellow and red splatters on a canvas. When they disagree about whether all art should have meaning, The Curator shows up to decide what art “makes it.” The beauty of art is in the eye of the beholder ... or just a strong enough viewpoint that doesn't waiver. Who's to decide? A thought-provoking exploration of art, creativity, perception, and the subjective nature of meaning. The playwright was mentored by Vasanti Saxena. Directed by Kila Kitu.

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