The New Works Festival, hosted annually by Manual’s Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS), is a student-led and directed program representing the culmination of a year of dedication and creativity. At YPAS, New Works is meaningful for everyone involved, showcasing the students’ passion and hard work.
“One of the things that I love for the directors is how they take on a leadership role and they understand all the components of producing a show and leading a process from start to finish,” Theatre Department Head Jane Jones said.
New Works is split into two slates, each consisting of a number of short plays and dance numbers. While participants are mainly in the YPAS magnet, New Works is open to all students at Manual.
This year, slate one featured four plays and two dances. Among the performances was “Rocky Hotdog Picture Show,” which follows a man who eats hotdogs professionally, written and directed by Charley Ignatow (11, YPAS). A solo dance followed, adding a moment of artistic expression. The show concluded with “If You Give A Horse A High School,” starring Joselin Dominguez (11, YPAS), and depicting various equine personalities navigating the ups and downs of highschool.
Among the performances in slate two was “Phantom Halloween,” a story about three animatronics that live in a halloween memorabilia store, written and directed by David Pellman (11, HSU). There were two dance numbers: a solo from Beau Allen (11, YPAS) and a duet featuring Tessa Tackett (10, YPAS) and Sophia Gonzalez (11, YPAS).
“The Elevator” starred Sophie Mudd (9, YPAS) in a story about a short elevator ride that resulted in meaningful conversations and epiphanies among the elevator’s passengers. The show ended with “Influencer Showdown,” featuring Moses Ballou (10, YPAS) as the host of a fictional cooking show in which social media stars compete to create different meals.
New Works is an opportunity for creative Manual students to showcase their passion for performing arts, and it serves as an emblem of their hard work and dedication. Slate one performed last Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8, and Slate two will showcase their work this coming Friday and Saturday, March 14 and 15.
