YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

Selected submissions to the Young Playwrights Contest are given professional productions at City Theatre as part of the annual Young Playwrights Festival. Student playwrights develop their scripts in collaboration with professional theatre artists—a director, dramaturgs, designers, and actors—for productions on City Theatre’s stage. 

To learn more about this year’s festival, click here.

IN-SCHOOL PLAYWRITING WORKSHOPS  

City Theatre’s Young Playwrights program fulfills state Common Core and Academic Standards, including Arts and Humanities and English Language Arts. The program is dedicated to centering and amplifying youth voices in a creative and safe way. Through classroom-based residencies, the program takes students through ensemble building exercises and creative games and writing prompts to encourage students to explore the fundamentals of playwriting with the goal of submitting their one-act to the Young Playwrights Contest. 

To learn more about our residencies and grant funding click here!

YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS CONTEST

City Theatre’s annual Young Playwrights Contest encourages 7-12th grade western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia students to make their voices heard by writing and submitting original, one-act plays. Every script is read and evaluated by a Literary Committee of theatre professionals, and each student receives a written summary of the evaluator’s comments, including encouraging suggestions for continued revisions.

2025 CONTEST SUBMISSION

The contest will open in early January 2025 and the deadline is March 31, 2025.

Click here for tips.  

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

Get an upfront seat to the artistic process at City Theatre.  Participate in discussions and demonstrations with many of City Theatre’s creative team, including playwrights, directors, designers, and more. Receive ongoing support for Young Playwrights classrooms and theatre practices from professionals. Act 48 credit is available.