Hillsdale Drama prides itself on the efforts of dedicated theater students. Recent student endeavors are listed below.
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Young Playwrights Project
Every year, students from the Advanced Drama Class are selected to participate in TheatreWorks 'Young Playwrights Project', giving them the opportunity to work with a professional playwright to craft a 10 minute play. Over the course of two months, students learn the craft of dramatic writing, including dialogue, conflict, characterization, scene construction, and how to outline an original story for the stage. By the end of the first month, these young playwrights have had a chance to pen their own original pieces, such as monologues, scenes, and their very original one-act play. Six to eight plays are selected for further development under the mentorship of the playwright-in-residence. The culmination of the young playwrights’ time and energy is a one-day event where professional actors and directors bring the new scripts to life onstage, working in the same way established playwrights do at an industry level. Readings of each play are presented that evening to an audience comprised of the playwrights' friends, families, and peers. |
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24 Hour Play ProjectTheatreWorks: Silicon Valley hosts an annual '1440 Countdown' where teams of student actors are tasked with writing and performing a 10 minute play using props, prompts, and surprises given to them - all within 24 hours. So far, Hillsdale Drama has participated with 3 teams over 2 years. Info on the project at http://www.theatreworks.org/learn/youth/1440countdown/
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With Great PowerAn original full length musical about the lives of middle-aged ex-superheroes, written by drama students, Alara Magritte Slonaker & Daniel Rosen premiered on the Hillsdale Stage in April 2016. More information about the project, which the students fully wrote, composed, directed, and produced, can be found at tinyurl.com/withgreatpower .
The Tangible TollboothStudent Alara Magritte Slonaker was selected as one of the winners of the 2015-16 California Playwrights' Project, and given the opportunity to have her short play, The Tangible Tollbooth professionally produced in San Diego's Old Globe theater. Contest info at http://www.playwrightsproject.org/productions/pbyw/
Professional actors perform "The Tangible Tollbooth"
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The Hillsdale drama program has been a great experience for me. I was first introduced to it via my sister who performed in the play 'With great power.' With great power was an amazing introduction to the program because it was a play that was directed and run by students. So while they do Broadway type plays they also do any others that appeal to them. The program also is a great experience when starting life at Hillsdale because you become part of a community that helps you ease into the new environment. Overall the Hillsdale drama program is a great experience for all people to act like themselves and act like characters. - Hillsdale Drama Student
