Only 20 Youth Selected Countywide for On-Stage Play Reading at The Don & Ann Brown Theatre
Photo Credit: Tim Stepien
20 Students Selected by Palm Beach Dramaworks Countywide for On-Stage Play Reading
West Palm Beach, FL (May 7, 2025) – On Wednesday, April 30, Pace Center for Girls Palm Beach proudly celebrated student Dary G, who was one of just 20 students selected from seven middle schools across the county as winners for Palm Beach Dramaworks’ third annual Young Playwrights 1-Minute Play Contest. Dary’s play, Spaghetti Wars, was brought to life by actors during the on-stage reading at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre in West Palm Beach. This remarkable collaboration not only celebrates creative achievements but also serves as a powerful testament to the confidence and voice that Pace inspires in young women.
Hosted by Palm Beach Dramaworks, middle schoolers across Palm Beach County were challenged to craft a complete story in just 60 seconds. Each season, Palm Beach Dramaworks produces five shows and offers a wide variety of programs for students at the theatre and in schools. The winners were selected by a group of theatre professionals, and the student playwrights were each awarded a $100 prize, receiving a keepsake anthology of the winning plays. This was an opportunity that Dary embraced with her imagination and passion, with given support from Pace Center for Girls Palm Beach.
Mindy Hanken, Executive Director, Pace Center for Girls Palm Beach, Dary G., Pace Girl, Mrs. Nancy Wilson, College & Career Coordinator, Pace Center for Girls Palm Beach, and Mr. Tom Christopher, Dary’s English Teacher, Pace Center for Girls Palm Beach
“We are incredibly proud of our Pace girl, and the creativity, courage, and confidence she demonstrated through her play,” said Mindy Hanken, Executive Director of Pace Palm Beach. “Opportunities like this empower our girls to find and use their voice, and we are deeply grateful to Palm Beach Dramaworks for creating such a meaningful platform and for recognizing one of our own.”
Pace believes that 'Every Girl Deserves' a future filled with opportunities, respect, and agency to pursue her dreams. By providing academic and behavioral support to middle and high school girls ages 11-17 across Palm Beach County School Districts, the girls at Pace receive year-round academic instruction in small class sizes for individualized attention. The girls at Pace work closely with counselors and therapists trained in girl-centered and trauma-based therapy. They are provided with leadership and community service opportunities, life skill development, career readiness, and individual goal planning, including high school diploma tracks, credit recovery tracks, and GED graduation tracks. These resources are made available to girls at no cost to them.
This showstopping opportunity highlights the endless potential of young women when provided with encouragement and opportunities to shine. Through initiatives like this partnership, creative talents are nurtured and celebrated, building brighter futures for students like Dary G. Pace Center for Girls Palm Beach and Palm Beach Dramaworks share the commitment to empowering students to find their voices and chase their dreams.
To learn more about how to support Pace, or open enrollment, visit www.pacecenter.org. To learn more about Palm Beach Dramaworks, please visit https://www.palmbeachdramaworks.org/.
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About Pace Center for Girls
Pace provides free year-round middle and high school academics, case management, counseling, and life skills development in a safe and supportive environment that recognizes and deals with past trauma and builds upon girls’ individual strengths. Dedicated to meeting the social, emotional, and education needs of girls, Pace has a successful and proven program model that has changed the life trajectory of more than 40,000 girls and is recognized as one of the nation’s leading advocates for girls in need. For more information on Pace Center for Girls, visit www.pacecenter.org.
About Palm Beach Dramaworks
Palm Beach Dramaworks is a professional, nonprofit theatre company founded in 2000 and located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach. Each season, the award-winning company produces five shows and offers a wide variety of programs for students at the theatre and in schools. Committed to fostering the future of theatre, PBD has become a hub for playwrights in Florida and around the country to nurture their work through the Perlberg Festival of New Plays. PBD is a member of Theatre Communications Group, Florida Professional Theatres Association, the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, and NNPN. In 2024, PBD was honored as Non-Profit of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches.
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