Young Playwright’s ‘Silent Man’

Mya Ackerling of Culver City is just a sophomore in high school, but she is about to be produced.

One of 30 students who participated in Yeshiva University High School’s playwriting contest, Ackerling was chosen as the winner last year.

“I entered because I enjoy writing a lot,” the 15-year-old said. “And I thought it would be exciting if I could get a play produced.”

It took her one week to write “The Silent Man,” which tells the story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man accused of killing Mary Fagan in 1915 Georgia. Ackerling said Leo Frank came to mind when she sat down to write the play after reading in a magazine about his lynching.

“The main theme is something very appropriate with the increase of hate crimes,” she said. “I chose to call it ‘The Silent Man’ because you can’t be silent but you have to speak out and stand up for yourself.”

The play is now in the rehearsal stage, but Ackerling is remaining behind the scenes. School policy (Yeshiva University High School is a private, Jewish Orthodox high school in Los Angeles), prohibits girls and boys from appearing on stage together. The cast is made up of students from the boys’ section of the high school. However, Ackerling has been on hand to see the play progress from paper to the stage.

“The Silent Man” will be presented May 16 at 9 p.m., May 17 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and May 18 at 8 p.m. in the auditorium on campus at 1619 S. Robertson Blvd. in Los Angeles. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Senior Health and Peer Counseling in Santa Monica has appointed Fernando Torres-Gil to its board of directors.

Torres-Gil, professor of social welfare at UCLA and professor of gerontology and public administration at USC, is a specialist in the subject of aging. He is also president of the American Society on Aging.

Sharon Melcher, director of corporate contributions at National Medical Enterprises, will also serve as a member of the executive committee of the board of directors.