The high school cast for the PIOS residency in Park City

My adaptation of James Howe’s amazing book The Misfits continues to garner awards and notice. The story focuses on four seventh graders (who are misfits) stand up to bullying in their school by running for student government on a No Name Calling platform. It was named one of the top 10 productions in Omaha for 2011 by the Omaha World Herald.   AND it was one of two plays selected by AATE’s Playwrights in Our Schools program.  I went to Park City Utah (where the paper called me a renowned playwright) in March to do a play development residency with the high school and their great director D’acry Benicosa (I expanded the cast).

The Misfits was also featured in TCG’s American Theater Magazine in an article called The Defenders which focused on how theater is used to make a difference about bullying.  The play will also be featured at the summer American Alliance for Theater and Education conferenceat a session about new play development with high schools.

The 2011 professional production at the Omaha Theater Company

In response to the growing epidemic of bullying and the all-too-often tragic results, Dramatic Publishing commissioned 24 playwrights for young audiences to write a short play for this anthology . The anthology includes 24 10-minute plays that can be performed in any combination or length and in a variety of venues. I was honored to be invited to contribute to this project.  My play MINDLESS DROOLING TEENAGE ZOMBIE BULLIES was inspired by a Pride Player improv and all royalties from that play will go to the Tracy Iwersen Pride Player College Scholarship fund. It was featured at the TYA/USA One Theater World Conference is Seattle last May and at the AATE Conference this summer in Chicago.

I am honored that Lexington Children’s Theater just produced my original script Sacagawea: Discovering History as one of their touring shows this past spring and on their mainstage this March.

Pride Players (recently honored by the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Awards for best production for young audiences) was selected to be a special event performance at the national American Alliance for Theater and Education Conference this August in Lexington, KY.  Eight alums (Nik, Colleen, Brandi Lynne, Dan, Amanda, Maggie, Annah, and Steph) are joining Amanda and I to present at the end of the Dramatic Change pre-conference to kick off the conference.