Teens 'N' Theatre Presents Annual Young Playwrights Festival, 5/6-5/9

Teens ‘N' Theater will present the 15th Annual Young Playwrights Festival, featuring six original plays, in the Hitchcock Studio Theater at The Rose, May 6 to 9. An ensemble cast of 30 actors, directed by Rose educator Kevin Ehrhart, will perform the works by teen playwrights who have participated in a year-long class at The Rose.

The scripted material, which covers a variety of styles, themes and subject matters, was developed with Playwright-in-Residence Brian Guehring. Teens write the scripts, perform and run the lights and sound.

Pieces include the following:

SWEET DREAMS
Written by Megan McCracken, Directed by Jacky Marino
Akira Mamori is a kind-hearted 15-year-old who has just transferred from America to Tokyo, Japan.  On her first day of school, she passes out in homeroom and dreams that she witnesses her friends being murdered. She meets four distinct characters, one of whom will be the key to her waking from her nightmare.

RESOLVED
Written by C. Dan Burgdorf, Directed by Jacky Marino
Zach's best friends Anna and Luke die in a car crash because their driver, Gina, was drunk. He starts hearing their voices at the funeral and, in time, gets used to the presence of the supposed ghosts.But when Anna hears that Gina survived the crash, she takes a path for revenge that ultimately kills Zach.

OMG TWILIGHT
Written by Elisabeth Rose Astwood, Directed by Kevin Ehrhart
Fifteen-year-old Rachael is convinced by her friend Amanda to read the Twilight series and she becomes obsessed with finding her "Edward." Spencer likes Rachael, but she overlooks him and chases after an Edward-look-alike instead.

THE QUIRKS & THE PERKS OF FRESHMEN
Written by Laurie Cruz, Directed by Jacky Marino
Freshmen Jude Herk and Camilla Jacob awkwardly try to impress one another, but, little do they know, they're actually head-over-heels in love with one another. Both are too nervous to ask the other to school's homecoming dance. Their friends see their mutual infatuation and get frustrated seeing them this way.

ADVICE

Written by Stephanie Jeanne Galvin, Directed by Kevin Ehrhart
Emily is diagnosed with a tumor that will likely kill her. She and her family learn to cope. The tumor
brings them closer and closer together as Emily gets weaker.

A YOUNG LOVE STORY
Written by Elliot Smith, Directed by Jacky Marino

The ensemble cast features the following: Laurie Cruz, Kalani Dyer, Sarah Eckstein, Daniel Elkins, Eric Epperson, Patricia Hanus, Amanda Harris, Courtney Henningsen, Lily Jones, Brianne Kendall, Emma Lansdale, Jono Lansdale, Bobby Larsen, Stephanie Marsh, Jackie Marten, Megan, McCracken, Jenna McNair, Celine Myer, Michelle Petty, Maddie Pospisil, Libby Rea, Sarah Sindelar, Davisha Smith, Elliot Smith, HAnna Thomas, Christian Toledo, Lauren Trogdon, Jack Waldo, Tarissa Washka, Meredith Whye and Carly Woerman.

The Teens 'N' Theater program at The Rose Theater is designed to help instill strong self-esteem, commitment and responsibility in young people, while helping them to develop theatrical skills in performances, playwriting, directing and technical support. Teens 'N' Theater is sponsored in part by The Mammel Foundation and the Nebraska Arts Council.

The 15th Annual Young Playwrights Festival will be presented in The Rose's Hitchcock Theater on Thursday, May 6 at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 8 at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 9 at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 each and available through The Rose Box Office in advance or the day of the show at 2001 Farnam Street or (402) 345-4849. The show is recommended for ages 13 and up.