Philadelphia Young Playwrights Present TIME MACHINE, 4/23-26

Philadelphia Young Playwrights leads a charge of high school, university, emerging and professional artists in the development and presentation of Time Machine, a performance installation co-produced with the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts 2013 (PIFA) and the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts (UArts). Performances take place April 23-26 as part of PIFA in the Kimmel Center Innovation Studio.

In late 2012, a diverse mix of high school juniors and seniors from throughout Philadelphia began to workshop ideas that became the basis for Time Machine. This semester, UArts has partnered with Executive Producing Director Glen Knapp and Project Director David Bradley to create a new course, "Approaches to Multi-Generational Theatre-Making," which will layer in university students, master teaching artists and emerging artists, creating a platform for teams with varying levels of experience to work together in all aspects of the conception, development and production of the piece. In its final manifestation, Time Machine will journey through past and present, blurring the boundaries of time in a performance that is directly interactive with the audience. While collaborative work is part of Young Playwrights' model, non-linear performance is new territory for the organization, which will celebrate 25 years of tapping the potential of youth and inspiring learning through playwriting this year.

"The power of multi-generational dialogue and interaction in stimulating and stewarding creativity is undeniable," says Knapp. "As we experience at PYP time and again, it is we, the 'senior artists,' who are professionally enriched and greatly inspired by our mentoring interactions with younger artists. The authenticity, innovation and fresh perspectives of student playwrights have much to teach us in the creative process, as well as on stage."

Time Machine runs Tuesday, April 23 - Friday, April 26, 2013 in the Kimmel Center Innovation Studio, 300 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at PIFA.org or by calling 215-546-PIFA (7432).