Florida Studio Theatre to Present Collection of Plays Inspired by Children, THE GRANDMA THAT EATS EVERYTHING & OTHER WINNING PLAYS

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is set to present The Grandma That Eats Everything & Other Winning Plays, a collection of plays inspired by the imaginations of children in sixth grade and below. This production is presented as part of FST's WRITE A PLAY program, an award-winning arts-in-education initiative that provides students with the example, the inspiration, and the skills to write their own original plays.

Students' creations are then submitted to FST's annual youth playwriting competition, and about a dozen winning plays are selected out of thousands of submissions from around the world to be brought to life in a full-scale production performed by professional actors. This season's anthology of winning plays, The Grandma That Eats Everything, marks the 31st year that FST has inspired young students through the WRITE A PLAY program.

"Art is a reflection of the world we live in, and that is certainly the case for young artists, too," shared Adam Ratner, FST's Young Playwrights Festival Coordinator and Lead Teaching Artist. "It's been fascinating to see how these students have used the art of playwrighting as a way to process the events of the last few years. Many of the plays submitted this year feature main characters who are faced with difficult situations that require them to escape from certain obstacles or who are lost and must find their way. Through playwrighting, these students have found a way to vocalize, process, and imagine solutions for some of the challenges we've all faced recently - and that is a positive life skill that we are thrilled that we're able to share with and use to empower these young people."

WRITE A PLAY expanded to reach new schools in Florida, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Scotland during the 2021-2022 academic year. This was also FST's first year bringing WRITE A PLAY to The Haven, a Sarasota-based organization serving individuals with disabilities of all ages.

Directing these touching, original pieces are FST Associate Artists Jason Cannon and J Paul Nicholas. Cast in The Grandma That Eats Everything are FST Acting Apprentices: Rachel Biggs, Adian Chapman, Scott Douglas, Ariel Friendly, Gracie Gilbert, Jackson Janowicz, and Facia Lee. These actors have previously been seen this season in FST's productions of Cinderella, Deck the Halls, and Hare & Tortoise.

SCHOOL GROUPS

The Grandma That Eats Everything & Other Winning Plays will play on weekdays to school groups in FST's Keating Theatre as part of FST's WRITE A PLAY program. The play is also available to tour to your school. To book this theatrical experience for your school, contact Shelby Lynhall at slynhall@floridastudiotheatre.org or call 941.366.9797.

WEEKEND FAMILY SERIES

From March 6 to May 8, The Grandma That Eats Everything & Other Winning Plays is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday mornings as part of FST's Children's Theatre Series. Single tickets are $10. Tickets are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or by calling FST's Box Office at 941.366.9000.

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