Philadelphia Young Playwrights

Projects

  • Ongoing Publicity
  • Design - phillyyoungplaywrights.org
About Philadelphia Young Playwrights

Founded in 1987 by Adele Magner, and led today by Executive Producing Director Glen Knapp, Philadelphia Young Playwrights is an award-winning program that taps the potential of youth and inspires learning through playwriting in more than 50 public and private K-12 schools each year. A leader in the region’s educational programs for youth and built upon its primary belief that all students have something important and valuable to say, Young Playwrights has enriched the Greater Philadelphia community, touching the lives of thousands of students, teachers and parents for the past twenty years. Since 1987, approximately 60 professional playwrights have led workshops, and nearly all of Philadelphia’s professional theater companies have participated by performing, producing, or directing student works. Nearly 60,000 students have seen peers’ work produced in class or by professionals. Young Playwrights’ Literary Committee includes more than 60 educators, writers, parents, and former Young Playwrights students who read and critique each student script. Young Playwrights has been recognized as a Champion in Action by Citizens Bank and is the past recipient of a 2005 Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service, a 1997 Barrymore Award for Theatre Education, a 2003 George Bartol Award for Excellence in Arts Education, a national “Points of Light” designation, and a 2004 Eastern University Award for Nonprofit Excellence. For more information about PYP, visit www.PhillyYoungPlaywrights.org.

Press

Read about PYP’s Write On! benefit in the Philadelphia Inquirer HERE.
- Philadelphia Inquirer
Award-winning student playwrights Nia Davis and Marquis Herring, who both had their work presented in collaboration with Philadelphia Theatre Company, were busy doing interviews with press throughout the Philadelphia region. Read the feature stories in The Bulletin HERE.
- The Bulletin
"Once-homeless teen an award-winning playwright"  - Read the Chestnut Hill Local feature story on Marquis Herring and Nia Davis HERE.
- Chestnut Hill Local
The Philadelphia Inquirer recently included an interview with playwright and PYP’s alum Quiara Alegría Hudes and her Broadway show, In the Heights.  Read about how PYP’s programming impacted her life at philly.com.
- The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Bulletin interviews teacher, Ruth Aichenbaum about Philadelphia Young Playwrights programming: "It is such a joy to be able to help students discover their own love of learning and to help students discover their gifts," said Ms. Aichenbaum. "I love teaching playwriting because I find students really find their voices as writers through playwriting, and they come to understand the importance of revision and audience for a writer in a very real way."

Like many teachers throughout the city, Ms. Aichenbaum was drawn to the playwriting program because of its reputation for encouraging creativity and literacy.
- The Bulletin
Philadelphia Young Playwright Nia Davis was recently featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Read the full article here.
- Philadelphia Inquirer