Young Playwrights' Competition submission deadline is approaching

Young Playwrights’ Competition

(Formerly the Young Playwrights’ Festival)

If you’re reading this blog, then chances are you know about the Young Playwrights’ competition, and you know the deadline is just around the corner (March 1^st).  But please spread the word—make sure your friends, family members, teachers, and students know about it!  Our goal in 2013 is to have more entries than in any previous year!  After all, the writing you do is what makes this program great.

For more information, go to the Wayside Theatre website at http://www.waysidetheatre.org/subcontent/education/ypf.php

Also, our guidelines don’t say so anywhere (we’ll try to get that fixed), but entrants can submit as many plays as they’d like—we’ll never limit your creative output!

Happy writing!

Help Wayside With Your Words: 1st in a series

Many of the students who participate in Wayside Theatre’s Education in Action programming aren’t able to contribute financially to our campaign.  They asked what they could do, and the answer was this: you can help Wayside with your words.  Tell people your experience, share it with the world, and tell our community why this little theatre with a big heart deserves their support—now and in the future.  Today’s post is the first in a series, where you’ll see videos and testimonials that are in our kids’ own words (or in some cases, their parents’ words). 

I hope you enjoy these—they are heartfelt, and truly thought-provoking.  If you’re wondering what the EiA programs offer, here’s your answer.

“I started taking classes at Wayside when I was pretty young, and now I am a part of the Young Ambassadors Guild (YAG). I love the theatre, and all of the friends I have made there, and I don’t want to lose it. At Wayside I have been given the skills and opportunities to participate in professional theatre in the same way an adult would. I have never been given less responsibility or trust than the adults I have worked with, because it is assumed that I can and will do my part. The experience I have gained has been invaluable, but that is not the only thing the theatre has done for me. As a part of YAG, I feel like part of a family. The other kids are my friends, and we don’t have the mean competitive streak that I see in high school drama departments. That’s not to say that we aren’t competitive, because we certainly are, but we support each other."

“I have been able to experience all parts of theatre, from acting and working backstage, to running the concession stand and fundraising. Because of this, I have an understanding of the amount of work that goes into a production that is never even seen. Sets are built, costumes are made, props are lost and found, dishes are washed, hair is put up, stages are swept, lines are forgotten, lighting and sound cues are set, and all the audience ever sees is single, polished version of what took months of preparation. Maybe ticket prices cover what you see that one night, but what about everything else? The people who work here are real people. They aren’t movie stars, but this isn’t just a hobby either. They are real people, and this is their real job that they go to every day. I don’t know what I want to do when I graduate college. I’m not even sure what I want to do in college. But I love theatre, and I think it is amazing that something I do for fun could actually be a job.

"As a young child I was very shy around people I didn’t know. Even now, I am reserved in new situations. But somehow, I have never had a problem performing on stage. I have just been cast as Miranda in the Tempest and I don’t expect to have any problem fully immersing myself in the character and sharing the story with whoever comes to the performances, but I have been given bad grades on school presentations for not speaking up or making eye contact. There is something about the magic of taking on another person’s life as your own and stepping into another world that has always pushed aside any shyness I might have had. Wayside has taught me, encouraged me, and given me a place to have my voice heard.

“I would be devastated if Wayside had to close and future opportunities for young actors were lost. I know many kids my age who call the theatre their home-away-from-home, or their second family, and I feel the same way. There is a strong connection between everyone who works together at this theatre, and it deserves to be supported and protected.”

From the mouths of babes

12-year-old Audrey Nakagawa responded in spades to our request for personal stories about why Wayside Theatre deserves the ongoing support of the community!  This touching testimonial sums up beautifully and simply the impact that this organization has on the lives of the children who grow here as artists and as people.

I consider Wayside one of my homes. How would it feel if you lost your home? That's what it would feel like to me if I lost Wayside. I have many personal experiences that connect with Wayside. Starting from the beginning, I was just a small 9-year-old wanting to try something new. I was bitten by the "stage bug" and couldn't wait to do more theater! I came back to do "A Christmas Carol" after that and countless YPW's. I was blessed to do the lead role in Wayside's Christmas show, "Glory Bea! A Shenandoah Christmas", for two years in a row! With the help from Thomasin, Warner, and Steve, I've learned many valuable lessons, including responsibility, how to handle criticism, and staying "cool" during rehearsal, even if sometimes I would get frustrated. These lessons don't even include anything that has to do with my singing/acting. This theater would be a huge loss to the community if it closed. I love the staff, actors, and everyone who works there like family! I don't want to lose my home AND my family. Please help save this theater!

One of the kids' casts for the 2012 production of Glory Bea! with Audrey Nakagawa front and center!

Another of the kids' casts for the 2012 production of Glory Bea!

Why Wayside needs ongoing support

Many of you reading this already know that Wayside Theatre is in financial crisis.  To understand more about the details of how that came to be, I encourage you to read the narrative on Wayside's website: http://www.waysidetheatre.org/subcontent/ourStory.php  

A major part of what got us to this point: the industry standard in professional, nonprofit theatre is that contributions from audience and community members make up the bulk of revenue, and we haven't seen the ongoing donations that are necessary to sustain the level of theatre produced here at Wayside.  Don't get me wrong--our donors have pulled through in spades for us, and we're eternally grateful for their support!  However, we need to reach out to those who may not have donated, or who may have contributed once, but not renewed their support each year.

This need for support above and beyond ticket sales from the community is not unique to Wayside Theatre.  In for-profit businesses, if the sale of your product doesn't pay for you to make it and then some, there's something wrong.  However, nonprofit business works very differently, and so does nonprofit theatre.  Ticket sales at any nonprofit theatre will only cover the first act of a three-act play.  The other two acts need to be funded by grants, ad sales, sponsorships, and individual donors.

Now that you have a little bit more information about why we need regular, annual, ongoing support, here are the words of some Wayside Theatre family members--parents of the kids in our education programs--explaining why members of the community should consider renewing their support annually:

From Cheryl Lemire Nakagawa:

Why would the closing of Wayside Theatre be a huge loss? For me, it's personal. My daughter, Audrey, fell in love with Wayside at the age of nine with her first summer camp. From then on, we have considered Wayside a second home for our family. Now 12 years-old, Audrey has had many, many amazing experiences through this wonderful theater and the amazing people who run it. She has attended several workshops, where her acting and singing skills were honed. She was the Ghost of Christmas Past in "A Christmas Carol", and then was honored to play Glory Bea for two years, a story so well written worthy of broader attention. She has learned the value and beauty of live theater, where every movement and sound is scrutinized by attentive audience members. Who taught her this? An AMAZING staff! The tone begins from the top, from Artistic Director Warner Crocker, whose patience and skill are astounding to observe. And Thomasin Savaiano, who also has a amazing way with children herself, passing on her acting and singing knowledge almost selflessly. There isn't enough space to name everyone important to us and to Wayside, but I can tell you, EVERYONE who works there -- box office, awesome Musical Director Steve Przybylski, actors, interns, directors, board members -- everyone loves that theater and will work countless hours to support it.
I pray that this isn't the end of Wayside's history or Audrey's Wayside experience. The skills she has learned will be valuable throughout her life, no matter what she does. My hope is that this wonderful gem stays afloat for years to come, so that children and families can put down their ipods, cell phones, computers, and video games, for at least a little while, to experience entertainment the ways it has been done for centuries -- through PEOPLE.

Audrey Nakagawa as the title character in Glory Bea! in 2011.

Audrey Nakagawa reprising her role in Glory Bea! in 2012.

From Tara Brecht Shostek

I can't even begin to tell you how much Wayside Theatre has helped my daughter, Jessica, to blossom from being quiet and shy into a confident and self-assured 8 year old. Because of Wayside Theatre, she has an amazing ability to speak with confidence in front of her 25 classmates or in front of a theatre filled with 200 people. Wayside Theatre is an amazing place that has taught my child poise, self-confidence, discipline and how to work with adults in a professional setting. The opportunity to perform at Wayside Theatre, and the myriad of lessons she has learned from the professionals there, are gifts she will take with her for the rest of her life. She will always be a "Thtar!" Please help to keep this amazing place alive.

Jessica Shostek as Rebecca Estep in  Glory Bea! in 2011.

Jessica Shostek as Danielle Cupid in Cupid's Website in the Summer YPW session.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our plight, try to understand it, and consider contributing to our current fundraising campaign as well as to our future campaigns!  Your support is always appreciated, and we are so very grateful for all that our audiences do for us and with us.  

If you have questions, would like to talk more about anything you've heard or read about, or would like to make a donation, please call the theatre at 540-869-1776 or email info@waysidetheatre.org.  Thank you again!