YPiP Artist in the Classroom Visit
Make YPiP part of your curriculum and enjoy a free visit from one of our Artists in the Classroom. Pledge a minimum of 5 scripts and the IRT will send one of our AICs to your school. This one-hour session will focus on the fundamentals of Playwrighting: story line, plot and character development, dialogue etc.
To make your pledge email the YPiP Coordinator, Hillary Martin, at YPiP@irtlive.com
Created in 2005 through the Margot and Robert S. Eccles Trust, YPiP is an annual playwrighting competition for the youth of Indiana, grades 6-12. Listening to young writers’ voices is empowering not only for the listeners, but also for the artists. This contest encourages junior and high school students to create plays for live theatre that reflect and challenge their world. The goals of YPiP are to identify these voices, help the writers improve their skills, and to reward those voices that deserve to be heard. Originally the contest focused on Marion County and the 9 contiguous counties. In 2009-2010 it was opened up the entire state.
The judges hail from professional theatre, public and private education institutions, and the business sector. Submitted scripts are judged on quality of storytelling, dialogue, character development, and dramatic conflict. Six semi-finalists attend a one-day workshop to improve their skills in playwriting. They then re-write their plays and re-submit them for consideration in the Finalist phase. The two Finalists receive a two-day workshop to hone their skills even further. Past YPiP winners produced their plays for FringeNext, part of the Indianapolis Fringe Festival, won an award in the National Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Contest, and continued to write plays and win YPiP awards.
Starting in April preview fliers are sent to all teachers and home schools who have brought kids to show at the IRT for grades 6-12. This flier gives some comments from the previous year’s semi-finalists, the submission deadline and an offer for a free Artist-in-the-Classroom visit for each classroom of scripts pledged.
Six Semi-Finalists are chosen (3 high, 3 junior high school) to attend a weekend workshop. Starting on Friday the playwrights will hear their plays read by the IRT’s professional actors. Saturday will be spent in One-on-One sessions with Director/Dramaturges and in group Playwrighting 101 workshops. At the end of the day the students are sent off to re-write their scripts for two weeks. The Semi-Finalists win $100 and a voucher to the IRT.
Two Finalists are chosen (1- high 1 –junior high school) are chosen to attend another weekend workshop, similar to the semi-finalists workshop.
The Final Event and Reception is that Sunday afternoon. Excerpts from the 4 semi-finalists are read and a full reading of the finalists is done as well.