A record number of J-DHS writers will be featured in this year’s Syracuse Stage Young Playwrights Festival which will stream digital performances of student plays and other performance pieces over the course of four nights this week, starting tomorrow May 12 and running through Friday, May 15. Of the hundreds of plays submitted from schools across Central New York, twenty-one J-DHS students were recognized as quarter-finalists, semi-finalists, and finalists in the competition.
Live watch parties will start at 7 PM each night through the Syracuse Stage Facebook page with all eight semifinalist performances on Tuesday and Wednesday and the eight finalist performances on Thursday and Friday. Facebook accounts are not required to view the performances. If you aren’t able to catch the performances live, don’t worry. Syracuse Stage will also post each night of the festival on its YouTube page the following morning.
Semifinalists:
Tuesday, May 12 at 7 PM
The Perfect Princess, by Ryleigh LenningCicero-North Syracuse High School, Grade 12
The Undo Button, by Brook HulbertJamesville-DeWitt High School, Grade 10
Safe, by Sophia SchultzChristian Brothers Academy, Grade 12
Scatterbrained, by Brianna BallardCicero-North Syracuse High School, Grade 12
Wednesday, May 13 at 7 PM
Piece by Piece, by Samuel PhillipsJamesville-DeWitt High School, Grade 10
The First Day, by Krysha Pierce & Ivana PierceAuburn High School & Tyburn Academy, Grade 11
The Cavern Blues, by Patrick SchmittChristian Brothers Academy, Grade 12
Dream School, by Alice O’ConnorJamesville-DeWitt High School, Grade 10
Finalists:
Thursday, May 14 at 7 PM
Hope Remains, by Janelle LittleChristian Brothers Academy, Grade 12
An Unfortunate Presidency, by Ivana Pierce & Ailish CuthbertAuburn High School, Grade 11
Agoraphobia, by Lili Czerniak LinderJamesville-DeWitt High School, Grade 10
Thunder, by Piper MoskowJamesville-DeWitt High School, Grade 10
Friday, May 15 at 7 PM
A Pretentious Play about Crossword Puzzles, or, Why “Ally” has Two Meanings, by Evan YoungsCamden High School, Grade 11
Dye-ing Inside, by Abby MorganJamesville-DeWitt High School, Grade 12
Running, or, Till Death Do Us Part, by Rebecca FitzgeraldJamesville-DeWitt High School, Grade 10
Shut up, Brian!, by Luke QueriChristian Brothers Academy, Grade 12
Quarterfinalists
The following J-DHS students received quarterfinalist recognition in this year’s contest.
Lucy Ferrick, “Two Men in a Boat” — Grade 10Demarco Lopez, “I’ve Got A Plan” — Grade 10Nathan Fox, “USA” — Grade 10Abby Morgan, “Recess” — Grade 12Hannah Fuchsberg, “My One Mistake” — Grade 9Sondrine Blusk, “CAR” — Grade 11Emma White, “Coffee Shop” — Grade 10Samuel Kim, “A False Reality” — Grade 10Emily Gorczynski, “Long Time Best Friends” — Grade 10Wyatt Weiss, “Train Ride” — Grade 10Danny Amoako, “The “Perfect” Robbery” — Grade 10Rachel McCloud, “You Don’t Know Me” — Grade 9Alethea Shirilan-Howlett, “An Apple a Day” — Grade 12Shiela Phoha, “The Old Switcharoo” — Grade 10
For more information about the Young Playwrights Festival, see our article about the 2019 contest.