BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Five elementary school students will be presenting scripts they've written onstage for the first time on Friday.
Touchstone Theatre's Young Playwrights' Festival will take place on 7:30 p.m. on May 19 at Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave.
- Touchstone Theatre's Young Playwrights' Festival features the work of 11 Bethlehem elementary and middle school students
- The students will present their productions for the first time on Friday, May 19 at Zoellner Arts Center
- Tickets are $15. The event will also be livestreamed
The plays are written by students from Farmerville, Freemansburg, Governor Wolf, Lincoln and Spring Garden elementary schools in partnership with Touchstone Theatre.
Chosen from hundreds of submissions, this year's winning playwrights are Jaden Bullock ("Evil Bear's Revenge"), Zinay Crespo ("Aquill and Paisley Lost Their Pet Jellybean"), Harper Egging ("The Princess with a Broadsword"), Sadie Villafane ("Spotlight") and Liam Zavatone ("Black Out").
'Wit and wisdom'
The students are participants of the ensemble theater's Young Playwright's Lab, an eight-week arts and literacy residency with the Bethlehem Area School District that uses theater as a way to engage and improve students' interest in writing.
During the course, each playwright was required to write an original one-act play to be considered for performance in the Young Playwrights' Festival, now in its 18th year.
This year, the theater had close to 150 student submissions.
"The Young Playwrights' Festival gives the Lehigh Valley a rare opportunity: the chance to look deep into the hearts and minds of our youngest artists," Mary Wright, Touchstone's education director said.
"The combination of the kids' imaginations and Touchstone's own creates a one-of-a-kind evening of theater. We invite everyone to celebrate with us the whimsy, wit, and wisdom of our youth."
From paper to stage
Weeks leading up to the performance, the young scriptwriters worked side-by-side with local thespians and guest directors from Touchstone, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and Zoellner Arts Center where they attended rehearsals and script readings.
"The combination of the kids' imaginations and Touchstone's own creates a one-of-a-kind evening of theater. We invite everyone to celebrate with us the whimsy, wit and wisdom of our youth."Mary Wright, Touchstone Theatre education director
The plays will be performed by regional actors, Touchstone's cast, Young Playwrights' Lab teachers and the winning playwrights.
Select scenes from five runner-up plays will also be performed.
The second place winners are: Chloe Ferullo from Nitschmann Middle School ("The Murder Onstage: The Story of How a Middle School's Theatre Ghost Came To Be"), Randy Isaac Flowers of Marvine Elementary School ("The Rude Welcoming"), Melis Orul of James Buchanan Elementary School ("The Mystery of the Lost King"), Mae Sobrinski of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School ("The Talking Dishes") and "Bella Velez of Donegan Elementary School ("Jack and Jill and the Scaredy Cats").
A scene from a "wild and inventive" tale by Broughal Middle School student Zoey Sobrinski's 40-page play will also be part of the performance.
Sobrinski will receive an honorable mention and special dramatist award that evening.
The event will also be livestreamed. Tickets are $15.
