Theater’s one-act play festival seeks entries

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Playhouse’s fifth annual Voices of the Valley new one-act play festival is seeking submissions of unproduced plays from local playwrights.

Voices of the Valley, which will run from July 5 to Aug. 7 at the Playhouse, brings playwrights together with directors and actors and provides them an opportunity to collaborate as new works are fostered and prepared for fully staged productions. Participating writers will have a voice in the creation of a performance-ready piece as they establish a creative team to discuss, rehearse and produce a ”staged reading” of their new one-act plays.

Plays that have been selected in the past include “By The Book” by Elizabeth Hill, “Rain Delay” by Cheryl Lilko Games, “Through a Broken Window” by Brandon Martin, “The Kissing Bandit” and “The Crossing” by Stephen Sniderman, “Arriving at Bessie” by Kelly Bancroft, “Hold That Thought” by Michael J. Hill, “Just Someone at a Party” by Terry L. Shears and “Clarity” by Michael Angelo III.

The festival includes a category for young writers between grades seven and 12. This will give beginning authors a chance to try their craft and work with individuals more established in the field.

The panel of writers and directors chosen to select and stage this year’s new plays include actor/director and Youngstown State University theater professor Matthew Mazuroski, actor/director and YSU instructor Pat Foltz, and actor/director Timothy Thomas. They will select as many as three new one-acts to be rehearsed during a four-week workshop and performed at stage readings scheduled for Aug. 5-7 in the Moyer Room of the Youngstown Playhouse.

Auditions will be in early June for actors.

Submissions will be accepted at the Youngstown Playhouse, off Glenwood Avenue, through May 31. For information on applying and guidelines for the festival, go to theyoungstownplayhouse.com (click on the “VOV” tab) or visit the theater during regular business hours.

There is a $10 nonrefundable submission fee, and each interested author may submit only one work. For information, call the Playhouse at 330-788-8739.