Students shine in Mini-Play festival

This week, 52 elementary, middle and high school students from around Bloomington will see the results of their hard work as they produce, direct and perform their self-written plays. The event is a part of the 20th annual Mini-Play Festival sponsored by Bloomington Playwrights Project. Last fall, the BPP invited students in grades three through 12 to submit short, original, one-act plays in categories based on grade level (elementary, middle and high school). The winners of the contest will receive full production of their play in the upcoming festival, a small cash prize and recognition around town.\nBloomington High School North freshman Annie Walters won the first place high school award for "Louella, Louella," a play she wrote for her English class. Her teacher submitted students' plays to the contest, and Walters' play finished first.\nAlthough she has been acting since she was 9-years-old, this is Walters' first year involved in the Mini-Play Festival. She is also acting in the play "Earwig Eulogy: One Insect's Last Minutes," written by third-place high school winner Kate Satterfield and is co-directing the play "Mistaken Identity," written by second-place middle school winner Sammi Rosenplot.\n"The best part of the Mini-Play Festival is working with all the people there," Walters said. "I really like all the younger kids and the staff. They're all really just cool people."\nSeventh grader Lauren Hersch from Jackson Creek Middle School said she also enjoys working with the staff at the BPP. Hersch will act in "Louella, Louella" and also co-direct "Mistaken Identity." This is her second year participating in the festival.\n"Bloomington's always been a sports-oriented town, and that's fun, but sometimes you need a break from that," Hersch said. "So I found the BPP, and it's just really fun. There are just really interesting and diverse people in acting."\nThe festival's Education Director, Breshaun Joyner, has been working with the event for two years and has been working with the children for eight weeks to prepare for the shows. She said the experience has been wonderful and challenging.\n"It can be a little frustrating sometimes when you know the students aren't living up to their potential with learning lines and such ... ," Joyner said. "... But it's so great to see the kids grow and branch out into directing and producing."\nHersch said she's a little nervous about the festival because she wants to impress everyone and wants the BPP to do well overall.\n"I really like the BPP, and I want to make sure it stays around," Hersch said. "There's really no theater at my school, so I like having this opportunity."\nHersch said she has wanted to direct since she was seven and would like to pursue it as a career later in life. Walters also has theatric aspirations.\n"It's so hard to decide what you want to do now," Walters said. "But the staff members at the BPP have shown me that you don't have to make a ton of money to be an actor. You can do small things and still have a lot of fun. But then, of course, I want Broadway."\nPerformances will be held at 7:30 p.m. tonight and Thursday at the BPP. Tickets are $6, and all sales go toward the BPP Scholarship Program. Patrons are also asked to bring a new or gently read children's book for the BPP book distribution program for the needy.\n-- Contact staff writer Lori Snow at losnow@indiana.edu.