PYP Hosts Reading At The Wilma On 4/6, At Arden 4/18

Philadelphia Young Playwrights (PYP) continues to break new ground, promoting literacy through playwriting to students throughout the School District of Philadelphia, while building lasting collaborations with professional theater companies. Two forthcoming events showcase the results of PYP's year-round programming, Play Development Series and the growing contributions of Philadelphia's outstanding theatre community, as PYP works to sustain theatre arts education for Philadelphia's youth amidst widespread budget cuts and diminishing arts education.

In collaboration with The Wilma Theater (265. S. Broad St.), PYP will present a free staged reading by Masterman High School student Christiny Martin on Monday, April 6th at 7pm. The final reading of this year's Saturday Morning Reading Series will feature a play written by Glenside Elementary School students, in collaboration with the Arden Theatre Co. (40 N. 2nd St.) on Saturday, April 18th at 2pm. Both readings will be followed by a post-show discussion with the student playwrights. For more information, visit www.phillyyoungplaywrights.org or call (215) 665-9226.

Student playwright Christiny Martin is an 11th grader at Masterman High School and a resident of Southwest Philadelphia. A work in progress, Martin's play tells the story of a young White civil rights lawyer who finds his life changing as he defends an African American girl charged with murder in the 1970's Deep South. Martin discovered the idea for her play while studying The Civil Rights Movement in her 10th grade social studies class and began to develop her work as a part of PYP's 2008 summer Advanced Playwriting Group. As part of PYP's in-depth programming, Martin was paired with Walter Bilderback, Dramaturg/Literary Manager at the Wilma, who is working closely with her to develop the play and will direct the reading which will feature professional actors. PYP supporters Harvey and Virginia Kimmel will host a reception beginning at 6pm, prior to the 7pm reading at The Wilma Theater. This reading features mature content and may not be appropriate for all audiences.

As part of the Saturday Morning Reading Series, local actors Jeffery Coon and Ben Dibble, who are currently staring in the Arden's Barrymore Award-winning A Year With Frog and Toad, will perform Big Brained Billy-Bob-Joe-Fred... and Bob, written by 3rd grade students at Glenside Elementary School. The play tells the story of a hunter named Big Brained Billy-Bob-Joe-Fred, who is afraid of people, and befriends a Chinese water dragon named Bob who helps him with his problems.

Big Brained Billy-Bob-Joe-Fred... and Bob was group authored by Glenside students: Sklar Barton, William Christensen, Maia Cohen, Camielle DiBendetto, Aine Dougherty, Charlie Griffin, Dahlia Laban, Hunter Lee, Clare Maus, Timmy McHugh, Kenyatta Peaker, Grant Peet, Lily Stevens, Lauren Tipton and Amari Wylie. The students developed their play with guidance from teacher Angela Melvin-Schell and PYP Teaching Artist Sarah Gallagher. Philadelphia Young Playwrights Board Vice President, Debra A. Kahn, will host the event. Content appropriate for all ages.

Celebrating 21 years of service, Philadelphia Young Playwrights remains the only theatre arts program in the region promoting literacy through playwriting and supporting the development of each student's distinctive voice. The organization's programs provide students with unique opportunities to advance academic and personal skills, share their stories and be heard by their peers and communities. Young Playwrights offers an antidote to decreasing arts education and places an incredibly compelling learning process in the eager hands of our young people.

About Philadelphia Young Playwrights

Founded in 1987 by Adele Magner, and led today by Executive Producing Director Glen Knapp, Philadelphia Young Playwrights is an award-winning program that taps the potential of youth and inspires learning through playwriting in up to 50 public and private K-12 schools each year. A leader in the region's educational programs for youth and built upon its primary belief that all students have something important and valuable to say, Young Playwrights has enriched the Greater Philadelphia community, touching the lives of thousands of students, teachers and parents for the past twenty years. Since 1987, approximately 60 professional playwrights have led workshops, and nearly all of Philadelphia's professional theater companies have participated by performing, producing, or directing student works. Nearly 55,000 students have seen peers' work produced in class or by professionals. Young Playwrights' Literary Committee includes more than 60 educators, writers, parents, and former Young Playwrights students who read and critique each student script. Young Playwrights has been recognized as a Champion in Action by Citizens Bank and is the past recipient of a 2005 Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service, a 1997 Barrymore Award for Theatre Education, a 2003 George Bartol Award for Excellence in Arts Education, a national "Points of Light" designation, and a 2004 Eastern University Award for Nonprofit Excellence.