The Blank Theatre Announces Partnership With Delta Air Lines For 33rd Annual Young Playwrights Festival
2 min read
The Blank Theatre in Hollywood has announced a new partnership with Delta Airlines which will provide travel vouchers for out-of-state winners of the 2025 Young Playwrights Festival (YPF), which will be taking place in July. The Blank’s YPF is a nationwide competition that produces the work of 12 young writers each year. Since 1993, the festival has produced 381 plays by playwrights aged 19 and younger from 39 states.
Said Paulo Andrés, Blank Theatre Board Chairman, “This exciting partnership with Delta sees us reaching a goal we’ve long held at The Blank and it creates significant opportunities for our young playwrights and their families to better experience the Young Playwrights Festival in Los Angeles without the stress of unplanned travel expenses.”
Said Susie Landau Finch, Blank Theatre Board member, “We are exceedingly grateful for this gift and Delta’s belief in what we do. We feel their significant gift recognizes our mission and intentions to nurture the next generation of playwrights. Words alone cannot express our appreciation.”
Said Bree Pavey, Blank Theatre Executive Director, “The real prize of the Young Playwrights Festival is for our young writers (aged 19 and under) to be in the room working directly with the professional mentors, directors, and actors who bring their work to the stage. There simply is no substitute for firsthand learning to advocate for their work and collaborating within a creative community. It is important to The Blank that YPF is a program that is accessible to all, and we work hard to eliminate barriers that could diminish participation. We recognize that increases in travel expenses present a significant obstacle for some winners and their families. The generosity of Delta Air Lines helps make dreams come true by providing a means for our out-of-town winners to come to Los Angeles with minimal impact on family finances. We are so proud that Delta is now part of our #YPFamily! Delta is helping make a difference in the lives of these young artists.”
Through the years, many of the winning plays have been nominated for LA theatre awards, including an Ovation Award for Best Writing—World Premiere, and an LA Weekly Award for Best One-Act Playwriting. Many alumni playwrights are populating the nation’s theatres and sound stages with their work. Many YPF winners have gone on to successful writing careers on Broadway, are filling regional stages, and have created network TV shows. Alumnus Stephen Karam has been a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and is a Tony Award-winner for Best Play of the 2016 Broadway season for The Humans. Alumnus Lauren Yee is a 2019 Doris Duke Artist, and she is the second most produced playwright in the 2019-2020 season according to American Theater Magazine (with her plays The Great Leap, King of the Yees, and Cambodian Rock Band).
For more information, visit The Blank Theatre’s website at www.TheBlank.com.
*Information courtesy Ken Werther PR.
