The 52nd Street Project

The second step in the Playmaking process is called Replay: a nine-week course in advanced play writing. In Replay, Stage One graduates are introduced to more advanced techniques such as monologue and multiple-character scenes. Then they write and rewrite their plays. At the end of the course, the youngsters are paired with a director and a group of professional actors is cast. The plays are rehearsed for one day and given staged readings that evening at an Off-Broadway theater.

The evening of staged-readings is endowed by a new, memorial fund and have been re-named The Lorraine Cohen Replay Readings.

Lorraine Cohen
1927-2005
For more than forty years, Lorraine Cohen dedicated herself to all facets of the theater, including acting, directing and teaching. In the 1960šs, Laurie performed in a series of plays at the Bergen County Players in New Jersey. She also spent many productive years at The New Dimension Theatre Studio in Englewood, New Jersey, where she taught acting to children and young adults, and also performed in many productions. One of her early students was young John Travolta who performed with her in Whošll Save the Plowboy? (1966). Those who knew her as a teacher, remember the amazing annual Shakespeare productions of her fifth graders and the many stunning performances of her high school students. In addition to acting and teaching, Laurie also edited three books for the theatre: Scenes for Young Actors, Monologues for Young Actors, and Scenes for Mature Actors, all published by Avon Books. Laurie is remembered lovingly by her five children, her three siblings, her eight grandchildren, her companion Dick, her many colleagues and friends, and her innumerable students. It is in her memory that they support the 52nd Street Project. It is what she would have wanted.

An excerpt from "THE DUST OH NO" by Kimani Lewis, age 11:

SCENE 1

Time: 3:00 p.m.
Place: Manhattan in front of a building


	At Rise:	Window and Brick are talking.
		BRICK
		Did you hear about that building downstairs ?
	A piece of dust goes in Window's eye.
		WINDOW
		Hey! Do you mind ?
		BRICK
		What?
		WINDOW
		Some of your dust went in my eye.
		BRICK
		Sorry! O.K.
	Brick thinks Window should not freak out.
		WINDOW
		No it's not O.K.! Every day your dust goes in my eye and I get dirtier and dirtier!
		BRICK
		It is not my fault I can't help it! I get dust too you know.
		WINDOW
		Ya, so?
		BRICK
		Do you think I want to get dust? No! You need to calm down.
		WINDOW
		O.K. I won't freak out next time. I am sorry.
		BRICK
		O.K.
		WINDOW
		Say sorry.
		BRICK
		Are you questioning me? You do know I could make this building fall down.
	Window speaks in a scared way.
		WINDOW
		Sorry.
	Brick speaks quietly.
		BRICK
		Sucker.
		WINDOW
		What?
		BRICK
		Nothing!
	Quietly Brick laughs.
		BRICK
		Ah.