ACT In Our Schools
ACT has a great playwriting program for students, designed to introduce youth to the power of theatre. We also provide educators with a variety of resources to bring theatre into their classrooms and to encourage their participation with ACT.
Questions? Contact Kristina Sutherland, Education Director, at
(206) 292-7660 x1338 or kristina.sutherland@acttheatre.org
Young Playwrights Program
The Young Playwrights Program (YPP) offers Seattle-area students a high quality, exciting language arts curriculum based on the art of playwriting. Started in 2002, YPP is a natural extension of ACT's commitment to new plays and playwrights.
Professional playwright/teaching artists teach the basics of playwriting in Seattle-area schools in the fall quarter of the school year. Each student playwright completes a 10- to 40-minute original play by the end of the session.
ACT selects eight to 10 outstanding plays by the young playwrights from each year's YPP and showcases them in staged readings at ACT in the Young Playwrights Festival (YPF), which takes place in early March.
Each young playwright is partnered with a director, dramaturg, stage manager and actors, and each play receives two performances in this Festival entirely devoted to producing new work by Seattle-area youth.
Since its inception, the YPP has grown from 72 middle and high school students in six schools to more than 300 students in 16 schools. The YPP now serves schools in Seattle, Bellevue, Bainbridge Island and Burien;
it fulfills the Washington State Essential Learning Requirements (EALRs) in Arts and Writing; and it integrates important artistic education into students' regular school schedule – ACT is the only organization in Seattle providing a unique and relevant curriculum devoted exclusively to the art of playwriting.
Read the works created through the YPP! The YPP 2008/2009 Play Anthology featuring eight outstanding plays by young playwrights is now available for purchase.
Get yours for only $20 at StageCraft here at ACT or by contacting Education Director, Kristina Sutherland at kristina.sutherland@acttheatre.org, 206-292-7660 ext. 13.
Help ensure ACT's connection with young people by donating to our Young Playwrights Program.
Apple Series: Educator Program
Hello Teachers and Education Administrators! ACT has an amazing deal for you.
ACT’s Apple Series offers educators five evenings of spirits, hors d'oeuvres, conversation, and theatre for only $82.50!
Our Apple Series includes a ticket to each Wednesday preview on the 2010 Main Stage season and features a pre-show conversation with the artistic staff and guest speakers on topics including themes of the show, production elements,
collaborating with artists, and more that will have every educator's mouth watering. The Apple Series is for current Washington state teachers and administrators so pick your favorite colleagues or treat that deserving classroom teacher today!
The Apple Series events begin at 6 p.m. on these dates:
To order: call the ACT Ticket Office at (206) 292-7676 and mention the Apple Series.