Day 1 - Read-thrus

Yesterday was the first day of rehearsals for the Festival. We met first with the high school playwrights and read through and discussed their scripts. The afternoon was one of ideas, questions, and new discoveries of each play.

Cast 1 discusses their scripts, Final Draft by Steven Maier (pictured at center) and A Sister's Gift by Sheli Paige Frank (not pictured). Also in this photo are actors Dan Bartkewicz, Virginia Bosch, and director Maryna Harrison.

Director Jim Ligon (center) discusses Tempus Fugit by James Just (at left) with Cast 2. Also in this picture are actor/ASM Amalia Schiff (far left) and actor Victor Martinez (at right, back to camera). Why You by Justine DeSilva will also be performed by Cast 2.

The playwrights went home and worked on revisions to the plays well into the early hours of this morning. We look forward to getting these new drafts on their feet in Day 2.

Later in the afternoon, the cast for the reading of Junior HS and Elementary plays read through the eight scripts. We made a number of slight changes and edits - primarily to the stage directions - in an effort to streamline the way the play reads without the actions and scenery that the playwrights have envisioned. The challenge for us is to use the stage directions almost as narration or as a storyteller might. We're excited to see how that turns out on Monday morning at the Festival!