Independent Arts News Reporting Reported on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.
Pictured Above: The of the legendary art space, Phillips’ Mill. Photo Credit: Contributed.
Past Winners of Phillips’ Mill’s ‘Play With Words’ Student Playwriting Competition Look Forward to Submitting This Year
NEWSROOM POST: NEW HOPE, PA
Submissions for this year’s competition are due by midnight, January 12, 2025. Winning plays will be presented in a staged reading at the Mill on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
New Hope, PA – If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then reprise is surely an indication of success. That’s how Fran Ferrone, Chair of Phillips’ Mill’s 3rd Annual Play With Words Student Playwriting Challenge interprets feedback from three of last years’ winners.
Saskia Cooper of The Pennington School, who shared that she “was nervous… that a joke wouldn’t land… but was really happy to see the actors having fun,” plans to enter again this year. As does Abigail Wus of Pennsbury High School, who thinks the pressure of juggling time between studies and her love of writing is worth it. She offers this encouragement to students:
“to anyone who has a notes app full of unfinished ideas and fragments of stories, I encourage you to write for Play With Words. It provided me the motivation to try a new medium and helped me realize a new depth to writing that I will carry with me in the rest of my works.”
Now a freshman at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Finn Anderson, a senior last year at Upper Dublin High School, shares this advice: “When writing your play, make sure you’re writing from a place of attention and passion. The best way to connect to the audience is to show them your own passion and knowledge and allow that to take form in dialogue on-stage.”
Play With Words director, Fran Young, a 39-year veteran high school teacher of English, theatre, and creative writing, notes that “while most high school students express themselves through journaling, short stories, or poetry, many are reticent to try writing a play. I was astonished by the level of writing exhibited.” Affirming these endorsements, Tabitha Dell’Angelo, Interim Dean and Professor of Urban Education at The College of New Jersey, and one of last year’s Play With Words actors says, “Play With Words offers an opportunity to do truly authentic writing. Students write the way real writers write. It doesn’t just go into a box to be graded but is performed live on stage.”
“Judging by the enthusiastic reception winners received at last year’s sold-out house, we might need a bigger boat this year!” says Ferrone, who is hoping young writers will think about the Thanksgiving break as a good time to start writing. Submissions for this year’s competition are due by midnight, January 12, 2025. Winners will be announced late January and winning plays will be presented in a staged reading at the Mill on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
Students grades 7 -12 within a 25-mile radius of New Hope are eligible and can find all the necessary information and the submission form on the Phillips’ Mill website at phillipsmill.org/drama/play-with-words. Questions? Email drama@phillipsmill.org or call 215-862-0582.
Pictured Above: Phillips’ Mill “Play With Words” show art. Photo Credit: Contributed.
Phillips’ Mill Community Association is located at 2619 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938, (215) 862-0582, www.phillipsmill.org .
