Cherry Lane Theatre Announces 2014 Mentor Project

Cherry Lane Theatre's award-winning MENTOR PROJECT for emerging playwrights will present its 16th season from February 19 to April 12, 2014 with expanded programming - the addition of a new Director Mentorship -- it has been announced by Angelina Fiordellisi, Founding Artistic Director of Cherry Lane Theatre and co-founder of MENTOR PROJECT. Cherry Lane Theatre is located at 38 Commerce Street in Greenwich Village.

Along with its celebrated, groundbreaking annual presentation of new plays by young writers mentored by seasoned playwrights - this season's plays are by Jen Silverman, mentored by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage; and LINA PATEL, mentored by Tony winner David Henry Hwang - the 2014 MENTOR PROJECT will feature the debut of the Director Mentorship, with award-winning director Lisa Peterson working in tandem with emerging director Awoye Timpo on a solo performance piece.

As well, Ms. Fiordellisi has announced that she is handing over the reins of MENTOR PROJECT to Stephanie Ybarra, the program's newly-appointed Producing Artistic Director.

Says Ms. Fiordellisi, "After 15 great years, I'm thrilled to be able to hand MENTOR PROJECT off now to the next generation of leadership. Stephanie is a brilliant young woman with substantial credentials and experience, poised to breathe fresh life into MENTOR PROJECT and take the program to an exciting new level."

Adds Ms. Ybarra, "I will stand firmly on Angelina's shoulders as MENTOR PROJECT moves into its next phase. Fifteen years ago - when there wasn't a ton of opportunities for playwrights just starting out - Angelina did a huge service to writers with this program. Now that there are more opportunities for writers, it's time to expand the MENTOR PROJECT to include other disciplines, starting with directors, and shine a spotlight on them in the same way we do playwrights."

One of the nation's leading programs for emerging playwrights - winner of the Ross Wetzsteon Obie Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Development of New Work, along with the James Kirkwood Award for fostering and promoting the work of contemporary American Playwrights -- Cherry Lane Theatre's MENTOR PROJECT each year partners a veteran playwright with a new writer for an entire season of script development, casting, rehearsals, re-writes culminating with a full, professionally staged, 2-week production. MENTOR PROJECT plays are not open for review.