Alabama Shakespeare Festival Education Programs

An off-shoot of the Southern Writers' Project, ASF's Young Southern Writers' Project One Act Play Competition was created to give a voice to a new generation of Southern authors and encourage Southern high school students to hone their writing skills.

Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place writers and their teachers and include

* play readings of the first, second and third prize winners in the fall of 2008 at various locations throughout Alabama

* tickets to an ASF production and an opportunity to meet Southern Writers' Project playwrights

* publication on the ASF web site (Read last year's winning scripts)

Submissions are due March 4, 2008. If you are interested in participating please look over the competition guidelines and fill out an YSWP Playwright Information Sheet to include with your submission. (NOTE: Scripts will not be accepted if information sheet is incomplete.)

Attention Educators! Interested in learning specific techniques for crafting an effective short play, and discovering new ways to inspire your writing students? Take advantage of one of these exciting programs: WRITE ON! TEACHING THE ART OF PLAYWRITING October 23, 2007 or PLAYWRIGHT IN THE CLASSROOM October 22 & November 2, 2007. Click here for more information.

Sponsored by: Adams Foundation
Young Boozer Family Foundation
Starbucks Foundation

Starbucks


Gen Z

- We’re more than just talk -

Winners of the 2007 Young Southern Writers’ Project
One-Act Play Competition

What we think.
What we believe.
What we write.

Find out at live readings at a Barnes & Noble Store near you:

Sunday, September 23 at 3 pm
Birmingham, Summit Blvd.
Sunday, September 30 at 3 pm
Montgomery, Eastern Blvd.
Sunday, October 7 at 3 pm
Spanish Fort

Sponsored in part by the Adams Foundation, The Young Boozer Family Foundation and Starbucks Foundation


YSWP Finalists Announced!

We were overwhelmed with the response this year - our largest ever. We were impressed with the originality and variety of submissions. Strong voices emerged that touched us in surprising ways. These young voices shied from no topic or genre. We can thank the inborn Southern love of storytelling for these marvelous plays. And we can thank the dedicated teachers of these student writers who have participated in our teacher playwriting seminars and generously shared their own outstanding teaching and coaching abilities with their gifted young protégés.

With over 100 manuscripts, it was difficult to select our eleven finalists. A reception will be held on June 30, 2007 in the Octagon Theatre to honor these talented young Southern writers. The first, second and third place writers will be announced at that time.

2008 Winners

1st Place
Mary Margaret Locker
When Leopold was King
Florence High School        Teacher Darlene Freemon
2nd Place
Genevive Marie Murdick
Lifting Horses
S.S. Murphy High School        Teacher Diane Maisel
3rd Place
Kasey Elizabeth Jowers
The Water Closet
Hoover High School        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

2008 Finalists


Katherine Elizabeth Corrigan
Preconceptions
Hoover High School        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

Amanda Lynn Evans
All for the Money
Hoover High School        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

Ryan Eric Groch
The Smiths
Florence High School        Teacher Darlene Freemon

Andrew W. Husted
Play it Real Pretty
Florence High School        Teacher Darlene Freemon

Emily Michelle Jones
Contempt of Court
Florence High School        Teacher Darlene Freemon

Andrew Stahlman
Dream Date
Huntsville High School        Teacher Becky McDowell

Michael Patrick Cash
Dysfunction
Hoover High School        Teacher Joshua Rutsky
 

2007 Winners

1st Place
Johnna Dominguez
A Means of Our Deliverance
Senior at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School        Teacher Foster Dickson
2nd Place
Misty Motes
The Trees Change Colors
Junior at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky
3rd Place
Angela Marlow
We Learn From Our Mistakes
Senior at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School        Teacher Foster Dickson

2007 Finalists


Andrew Ashford
The Commoner's Sword
Florence High School, Florence, AL        Teacher Mrs. Freemon

Christian Gilliam
The Face in the Window
Sophomore at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

Elizabeth Little
Smoke Signals
Freshman at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

Colin Miller
The Hollow Mind
Senior at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

Richard Munoz
Know What You Need
Sophomore at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

Lacey Myers
Letters of Regret
Florence High School, Florence, AL        Teacher Andre M. LaPalme

Cheyenne Taylor
Existentialism in New Jersey
Sophomore at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

Madison Terroni
They Saw It From Space
Sophomore at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

2006 Winners



1st Place
Daniel King
Children of Ovid
Senior at St. Joseph Catholic School, Madison, MS        Teacher Cleta Ellington
2nd Place
Brittany Bivins
An Accidental Affair
Senior at Alma Bryant High School, Irvington, AL        Teacher Samantha Smith
3rd Place
Becca Ansorge
Unsaid
Hoover High School, Hoover, AL    Teacher Joshua Rutsky

2006 Finalists



Andrew Bingham
Confession Aggression: A Southern Catholic Woman Speaks
Junior at St. Joseph Catholic School, Madison, MS        Teacher Cleta Ellington

Ryan J. Davis
The Paralysis
Junior at Daphne High School, Daphne, AL        Teacher Andre M. LaPalme

Patrick Fitzgerald
Straws and the Radio
Senior at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

Stefan Hannie
The Adventurer
Junior at Daphne High School, Daphne, AL        Teacher Andre M. LaPalme

Karla Hosch
Superhero
Junior at Daphne High School, Daphne, AL        Teacher Andre M. LaPalme

Julianne Losey
Schitz
Junior at Florence High School, Florence, AL    Teacher Mrs. Freemon

Sarah Mirseyedi
The Dead Cat
Junior at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

Chani Elaine Cheri Orr
Lilium Dichotomy
Senior at Beulah High School, Valley, AL        Teacher Linda Beatty

Vincent Russo
The Attack
Junior at Daphne High School, Daphne, AL        Teacher Andre M. LaPalme

Joi Webb
Through the Fire
Junior at Hoover High School, Hoover, AL        Teacher Joshua Rutsky

YSWP GUIDELINES PAST WINNERS COMING TO YOUR SCHOOL
Shakespeare Times: Alabama Shakespeare Festival Newsletter
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