Hawai'i Young Playwright Discovery Summer Festival opens June 30

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Susan B Miller, (808) 956-3975
Project Director Hawaii MIG, Center on Disability Studies
Posted: Jun 28, 2010

TAG (The Actors Group), in partnership with VSA Hawai‘i and UH Mānoa’s Center on Disability Studies, announces opening night of the Hawai‘i Young Playwright Discovery Summer Festival on Wednesday, June 30, at 6:30 p.m.
 
Four plays were written, directed and acted by Hawai‘i high school students with and without disabilities. Each of the four plays has a theme that includes some aspect of disability. TAG mentors provided professional training to 30 students with and without disabilities in all aspects of theater industry.
 
"VSA, TAG and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa joined forces to bring an inclusive professional theater training opportunity for youth in transition seeking serious career preparation in the arts," said VSA Hawaiʻi executive director Kathleen O'Bryan.
 
Each year, young artists with and without disabilities are encouraged to submit their plays with disability themes for a chance to have their work performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  TAG and VSA decided to stage the Hawai‘i plays. 
 
This is the first time a Hawai‘i community theater has worked with youth in transition with and without disabilities in an apprenticeship type format, and the first time TAG has staged written by young playwrights that contain themes related to disability.  
   
WHAT: 2010 Summer Playwrights Discovery Festival
 
WHERE: TAG - The Actors Theatre  (Hawaiʻi Capitol Art District)
 1116 Smith Street, Honolulu
 
WHEN: Opening night: Wednesday, June 30, 2010
 Closing Night: Sunday, July 11, 2010 (sign language interpreted)
 
 Show Times: Wednesday-Saturday June 30- July 10, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
 Tickets: Three plays/Cost $10
 
 Order tickets at: http://www.taghawaii.net/OrderTicketsFestival.html
    
 All four play matinee
 Sunday, July 11, 2 p.m.
 COST: Four Plays - $15
 NO shows on Sunday, July 4
 
 1. Invalidation
 Written & directed by Samuel Spengler & Jackson Shimanoff
 
 2. Play in Progress
 Written & directed by Kelley Mitchell
 
 3. Exceptional Hearing
 Written & directed by Aliyah Flowe
 
 4. The Honu and the Hare, a Hawaiian Parable
 Written by VSA Hawai‘i Waianae GED prep students
 Directed by Kelly Cazinha
 
For more information about the plays, visit: http://www.taghawaii.net/YoungPlaywrightFestivalPlays.html.
 
TAG is one of Hawaiʻi's top community theatric organizations, and is based in the Honolulu Arts District on Smith Street. The Young Playwrights Discovery Theatre is TAG's first effort in youth theater with adult mentors working with youth in all aspects of theater including actors, playwrights with and without disabilities.
 

For more information, visit: http://www.taghawaii.net/YoungPlaywrightFestivalParticipants.html