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* *
* WINNERS FOR 2006 * * *
THE JULIE HARRIS
PLAYWRIGHT AWARD COMPETITION
FIRST AWARD TO:
Violet Sharp
by William Cameron of Washington, Pennsylvania.
Based on a true story, Violet, a 27-year-old British
domestic in the employ of Charles Lindbergh’s
family, raises the suspicions of Harry Walsh, a
police captain investigating the kidnapping of the
Lindberghs’ infant son. Having initially lied to the
police as to her whereabouts on the night of the
crime, Violet strives to clear her name but only
manages to strengthen Walsh’s conviction that she is
guilty. As Walsh rigorously pursues a confession,
it becomes clear that Violet is being pursued just
as fervently by her own personal demons.
William Cameron is the
founding chair of the Theatre and Communication
Department at Washington & Jefferson College. He is
entering his 20th year of teaching and
has directed over 40 productions at W&J. His comedy
“Thespians” received Honorable Mention at the
McLaren Comedy Playwrighting Competition and was the
winner of the Midwest Regional Playwrights’
Competition. His plays have been produced at the
Source Theatre in Washingdon, DC, The Pittsburgh New
Works Festival, and the Rochester Civic Theatre in
Minnesota. As an actor, he has appeared on stage
and in nearly 20 feature and television films.
SECOND
AWARD TO:
Darwin at Down
by Gino Dilorio
of
New York City, New York. It is during
the Spring of
1849, and Charles Darwin is in the beginning stages
of his famous book, “On the Origin of Species.”
Egged on by his colleague Joseph Hooker, Darwin is
afraid of being scooped by other scientists working
on the same problem. But his wife is afraid that God
will smite Darwin and his family for publishing such
a controversial theory. When Annie, Darwin’s young
daughter, contracts a serious illness, Charles
begins to wonder if publishing these theories is
worth the ultimate cost.
Gino Dilorio’s plays have been produced at the
New Jersey Repertory Theatre, Urban Stages Theatre,
Penguin Rep, the Turnip Theatre Company, the
Metropolitan Theatre, and the Abymill Theatre, in
Fethard, Ireland. “The Hard Way” won 1st
place in the BBC’s 2005 International Playwrighting
Competition. Other awards include Urban Stages’
Emerging Playwrights Award and the Berrilla Kerr
Award.
THIRD AWARD TO:
The Bohemian Quartet by
L. J. Schneiderman
of Del Mar, California. Four string players try to
rehearse while waiting for the phone call telling
them whether they have been chosen to be finalists
in the career-launching Naumberg competition But
all sorts of personal difficulties interfere among
the four musicians such as: the male second
violinist awaits the imminent arrival of four
premature babies; the cellist is repeatedly badgered
by her ex-husband about their children. In the end,
the phone, which has interrupted them again and
again with news from the outside world--but not news
from the Naumberg—rings. What is the news
this time, bad or good? Instead of answering, they
let it ring and defiantly plunge into the
long-delayed rehearsal.
L. J. Schneiderman received a B.A. in
English Literature from Yale University, a M.D. from
Harvard Medical School. Besides a published novel
and short stories (Pushcart Prize nomination), he
has written thirteen full-length and five one-act
plays. He has had productions and staged readings
at several theatres, including the Soho Poly in
London, A.C.T. and the Julian Theatre in San
Francisco, the Mark Taper, Cast Theatre, and the
Connecticut Stratford Shakespeare Festival Theater.
His play, Screwball, was given a full
production at the South Coast Repertory in Costa
Mesa, California, and won a Drama-Logue award.
PLAY COMPETITION
FOR YOUTH THEATRE—MARILYN HALL AWARDS
FIRST AWARD TO:
Falling from Trees
by David Moberg of Port St. Lucie, Florida A
realistic picture of six teenagers facing
significant challenges to their identities and their
futures without the help of their parents, who
should be like the trees that surround the children
with wisdom and protection. But when one parent
dies, one parent disowns, one parent deserts, the
young people are compelled to seek comfort and
support from each other and discover their own
personal courage.
David Moberg has
directed, performed and taught theatre in Florida
since 1981. As Chair of Indian River Community
College, he has directed over 200 main stage and
touring productions. He received a BA in theatre
from Moorhead State University and his MFA in
Acting/Directing from the University of Florida. He
is a recent recipient of the Florida Theatre
Distinguished Career Award in the college/university
division.
SECOND AWARD TO:
Another Happy Ending
by Kenneth Buswell of Roslindale, Massachusetts.
Welcome to the confusing world of middle school
popularity. Chill likes Poor, but he can’t be seen
with her because she’s too low in the school
popularity rankings. Misfit, who tries so hard, is
wary of Flirt’s sudden friendliness. Rebel fights
the system. New tries to make friends. Panic’s
ranking is falling fast. Friendships are destroyed
as students do whatever it takes to rise to the top
of the rankings. But don’t worry—everything will
end happily. It always does in middle school
theater.
Ken Buswell is a middle
school math teacher working in the Boston area.
Along with thirteen students, he founded the Brown
Theater Experience, an ensemble middle school actors
that produced original plays which dealt with middle
school life in honest, thought-provoking and
innovative ways. This play was the ensemble's final
play.
HONORABLE
MENTION
A Forgotten Treasure
by Ann Marie Kennedy
Hamlet’s Ghost
by Lawrence DuKore
Mirror Image
by Harry Rosenbluth
John Henry
by John Hardy
Slippery Joe
by Patrick McIntyre
Seventy Years in Irish Mist
by Joseph P. McDonald
CALIFORNIA
MUSICAL THEATRE COMPETITION
Lost in
Hollywoodland Book
and Lyrics by Alex Wexler
of Los Angeles, CA
Music by Bill Parsley
* * WINNERS FOR 2005 * *
JULIE HARRIS PLAYWRIGHT
AWARD COMPETITION
First Place to:
The Organist by Mark
Eisman of New York, NY
Second Place to:
Motherhouse by Victor
Lodato of Tuson, AZ
Third Place to:
World Enough and Time by Maurice Weinblatt of Minneapolis, MN
PLAY COMPETITION FOR YOUTH THEATRE - MARILYN
HALL AWARDS
First Place to:
The Legend of Wenceslas by Walt Vail of Pitman, NJ
Second Place to:
The Goose Girl by Gary
L. Blackwood of Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, Canada
Third Place to:
Aesop x Five by Robert
R. Lehan of Westfield, MA
CALIFORNIA MUSICAL THEATRE COMPETITION
First Place to:
Campaign of the Century
book by Robert L. Freedman of Sherman Oaks, CA,
Music by Steven Lutvak of New York, NY. Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman
and Steven Lutvak.
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