The Winners of the 29th Annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest

Playwrights Theatre is pleased to announce the winners of the 29th Annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest. From the 261 plays submitted by young writers throughout the state, a panel of theatre professionals has selected four High School plays, three Junior High School plays and three Elementary Schools plays. In each category, plays were selected without knowledge of playwrights' schools or grade. Judges were not provided with any of the playwrights' information. The 29th Annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest Festival will be held on May 21 and May 22 as part of a partnership between Playwrights Theatre and Premiere Stages at Kean University. Select plays from this festival will be reprised at Playwrights Theatre’s nationally-recognized Forum Reading Series in December 2012. This reading series brings together writers from all over the United States.

The plays will be presented at the University Center's Little Theatre at Kean University on Monday, May 21 at 7 pm for the Elementary and Junior High Division winners and on Tuesday, May 22 at 7 pm for the High School Division winners’ plays. The readings will feature professional actors and directors and reservations can be made by calling 973-514-1787 X21 or via email njypf@ptnj.org. Admission to the readings is free, but reservations are required, as seating is limited.

In the High School Division (grades 10-12), the winners are:
Monster by Samuel Gelman, 12th grade, The Pingry School
The Mystery Madame of 110 and Broadway by Emma Hathaway, 11th grade, Bergen County Academies
Must-Read by Isabelle Ingato, 11th grade, Toms River High School East
Disneyland by Alina Sodano, 11th grade, Bergen County Academies

The aforementioned winners will receive a New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education, which is co-sponsored by New Jersey Arts Education Partnership and the New Jersey Department of Education, at the Governor’s Awards Ceremony on May 10 at 4:30 pm at the War Memorial in Trenton. The Governor’s Award is the highest honor in arts education in New Jersey.

In the Junior High School Division (grades 7-9), the winners are:
It Always Would by Emma Q. Baxter, 7th grade, Randolph Middle School
Fame in the Family by Madeleine Granovetter, 9th grade, Glen Ridge High School
Only Strangers by Nicole Zanchelli, 9th grade, Mount Saint Mary Academy

In the Elementary School Division (grades 4-6), the winners are:
Rosedale by Elizabeth Kilgore, 5th grade, St. Vincent Martyr School
The Time Travelers by Jason Li, 6th grade, Cranbury School
From Geek to Chic by Mollie Sullivan, 4th grade, Torey J. Sabatini School

Samuel Gelman (High School) and Elizabeth Kilgore (Elementary) were winners in their respective divisions last year. For the past two years, Emma Q. Baxter has submitted plays to contest and she was recognized last year with an Honorable Mention. Mollie Sullivan’s (Elementary) play was presented in March 2012 during the Madison Young Playwrights Festival.

It's a Wrap--2011 NJYP Festival

The 28th Annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Festival has come to an end. It was an amazing time and you can read all about it on the NJYP Blog.

In the meantime, here are some photos from the festival.2011 New Jersey Young Playwrights Elementary School Winners

2011 New Jersey Young Playwrights Junior High School Winner with the Cast

2011 New Jersey Young Playwrights High School and Honorable Mention Winners

Actor Jack Moran portrays Issac in "For The Sake of America: A Story of Patriotism" by Sam Gelman

Actors Tim Regan and Shannon Sullivan in "The Prologue to After" by Jenna Postiglione

Actors Daniil Krimer and Shannon Sullivan played Devon and Bianca in "Wacky Wednesday" by Justine DeSilva

Actors Daniel Bartkewicz and Jack Moran in Sam Gelman's play "For the Sake of America: A Story of Patriotism"

Actors Noelle Cristiano and Daniil Krimer as Patty and Billy in "The Prologue to After" by Jenna Postiglione

Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods A Must See

Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods
by Tammy Ryan

a co-production between Playwrights Theatre and Premiere Stages, in partnership with Kean University Human Rights Institute

directed by John Pietrowski

September 2 - 19, 2010

"See. This. Play." Sherri Rase, [Q]onStage

"If you like excellent drama...you must see new, powerful, timely play Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods."Rick Busciglio, Examiner.com

"Almost everything comes together extraordinarily well in director John Pietrowski's crisp production."
Peter Filichia, The Star-Ledger

Click here to purchase tickets online or call the box office at 908-737-7469. Please note: All performances take place at the Zella Fry Theatre on the campus of Kean University.

Performances This Week:
Thursday, Sept 9 at 8pm
Friday, Sept 10 at 8pm
Saturday, Sept 11 at 3pm and 8pm
Sunday, Sept 12 at 3pm

Special Events This Week:
Sunday, Sept 12 - "Sunday Scholars" post-show discussion with Dr. Jay Spaulding, expert on Sudanese History

An optimistic former "Lost Boy" from Sudan meets a suburban mother in desperate need of adventure. What begins as an unlikely friendship soon becomes an unbreakable bond that leads them toward a better understanding of their place in the world.

Click here for directions to Premiere Stages at Kean University

Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods Opens Today

Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods by Tammy Ryan is a co-production between Playwrights Theatre and Premiere Stages in partnership with Kean University Human Rights Institute. The production which previews tonight, September 2, 2010 at 8pm runs through September 19, 2010.


Directed by John Pietrowski
Appropriate for ages 11 and up.

An optimistic “Lost Boy” from Sudan meets a suburban mother in desperate need of adventure. What begins as an unlikely friendship soon becomes an unbreakable bond that leads them toward a better understanding of their place in the world.

Please note: All performances of this production will be held at the Zella Fry Theatre on the Campus of Kean University.

A host of special events will occur in conjunction with the production. For more information, click here.

September 2 - "Pizza Preview" with $10 student tickets and free pizza in the lobby before the show.

To order tickets call the box office at 908-737-7469 or order online.

Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods by Tammy Ryan

Tammy Ryan's "Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods" continues the FORUM reading series tonight at 7pm.

About the Playwright: Tammy Ryan’s plays include A Confluence of Dreaming (finalist, 2008 Julie Harris Playwriting Award), The Music Lesson (2004 AATE Distinguished Play Award), and Dark Part Of The Forest (winner 2006 Premiere Stages Playwriting Festival). Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods was developed at the New Harmony Project and Premiere Stages Playwriting Festival this summer and will be presented at the National New Play Network’s 2009 National Showcase of New Plays in Atlanta in December.

About the Director: John Pietrowski is the Artistic Director of Playwrights Theatre, where he has directed numerous world premiere productions of plays in his 19-year tenure. A winner of the Agnes E. Nixon playwriting award at Northwestern University for two of his plays, he has had readings and productions of plays at theatres in New Jersey and New York. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Performance Studies Department, he also holds an Masters of Public Administration in non-profit management from Seton Hall University, and teaches at both Fairleigh Dickinson and Seton Hall University.

THE EXCEPTIONALS by Robert Clyman

On stage tonight, 7pm, a reading of Robert Clyman's "The Exceptionals."

About the Playwright: Robert Clyman's plays have been produced Off-Broadway and at regional theatres, including the Alley Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Repertory Theatre at George Street Theatre, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey and L.A. Theatre Works in addition to touring Scotland. His awards include a Eugene O’Neill Summer Conference Fellowship, Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award Geraldine Dodge Fellowship, New Jersey State Arts Council Award and an Edward Albee Foundation Fellowship He was nominated for an Outer Circle Critics Award for best script in 2008.

About the Director:
John Wooten is the Producing Artistic Director of Premiere Stages, a professional Equity theatre dedicated to the development of American dramatists. He has directed numerous world premieres and is a resident director for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. John’s plays have been produced Off-Broadway, in London, Australia, India, South Africa, Canada and in regional Equity theaters across America. Published by: Dramatists Play Service, Samuel French, Playscripts Inc. and Dramatic Publishing Company. John teaches Playwriting and Inside Television at Kean University. His film Cat in the Pan recently premiered at the Montreal Film Festival.