Kid Writes (State Street Project)

State Street Project, Front & Montgomery Streets, Trenton, NJ
Occasional performances scheduled throughout the year, check website
(609) 392-0766   Website   

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The “State Street Project” is the umbrella name for the programs at Passage Theatre that work with inner-city Trenton youth. It’s a huge part of what Passage does, much of it behind the scenes. When they mount a public production, RUN, don’t walk to your phone and reserve seats (they’re always inexpensive, and often free). Everything they do is worth seeing by kids and adults alike.

Shows are mounted 3-4 times per year (check the website for dates, times, and venues).

dwhiteThe photograph above (of David White, Education Director of Passage Theatre, performing in a State Street production) is taken from my personal favorite, called “Playmaking”. Passage usually produces at least one Playmaking event every year.

In Playmaking, the Trenton kids (as young as 8 ) take a series of 8 workshops on how to write a play. If they complete that work, they’re invited to a weekend retreat in the country. Paired with an adult mentor (typically a working, professional playwrite), the kids then write a 5-minute, 2-character play over the weekend. A couple of weeks later they’re produced on stage with ADULT professional actors and directors.
The kids’ sensibilities and world-views result in wild, wacky, and utterly original scripts that the professional actors render on stage in a form that enthralls kids and adults equally. You will find yourself howling with laughter at one moment, then brought up short by a searing insight into the lives of the inner-city authors.

What makes the whole experience even more delicious is that the playwrite is sitting on the side of the stage. You can watch him or her watching his own production.

Don’t miss it!

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Arts & Entertainment | Kids | Theater

3 thoughts on “Kid Writes”

  1. Next on stage is the new play by David White called Urban Central. Friday December 14and Saturday December 15 at 7pm; matinees are Saturday Dec 15 at 3pm and Sunday december 16th at 3pm. It stars 10 kids frm The State Street teen ensemble. They are paired with adult performer/ mentors and tell the story of Trenton High School in 1967-68…when everything changed! You won’t want to miss this! http://www.passagetheatre.org for info

  2. And don’t forget, Hidden Trenton readers, that the next Playmaking production is June 8th at 7:00 pm and June 9th at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm at the Mill Hill Playhouse!

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