Curtain to Rise on Works of Young Playwrights

A number of aspiring borough playwrights will see their works come to life at the Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey's 25th Annual Madison Young Playwrights Festival March 26 from 1–5 p.m.

The Festival features the work of local students who completed a play as part of a 12-week playwriting program conducted by in the , , , and . Of the 50 students who participated, 21 plays were chosen and these plays will be presented with professional actors and directors.

The Festival, to take place at Playwrights Theatre, 33 Green Village Road, is divided into two sessions, attendees can attend one or both sessions. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students for one session or $15 for adults and $7.50 for students to attend both sessions. For tickets visit www.ptnj.org or call the box office at 973-514-1787, ext. 34.

The plays will also be performed at each school during the Festival week, on March 24 at 1:15 p.m. at Kings Road School; and on March 25 at 10:15 a.m. at Central Avenue School, and at 1:30 p.m. at Torey J. Sabatini School. The performance at the Madison Junior School and St. Vincent Martyr School will be scheduled at a later date.

The playwrights were honored Feb. 28 as Madison Mayor Mary-Anna Holden proclaimed March "Madison Young Playwrights Month". The proclamation was held during the town council meeting at .

The Theatre has worked with over 2,000 Madison school children and presented more than 400 pieces of student writing in the program’s 25 years.

The following students’ plays will be presented this year:

Central Avenue School
Greta and Lucci by Lucciana Happe
Friendship by Gaetano Pace
Haley's Worst Enemy by Audrey Tolbert
The Christmas Nightmare by Trent Wyhopen

Torey J. Sabatini School
Mountain of Broken Dreams by Kayla Bailey
The Beat of Tom McKeller by Rob J. Bazaral
Trapped by Emily Chopoorian
Where's the Golden Monkey by Vivien Sherman
Space Out by Kathryn Wilt

Kings Road School
The March of the Unicorns by Ellie Culin
Teenage Dreams by Justice Forschner
Detective Elmar on the Case by Caroline Harting
Electric Man by Christopher Penev

Madison Junior School
Coward vs. Forest by Michael Bennett
The Plan by Christina Lu
Fame by Emilee Maas
The Lucky Socks by Francesco Pace

St. Vincent Martyr School
Saving Jojo by Aileen Bergin
There's Nothing to Do! by Finn Gannon
Invisible by Lauren Heitsenrether
The Lost Emerald by Brendan O'Reilly

Throughout the year, Playwrights Theatre placed teaching artists in the aforementioned schools in Madison. At specific points in the residency, parents were invited to listen to the works in progress at roundtable readings.

Carolyn Hunt is currently teaching a playwriting residency at Madison High School. Students there will present an in-school staged reading of select plays when the residency concludes in April. This reading will include high school students working alongside professional actors.