Plays by Young Writers

Sponsored by
The Sheila and Jeffrey Lipinsky Family Fund, Sally and Einar Gall, and The US Bank Foundation
Plays by Young Writers is produced by Playwrights Project.


Thank you all for your support of the
39th Plays by Young Writers Festival
performed at the Salvation Army's Joan B. Kroc Theatre

Click here to see photos from the Night of Celebration!

Check out this article! by KPBS reporter M. G. Perez
"Teen Playwrights premiere original works, taking them from the page to the stage"


Want to see your play performed in next years Plays by Young Writers Festival?
Submit an original script to the California Young Playwrights Contest for a chance to win a professional production!
Click here for more information

39th Plays By Young Writers Festival
Directed by Kandace Crystal

FULL PRODUCTIONS

Forgotten

By Camille LaPlante
Age 17, San Diego
Alex witnesses her grandfather slowly lose his memory over a span of four years.

Unauthorized Aid: The Musical

By Ian Kim
Age 17, Glendale
Tensions at a private high school rise in the wake of Heather’s academic scandal.

 

STAGED READING

Messy Revenge

By Isabella Vallejo and Ayushi Sheth
Ages 14 & 15, San Diego
A pigeon and a crow hatch a plan of revenge against the local middle school students.

The Spirit Treasure

By Cyrus King, Elise Matthews, and Mia Roberts-Blanco
Ages 14, San Diego
A quirky pirate crew ventures into the Spirit Trench in search of treasure!

 

 

Branch

 

Public Performances

6:30PM

Night of Celebration*

 
       
   
 

If you have a gift certificate please call to redeem. Gift certificates are not available for use online.

*Public Celebration includes a pre-show reception with the writers.

Please note that online ticket sales end twelve hours prior to the performance.

 

PRODUCTION TEAM

Cecelia Kouma Executive Producer
Kandace Crystal Festival Director
Aria Proctor

Production Manager

   
   

Acknowledgements

 
Playwrights Project gratefully acknowledges major support for this program from:

 
Sheila and Jeffrey Lipinsky Family Fund

Sally and Einar Gall

US Bank Foundation

Additional support provided by:
California Arts Council
City of San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture
Community Service Association of San Diego Unified School District
The Conrad Prebys Foundation
The Samuel I. & John Henry Fox Foundation
Sally and Einar Gall
National Endowment for the Arts
Gerald T. & Inez Grant
Parker Foundation
The Arthur and Jeanette Pratt Memorial Fund
Torrey Pines Bank
Union Bank

FINAL Judges

Many thanks to the acclaimed theatre artists below who lent their expertise to selecting the winners of this year's contest:

Kandace Crystal
Director, Actor, Teaching Artist, & Dea Hurston Professional Directing Fellow, New Village Arts

Ahmed Kenyatta Dents
Patron Services Manager, Mainly Mozart & Director of Marketing and Communications, ALJP Consulting

Cecelia Kouma
Playwrights Project Executive Director

Andy Lowe
Director, Actor, Producer, Writer. Director of Production and Casting, East West Players

Annie Weisman
Award-Winning Playwright & Plays by Young Writers Alumna

George Yé
Has directed 26 plays in collaboration with Plays by Young Writers, Chair of Dramatic Arts at San Diego Mesa College

LETTER WRITERS & VOLUNTEER SCRIPT READERS

Susan Benninghoff

Letter Writer

Kira Blaskovich

Letter Writer

Chris Boyd

Letter Writer

Cassandra Hsiao

Letter Writer

Kap Taylor
Letter Writer
Vincent Ripol
Letter Writer
Hailey Andrews
Script Reader

Timothy Coughlin

Script Reader
Linda Canada
Script Reader
Courtney Flanagan
Script Reader
Ron Fromstein
Script Reader
Susan Gembrowski
Script Reader
Carm Greco
Script Reader
Nina Hall
Script Reader
Gina Jackson
Script Reader
Leslie Johnson
Script Reader
Starry Krueger
Script Reader
Steven Lankford
Script Reader
Terry Miller
Script Reader
Aria Proctor
Script Reader
Ken Saragosa
Script Reader
Jean Seager
Script Reader
Roy Sekigahama
Script Reader
Joe Shea
Script Reader
Marion Snell
Script Reader
Connie Terwilliger
Script Reader
Robert Wood
Script Reader

Special thanks to the theatre professionals who helped rank and review the scripts in this year's contest- we couldn't have done it without you!

Semi finalists & Finalists

Sharnya Chouhan
Diminuendo
Finalist
Eleni Christophers
How to Write a Movie
Finalist

Olivia Lai

The Stars, the Leaves, and Matter
Finalist
Aiden Lewis
The Gov
Finalist
Becca Light Rake
Licht Rokosky
Finalist
Astraea Liu
Dear Emma
Finalist
George Sandoval
Manage
Finalist
Kaya & Elora Sparnicht
Wings
Finalist
Marlinda Ventura
A Memory Away
Finalist
Caitlin Weber
Loop
Finalist
Grace Zanghi
Train Ride to Nowhere
Finalist
     
Giselle Alvarez
True Colors
Semi-Finalist
Eli Ander-Biegelsen
The Sillyad
Semi-Finalist
Kasey Day
The Train Leaves at 4PM
Semi-Finalist
Alexa Henry
The Labels of Love
Semi-Finalist
Maggie Holcomb
Grey
Semi-Finalist
Anna Jordan
The Dinner Party
Semi-Finalist
Ian Kim
Robomonk
Semi-Finalist
Sophia Maddara
Unexpected
Semi-Finalist
Kai Makino-Dilloway
Wendy
Semi-Finalist
Cassie Mayberry
It's Only a Paper Moon
Semi-Finalist
Jordyn Nygren
We Desperately Need It
Semi-Finalist
Aryana Samadi
Spartans
Semi-Finalist
George Sandoval
Switch-A-Rooney
Semi-Finalist
Giselle To
The Lady's Maid
Semi-Finalist
Zev Vitanza
Bitter End
Semi-Finalist

Congratulations to all Semi-Finalists & Finalists who entered into the 2023 California Young Playwrights Contest!