ABINGDON, Va.—Barter Theatre announced the winners of its 19th Annual Young Playwrights Festival on Monday, November 2nd.
This year’s festival included 228 plays submitted by 266 playwrights from 13 different schools. Since its inception in 2002, the Young Playwrights Festival has fostered more than 4,000 plays and over 6,000 playwrights.
2020’s first place winner is Totally Not a Date by Ashley Andrade from Sullivan Central High School, whose teacher is Kelly Kendrick. Second place went to Our Last Date by Sunny Beach from Sullivan Central High School whose teacher is Seth Grindstaff. Third place went to The Middle by Addison Reedy from John S. Battle High School whose teacher is Dr. Melissa Buckles.
The honorable mention plays, in no particular order are: The Granny Escape by Katie Blevins, Dana Hurley, and Madison Miller, Chilhowie High School, Teacher: Rebecca Perry. Now or Never by Luke Johnson, Sullivan Central High School, Teacher: Seth Grindstaff. My Guardian Angel? by Emily Hodges, Chilhowie High School, Teacher: Rebecca Perry. The Chained Flower by Zoe Carter and Jaden Firestone, Northwood High School, Teacher: David Burns
The plays were presented online and are available for free viewing at bartertheatre.com.
The Young Playwrights Festival was made possible by the generous support of Crutchfield, Williams-Berry Foundation, and Speedway Children’s Charities.
About Barter Theatre
Barter Theatre, the nation’s longest running professional theatre, is located in Abingdon, Virginia. The theatre opened in 1933 during the Great Depression. Founder Robert Porterfield offered patrons admission to the theatre by bartering food and livestock. Barter Theatre was designated as the State Theatre of Virginia in 1946. It exists today as one of the last year-round professional resident repertory theaters remaining in the United States. Barter Theatre is funded in part by The Virginia Commission for the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts.
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