Atlanta (Pitchengine.com) November, 2010- Young Voices with New
Visions, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, announces the world
premiere of short plays by kids, about kids, for kids. The stage is
set at Woodland Elementary Charter School and the curtains will open
Thursday, November 11 at 5pm. The 2010 Short Play Competition was a
tough process for hundreds of students that entered their original
works, but only 5 aspiring playwrights were chosen by their peers to
showcase their talents on the big stage.
Students have been working vigorously putting the finishing touches on
scripts, auditioning the cast, working with The Woodland Ensemble
Company and Friends to ensure all musical selections are in sync and
so much more. Highlights of the evening will include plays by Cobe
Jackson (5th grader and Gold Medal Winner of YVNV short play
competition) as he presents “A Life Changing Adventure” – an epic
drama adventure of a young boy’s quest to find his father. N’Kai
Lewis (6th grader and Silver Medal Winner of YVNV short play
competition) will debut “Our Best Move”- a contemporary dramatization
that focuses on the power of Salsa dancing to resolve cultural
conflicts.
The YVNV artistic and production team is made up of dedicated parents,
community volunteers, faculty, and staff with professional acting,
directorial, dramaturgical and literary backgrounds. They have guided
the emerging artists through the processes of producing, presenting
and performing the plays for the festival. The writing is
accomplished, compelling and at times intentionally comic. Each
playwright’s unique voice will be honored by a fully staged production
with enthusiastic and committed performances by the acting ensemble.
About Young Voices With New Visions Playfest
Students went through a rigorous 10-week play development workshop
with Pamela-Faith Jackson, a professional dramaturg and Tamara
Beasley, a Talented and Gifted Certified Teacher and Math Coach from
Bethune Elementary School. Bethune and Woodland served as Young
Playwrights Unit sites where the students met to workshop their plays.
Dr. Ruth Baskerville and Dr. Gwendolyn Miller graciously opened their
buildings for the YVNV playwriting initiative. The original
student-written plays received a reading in the Spring and their peers
selected the most promising 5 works-in-progress. In the final round
of competition, the scripts were sent to YVNV adjudicators Sydne
Mahone, Associate Professor, Theatre Arts, playwriting and dramatic
literature, University of Iowa; Professor Susan Watson Turner, Lehman
College (NYC), Professor Kimberly Harding, Florida A & M, as well as,
Brenda Wilcox, Executive Vice President of the Southwest GA Film
Commission.
About Young Voices With New Visions
Pamela-Faith Jackson is founder of the YVNV,
Inc., co-founder of F.A.A.M.E. ARTS, LLC, and editor of Black Comedy:
9 Plays-A Critical Anthology With Interviews and Essays. Her training
includes a B.A. Drama, Spelman College; M.F.A. Dramaturgy/Criticism,
Columbia University,; M.Ed. Early Childhood Education, Georgia State
University; and Talented and Gifted Certification.
Visit www.yvnvplays.org for more information
Tickets $4.00
Media Contact:
T-3 Concepts
Sareena Beasley
O: 404.981.2015
E: pr@T-3concepts.com
