Festival Director: Ilesa Duncan
January 7–31, 2010
An annual Chicago tradition and the oldest of its kind in the country, The Chicago Young Playwrights Festival receives 800+ submitted plays, each year, by teenagers throughout the city. Three winnning teen playwrights have been selected and their one-act works will be performed at Pegasus. YPF showcases the next generation of playwrights, allowing audiences a glimpse into the minds of today’s youth.
Pegasus Players’ received a record-breaking 803 scripts for the Young Playwrights Festival. After months of evaluating and choosing ten finalists and ten honorable mentions, on June 29, 2009 our panel of Judges selected the following winning plays for our 24th Annual Young Playwrights Festival:
WINNERS:
The Winning playwrights will receive a full, professional production of their short plays in January 2010, a $500 cash award and a mentorship with a professional playwright during the production phase.
KAT BLACKBURN, deliver me from evil – Lincoln Park HS – Bart Hanson, Teacher
GABRIELLA BONAMICI, The Nowhere People– Whitney Young HS – Jim English, Teacher
GIXIANG LEE, Roller Coaster – Northside College Prep – Ebykepreye Porri, Teacher
FINALISTS:
The seven Finalists will receive a $100 cash prize. All the writers in the final round will receive a plaque commemorating their participation at the Opening Night Festivities on Monday, January 11, 2010
Zoe Stergiannis, Green Thumbs– Whitney Young HS – Charlene Floreani , Teacher
Cassandra Cooper, Infecting Suburbia – Taft HS – Jennifer Sutton, Teacher
Priscilla Pagan, Veiled Voice – Lane Tech HS – Molly Meacham, Teacher
Celia Hensey, Better Rich – Kenwood Academy- Jon Nemeth, Teacher
Alexandra Barnard, Contributions – Kenwood Academy – Jon Nemeth, Teacher
Alice H. Thatcher, Modern Conveniences – Northside College Prep – Ebykepreye Porri, Teacher
Angie Ortiz, Jolie Has A Secret – Lane Tech HS – Brian Telles, Teacher
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Honorable Mention award winners received certificates of recognition at the celebration on June 29, 2009.
Rachel Spaulding, Needs – Northside College Prep – John Hahm , Teacher
Eric Secviar. Crime Doesn’t – Mt. Carmel HS – John Haggerty, Teacher & Assistant Principal
Peter Weglarz, Operation Alice – Whitney Young HS – Heather Worley, Teacher
Iris De Los Santos , The Fire Alarm – Whitney Young HS – Jim English , Teacher
Susana Ramirez , Minnesota Nice – Taft HS – Jennifer Sutton, Teacher
Ashley Berry, Relate – Sullivan HS – Deborah Hogan, Teacher
Anna Rich, The Blessed Virgin or Not? – CICS Northtown Academy – Jeanette Thompson, Teacher
Nolan Chin, Block 9 – Lincoln Park HS – Bart Hanson, Teacher
Stephanie Perez, Reflections in Mali – Schurz HS – Michael Rychlewski, Teacher
Jessica Aguirre, The Secret Clandestine – John Hancock HS, Jason Safranek, Teacher