\nNayna Agrawal <\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfad NEW! Tampa Theatre Newsletter<\/p>\n
Every Thursday evening inside Metropolitan Ministries, a group of teens gathers with a purpose that has grown far beyond a weekly class. Guided by Straz Center teaching artists Erin Lekovic and Annalise Drab, the students have spent the winter creating an original short play that will debut at the BIPOC Play Reading Festival at the Straz on March 1. Students Naya Agrawal and Sharece Shellam Hannah are among the young playwrights shaping the story, and for many, it will be their first time seeing their work performed on a professional stage.<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfad NEW! Tampa Theatre Newsletter<\/p>\n
The project began with improvisation, character work, and plenty of laughter. Drab said, \u201cWe first started with some guided improv and character development and turned these fundamental theatre skills into a game.\u201d<\/p>\n
When she saw how fully the teens committed to their roles, the concept evolved. \u201cAfter seeing their commitment to their characters we had the idea to continue on creating a play in a game show format which made it easy for the kids to get into it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lekovic, who began writing plays with the Metropolitan Ministries teens last year, recognized that spark immediately. \u201cOnce I met the students and saw how creative and theatrical they were, I knew I had to try it; writing plays with an ensemble is my favorite thing to do. The excellent Metropolitan Ministries instructors create a safe environment where kids feel encouraged to take chances and try new things.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nNayna Agrawal
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Three play-readings will be offered, including:<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Untitled Game Show, written by teenagers in Straz Center\u2019s Play-Writing class at\u00a0Metropolitan Ministries, along with instructor Erin Lekovic, is about a Family Feud-style game show that has unexpected twists and reveals that imperfection brings\u00a0everyone together in the end.
\n\tDharma, by Nayna Agrawal, depicts first-generation Indian American siblings\u00a0relationship with their immigrant senior parents and discussing where they will live\u00a0in their sunset years.
\n\tThe Air Out There, by Sharece Sellem Hannah, follows three incarcerated women\u00a0whose tightly controlled routine is disrupted when a storytelling workshop sparks\u00a0imagination, conflict, and hope. As they begin to question their surroundings, the\u00a0prison itself reveals unsettling cracks, suggesting their confinement may be more\u00a0psychological than physical.
<\/p>\n
\nSharece Sellem Hannah
<\/p>\n
Throughout the process, the teens\u2019 humor and resilience have defined the room. Lekovic said, \u201cThere\u2019s so much joy in that room, and such wonderfully zany ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n
She’s also been struck by their bravery. \u201cThese kids understand what it means to feel nervous and stressed, yet they\u2019re still really excited to perform their play. There\u2019s a resilience in these kids that really inspires me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drab has witnessed the same growth. \u201cSeeing students come out of their shells and become more confident with themselves is why this kind of education matters.\u201d She added, \u201cStudents who didn\u2019t talk in the beginning of our time together have turned into some of the best actors, making choices that make the entire room break out in laughter.\u201d<\/p>\n
For both instructors, the festival represents more than a performance. It is a shared stage. Lekovic said, \u201cThis event doesn\u2019t separate emerging voices from established ones. We\u2019re all on the same bill, all equally worthy of an audience\u2019s attention. That sends a powerful message to these young artists: your work matters now, not someday in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drab is eager for the teens to see their work fully realized. \u201cI\u2019m excited for these kids to see their work on a stage. Finally getting to be a part of the magic that\u2019s onstage for the first time is something I want them to experience for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the festival approaches, these young playwrights step into the spotlight with a story that is funny, heartfelt, and entirely their own. And as Lekovic put it, \u201cThese kids are the future. We must keep supporting them.\u201d<\/p>\n
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