Youth Playwrights Showcase - Oregon Conservatory of Performing Arts

Who knows where the next Eugene O’Neill may come from—perhaps, southern Oregon!

The pilot program of OCPA's Youth Playwrights Showcase was refreshing, unpredictable, and entertaining. As pilots we navigated over many bumps along the way to reach our destination. Untested and unrehearsed, these new works were fresh from the minds of their teen playwrights. Anything could happen -- and it did. Entertainment, collaboration, creativity, intensity, and laughs -- all in one fun evening.

Click here to see the photos.

The goal of the Youth Playwright Showcases is to expose teenagers to
the world of playwriting. Eight short plays were submitted by students
from St. Mary's and South Medford High Schools. Four were selected to
be read. The audience stayed for an impromptu discussion with the playwrights.

We'd like to thank Janet Rodkey, president of the Ashland New Plays Festival, for her advice and direction. And many thanks to our audience for attending and supporting the playwrights and the actors.

Friday, April 20, 2007
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
South Medford High School's Little Theatre

The winning plays:

Echoes
by Micah Bromley

The Vanishing Cloth
by Cordero Juncal and Ryan Rambach

Weird M_tel
by Alexa Burwell, Toby Huebner, Robby Boggess, and Taylor Hawker

Wrong Time
by Lauren Yaru

The first of its kind in the valley, the Showcase features young playwrights whose original plays were read in front of a live audience in the SMHS Little Theatre. The dramatic readings were followed by an informal discussion among the playwrights, actors, audience, and local theatre professionals.

The Showcase was open to playwrights ages 14 to 18 who are students of South Medford High School or St. Mary's School.