Pittsburgh’s City Theatre recently announced the eight Young Playwrights Contest winners who will develop their six scripts in collaboration with professional theatre artists—a director, dramaturgs, and actors—for productions in City Theatre’s Hamburg Studio during the 14th annual Young Playwrights Festival, taking place October 1-11, 2013.

Middle School Winners

The Amazon: Race to the Cure, by Honesty LeGrande and Hope LeGrande
Pittsburgh Arsenal 6-8

Deck the Halls, by Lily Buchanan
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12

What Are the Odds?

by Ariana Distler and Alayna Perrine
Sharpsville Middle School

High School Winners

Dial Tone, by Mayah El-Dehaibi
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12

Flicker, by Shea Minter
Shady Side Academy

Tame (This Monkey’s Gone to Heaven) , by Tyler Hudson
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12

About the Competition

The winning one-act plays for 2013 were selected from 200 Young Playwrights Contest submissions. Each year, students from middle and high schools in Western Pennsylvania are eligible to participate in the annual contest, which will expand outreach to West Virginia in 2014. Each script is read by at least two members of the Literary Committee, comprised of 40 theatre professionals from across the United States. All writers who submit scripts receive constructive criticism and encouraging suggestions for continued revisions.

“Young Playwrights encourages student writers to make their voices heard and to take ownership of their work in a professional, artistic environment,” commented Kristen Link, City Theatre’s Director of Education and Accessibility.

“Through our playwriting program, students not only learn a new craft, but also discover different ways to think critically, connect with their peers, and form valuable networks within the local theatre industry.”

Young Playwrights Festival 2013

In October 2013, City Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival will showcase diverse theatrical storytelling, including crisis in a Post-Apocalyptic radio station, adventures in the Amazon, a spirited holiday period piece, and more. Subjects tackled by the young playwrights ranged from teen depression, to consumerism, with poignant moments of nostalgia and flashback as well.

The full festival schedule, including performances and workshops, will be announced by the end of August 2013. Tickets will go on sale September 3, 2013 and will be available online at CityTheatreCompany.org or by phone at 412-431-CITY (2489).

About Young Playwrights

Young Playwrights is City Theatre’s comprehensive, dynamic approach to arts education serving teachers, students, and the Pittsburgh community. The program fulfills state academic standards, including Arts & Humanities and Reading, Writing, Speaking, & Listening. Four major components make up the Young Playwrights program: the Young Playwrights Teacher Institute, In-School Workshops, the Young Playwrights Contest, and the Young Playwrights Festival.

City Theatre: Nearing Four Decades

City Theatre’s 39th season begins in the Fall of 2013. Located on Pittsburgh’s historic South Side, City Theatre specializes in new plays, commissioning and producing work by playwrights including Adam Rapp, Jeffrey Hatcher, Theresa Rebeck, and Christopher Durang. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Tracy Brigden, Managing Director Mark R. Power, and a 45-member Board of Directors, City Theatre’s mission is to provide an artistic home for the development and production of contemporary plays of substance and ideas that engage and challenge a diverse audience.

Learn more about City Theatre at its website, at http://www.citytheatrecompany.org.