Fort Worth Kiwanis Club Sponsors Circle Theatre's High School Playwriting Project

Fort Worth Kiwanis Club Sponsors Circle Theatre's High School Playwriting Project and the Finalist Reading Series.

The Kiwanis Club has partnered with Circle Theatre (A home for member Roger Drummond) to bring new scholarships to the writers who participate in the High School Playwriting Project! Our partnership has increased funding to the top script writers from $200 to $2000, to the semi-finalist writers from $100 to $1000, and to the top 20 script writers from $0 to $100. This has had a significant impact on the program and how far it can reach.

ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL PLAYWRITING PROJECT

The High School Playwriting Project began as collaboration between Rose Pearson and Larry Boston‭ (‬an Eastern Hills High School theatre teacher‭) ‬in 1996‭. ‬When Mr‭. ‬Boston received a playwriting scholarship award from the Star-Telegram‭, ‬he approached Ms‭. ‬Pearson with the idea of having readings of his students’‭ ‬plays at Circle Theatre‭, ‬presented by a professional director and cast of actors‭. ‬These readings expanded into what is now known as the High School Playwriting Project‭.‬

Each year‭, ‬the project begins with invitations to area high school teachers and students to enter 10-minute scripts for evaluation by an experienced panel of judges‭. ‬These judges read the anonymously submitted plays‭, ‬write responses for each script‭, ‬and choose 20‭ ‬plays to send to Connie Whitt-Lambert‭, ‬theatre professor at Texas Wesleyan University‭. ‬

Connie Whitt-Lambert‭, ‬along with Wesleyan playwrights then provide written analyses for each of the selected twenty plays‭. ‬This‭ ‬provides the students with an opportunity to edit their original submissions‭.‬ The High School Playwriting Project is open to all students and is not limited to theatre classes‭. ‬Teachers or students wishing‭ ‬to participate in next year’s playwriting project may email hspp@circletheatre.com

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PRESS RELEASE

Fort Worth Sundance Square‭ ‬‮—‬‭ ‬Circle Theatre’s High School Playwriting Project will celebrate their 2024‭ ‬Finalist Reading Series at Circle Theatre on May 5‭, ‬2024‭ ‬at 3:30pm‭. ‬A public reading of the four finalist plays will take place complete with a cast of professional DFW actors‭. ‬Director of Marketing and Programs‭, ‬Taylor Staniforth‭, ‬will direct the readings‭. ‬A reception honoring the students and their teachers will immediately follow the readings and awards ceremony‭.‬

There were 168‭ ‬scripts submitted from 25‭ ‬schools‭, ‬including Arlington‭, ‬Booker T‭. ‬Washington‭, ‬Bowie‭, ‬Burleson‭, ‬Byron Nelson‭, ‬Dunbar‭, ‬Ennis‭, ‬Founders Classical Academy of Flower Mount‭, ‬Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts‭, ‬Greenhill School‭, ‬Haltom‭, ‬Highland Academy‭, ‬L.D‭. ‬Bell‭, ‬Mansfield Legacy‭, ‬Matthew Road Academy‭, ‬STCA‭, ‬Southwest Christian‭, ‬Southlake Carroll High School‭, ‬Texas Academy of Faith‭ ‬and Arts‭, ‬Timber Creek‭, ‬Trinity Valley‭, ‬and Wylie East High Schools

The annual High School Playwriting Project public reading is free of charge and open to the general public‭, ‬as well as families‭ ‬and friends of the playwrights‭. ‬Free reservations can be made from our website‭. ‬Finalist and semi-finalist students and their teachers will receive cash stipends‭, ‬certificates‭, ‬trophies‭, ‬and complimentary theatre tickets as an acknowledgement of their participation and accomplishment‭. ‬

For further information call 817.877.3040‭, ‬from 12pm‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬5pm‭, ‬Tuesday through Friday‭. ‬Circle Theatre is‭ ‬located in Sundance Square at 230‭ ‬West 4th Street‭, ‬Fort Worth‭, ‬TX 76102‭. www.circletheatre.com ‬