Budding playwright

“The Ends of the Earth,” a play written by South Side High School senior Kate Herzlin, 17, has been selected as one of 12 winning entries by teenage playwrights in the Blank Theatre Company’s 18th annual nationwide Young Playwrights Festival.

Her play will be the among the first to be presented by professional actors and directors in the month-long festival at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, from June 3 - June 6.

“Ever since I acted in the first Young Playwrights Festival,” said Blank Artistic Director Noah Wyle, “I have always had a special place in my heart for these extremely talented teenagers. The issues tackled, and the depth of emotion and understanding these kids have is remarkable. I wish I knew as much as they do when I was their age.”

Winning plays were chosen by a panel of theater professionals from plays submitted by teenagers from across the nation. Winning playwrights are assigned a mentor and then a professional director who will help them hone their scripts for four public performances with professional Hollywood actors. In the past 17 years, The Blank has produced 196 plays by teenage authors, many of whom have gone on to win prestigious awards. Many of the winners have also gone on to write for TV, populate the nation’s theaters and soundstages with their work, fill regional stages and teach writing to others.

“The Ends of the Earth” questions whether parents who say they’d go to the ends of the earth for their kids would actually be up for the journey. In Kate’s script, devoted parents will embark on a difficult and challenging expedition to prove their love to their skeptical children. For more information on tickets, visit www.TheBlank.com or call (323) 661-9827.