4 Rockland High School Students Selected to Have Plays Read by Professional Actors

Four local high school students will have their new plays read on May 30 by professional actors as part of the Stephen H. Grant Student Playwrights Festival presented by Penguin Rep Theatre and the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble.

The event, featuring the readings of four 10-minute plays followed by a discussion with the young writers, honors the memory of the late long-time Penguin Rep board member and Rockland County civic leader Stephen H. Grant.

The students feted are Emersen Armida from North Rockland High School, Keira Devine from Nanuet Senior High School, Hela Giaever from Tappan Zee High School, and Nimisha Joseph from Ramapo High School.

The plays will be read by professional actors, Craig Anthony Bannister, Amelia Fowler, Josh Tyson, Wesli Spencer, Elise Stone, Zoe Watkins, Kevin Confoy, and Myla Zimbler in front of a live audience. The event will be moderated by Craig Smith, Phoenix Managing Director. Penguin Rep board trustee, Donna Lennane, is the program coordinator.

In addition to the readings, the student playwrights will be awarded a certificate acknowledging their artistic accomplishment, a monetary stipend, and a copy of the how-to book Playwriting for Dummies written by Penguin Literary Manager Angelo Parra. In addition, each of the students’ high schools will receive a copy of this resource for the school library.

This event, co-sponsored by Orange and Rockland Utilities, takes place on Tuesday, May 30, at 7 p.m. at Penguin Rep Theatre, 7 Crickettown Road, Stony Point, and includes light refreshments. Admission is free but reservations are required. Order tickets online at www.penguinrep.org or by calling the Penguin box office at (845) 786-2873.

About Penguin Rep Theatre

For 45 years, Penguin Rep Theatre has flourished under the leadership of founder and Artistic Director, Joe Brancato, and Executive Director, Andrew Horn. It has been a home and launching pad for stellar original productions featuring professional actors, including Tony, Emmy, and Academy Award winners.

About Phoenix Theatre Ensemble

Founded in 2004, Phoenix Theatre Ensemble is headed by Managing Director Craig Smith, and Artistic Director Elise Stone. Phoenix is an award-winning not-for-profit organization committed to the presentation of the great stories of the classical canon, and new adaptations of language-rich texts in innovative stagings that speak to and serve contemporary audiences.