VSA arts Presents 19th Annual Playwright Discovery Awards
September 9, 2003
Evening will showcase award-winning plays about disability
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC (September 9, 2003) – VSA arts, an international organization that provides opportunities in the arts for children and adults with disabilities, will present its annual VSA arts Playwright Discovery Awards at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m.
The Playwright Discovery Award Program offers middle and high school students of all abilities an opportunity to examine, through the art of playwriting, how disability affects a person’s life.
The ceremony will feature a full production of “Diamond in the Rough,” the story of a teenager with albinism written by 16-year-old Allyson Hogan of Worthington, Minnesota. The play stars Dennis Hurley, a professional actor with albinism from New York.
The evening will also include a staged reading of excerpts from “Get Ready to Walk and Roll!,” a play co-written by 18-year-olds Bethany Andrews of Tempe, Arizona and Amanda Harper of Chandler, Arizona. The story focuses on a high school student with muscular dystrophy and was inspired by Amanda’s own experience with the same disability. Hannah Sternberg, a 15-year-old from Vermont will also be honored for her play “Quota,” about an imaginary future in which people with disabilities are forced to wear masks.
“Our Playwright Discovery program is a perfect example of how the arts can enrich education by offering a creative way to explore disability issues in a classroom setting,” said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts.“We are incredibly proud of this year’s honorees and impressed by the quality of their submissions. Through playwriting, they have gained a greater understanding of disability and the enormous benefit that society gains from opening its doors to all.”
This year’s honorees were selected by a distinguished committee of award-winning artists, including director Jack Hofsiss, producer Fred Zollo and playwright John Belluso. Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, the founder of VSA arts and former Ambassador to Ireland, will present this year’s awards.
As part of this year’s program, VSA arts also will recognize Grace Warren of Delray Beach, Florida, the first recipient of the new annual Playwright Discovery Teacher Award. This award honors teachers who have creatively brought disability awareness to their classrooms through the art of playwriting. Ms. Warren, who teaches at Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, has successfully used playwriting in her classrooms as a means of exploring the theme of disability and helping students learn the value of diversity in our society.
To reserve complimentary tickets, please call (202) 628-2800 or (202) 737-0645 (TTY) or email playwrightrsvp@vsarts.org. The performance will be followed immediately by a reception.
About VSA arts
VSA arts is an international non-profit organization founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith to promote education and lifelong learning opportunities in the arts for people with disabilities. Nearly five million people participate in VSA arts programs annually. Many of them participate in programs sponsored by a worldwide network of affiliate organizations. VSA arts programs in music, dance, drama, creative writing, and the visual arts develop learning skills, encourage independence, and promote access and inclusion. More information may be found at www.vsarts.org
Contact:
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Tanya Travers |
Chris Hill |
(F) 202-429-0868