Casting Announced For Final Weeks Of The Blank Theatre's 28th Annual Young Playwrights Festival

Casting has been announced for the final weeks of The Blank Theatre's 28th Annual Young Playwrights Festival. Being presented this year as digital shorts, the final four of 13 winning plays by young playwrights aged 15-19 from nine different states will be available to stream on Vimeo August 29-September 19.

The plays are Viewer Discretion Advised by Alethea Shirilan-Howlett (age 17, from Jamesville, NY); Watch You're Mouth by Alyssa Ho (age 16, from Pasadena, CA) & Miya Matsumune (age 15, from Upland, CA); Tiny Little Problems by Jane Brinkley (age 16, from Eugene, OR), and Parent, Legal Guardian, Angel, Other by Zander Pryor (age 17, from Dallas, TX).

Directed by Asaad Kelada, Viewer Discretion Advised will feature (in alphabetical order) Bobbi Baker-James (Being Mary Jane), Tyrel Jackson Williams (Brockmire, Lab Rats, Nobodies, The Backyardigans, Everybody Hates Chris), and Jeff Witzke (7th Heaven, Greek, The New Adventures of Old Christine). A teen tries different tactics to break the veneer of his seemingly perfect family to make them understand how he feels.

Directed by David O, Watch You're Mouth will feature (in alphabetical order) John Colella (Silicon Valley, Hot in Cleveland, The West Wing), Ian James, Stella Kim, Lesli Margherita (Matilda the Musical, Zorro, Homeland), Diane Renee (The Rookie, NAACP Image Award nominee) and Kayley Stallings. The Grammar Police are coming for anyone who doesn't follow the rules in this exciting new musical.

Directed by June Carryl, Tiny Little Problems will feature (in alphabetical order) Shannon Dang (Kung Fu, So Foreign, The Romanoffs), Jessica Garza (The Purge, Penny Dreadful, Six), Coral Pena (24: Legacy, The Post, The Enemy Within), Cait Pool (Vice Principals, Sun Records, Class of Lies, Party Girl), and Jazz Raycole (Everybody Hates Chris, Jericho, The Quad, Vanity, First Day). A group of competitive gymnasts look forward and backward in an attempt to understand the consequences of competing.

For the first time, the Young Playwrights Festival includes a 13th play, being presented as YPF+. Parent, Legal Guardian, Angel, Other is nearly ready for professional production and will bridge The Blank's YPF and Living Room Series programs. Directed by Michael A. Shepperd, the cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Ian Alexander (The OA, The Last of Us Part 2 video game), Major Curda (Riverdale, Atypical, The Thundermans), Vico Ortiz (Vida, Recon, Jane the Virgin, American Horror Story), Kathleen Rose Perkins (Episodes, Colony, Gone Girl, I am Not Okay With This, Fresh Off the Boat), Romy Rosemont (Glee, A Million Little Things, Beyond, The Fosters, CSI), Peter James Smith (The West Wing, Never Have I Ever, Upload, Bosch), and Ash Spencer. A delicately woven full-length play exploring the idea of "chosen family" for nonbinary, trans teens, and secret-holders, all trying to move forward with inclusion, love, and self-forgiveness.

Registration for Watch Codes
INDIVIDUAL VIEW PASS - $10 each week [Suggested]
FAMILY VIEW PASS - $25 each week [Suggested]
FESTIVAL PASS (View all plays throughout the festival and YPF+ play/13 total) - $40 [Suggested]
Viewing instructions and watch codes will be sent out the morning
of the debut stream for each week.
For a complete schedule and to register for watch codes, go to www.theblank.com.