PERU – As part of a new youth arts initiative from the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, a teen writing workshop will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 20, at the home of playwright director, Nancy Demings.

The focus will be how to write dialogue and develop characters. The new youth group, FRESH productions, will eventually write and perform their own plays about health-related issues.

“Writing scripts, where the entire story is told with dialogue and stage action, is a very specific skill,” said Demings. “I had written a lot of short stories and poems and magazine articles, but with limited success. It was during a dialogue-writing workshop that I took with playwright, Toby Armour, in Flagstaff, Ariz., that I wrote my first play. That play ended up being successfully produced and I have written at least one play every year since; many of which have gone on to be produced over and over.”

Demings is hoping to pass along some of her dialogue tricks to the teens while letting the natural setting of her Worthley Pond home inspire them to connect, express and produce work of their own.

“New teens are welcomed to the workshop and other FRESH production events that will be held throughout the year,” Demings said.

The workshop is free and open to teens throughout the area; however space is limited. Teens must call RVHCC at 364-7408 and speak with Stephanie Thompson as soon as possible to reserve their spot in the workshop and to get the details.