Senior's Original Play Wins Theatre Prize

Congratulations to MKA senior Lauren Friezo, whose original play Stop Staring has received second prize in the 2011 Theater Project's Young Playwrights competition.

Written during an MKA class entitled Open Stage, team-taught by F&PA faculty members Nicole Hoppe and J.C. Svec, the play, which deals with a conversation between a young girl and another passenger on a bus, was performed in Deetjen Theatre this fall with a student cast of three that included Lauren herself.  This is the second year that MKA has entered student work into this contest and the second year that they have received recognition –in 2010, senior Rob Gelberg won first place and Julie Longthorne received an honorable mention.

The Young Playwright's annual competition is open to all New Jersey high school students, and The Theater Project, Union County College's Professional Theater Company, will present the winners and honorable mentions at its 9th Annual Young Playwrights Festival on Sunday, March 6.  In addition to attending the ceremony, Friezo will enjoy the rare opportunity of seeing her words come to life when performed script-in-hand by a cast of professional actors of The Theater Project.