STUDENT ONE-ACT PLAYS
Co-presented with Marfa Independent School District
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
7.30pm (doors at 7pm)
Crowley Theater
Free
Marfa Live Arts was proud to bring four student one-act plays to the stage of the Crowley Theater on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 7.30 pm (doors at 7pm). In April Marfa Live Arts hosted the 5th Annual Playwriting Workshop with playwright Raul Garza. He worked directly with the students of Marfa High School for one week in the English classes. Under Garza's tutelage, each student in the school penned their own original one-act play. From April 18th through April 22nd nearly eighty plays were written during the writing workshop by students and submitted for consideration for final selection. One winning play and one honorable mention was chosen from each grade and will be presented to the public with actors from the community.
This year’s 2016 playwrights are: 9th grader Huck Roch with A Day in Boyz 2 Men, 10th grader Adrianna Pineda with Wide-Eyed Astroboy, 11th grader Dillon Orr with Heart of Stone, and 12th grader Jeremy Guevara with Utopia. Honorable Mention playwrights are: Kaci Lee Flores, Crystal Catano, Gisselle Lujan and Carlos Vallez.
The Annual Playwriting Workshop supports the Marfa Live Arts’ mission of bringing the performing arts to West Texas, educating the area’s youth, and bringing the community together. This program has become the cornerstone of Marfa Live Arts’ education program and exemplifies the mission of our organization. “When students are given the creative tools to reach and expand, they end up searching deep within, finding their authentic voice, which is a powerful resource that can serve them all their lives,” says Marfa Live Arts' Director and the program's founder Jennie Lyn Hamilton, “I believe these artistic learning opportunities have a long-lasting impact on the overall educational and emotional development of these exceptional students.”
Playwright Garza goal was to empower Marfa High School students to tell a unique story. “I want them to know that their stories are important, powerful, and valid. I hope to teach them that writing is listening, and that it’s something they already do every day,” he explained. Garza was raised in the culturally diverse suburbs of both Dallas and San Antonio, and has written many stage productions, including Fantasmaville, which won the 2007 National Latino Playwriting Award. Much of his work revolves around the concept of identifying as a Mexican-American.Garza led high school students through a playwriting workshop that included one-on-one editing sessions, plot work, character development, group acting activities, monologue and dialogue writing, and co-writing scenes with a partner.
At the close of the week, students had the opportunity to evaluate the workshop. C. Llanez, a 9th grade participant in the playwriting workshop, explained, “My favorite part of the week is that I got to express myself while writing and I became a better writer.” Another student from the 10th grade expressed, “writing about personal memories when I felt pain really made me feel better.” The students took Garza’s mentorship seriously and were able to write plays that were “from the heart,” as one student described. Further, the students completed the workshop with a newfound ability to write an entire play. In the words of a 10th grade playwright, “I enjoyed everything about this class. I was really given the freedom to write and I loved it!”
As part of participating in the playwriting program, Raul also served as a judge in reviewing the student written plays. One play from each grade was selected and winners will be announced next week. Each of the winning plays will be staged at the Crowley Theater with performances by adult performers from the Marfa Community with professional lighting and sound. The winning writers are also given prizes to commemorate the occasion.
Playwriting classes are offered to the school at no cost and the public performance will be free and open to the community.
A Day in Boyz 2 Men
by Huck Roch, 9th Grade
Taco dude 1……………………..David Garcia
Taco dude 2……………………..Huck Roch
Taco dude 3……………………..David Beebe
Custque 1..……………………...James Webb
Husband & Wife custques...…..Sterry Butcher & Michael Roch
Hangry vegan chick…………….Cate Cole Schrim
Hangry vegan chick's mom…….Dawn Switzer
Wide Eyed Astroboy
by Adrianna Pineda, 10th Grade
Miguel……………………………Nalu Gruschkus
Shark Tooth……………………..Mallory Jones
Edmundo………………………...Augustin Gonzales
Rosa……………………………...Lena Spurgin
Victor…………………………….Jerram Rojo
Bullies…………………………...Julio Baeza & Joy Oram
Heart of Stone
by Dillon Orr, 11th Grade
Statue…………………………….Rae Ann Hample
Old Man………………………….David Fenster
Young Man………………………Asa Merritt
Young Woman………………….Jem Goulding
Boss……………………………...Ross Cashiola
Utopia
by Jeremy Guevara, 12th Grade
Jon……………………………….Junie Villarreal
Henry……………………………Sam Schonzeit
Mom……………………………..Siria Acosta
Warden………………………….Andrew Peters
Susan……………………………Mary Mois
Pinky…………………………….JD DiFabbio
Dog………………………………Bob Barker
Narrator…………………………Jennie Lyn Hamilton
Director/Producer: Jennie Lyn Hamilton
2016 Playwright-in-Residence: Raul Garza
Co-Producers: JD DiFabbio, Jem Goulding and Cate Schrim
Audio/Video: Marfa Recording Company
Gory Smelley and Chris Avedon
Crowley Theater Technical Director: Rob Crowley
Program Artwork: Rebecca Dominguez
Poster Artwork: Ana Guerra
Poster Design: Raul Garza of TKO Advertising
Award Plaques: Engravings & More
Photography: Alex Marks
Videography: David Fenster
Catering: Delfin & Minerva Lopez
Honorable Mention Plays:
The Gift by Kaci Lee Flores
Nightmares by Crystal Catano
Truth Lies within the Tunnels by Gisselle Lujan
The Mad Monkey Named Laslo & His Friends Kendrick and Smiley!! by Carolos Vallez
LINKS:
Marfa Public Radio Interview: For the West Texas Talk program, Diana Nguyen talked to Jennie Lyn Hamilton director of Marfa Live Arts, Andrew Peters Superintendent of Marfa ISD, and three of this year’s playwrights including Adrianna Pineda, Huck Roch, and Jeremy Guevara. Broadcast on May 2, 2016.
Fusion Magazine: “Marfa Live Arts Brings Award-Winning Playwright Raul Garza to Marfa”, article discussing Garza’s time in Marfa as the 2015 playwright-in-residence.
Marfa Public Radio Interview: “Student Playwrights Debut Original One-Acts” speaking about the Marfa Live Arts 2015 one-act program with playwright-in-residence Liz Castillo, broadcast on February 4, 2015.
Marfa Public Radio Interview: “Marfa One-Act Plays” speaking about the Marfa Live Arts 2014 one-act program with playwright-in-residence Octavio Solis,broadcast on March 5, 2014.
Marfa Live Arts, the Student One-Act Plays, and the 5th Annual Playwriting Workshop are generously supported by the 2016 Season Sponsors, Texas Women for the Arts, Kirkpatrick Family Fund, Marfa Education Foundation, The Meyer Levy Charitable Foundation, and City of Marfa. The official accommodations sponsor for Raul Garza the playwright-in-residence is El Cosmico.
In-kind support provided by Porter's Thriftway, Frama Coffee House, Big Bend Coffee Roasters, and Marfa Brands. Special thanks to Jessica Allen, Julie Bernal, Big Bend Sentinel, Linda Ojeda and Andrew Peters of Marfa Independent School District, Cara Crossley, Tim Crowley of Crowley Theater, Mayor Dan Dunlap, Katy Rose Elasser, Minerva Lopez, Sara Melancon and Tom Michael of Marfa Public Radio, Robert Saltonstall, Dan Shiman, Dona Roman of Sul Ross, Gory Smelley of Marfa Recording Co., Sarah Vasquez, and Cory Van Dyke.
