Connors play belies his 16 years. Any mature writer would be thrilled to accept well-deserved laurels for writing such a play. Connors portrays his octogenarian characters with as much authority as he does his 15 year old protagonist. Using subtle comedy to underline the lessons conveyed by lives lived long, gives the play s poignancy its maximum impact. There are lessons to be learned and repeated.
Oldtimers is just an incredible accomplishment from such a young writer.
Connors first wrote the original draft of his play, as a tribute to his great grandmother, in a playwrighting residency led by Fia Lefkowitz of Playwrights Project. Impressed by Connors dedication, Lefkowitz asked Debra Salzer, the organization s director, to assist the author during his rewriting of the script. After winning the annual contest for California Young Playwrights, the revision process continued. Connors credited Salzer s help and encouragement in an e-mail in which he said, Only you and two other teachers in my life have challenged me to think, stand by my convictions, and never feel totally satisfied with the quality of my work, but to keep improving. Every writing instructor will tell you the importance of sensory details in your writing.