Young Playwrights' Theater Premieres 12 New Plays by Local Youth, Starting Tonight

Tonight, April 23 and tomorrow, April 24, 2012, at 7:30pm, at GALA Hispanic Theatre (3333 14^th St. NW), Young Playwrights' Theater (YPT) will premiere twelve new plays written by DC area youth over two nights of free performances.

Professional actors and directors from throughout the DC region will present these twelve plays written by elementary, middle and high school students from Washington, DC and Arlington, VA. YPT selected the 12 students to be honored in the New Play Festival from the more than 800 students in YPT's In-School Playwriting Program in the spring and fall of 2011. The In-School Playwriting Program integrates the art of playwriting into the classroom in order to enhance student literacy, creative expression and communication.

"Each year, the New Play Festival helps local youth discover the power of their own voices and stories, and, in turn, provides our community audience members with a window into our students' lives, their dreams, their fears - and their hopes for the future," says David Snider, Producing Artistic Director and CEO of Young Playwrights' Theater. "We are thrilled to share these plays with the community. You will leave the theater moved, entertained and inspired."

April 23 will offer a family-friendly evening of plays appropriate for all audiences, exploring a wide range of topics - from talking library books to a wacky science experiment gone wrong. On April 24, some of YPT's older students will present new works with topics that range from a recent war veteran's struggle to overcome his own fear to a young woman's battle with serious illness. Plays on April 24 may not be appropriate for children under age thirteen.

Throughout DC area public schools and public charter schools, YPT works primarily with students who are ethnically diverse, economically disadvantaged, and chronically underserved. Plays to be presented in the New Play Festival were written by students at Ballou High School, Bancroft Elementary School, Bell Multicultural High School, Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School, H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program, MacFarland Middle School, Swanson Middle School, Wakefield High School and Watkins Elementary School.

"It's been a great experience and I've really been enjoying writing a crazy play-it's really super fun!" says playwright Miranda Pomroy, a fifth grader at Watkins Elementary School. "I hope everyone can try out YPT because it's really fun, cool and amazing!"

More information can be found at www.yptdc.org.

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