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Coast Youth Playwriting Project winners named

Theatre
playwright
The winning playwrights (from left): Emma Judd, Darius Meikle and Gabriel Ryan.

Congratulations are in order for Gabriel Ryan, 15, Darius Meikle, 16, and Emma Judd, 19, on winning the Coast Youth Playwriting Project.

Darius Meikle’s family, originally from Chilliwack, moved to Greece for eight years, and living in another country inspired his writing and drawing. His experiences also gave him a fascination for foreign and past cultures; he loves to collect things that show him what life there may have been like.

Storytelling has always been a big part of Emma Judd’s life, and many of her stories are drawn from her personal experiences. In recent years, she’s discovered an interest in film and theatre and makes a habit of going to the cinema regularly to stay inspired.

She hopes to further her abilities in playwriting because it’s the best of both worlds: she gets to write a story, and then see it come to life on stage.

Gabriel Ryan started acting in 2011 and never stopped. He’s performed in two professional productions, and has a passion for Shakespeare. This summer will be his fourth year signed up for Bard on the Beach’s Young Shakespearians workshops. He plans to continue in professional theatre and film, as an actor and/or director, and is extremely excited and honoured to have this opportunity to workshop his first play.

The playwrights will meet with award-winning playwright, artistic director and UBC professor, Marcus Youssef, for the unique opportunity to develop their scripts with him.

The youth playwrights are excited at the prospect of having their plays presented at the Heritage Playhouse this fall. The three plays will need youth producers, stage managers, actors, backstage, and possibly directors, to help bring their stories to stage.

The Coast Youth Playwriting Project will host a free two-day Directing Workshop for Youth on May 26 and 27, offered by Jane Heyman at the Seaside Centre. This workshop is open to all youth. Participants will be welcomed to get involved in the upcoming youth plays, to be presented at the Heritage Playhouse in November.

Jane Heyman is a renowned Vancouver director, stage manager and teacher. She was inducted into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2005.

– Radhika Samwald, for the Coast Youth Playwriting Project