Berkeley Rep Theatre Invites Local Teens To Act, Write, And Produce In Teen One Acts Festival

At Berkeley Repertory Theatre, opportunities abound for teens who want to explore acting, directing, playwriting, and producing - and now is the time to get involved. The Tony Award-winning company, which currently has two shows playing on Broadway, invites local high-school students to participate in the eighth annual Teen One-Acts Festival.

The Teen One-Acts Festival encourages young writers to develop ideas about issues that inspire them. Each year, a panel of students selects two original plays penned by Bay Area teens to be performed, directed, and produced by their peers. Then the staff at Berkeley Rep mentors these teens at each step of the process to help them perfect their craft. There are many ways to participate:

Write on! Young playwrights are encouraged to submit their scripts to the festival. Each play should be no longer than 45 minutes in length and may be sent by e-mail to teencouncil@berkeleyrep.org. Submissions must include the playwright's name, age, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, grade, and school. The deadline for submissions is Friday, December 18, 2009.

Visit the script doctor. As they prepare for this deadline, teens can take a free playwriting workshop on Friday, December 4 from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. Madeleine Oldham, Berkeley Rep's literary manager and dramaturg, will help young writers learn how to get words on the page and create cohesive stories. To RSVP for this class, call (510) 647-2974 or e-mail teencouncil@berkeleyrep.org before Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

But I really want to direct... Teens interested in directing should attend a free workshop on Saturday, December 12, 2009 from noon to 4:00 PM. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn about the craft from Berkeley Rep's artistic director, Tony Taccone, who just finished staging his second Broadway show. Two students will be chosen from those who attend this workshop to direct for the festival. To RSVP for the class, call (510) 647-2974 or e-mail teencouncil@berkeleyrep.org by Tuesday, December 1, 2009.

Act out! Aspiring actors are invited to audition for the festival at 1:00 PM on Saturday, January 16, 2010. Please come prepared with a monologue no longer than two minutes. Auditions are held in the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre at 2071 Addison Street in downtown Berkeley, right next door to the company's Thrust Stage.

Be the producer. Work behind the scenes with Berkeley Rep's staff to plan the Teen One-Acts Festival. This important position promises excellent practical experience to someone ready for the responsibility. Oversee workshops, organize weekly production meetings, track the shows and their progress, create and maintain a budget, and manage the advertising. Teens who are interested should call (510) 647-2974 or e-mail teencouncil@berkeleyrep.org as soon as possible to set up an interview.

Or just enjoy the results: Everyone is invited to see the final show - written, performed, and produced entirely by teens! Performances of the winning scripts take place next spring at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre. The shows are at 8:00 PM on April 2, 3, 9, and 10, 2010.

The Berkeley Rep Teen Council is a theatre youth group organized by teens for teens. Its goal is to foster the theatre audiences and theatre professionals of tomorrow by opening channels of communication between teens, theatre professionals, and the community at large while building a base for lifelong learning. Through a variety of interactive programs, the Teen Council provides an opportunity for youth to participate in all aspects of the dramatic process: on stage, backstage, and in front of the stage through its affiliation with the Tony Award-winning Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Currently, the Council has more than 100 members including youth from numerous local high schools. For more information, call (510) 647-2974, visit berkeleyrep.org, or e-mail teencouncil@berkeleyrep.org.

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