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The American Alliance for Theater and Education has chosen the Rose Theater's playwright in residence, Brian Guehring, as one of two writers to participate in its Playwrights in Our Schools program.

Guehring will partner with a high school drama program March 6-8 in Park City, Utah, to workshop and expand his play "The Misfits" from the 60-minute version staged at the Rose last year to a 90-minute show.

"The Misfits," adapted for the stage from James Howe's popular book for young people, is about four seventh-graders who stand up to bullying. One of them is overweight, one strong-willed and outspoken about injustice, one from a poor family and one gay.

Howe had planned to adapt the book for the stage himself. But deadlines eventually led him to ask Guehring to write the script. "His script was so wonderful, I wondered why I ever thought I could write it," Howe said afterward.

AATE's selection of Guehring and "The Misfits" has led to interest from publishers as well.

Guehring said he likes to stage at least two productions of a show before he locks in a version for publication. He said he's eager to work with the drama teacher and students in Park City to get their take on the play.

"I think the groups that perform this play will be predominantly middle schools, high schools and teen youth groups," Guehring said. "I wanted to expand the cast for those groups from what we used at the Rose."

He said the book has plenty of material for a longer version of "The Misfits." His script for the Rose had to be cut to fit into the hourlong slot. Seven cast members filled multiple roles.

Guehring's "The Bully Show" was part of the Kennedy Center's New Visions/New Voices program in Washington, D.C. He won awards from AATE for three unpublished works, all of which were later staged at the Rose: "Where the Red Fern Grows," "Old Yeller" and "The Super Adventures of Nutrition Man."

"Pride Players," a program at the Rose that Guehring created with Tracy Iwersen to address concerns of gay teens and their allies, won a humanitarian award from the National Education Association in 2006.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1269, bob.fischbach@owh.com