KS, OK & MO High Schools
Converge for “24 Hour
Plays”
It’s not only athletes
on long road trips in
the fall, as talented
high school drama
students from as far as
Tulsa, Joplin, and
Wichita converge on
Independence to perform
in the 6th
annual “High School 24
Hour Plays” sponsored by
the William Inge Center
for the Arts.
The performance takes
place Saturday,
September 20, at 8 p.m.
at the William Inge
Theatre at Independence
Community College.
Schools from three
states have reserved
spots for their
outstanding student
writers, actors and
technicians in this
unique academic and
creative challenge.
“The 24 Hour Plays” are
a one-of-kind event in
the Midwest, as students
from different schools
work together to produce
six original short plays
in just 24 hours.
“This is the first time
that schools from
Missouri, Oklahoma, as
well as Kansas will be
represented at the same
24 Hour Plays,” said
Peter Ellenstein, Inge
Center Artistic
Director. “Teachers
continue to tell us that
they are thrilled their
students have the chance
to work cooperatively
with those from other
schools; theatre is
collaborative, and
24-Hour Plays is the
ideal learning
experience for theater
students. We are just
sorry we can’t
accommodate more
students, especially
those who want to write
and act.”
From long distances,
schools attending
include Booker T.
Washington High School,
Tulsa, Okla.; McCauley
High School, Joplin,
Mo.; Wichita Collegiate
School; The Independent
School of Wichita; and
Highland Park High
School, Topeka.
Closer to home,
anticipated participants
include Independence,
Neodesha, Labette
County, and Sedan high
schools.
Prior to the performance
on September 20, the
students will begin
writing and rehearsing
their new plays from the
night before.
Admission is $5 general
and $3 for students.
The plays are
high-school age
appropriate.
The weekend also
includes the opportunity
for the students to
experience hands-on
workshops in
Playwriting, Acting and
Technical theatre with
the Inge Center and
Independence Community
College artists.
Inge Center activities
are funded in part by
grants from the Kansas
Arts Commission, the
National Endowment for
the Arts, the Hallmark
Corporation, the William
T. Kemper Foundation
(Commerce Bank,
Trustee), and the
Dramatists Guild Fund of
New York.
For more information on
other William Inge
center for the Arts
activities, call (620)
332-5492 or visit
www.ingecenter.org.
