Theatre Odyssey

Bringing plays to life

“The Tragedy of Benjamin Finch” Wins Best Play in the 2019 Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival.

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Lauren Jones, Philip Troyer, Dylan Jones and Charlie Tyler in THE TRAGEDY OF BENJAMIN FINCH by Mary Margaret Steber.
Lauren Jones, Philip Troyer, Dylan Jones and Charlie Tyler in THE TRAGEDY OF BENJAMIN FINCH by Mary Margaret Steber.

THE TRAGEDY OF BENJAMIN FINCH by Sarasota High School’s Mary Margaret Steber won Best Play in the Seventh Annual Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival. The poignant and humorous play, directed by Michele Strauss, is about four strangers brought together by a broken down bus on a rainy day, sharing their own stories of loss and tragedy to help a friend–a surprise changes their lives forever.

The Tragedy of Benjamin Finch (L to R): Dylan Jones, Lauren Jones, Philip Troyer, playwright Mary Margaret Steber, Charlie Tyler, director Michele Strauss.
The Tragedy of Benjamin Finch (L to R): Dylan Jones, Lauren Jones, Philip Troyer, playwright Mary Margaret Steber, Charlie Tyler, director Michele Strauss.
James Kassees, and Tahlia Chinault in What It Means To You by Riley Dillard of Sarasota High School
James Kassees, and Tahlia Chinault in What It Means To You by Riley Dillard of Sarasota High School

WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU by Riley Dillard of Sarasota High School, directed by Seva Anthony, was the festival’s Runner-up play. This philosophical play examines the call of the void, or L’appel du vide–a feeling you get when standing at an edge with a sudden urge to throw yourself or something very valuable off of it. The lead character meets people who are going through crises at random, in casual locations, and helps them come to a revelation to meet the call of the void.

What It Means To You (L to R): Tahlia Chinault, director Seva Anthony, Philip Troyer, playwright Riley Dillard, James Kassees, and Olivia Yagy.
What It Means To You (L to R): Tahlia Chinault, director Seva Anthony, Philip Troyer, playwright Riley Dillard, James Kassees, and Olivia Yagy.
Playwrights Mary Margaret Steber & Riley Dillard
Pictured: Mary Margaret Steber, Riley Dillard

Mary Margaret Steber received a $1,000 scholarship for her Best Play and Riley Dillard received a $500 scholarship for writing the Runner-up play. The remaining six author finalists received $100 each. The scholarship awards were made possible through the generosity of the Dorothy B. Templeton Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The festival was also supported by a gift from the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

CAN Community Health is Theatre Odyssey’s 2018-2019 Season Sponsor.

2019 Student Playwrights (L to R): Harley Haas, Grace Lumpkin, Bella Liakako, Mary Margaret Steber, Riley Dillard, Cas Bradley, Elia Chatham, and Kea Kamiya.
2019 Student Playwrights (L to R): Harley Haas, Grace Lumpkin, Bella Liakako, Mary Margaret Steber, Riley Dillard, Cas Bradley, Elia Chatham, and Kea Kamiya.