STUDIO THEATRE TO HOST
10TH ANNUAL PLAYWRITING COMPETITION FINALISTS
DETROIT – On March 25 – 27 and April 1- 3 at 8 p.m., three original, student-written plays will be performed in the Studio Theatre at Wayne State University. Each year, students compete in the Louise Heck-Rabi Scholarship Playwriting Competition, where they submit original works to be judged by members of Wayne State University’s English and Theatre Departments. Students who enter the competition have a chance at winning cash scholarships, and three finalists have their play produced and performed. The three plays chosen to be produced this year are All Kinds of Men by Erman Jones, Easy as Hard Can Be by Alan Ball, and Furnishings by Gregory Bailey. Admission to see all three is $5.
DETROIT – On March 25 – 27 and April 1- 3 at 8 p.m., three original, student-written plays will be performed in the Studio Theatre at Wayne State University. Each year, students compete in the Louise Heck-Rabi Scholarship Playwriting Competition, where they submit original works to be judged by members of Wayne State University’s English and Theatre Departments. Students who enter the competition have a chance at winning cash scholarships, and three finalists have their play produced and performed. The three plays chosen to be produced this year are All Kinds of Men by Erman Jones, Easy as Hard Can Be by Alan Ball, and Furnishings by Gregory Bailey. Admission to see all three is $5.
Easy As Hard Can Be, by Alan Ball (Natick, MA), directed by Marius Iliescu (Ann Arbor, MI), takes a look at one of life’s toughest questions. Remo Keegan, a tough World War II veteran, faces the one thing that is part of every life – death. Easy As Hard Can Be takes us on a journey of decisions that we will all eventually face at the end of our lives, showing us that sometimes there isn’t a right answer – there is only the right question. The cast of Easy As Hard Can Be includes Robert Dwight (Detroit, MI), Joe Hamid (Detroit, MI), Jacqueline Michnuk (Dearborn, MI), and Brian Yacoo (Detroit, MI).
Furnishings, by Gregory Bailey (Vista, CA), directed by Katie Lietz Flannery (Livonia, MI), emphasizes the value of family and what it means to be together. Adam, a young autistic boy, struggles to communicate with his parents until something is delivered to the house and changes it all – bringing the family closer together than ever before. Furnishings brings the audience through the love and struggles of a family, proving that spending time with one another can improve everything. The cast of Furnishings includes Kyle Holton
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(Beverly Hills, MI), Erin Hildebrandt (Walled Lake, MI), Andrick Siegmund (Hazel Park, MI), and Renard Hamilton (Detroit, MI).
All Kinds of Men, by Erman Jones (Oakley, ID), directed by Alexandre Bleau (Montreal, Quebec, Canada), is a hilarious misadventure of family rebellion. Wendy White, a young girl in her mid-twenties, is trying to find herself despite her straight-edge parents. In a story about self-exploration and family differences, All Kinds of Men proves that it’s okay to be yourself, and even the most dramatic divergences can bring people together. The cast of All Kinds of Men includes Laura Heikken (Livonia, MI), Adam Crinson (Sterling Heights, MI), Samantha Moltmaker (Harrison Twp., MI), and Joe Hamid (Detroit, MI).
The student playwriting competition is in honor of Louise Heck-Rabi, who was a multi-talented writer, devoted librarian, and assistant professor at Wayne State University. As a writer and teacher, Heck-Rabi was interested in encouraging her students to produce original work. As part of her efforts to support other Michigan playwrights, Heck-Rabi’s estate gives to Wayne State University’s English Department an endowed dramatic writing scholarship.
The production team includes Alan Batkiewicz (Berkley, MI) as Stage Manager, Stephanie Kramer (Lapeer, MI) as the Assistant Stage Manager, Katie Casebolt (St. Clair Shores, MI) as Costume Designer, Michael Thomas (Farmington Hills, MI) as Sound Designer, Adam Crinson (Sterling Heights, MI) as Scenic Designer, and Wendy Wojciechowski (Garden City, MI) and Chelsea Carter (Farmington Hills, MI) as Lighting Designers, and Alex Stewart as the publicist (Riverview, MI).
For tickets and more information please call (313) 577-2972,
log on to www.wsushows.com,
or visit the Wayne State University box office at
4743 Cass on the corner of Cass and Hancock.
Heck-Rabi performance breakdown
March 25 at 8 p.m.
March 26 at 8 p.m.
March 27 at 8 p.m.
April 1 at 8 p.m.
April 2 at 8 p.m.
April 3 at 8 p.m.
Heck-Rabi performance breakdown
March 25 at 8 p.m.
March 26 at 8 p.m.
March 27 at 8 p.m.
April 1 at 8 p.m.
April 2 at 8 p.m.
April 3 at 8 p.m.
