Chautauqua Arts Education Young Playwrights Project
“It’s showtime today!” were the magical words that greeted the Chautauqua Arts Education Young Playwrights Project team members as they visited the schools to read plays written by Chautauqua County 3rd and 4th grade students. This year over 400 students worked to write 378 plays that shared a broad view of the world through the hearts and minds of these young students.
The Young Playwrights Project (YPP) began in 2014 in collaboration with the Florida Studio Theater in Sarasota, Florida and has since evolved to a close partnership with Chautauqua Theater Company (CTC) and developed further by Syracuse University acting faculty Katherine McGerr. During the COVID era, the program was developed to be entirely online by Director of Arts Education Suzanne Fassett-Wright, allowing the program to impact and inspire students through very challenging times. Now, we are back in the classrooms, collaborating with volunteers and teaching artists to engage directly in classrooms. The atmosphere is alive with the joyous laughter of students and teachers alike.
A huge part of the success of this program is the community around it, including 38 volunteers from the community and Chautauqua Institution staff. Volunteers rehearsed at the Chautauqua Amphitheater, then visited classrooms in teams so every student could see their play come to life, acted out in front of them. Volunteers included SUNY Fredonia faculty members, the United Way leadership, legislators, former theater professionals and more — all who value lifting students’ voices.
“I had never acted in a play before,” said Susan Parker, YPP volunteer and Chautauqua County legislator. “It was a great privilege and a lot of fun to be a part of the Young Playwrights Project. I think the kids learned a lot about playwriting and we all learned along with them, which was a great experience.”
Since 2022, Alexandra (Alex) Nader has served as Lead Teaching Artist for YPP and brings her experience with the famed “Story Pirates” program. Alex and her team of professional actors and teaching artists from Brooklyn, New York have endeared themselves to the students and community through their brilliant improvisation, investment in the students and how strongly they value student self-expression through this project.
The joy in the classrooms was overflowing as the Play Reading Teams read the plays. Students were encouraged to get out of their seats to act out characters and put themselves inside the world of the play. After each play, students had the chance to share what they liked about the play and celebrate each of their classmates as playwrights.
“This is the third year in a row that my students and I have been so fortunate to work with the Chautauqua Young Playwrights Project,” said Samantha Cashmore, teacher at Hewes BOCES Educational Center. “Within the past few years, I have watched my students grow and develop not only their imagination, but also their sense of self, making them feel empowered to achieve their goals. The YPP has also given students at the Hewes Center the unique opportunity and support to demonstrate their ability to meet learning standards and rigor that is constantly evolving.”
In June, the students will visit Chautauqua Institution to see a selection of 10–11 plays performed at Smith Wilkes Hall, curated from all those submitted.
“Seeing the community come together to support and value student artistry is absolutely inspiring,” said Fassett-Wright. “These students have important stories to share, and the Chautauqua community is listening and celebrating them all!”