Student’s play was inspired by Thanksgiving dinner

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Courtesy photo by Rick Lopez Paige Craven

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IF YOU GO

One Act Playwriting Festival

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 12, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13.

WHERE: Amato Center for the Performing Arts, 56 Mont Vernon St., Milford.

COST: $5.

MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.svbgc.org.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a series of three interviews with the winning student writers and directors of the Riverbend School of Theater Arts fifth annual One Act Playwriting Workshop and Festival. The theme for this year’s competition was Making the World a Better Place.

Paige Craven, 15, is from Mont Vernon and is a sophomore at Souhegan High School.

Question: How did you come to participate in the contest?

Answer: I acted in the One Act Play Festival last year and decided I would like to try directing this year.

Q: Were you surprised to win?

A: I knew that many other talented people were submitting plays, so yes – I was surprised when I won!

Q: What is the name of your play?

A: “Cooking For the Murdocks.”

Q: What is your play about?

A: My play is a farce about a large family at Thanksgiving time. The mom in the family can’t cook, and the plot is about what happens when the kids in the family try to pull off a crazy scheme to prevent her from cooking.

Q: What gave you the idea for this play?

A: It was actually an idea I came up with when I was 8 – it’s just a lot more refined!

Q: How was your first experience directing?

A: I am enjoying every minute of it! It is so amazing to see my play on the stage. It has been such a unique and incredible opportunity to get the chance to produce a play I wrote in such a beautiful theater with the guidance of someone as experienced as Toby Tarnow. I am so thankful to The Nancy O. Fund and Toby Tarnow for making this possible. I am learning so much from the experience!

Q: Was there anything that surprised you about this experience?

A: Mostly the amount of work it really takes to perfect a play – from the set work to blocking to lighting and sound cues.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A: Acting, singing, playing tennis, reading and running.

Q: What are your future goals?

A: Either a career in theater, writing or psychotherapy

Q: What is something most people don’t know about you?

A: Hmmm ... I need some more time to think about that one! Come to my play and ask me after.