Oakton’s ‘Play On! ’ Stages Student Playwriting Talent July 22-24

Catch rising theater talent at “Play On!,” a Midwest-based playwriting festival, 7:30 p.m., July 22-24, at Oakton Community College’s Studio One Theater, 1600 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines.

“Play On!” features original one-act plays and story-telling monologues penned by community college students. Past submissions have ranged from colleges including Oakton, Oakland Community College (Michigan), University of Wisconsin–Baraboo/Sauk County, St. Clair Community College (Michigan), Delta College (Michigan) and McHenry County College.

“We are excited to be celebrating 11 years of ‘Play On!,” Oakton Student Life and Campus Inclusion Coordinator Simi Khurana, co-coordinator of the festival, says.

This year’s winning program lineup includes the following plays and story-telling monologues:

• “Bobcat,” by John Eisenmann and directed by Samuel Bochnia;
• “True Stories of a Farmhouse,” by Natalie Norris and directed by Ron Denham;
• “No Label Required,” by Jessica Rojas and directed by Lauren Guter;
• “On The Way,” by Benjamin O’Reilly and directed by Mynor Luken;
• “And Then, There Were Days Like This,” by Ruba Siddiqui and directed by Ron Denham; and
• “Threat Level Midnight,” by Nicholas Whyte and directed by Patricia Kelly.

“’Play On!’ continues to grow. We started with a festival for just Oakton students in 2009 and expanded to Illinois community college students and then to a regional festival in 2013,” Khurana says. “We love seeing students direct and work the festival. Most importantly, we love providing playwrights with the opportunity to see their play come alive onstage.”

Tickets are $10 for general admission and may also be purchased online by visiting www.oakton.edu/tickets. Proceeds benefit the Oakton Performing Arts Scholarship Fund.

For more information, email Simi Khurana at skhurana@oakton.edu.