Young playwrights, drama students join forces to stage original works

Eight original one-act plays written by New Haven schoolchildren and staged by Yale drama students will be presented Friday and Saturday, June 20 and 21 by the Dwight/Edgewood Project (D/EP).

Now in its 20^th year, D/EP is sponsored by the Yale Repertory Theatre and School of Drama. It pairs eight 6th- and 7th-graders from the Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School — who were selected based on their interest in writing and storytelling — with mentors from Yale School of Drama. During the month of June, the students work one-on-one with their mentors and learn about theater and playwriting through interactive games and writing exercises. Each student then writes an original one-act play, which is designed, directed, and performed by the same Yale School of Drama artists who have served as teachers and mentors to the young playwrights.

The theme of this year’s presentations is “Welcome to Our Worlds.” Friday’s program will feature “Happiness and Friendship” by Johanna Perez, “Life Without You” by Michelle Cabrera, “Penteax and Cyclops War” by Eddie Ramirez, and “What’s Pizza” by Grace Trufan. Saturday’s program features” Life in The Candy Shop” by Alexandria Campbell-Ferguson, “Finding Home” by Ellie Ginnow, “Enemies to Friends: A Button and a Hat Story” by Savannah Gray, and “S.T.R.” by Marlon Quincey Myers.

Both programs will held at 7 p.m. in the Off-Broadway Theatre, 41 Broadway. Admission is free, but seating is on a first-come basis.

The staff of The Dwight/Edgewood Project 2014 includes Melissa Zimmerman (producing director), Annie Middleton (general manager), Katherine McGerr and Andras Viski (directors), Caitlin Smith Rapoport (scenic designer), Fabian Aguilar (costume designer), Josef Moro (lighting designer), Steven Brush (sound designer), Rocky Bostick (production stage manager), and Lee O’Reilly (technical director). Mentors include Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Taylor Barfield, David Clauson, Helen Jaksch (Presidential Public Service Fellow), Mary Laws, Libby Peterson, Nahuel Telleria, and Stephanie Rolland. The teaching artist is Dipika Guha.

The Dwight/Edgewood Project 2014 is made possible in part by Yale Repertory Theatre/Yale School of Drama, Yale University Office of New Haven and State Affairs, Esme Usdan Community Youth Fund, The Lucille Lortel Foundation, the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, Allegra Print and Imaging, and individual donors.

 For more information, call 203-432-2174.