The Box Performing Arts Space at The Gateway Presents Virtual Opportunities for Playwrights

The Box performing arts space at The Gateway presents two virtual opportunities for interested playwrights of all experience levels. The first, PLAYWRITING WITH RJ AND ELISE, is a virtual playwright workshop running three weeks, from June 15 to 29, 6:30-7:30 pm. Participants will learn some playwriting basics and compose a new, short piece. The pieces will be performed, staged reading style, in a virtual public event. Registration is $20.00 for all three weeks. The workshop is led by The Box Creative Team Members RJ Walker and Elise Barnett.

The second opportunity is for teens ages 14-18 and is a TEEN PLAYWRITING VIRTUAL CAMP. It will be held every day for a week, June 22-26, from 10 am-Noon. The participants will learn playwriting basics while composing a new piece to showcase at a virtual recital June 29 at 7 pm. Registration is $100 for the week, and the camp will be facilitated by RJ Walker. Scholarships are available for youth not able to pay the registration fee.

ELISE C. BARNETT-CURRAN is a writer, director, producer, and actor from Salt Lake. She is on the board of New World Shakespeare Company and the Chief Executive of Kallisti Theatre Company. She loves comedy and all things absurd, and her favorite film is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. She's convinced she was Zero Mostel in a past life.

RJ WALKER is a performance poet and voice actor from Salt Lake City, Utah. RJ Has performed at the national poetry slam numerous times, representing Salt Lake City, and Sugar House Utah. At the Individual World Poetry Slam he was a showcased poet on final stage and placed 6th overall at the 2017 Individual world poetry slam. RJ won the NPS Spirit of the Slam award for organizing the first Compliment Deathmatch event. The next year he placed 4th at the National Poetry Slam with the Salt City Unified team. He is the host and operator of The Greenhouse Effect Open Mic, SLC's longest running and most popular open mic style event. His poem, Deceit & I, received viral reception on youtube and imgur, published in journals like A Plus, EMS1, and EMSWorld with over 500,000 cumulative Views.

The Box invests in cross- genre arts by providing inclusive and affordable space for new and experimental works. It is home to several theatre groups including Wasatch Theatre Company, Laughing Stock Improv, New World Shakespeare, and the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival. For more information about The Box or to register for these virtual events, visit https://www.theboxgateway.org/tickets.html.

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