3rd Annual BUFFALO YOUNG WRITERS CONTEST Kicks Off

Road Less Traveled Productions (RLTP) today announced it currently is accepting submissions for the Third Annual Buffalo Young Writers' (BYW) Contest. Students in WNY between the ages of 17 and 22 are encouraged to write a ten-to-fifteen-page play. One Grand-Prize Winner selected by RLTP will receive $250 and see his or her play professionally produced at the Road Less Traveled Theater (RLTT) in Downtown Buffalo, NY; four Runner-Up Winners will receive professional readings of their submissions, as well as complementary tickets to RLTP shows.

RLTP launched its first BYW contest in the fall of 2009 and received over 40 submissions from area high schools and colleges; winners were announced in January 2010 and showcased in the first BYW Night in May 2010. Response to the original contest and the resulting showcase was so positive that RLTP revived the contest in the fall of 2010, with a second BYW Night occurring in May 2011. The third annual contest begins now, fall of 2011; winners will be announced February 2012 and produced in the spring of 2012.

RLTP Literary Director Jon Elston was enthusiastic about continuing this successful program. "RLTP's mission is to develop and produce world-premiere plays by local playwrights," said Elston, "so the Buffalo Young Writers contest is a great opportunity to inspire WNY's student writers of today to become RLTP's working playwrights of tomorrow!" 2011 Grand-Prize Winner, UB Student Jon Zelasko, currently is developing his first full-length play in the Emanuel Fried New Play Workshop, RLTP's in-house mechanism for development of new plays by WNY playwrights. Zelasko's play, Sam , will receive its first public development reading this fall at the RLTT.

Elston noted there is no contest admission fee "in order to allow all students to participate." Only students currently enrolled in high schools and colleges in WNY are eligible, however. Submissions will be accepted through Monday, February 6 th , 2012, at 12:01 pm EST; winners will be announced at the Mighty Taco Talkback Thursday performance of RLTP's production of St. Nicholas on Thursday, February 16th, 2012. Student admission for Mighty Taco Talkback Thursdays is only $5. Winning BYW productions will be presented in May 2012. More information about the BYW contest is available at www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org .

About Road Less Traveled Productions

Road Less Traveled Productions (RLTP) is a professional, not-for-profit theatre company founded in 2002 by Scott Behrend with Jon Elston. RLTP is dedicated to the development and production of new theatrical works by Western New York playwrights as well as presentations of esteemed modern dramas of outstanding literary merit. The Road Less Traveled Theater is located at 639 Main Street in the Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre in the Downtown Buffalo Theatre District. For subscription and ticketing information, please visit www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org or call to make a reservation with the RLTP Box Office at (716) 629-3069. Single performance tickets also may be purchased online via www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. RLTP's work is made possible through public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

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