Photo Flash: Meet the Authors Behind Pegasus Theatre's 2016 Young Playwrights Festival

Pegasus Theatre Chicago shines the spotlight on the next generation of authors at its 29th YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL, featuring three world premiere works written by Chicago high school students and staged in a professional production. This year's festival will play today, January 1 - 23, 2016 at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave. in Chicago. The press opening is Monday, January 4 at 7 pm. Scroll down to meet this year's winners!

The YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL is a citywide playwriting competition that gives voice to Chicago high schoolers by teaching them to craft one-act plays. The winning teens join with professional directors and actors to workshop and stage their scripts as part of Pegasus Theatre Chicago's main stage season. The second oldest such festival in the country, the competition enhances language arts, encourages independent, high-level thinking and strong personal values and influences career development for area teens.

The 2015 competition, which encouraged students to explore the theme of "expectations," received 500 submissions. This year's winners include Myka Buck of Kenwood Academy (Our Little Secret), Brian Hayes of Taft High School (The Adventures of FeRB) and Keauna Pierce of Lane Tech High School (A Cup of Souls and One Grim Reaper, Please).

The 29th YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL will feature Chris Acevedo, Chris Cinereski, Will Kiley, Shadana Patterson, Erica Pezza, Danielle Rennalls, Brenann Stacker and Eric Walter.

The 29th YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL Line-Up:

OUR LITTLE SECRET

By Myka Buck (Kenwood Academy)

Directed by Lavina Jadhwani

A high school senior, Tommy lives with her single, working mom. As senior prom excitement builds, Tommy struggles with coming out to her conservative mother.

THE ADVENTURES OF FeRB

By Brian Hayes (Taft High School)
Directed by Jason Fleece

It is the first day of school and FeRb is more excited than ever. He is an incoming freshmen and looking to finally make friends and find his true social group - until he meets Bradly, the social king of high school.

A CUP OF SOULS AND ONE GRIM REAPER, PLEASE

By Keauna Pierce (Lane Tech High School)

Directed by Ilesa Duncan

The new grim reaper, Dave, doesn't like doing his job of collecting souls and dreams of traveling the world. However, his bosses have other things in mind. Does Dave get to make his dream come true - or does his view of his job change?

Tickets are currently available at www.PegasusTheatreChicago.org or by calling Ovation Tickets at (866) 811-4111.

Photo Credit: Emily Schwartz

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