Dobama produces winners of its annual Bianchi Kids' Playwriting Festival June 6–8

Dobama Theatre announced the winners of its 36th Annual Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival on May 22. A selection of winning plays will be fully produced and presented at the theater beginning on Friday, June 6, with the opening night benefit, and running through Sunday, June 8.

The festival, a popular Dobama tradition, received more than 250 plays this year, written by kids in grades 1–12 from throughout Cuyahoga County.

Dobama actors and designers are preparing to present several of the winning scripts over three days of original storytelling, imaginative dialogue and intriguing characters, all created by young Northeast Ohioans.

Dedicated to the memory of Marilyn Bianchi, one of Dobama’s co-founders, the festival was the nation’s first event of its kind, encouraging kids to celebrate the fun and joy of live theater.

This year’s Heights winners are (* indicates plays that will be fully produced at the festival):

“World War 3”* by Mitchell Reinhardt (first-grader at Roxboro Elementary School); “Tara Meets the Fairies” by Laurel Buescher (second-grader at Roxboro Elementary School); “Wagit the Puppy” by Clara Lyford (second-grader at Roxboro Elementary School); “Did You Switch Bodies?” by Lily Pinkerton (second-grader at Ruffing Montessori School);  “Catching a Chizzabell” by Eryn Lawson (fourth-grader at Boulevard Elementary School); and “A Thief, A Chief, A Liar”* by Maple Buescher (fifth-grader at Roxboro Elementary School).

Tickets for the opening night benefit on Friday, June 6 are $25. The other three performances are free, and take place on Saturday, June 7, at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, June 8 at 2:30 p.m. To make reservations for the June 6 benefit, call the Dobama box office at 216-932-3396, or visit www.dobama.org.

Jewel Moulthrop

Jewel Moulthrop is a Cleveland Heights resident and member of the Heights Observer's Editorial Advisory Committee.

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Volume 7, Issue 7, Posted 9:20 AM, 06.03.2014