In Memory of Donovan Hagins

Photo: James Kern Photography

Many playwrights make the choice to become artists early in life. Choosing to become a playwright at any age can be frightening. It is often a lonely path, and one that can be difficult to defend to family and friends. Yet youth also brings a kind of limitless abandon, mixed with absolute certainty and just a touch of fear.

To find someone like Donovan Hagins, a champion of young playwrights, a leader at Philadelphia Young Playwrights, and an accomplished artist in his own right, is not only rare, but life-changing.

Philadelphia lost one of its greatest champions of young artists last week. At PlayPenn, we mourn the loss of not only a community leader, but also a source of inspiration, a lighthouse who showed generations of young playwrights that the shoreline of an artistic life was real, reachable, and possible.

Our hearts go out to his family, to the young and old playwrights he inspired, and to the staff of Philadelphia Young Playwrights.

We were preparing with joy to see you, Donovan, at rehearsal in a couple of weeks. We are heartbroken that you will not be there in person to light the way. But your light, your generosity, and your belief in young artists will remain with us always.

You will forever be in our hearts.

Too many, too soon,

PlayPenn Staff and Board