2010 High School Playwriting Project Held at Circle Theatre

Circle Theatre and Fort Worth Theatre are proud to announce the following outstanding finalists and semi-finalists in their sixth annual co-sponsored High School Playwriting Project.

Finalists (listed alphabetically)

In Facebook Wii Trust by Lien Le of Nolan Catholic High School
(Teacher: Abby Rosenthal)

Juggling Daggers by Caroline Rodriguez of Fort Worth Country Day School
(Teacher: Melodee Halbach)

Simplicity by Virginia Greene of Fort Worth Country Day School
(Teacher: David Berthold)

The Hindenburg by James Ekstrom of Fort Worth Country Day School
(Teacher: Melodee Halbach)

Semi-Finalists (listed alphabetically)

Diary of an Angel by Sydney Darrow of Fort Worth Country Day School (Teacher: David Berthold)
True Love Awaits by Lalitha Kasal of Fort Worth Country Day School (Teacher: Melodee Halbach)
True Perception by Ian Ford of Fort Worth Country Day School (Teacher: Melodee Halbach)

Submissions to this year's project included over 80 entries from six different schools in Tarrant County.

Funding for this year's High School Playwriting Project is generously provided by the Pangburn Foundation, JP Morgan, Trustee.

The "Back Story"

A panel of four judges read and critiqued over 80 anonymously submitted short plays from Tarrant County high schools. The panel then selected twenty plays they felt would best qualify for a public staged reading by experienced actors. This was all done individually, without conferring with others on the panel. This year's panel members included Diane Simons (Executive Producer, Hip Pocket Theatre), Justin Flowers (host of This Week in the Arts and local stage actor), Steve McGaw (Artistic Director, SceneShop), and Yvonne Duque (Instructor of Drama, Tarrant County College NW).

Connie Whitt-Lambert, Chair of Texas Wesleyan University's Theatre Department, read twenty outstanding plays selected by the panel. From these plays, she chose four finalist and three semi-finalist scripts. The finalists will receive a professional staged reading, directed by Harry Parker, Chair of Texas Christian University's Theatre Department.

This year's readings are scheduled for 3pm, Sunday, May 16th. Teachers and their students (finalists and semi-finalists) will be recognized with a trophy presentation. They will also receive cash honorariums, certificates and complimentary theatre tickets to acknowledge their accomplishment.

The High School Playwriting Project Staged Reading is free of charge and open to the public, as well as families and friends of the playwrights. A reception honoring the students and their teachers will immediately follow the performance.

For further information or to reserve general admission seating, call 817.877.3040, from noon - 5pm, Tuesday through Friday. Circle Theatre is located in Sundance Square at 230 West Fourth Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102.

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