麻豆原创

鈥�When I put on my earbuds, I look out the window of my car and think. I can ponder life, school, friends, anything I want鈥︹��

鈥�When I put on my three silver bracelets, I am transported back in time鈥�into the world of my grandmother鈥︹��

鈥�When I put on my swimsuit and goggles and start swimming, my Mom and Dad say I look like a fish鈥︹��

Young authors鈥� imaginations can be endless when they鈥檙e given the opportunity to create.

And a contest involving 麻豆原创’s Theatre for Young Audiences gives those budding writers the chance to see their stories come to life.

The project, called Writes of Spring, is a collaboration of graduate students in the Theatre 麻豆原创 master鈥檚 program, the Orlando Repertory Theatre and students from the community in kindergarten through 12th grade.

This year鈥檚 assignment to the writers was to compose a short story, essay or poem finishing this intro: 鈥淲hen I put on _______.鈥�

Out of about 1,300 entries submitted last fall, 114 winners were chosen in four different age groups to be woven into a story by student and already-veteran-scriptwriter Amanda Hill.

Performances will be May 1-2 at the Orlando Repertory Theatre, 1001 E. Princeton St., Orlando, with student Courtney Grile as director. This year鈥檚 production titled 鈥渋f not now, when?鈥� will include graduate and undergraduate theatre students as the actors. Others that have been key to the production are faculty adviser Vandy Wood; Gary Cadwallader, education director at Orlando Repertory Theatre; and sponsor Fifth Third Bank.

鈥淭he project strives to support literacy, critical thinking, and creative expression by transforming students鈥� words into a fully produced show,鈥� Hill said. 鈥淓ach poem, essay, and story is a piece of a huge jigsaw puzzle, which the creative team works to piece together.鈥�

Joan Roxbury, a third-grade teacher at Lake Eola Charter School in downtown Orlando, said topics that deal with animals, friends, fantasy and adventure appeal to her young writers.

鈥淭he students often write about their own personal experiences that are important to them,鈥� said Roxbury, who had compositions by nine of her students chosen this year for Writes of Spring. She said she also uses the project as an assignment to encourage her struggling writers to participate because they don鈥檛 see the one-page length as an overwhelming task.

鈥淲rites of Spring gave them a chance to write about their dreams and wishes, and they loved that,鈥� she said.

Hill said there were so many well-composed entries that it was hard to pick winners for the script.

鈥淭here was so much good material to choose from,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 choose it all or the play would never end.鈥�

Roxbury said she is grateful for the opportunity for her students鈥� works to be acted out on stage by the 麻豆原创 theatre team.

鈥淭he Writes of Spring contest connected the theme of writing and acting together for my students, which was really great,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 think celebrating their writing is a key motivational factor. When Writes of Spring indicated that they were going to use the stories in our class, the students were thrilled at the prospect of seeing their pieces come to life.鈥�

Tickets for 鈥渋f not now, when鈥� are complimentary, but reservations for the May 1-2 productions are recommended by calling 407-896-7365, ext. 1 at the Orlando Repertory Theatre, 1001 E. Princeton St., Orlando. Both nights will have a kickoff celebration at 6:30 p.m., followed by the 7 p.m. performance and a reception.