Hilary Swank and Billy Elliot Cheer New Broadway Voices

By Christopher Moore, Broadway Magazine

In the glow of the 2010 Tony Awards, the playwrights of tomorrow took to Broadway as part of the Fidelity FutureStage Finale at Broadway's Imperial Theatre. With two-time Academy Award winning star Hilary Swank as host, it was announced that 11-year old Luis Ramirez from Brooklyn's JHS 383 would enter the history books as Broadway's youngest playwright.

"Fidelity FutureStage is giving these students a once in a lifetime opportunity to become Broadway's youngest playwrights," said Hilary Swank, special guest host of the Finale event.

More than a contest, the Fidelity FutureStage program is an on-going commitment to providing the performing arts in New York City schools. It is a mission close to the heart of Hilary Swank. Arts in Education "changed my life," Ms. Swank tells Broadway.tv and Broadway Magazine

After months of intensive playwriting and production development, the Fidelity FutureStage Finale marked the Broadway debut of six student-written plays, showcasing the work of over 1,000 NYC area students who participated in the 2010 Fidelity FutureStage theater education program.

In partnership with Billy Elliot The Musical, this year's featured plays focused on themes embodied in the Tony Award winning Broadway hit including pursuing a dream, discovering a special talent or overcoming an obstacle.

Five of the six plays to be featured on June 14 were selected from among the 10 New York City middle and high schools participating in the year-long Fidelity FutureStage school program. These five plays are cast with students from their respective schools.

The sixth play included in the Finale is the winner of second annual Fidelity FutureStage Playwriting Contest, a joint city-wide initiative of Fidelity and Billy Elliot the Musical to encourage young people throughout the NYC metro area to express their creativity through playwriting.

We join Hilary Swank and the team from Billy Elliot in celebrating the work of these new playwrights listed below. Check out our entire video interview with Hilary Swank at the Fidelity FutureStages finale right here on Broadway.tv.

2010 FIDELITY FUTURESTAGE STUDENT PLAYWRIGHTS AND FINALE PLAYS:

Luis Ramirez – Age 11, Grade 6 – Philippa Schuyler JHS 383 (Brooklyn)

The Basketball Team is a play about friendship, teamwork and learning that sometimes the sum of parts is bigger than the parts alone. Five friends come together to form their school's first official basketball team, learning the meaning of "team' along the way.

Krystal Thomas – Age 17, Grade 11 - Fordham High School for the Arts (Bronx)

For the Love of Art is the story about a young girl who uses her own body as a canvas to express her passion for art, with tattoos all over her body. This is a powerful play about the nature of art and how it functions in the life of an isolated person.

Nathalie Torrenegra – Age 18, Grade 12 – Gramercy Arts High School (Manhattan)

Weapons of Mass Distraction stars Brooke, a smart young girl who is continuously distracted by drama and conflict with her boyfriend, her recently remarried mom and especially new stepsister Donna. Sharing a bedroom puts the girls at major odds.

Nasaun Lineszy – Age 18, Grade 12 - Hillcrest High School (Queens)

Beautiful Karma is a story reminiscent of "A Christmas Carol." Felix, a grumpy millionaire, dismisses a homeless paper boy seeking shelter during a blizzard. When Felix falls asleep that night, he is sent back to the Great Depression where he experiences poverty, hardship and kindness. He returns to the present a changed man.

Kathleen Rogers – Age 17, Grade 12 - Frank Sinatra School of the Arts (Queens)

Lunch – The contents of Billy's lunchbox come to life, sharing tales with young apple 'Little Red' about how they came to be Billy's mid-day fare. Anticipating mealtime, the animated food-stuffs teach each other to live for the moment... and then Billy shows up...

Katarzyna (Kathy) Roszczeda** – Age 17, Grade 12 - Frank Sinatra School of the Arts (Queens)

Navy Blue Tiles is a story about lost love – and efforts to regain it. Veteran Vincent returns home to find his ex-love Sophie, now the owner of a bakery where they first fell in love. She's remodeled the whole place, save for a single navy blue tile which reminds her of Vincent – and her hurt feelings that he left her years ago. She tells him she's moved on... but has she?

** Winner of the 2010 Fidelity FutureStage Playwriting Contest