Hammerstein Museum Announces Winners in Inaugural Young Playwrights Festival

The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center has announced the winners of its inaugural Bucks County Young Playwrights Festival: The Family Dinner by Alexandria Hutton (Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts) and Amidst a Ferry Halt by Edward Baniak IV (Quakertown Community High School). The plays will be presented as staged readings by professional actors on April 11 as part of a student-centered development process (closed to the public).

The Bucks County Young Playwrights Festival is a new initiative celebrating student voices and the power of dramatic storytelling. The program is inspired by the mentorship legacy of Oscar Hammerstein II and Stephen Sondheim at Highland Farm, and is made possible through the support of PECO, Team Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Creative Industries.

“I’m excited to support two talented local teen playwrights through this program,” said Jim DeVivo, Hammerstein Museum Board member and Director of the festival. “My own career began with a similar opportunity over 20 years ago, showing me how vital it is to amplify young voices. Bringing in college actors to read their work continues a tradition of mentorship inspired by Oscar Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim—one we’re proud to carry forward through this program.”

Alexandria Hutton is a senior at Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts. A passionate writer, she developed her love for storytelling through a scriptwriting class at school. “I love writing for the stage, because the idea of bringing an entire world to life in front of an audience's eyes makes me excited,” said Alex. “The stage is such a special experience, it brings people from all over together to watch a performance that so much thought, time, and effort has been put into. The stage experience is truly like nothing else.” Alexandria is deeply committed to exploring multiple forms of artistic expression; she has studied acting for four years and recently appeared as Bella Loch in Witches!? In Salem?! by Matt Cox. She plans to continue pursuing the arts in college.

Edward Baniak IV, a junior at Quakertown Community High School, is an active member of his school’s theater department. He has also participated in multiple Shakespeare festivals at DeSales University and performed in original murder mystery productions. He presented Amidst a Ferry Halt to his peers earlier this year and looks forward to sharing it with a broader audience. When asked what advice he would offer other young writers, Edward said, “Whatever you write should be interesting to you. Whether it be the characters, plot, structure, setting, or whatnot, it should be something that you find intriguing. This will keep you motivated to keep writing, and, hopefully, your audience engaged.”

About The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center

The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Oscar Hammerstein II’s historic Doylestown home, Highland Farm, and celebrating his legacy as a librettist, lyricist, humanitarian, and mentor. The Hammerstein family lived at Highland Farm from 1940 to 1960, during which time Hammerstein wrote lyrics for some of his most beloved musicals, including The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, and South Pacific (inspired by Doylestown native James Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific).

A generous and engaged community member, Hammerstein was known to invite local children to swim in his pool or play tennis on his property. He also mentored a young Stephen Sondheim during this time. This spirit of mentorship and community engagement remains central to the mission of the nonprofit.

The organization is currently raising funds to restore and preserve Highland Farm and to construct a theatre education center on the site of the property’s historic barn. To support the project, visit www.hammersteinmuseum.org/donate or contact info@hammersteinmuseum.org. Naming opportunities are available.