American Theater Group to Host State-Wide Drama Festival for High School Students

American Theater Group (ATG), New Jersey's newest professional theater, located at the state-of- the-arts Hamilton Stage Theater in Rahway, is proud to announce its first annual High School Drama Festival, an event that promises to be an extremely popular annual offering. On April 28, ATG will serve as host to high schools throughout New Jersey for a day of great theater and inspiring instruction.

During the day-long event, students will have the opportunity to present a scene from whatever play or musical that they have performed during the course of the year, or one they have prepared specially for the competition. These excerpts will then be given an in-depth critique by working members of the Broadway theater industry.

ATG will also offer at least one workshop for the participants, in areas such as improvisation, audition techniques, and stage combat. In addition, after the day's events, students will attend a performance of ATG's Main Stage production of Crossing Swords. This world premiere musical is about a group of high school students who attempt to put on a play, and end up seeing life imitate art as passions ignite and jealousies fly. The day's events culminate with a post performance Q&A with the cast and creative team of Crossing Swords.

American Theater Group is New Jersey's newest professional theater company. Founded by New Jersey natives Jim Vagias, Joe Mancuso and Rick Sordelet, and under the Board leadership of Tony-Award winning actress Michel Pawk,

ATG's mission is to produce works by American Playwrights, with an emphasis on the development of new works and undeservedly neglected classics, and to nurture the audiences and artists of tomorrow by strong arts-in-education

programming. Now in its fourth season, ATG' produces in the new state of the art facility, Hamilton Stage, an intimate 199 seat theater.

For more information, call (732) 238-9982 or visit www.americantheatergroup.org.