ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

CYPT welcomes back the 2022 Cannonball Festival of Youth-Led Theatre. Seven youth-produced one-act plays performed over two weeks! You heard that right – every show is directed, written, designed, stage managed, produced, and performed by youth age 10 – 19. We also have a handful of special guests, including performances from our Improv Intensives and our Staged Reading Series of new works that might see the stage next year!

The Cannonball Festival performances are held at West Village Theatre. Tickets may be purchased in advance in evening or matinee passes, which include 3 shows for $20 most nights* of the run.

Note: We do not sell tickets for individual shows online, however if you would like to only attend one of the shows in an evening, you may purchase individual tickets at the door if there are any remaining for $7.50/show, however if you want to be safe and ensure you have a ticket, be sure to purchase online in advance.

*Our staged reading series is free, so the June 3 pass is a reduced rate of $15.00

WEEK ONE

Improv!

North, South, and West Improv Teen Classes

Our Teen Improv Classes have been hard at work honing their quit wits and snappy stories, and are ready to dazzle you with this showcase of Improvisational Fun!

The North and West Classes will be performing together on May 25 and 27, and the South Improv Class will be performing on May 26.

How to Make Small Talk at a Wedding

Written and directed by Annika Keatley

Step 1: Go to a wedding.

Step 2: Talk.

Plain and simple. Unless you find yourself in one of these improbable scenarios: The people you sit beside hate each other. The doorman is less than perfect at their job. Or, worst of all, the bride is nowhere to be found. Dealing with one of these situations? Not a problem, simply reference the appropriate section in chapter 4, “Major Issues.” But all of these happening? At one wedding? Impossible. Hopefully.

How to Make Small Talk at a Wedding will be performed May 25, 27, and 28.

[Stop.]

Written and directed by Ruby Gaudet

Eli Davidson has some extraordinary time-stopping powers up his sleeve. But that doesn’t mean his life as a whole is extraordinary. In fact, it seems to be quite the opposite. Navigating relationships, rejection, and the everyday struggles of a regular seventeen-year-old, Eli must learn to balance all of the aspects of his life, and learn how to cope when his powers start to go astray.

[Stop.] will be performed May 25, 26, and 28.

Guitar Strings

Written and directed by Jenna Paquette

Emma is desperate to spend time with her sister Chelsea, but Chelsea wants to spend her summer with her friends. And then, a guitar enters the picture. Will it rekindle their strained bond or will it cause more problems than it solves? Guitar Strings is a relevant, lyrical, and emotional outlet to young members of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as youth struggling to connect with their families.

Guitar Strings will be performed May 26, 27, and 28. Recommended for ages 13+

WEEK TWO

Lipstick and Scones

Written by Molly Corkey Flatters, co-directed by Sloane Bristow and Molly Corkey Flatters

A cold coffee. An empty seat. A waiting wife. When baristas Theo and Florence are confronted with a dying marriage, they face their own baggage around love, marriage and self-worth as they approach becoming compassionate witnesses to an all-too-familiar tragedy..

Lipstick and Scones will be performed June 1, 2, and 4. Recommended for ages 13+.

Dreamer: A New Musical

Written, directed, and composed by Tayah Funk

Remember when your friends were your everything?

When every dream your friends had became a part of you as well?

What happens when it’s time to break away from your friends’ dreams to find your own?

Dreamer is a nostalgic story of childhood friendship. Five lifelong friends navigate the importance of staying true to themselves while supporting their friends on their own paths. From becoming a snowman to a botanist, this playful world of wonder gives us a glance of each individual’s dreams and struggles as they discover who they are.

Dreamer will be performed June 1, 3, and 4.

Crescent

Written by Laura Pratt, Directed by Alexander Lynn

Crescent follows Aspen, a 17-year-old student trying to make it through their last year of high school. One day, while blasting the radio, Aspen gets interrupted by an emergency alert and they hear something that shocks them. Scientists have made a new discovery in the cosmos, and are warning people to stay indoors. What will this mean for Aspen and their loved ones? And what will happen to those who are out past curfew set by the government? With a myriad of reactions and theories, everyone is searching for the truth. But with rapidly evolving conditions, will anyone truly find it?

Crescent will be performed June 1, 2, and 4. Recommended for ages 13+ due to adult language and themes.

Purloin: In the Company of Scoundrels

Written by Zoe Bechtold, Directed by Mari Wilson

After the mighty Durna Maestra left the world, the powerful Seven Dice remained. Now five adventurers seek out the dice, each with their own motivations; family, faith, loyalty, and the need to flirt with attractive enemies. To reach the dice, the adventurers must endure battles, heartbreak, paralyzingly good kazoo music, and the entity named Fazzio. Finally, they must decide: will they use the dice for good, or evil?.

Purloin will be performed June 2, 3, and 4.