2019 Worldwide Plays Festival

All performances at THEATERLAB
357 W 36th St.
New York, NY 10018 (see on map)

Wednesday, May 1 at 6 PM

Magic! Mayhem! Machines! A magical machine is spitting out animals into the neighborhood while a burglar is stealing a dog from the bodega--and will those teachers ever stop chattering away during a service at the synagogue? Come for this night of hilarious and poignant theater written by elementary schoolers!

The Mixed-Up Friends
Written by Sofia Rusconi, age 8
Directed by Sergio Castillo
With Gary Cook, Gabrielle Fernandes, Hannah Matusow, and Dave Chura

The Dognapper in the Deli
Written by Emiliano Dietrich-Jiménez, age 9
Directed by Ben Weber
With Daniel Ison, Brent Shultz, and Joe Loper

The Temple of Talk
Written by Jaden Jacoby-Cooper, age 12
Directed by Jamie Sims
With David Quinn, Mackenzie Knapp, and Bess Miller

Wednesday, May 1 at 8 PM

Teens speaking truth to power, teens learning the truth from their elders, and one teen finally getting the truth from her father in this night of poignant, political, and powerful theater written by teens!

Summer Come Fall
Written by Elizabeth Prishchepova, age 17
Directed by Benjamin-Ernest Abraham
With Dave Chura and Afton Welch

Questions
Written by Ryen Jones, age 14
Directed by Sergio Castillo
With Raiane Cantisano, Daniel Ison, and Cristina

Our Voice
Written by Macy Li, age 13
Directed by David Blasher
With Schuyler Van Amson, Alex Taylor, Gary Cook, and Sarah Pencheff

Thursday, May 2 at 6 PM

Watch as little kids explore their gender roles, Bat Mitzvah students argue with their Rabbi, and a bodega owner grieves the loss of a customer and his neighborhood in this evening of insightful theater written by teens, which challenges the status quo around every corner of the neighborhood.

Saving Boxlandia
Written by Sophie Nadel, age 18
Directed by Daniel M McCoy
With Elle Rigg, Mackenzie Knapp, and Joshua Scarlett

Abby
Written by Yainie Gallego, age 16
Directed by Gama Valle
With Ariel Kim and Pascal Vargas

Kol Nidre
Written by Sarah Senese, age 17
Directed by Dan Kitrosser
With Alacias Enger, Vanessa Malanga, and Kaitlan Emery

Thursday, May 2 at 8 PM

A young woman prays in a church to sail away while a newly wed couple argues about waiting in line for the best pizza ever, and an altercation in a bodega with racist undertones is replayed over and over with variations, all in a night of theater written by teens which showcases the cycles we can get trapped in and what it takes to break free.

Two Hours
Written by Lola Simon, age 16
Directed by Daniel M McCoy
With Mackenzie Knapp and Brittany Chapa

Racism in a World
Written by Nasser
Directed by Dan Kitrosser
With Erin Margaret Pettigrew, AnnMarie Sykes, and Juan Cardenas

Chasing after her internal desire.
Written by Amen Dilawar, age 13
Directed by Jamie Sims
With Kristin Cantwell and Annabelle Cousins

Friday, May 3 at 6 PM

Have you ever had a neighbor down the hall who you didn't like? Or have you wanted to be hired at the bodega but do it in a disguise? Or, was there ever a dark secret from your family's past unlocked by a fairy during your synagogue's Purim carnival? Well no matter what, come to this hysterical night of theater written by elementary schoolers and directed, stage managed, and performed by BFA conservatory students of The New School for the Performing Arts!

The Neighbors Who Could Never Get Along
Written by Manas Chan, age 11
Directed by Amber Barrios
With Aditya Lal Chadha, Santiago Mallan, and Maleeha Ali

Costume Change
Written by Julia Barney, age 10
Directed by Grace Wess
With Emma Ecklund, Amber Barrios, and Tomas Endter

Flowers & Murders
Written by Maxanne Wallace-Segall, age 10
Directed by Emily Messana
With Adi Hayble, Izzy Hanson-Johnston, Selena Thurmond, and Madison Chu

Friday, May 3 at 8 PM

An impatient customer learns to slow down, some elevator- trapped teens from different backgrounds work out their parents' disputes, another family comes to terms with a mother's addiction, and a playwright struggles to keep his play to the 8-minute guideline. Come to this powerful and poignant night of theater where we see teens solving the problems the previous generations left for them, with possible special guest star Idris Elba! Performed, stage managed, and directed by the conservatory BFA students from The New School for the Performing Arts.

8 Minutes on the Stoop
Written by Scotty, age 18
Directed by Madison Chu
With Selena Thurmond, Jarahn Cosby, and Terry Barnes

Mercy
Written by Ramon, age 18
Directed by Adi Hayble
With Santiago Mallan, Jarahn Cosby, Amber Barrios, and Grace Wess

The Tale of Noah Miller
Written by Amelia Calo, age 17
Directed by Madison
With Emma Ecklund, Selena Thurmond, and Tomas Correa

Under Better Circumstances
Written by Foster Schrader, age 15
Directed by Emily Messana
With Santiago Mallan, Izzy Hanson-Johnston, and Aditya Lal Chadha

Saturday, May 4 at 2 PM

A teenage dude doesn't know which girl to go with while the gossip from the local church knitting club spins out of control--and did you see that parent grade grub Mr. Parker in the aisles of the local deli? Come to this hilarious and hard-hitting night of theater, which shows the complexity of teen thought and how this is going to be the generation to save us all!

All Girls Have Eyes
Written by Timia McCoade, age 15
Directed by Matthew Jellison
With Tristan Sample and Steph Miller

Parent-Teacher Conference
Written by Gabi Sussman, age 16
Directed by Stephen Cedars
With Andrew Harriss and Vanessa Malanga

Drinkin's a Sin
Written by Isabella Ferrajina, age 14
Directed by Stephanie Cunningham
With Alexandra Gellner, Kristin Cantwell, and Fleece

Saturday, May 4 at 6 PM

Will two estranged neighbors connect on a stoop at sunrise? Will two estranged friends reconnect though time has certainly taken a toll on their dreams? Or will the strange Trash Ghost of Smithersville finally reveal itself? In this searing night of plays written by seniors, we will see the theater that is as intelligent as it is empathetic, as funny as it painful, as beautiful as it challenging.

Iced Coffee for Carl with a C
Written by Zoe Donovan, age 18
Directed by Molly Gallagher
With Andrew Harriss and Afton Welch

Behind the Counter
Written by Annelie Hyatt, age 16
Directed by Dan Kitrosser
With Schuyler Van Amson and Raiane Cantisano

The Trash Ghost of Smithers Valley
Written by Tyler Medina-Minerva, age 17
Directed by Brent Shultz
With Zachary Friedman, Steph Miller, and Juan Cardenas

Saturday, May 4 at 8 PM

A pre- and post- apocalyptic Korean American struggles with her identity, a robbery in a convenient store goes down, and a friend and brother try to keep everyone in his life in their own little corner as all of the characters in this neighborhood seek to find peace in the most chaotic of worlds.

Phish Food
Written by Logan Silbert, age 14
Directed by Jessica Pomeroy
With Kristin Cantwell and Bess Miller

Robbery and Disagreements
Written by Tiffany , age 18
Directed by Reynaldo Piniella
With Gary Cook, Erin Margaret Pettigrew, and Pascal Vargas

Make it One
Written by Isabelle Orr, age 14
Directed by Emily Hartford
With Hui-Shan Yong, Molly Gallagher, and Ariel Kim

Sunday, May 5 at 11 AM

Why are Elanor and Naomi trapped in their synagogue? And why are Margeet and Marissa being so awkward? And why can't Addison just take a 'harmless' joke? These questions and more are answered in this provocative and powerful series of plays showing how much hard work it is growing up and proving that it is worth it.

Awkward
Written by Sadie Walsh, age 10
Directed by Madeline Taylor
With Alex Taylor and Zahydé Pietri

It Was Just A Joke
Written by Maggie Strattner, age 12
Directed by Kimberlee Walker
With Joy Donze and Molly Gallagher

From the Vent
Written by Dalia Mullens, age 11
Directed by Stephen Cedars
With Francesca Hansen-DiBello and Bess Miller

Sunday, May 5 at 1 PM

A prodigal daughter questions her faith in her grief while a prodigal son struggles with forgiveness of his father and of himself. Meanwhile, a father hides his pain, awaiting the return of his little girl, in this deeply affecting series of plays written by teens, which show the humanity and pain in the separation of children from their parents but the defiant human spirit which can reunite all.

Eternal Return
Written by Leya Ivanov, age 15
Directed by Samantha Stone
With Brett Radek and Pascal Vargas

A Blank Place
Written by Emily Tian, age 17
Directed by Robert Gonyo
With Tristan Sample and Brittany Chapa

A Heart-to-Heart With God
Written by Ella Chakarian, age 17
Directed by Kate (Katherine) Moore Heaney
With Erin Margaret Pettigrew

Sunday, May 5 at 3 PM

A Magician is upending everything in Norseville while two orphans make a new friend at the bodega, and the pranks never seem to end in the vicious war between Mia and Becky in this hilarious yet poignant series of plays written by 4th-6th graders, showcasing the ability of young people to grow as their world is spinning wildly around them.

The Playground Prank War
Written by Naz Karalar, age 10
Directed by Matthew Jellison
With Brittany Chapa, AnnMarie Sykes, and Ashil Lee

Erase Marks
Written by Kyle Hahn, age 11
Directed by Samantha Stone
With Afton Welch, David Quinn, and Francesca Hansen-DiBello

Nothing in Norseville
Written by Sarah Rubinstein, age 11
Directed by Dan Kitrosser
With Michael Benzinger, Zahydé Pietri, and Fleece