The awards were for Outstanding Original Script and Excellence in Directing for her original play, “Hidden in Plain Sight," about the sacrifices women and girls often feel pressured to make in order to be accepted in the social hierarchy, and how it’s really a better choice to turn your back to those pressures and be your true self.

In addition, she was nominated for the second time for the Wilmington Drama League (WDL) Bob Evans Award––the youngest out of five nominees this year. This award is given to the individual who has contributed in significant ways to youth theatre during the course of their involvement with the Drama League. 

The Festival is held every summer and is an opportunity for young people aged 5-18 to write, direct and/or act. Directors go through the entire process of auditioning and selecting their cast (which often involves negotiating and trades with other directors if more than one want the same actor), scheduling, coordinating and leading rehearsals, blocking the show, coordinating all of the lights, sound cues, backdrop projections, sets, props and costumes. Anyone who submits an original script starts the process even earlier, with script writing and submissions due a few weeks in advance of the auditions. Ivy started directing for this festival when she was just 9 years old. This is her 4th year directing and 2nd year submitting and directing her own original script.