Don't Take Our Word for It

“For those who think that our city’s future is bleak, they need only take a look at what’s happening in our schools. A good thing is happening every day in our schools, and Philadelphia Young Playwrights is what is making it happen.”
- Mayor Michael A. Nutter, at Philadelphia Young Playwrights’ Write On! Celebration, June 4, 2008.

“I began writing this play to give others a better perspective of the strength and the positive energy in young lives. This play changed my life because it showed me the beauty in writing and how much work and dedication are involved in being a playwright and seeing your work performed live.”
- Shaynna, 10th grade student

“I learned that everybody has different ideas…and it’s really, really nice to respect what they wrote because it might not be something of your interest but that doesn’t mean you should be judgmental…so I learned that everyone has their little something they like to write about, and you should respect their plays.”
- Michelle, 5th grade student

“Instead of writing a book report on some old dead writer, [Young Playwrights] gave us the chance to write from the heart - to write from our hearts.”
- Hector, 12th grade student

“Watching your play is surreal, scary, exhilarating. You want to fly alongside a cloud. You want to crawl into a hole. Instead, you sit timidly in a creaky theatre seat, studying the voices in your head…after the performance ended, I looked for meaning in the whole experience. Slowly I realized that this year-long process, the rehearsals and late-night conversations and hours at my computer, had been my coming of age.”
- Kyle, 10th grade student

“I see your program as a deterrent to violence, as it teaches alternatives, which empowers students to find peaceful solutions. It is also a necessary support to children, as they encounter the violence that permeates our communities. Through the playwriting experience, my children are able to address critical issues in their lives.”
- Barbara Gottlieb, teacher, Andrew Hamilton School

“[Through] the program I have gained more confidence about my writing. I realize that there is an audience out there that is interested and wants to hear what young people have to say. It’s clear to me now that what I write is important and can have meaning to many people beside myself.”
- from a Young Playwrights student evaluation document

“You just feel good about yourself. You actually accomplished something and you are sending it to somewhere and you could actually win and I think people look up to you.”
- Aaron, 11th grade student