LEI and Dobama join forces for youth playwriting workshop

Past participants in LEI's youth workshop act out their original plays on stage with friends.

Lake Erie Ink: a writing space for youth (LEI) is collaborating with Dobama Theatre to inspire young people from Cuyahoga County to put their playwriting skills to the test. On Jan. 21 and 28, kids will work with playwright Catie O’Keefe to write their own plays. A member of Dobama Theatre’s Playwrights’ GYM, O’Keefe has written plays that have been performed in the United States, United Kingdom and Amsterdam.

During this two-part workshop, young playwrights will write, read and revise their plays for submission to Dobama's Marilyn Bianchi Kids Playwriting Festival. The festival accepts original play submissions from first- through 12th-graders from Cuyahoga County. The winning plays are then transformed into performances—with costumes, props and all—at the summer festival. 

The "Stage Write: Youth Playwriting Workshop" takes place at Dobama Theatre on Jan. 21 and 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $5 at the door. Interested young playwrights can register online at www.lakeerieink.org/register. The workshop is part of Lake Erie Ink’s Weekend Ink creative expression series, which introduces young people of all ages to professional artists and writers.