| St. Mary of the Assumption senior Carlos Rodriguez had a ten minute play The Legend and the Rookie produced at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton in June. Carlos's play, along with plays written by four other New Jersey high school students, were performed by equity ACTORS from June 8-11 as part of the Youth Ink! Festival. Twenty-three students at the Elizabeth school participated in play writing sessions with playwrights, actors and directors from the McCarter Theatre during the spring semester, writing scenes in response to various prompts. The students then wrote ten minute plays which were given professional readings and critiques at a Day o' Play Readings at the school. Those plays were then submitted to a committee of McCarter Theatre professionals who chose Carlos's play for full performance. The Youth Ink! program is based on the belief that playwriting is an ongoing process in the early stages of production, so Carlos had been working with a dramaturge from the McCarter Theatre and his play's director to revise his play before the performance. Carlos also had been traveling to Princeton to participate in the rehearsals at the theatre. A monologue selected from the play written by Evann Hardy, a junior at St. Mary's High School, was also performed during the Festival at the McCarter Theatre. This was the fourth year that St. Mary of the Assumption High School has participated in the Youth Ink! program. Three St. Mary's students in previous years have also had their plays produced at the McCarter Theatre. |
 |