Dobama Theatre hosts playwriting festival and competition

Dobama Theatre will hold its 34th annual Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival and Dobama Young Playwrights Competition from June 1 to 10. Staged readings of plays for the festival will be given June 1–3, and plays from the competition will be staged June 7 and 10.

More than 250 plays were written and submitted by children in grades 1–12 for the playwriting festival, which encourages them to experience live theatre. Abra Lisowski, a fourth grader from Roxboro Elementary School, submitted a winning script titled Sir Hedgie the First. Dobama actors and designers will stage winning scripts.

The Dobama Young Playwrights Competition is a new competition, for students from grade six through college undergraduate, that begins in June. The program’s mission is to identify, cultivate, promote and motivate young playwrights in the pre-professional phase of their careers.

Tickets for the Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival Opening Night Benefit are $25. The benefit takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 1.

Admission is free for the performances on Saturday, June 2, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 3, at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets for the Dobama Young Playwrights Competition are $10 for adults and $5 for children and students. Performances are June 7 at 7:30 p.m., June 8 and 9 at 8 p.m., and June 10 at 2:30 p.m.  

Priority reserved seating is available for each weekend for $15 for adults and $7 for children and students. Reservations can be made by calling 216-932-3396 or visiting www.dobama.org.