Young Playwrights Festival
The Young Playwrights Festival is an annual event that cultivates and celebrates the talent of high school students. The purpose of this Festival is to encourage the development of students’ writing skills and creativity, with the added benefit of discovering talented playwrights in our region.
For Educators
Participating teachers attend playwriting pedagogy workshops in which Barter professionals give them the tools for teaching playwriting to their students.
For Our Community
Schools are invited to a morning performance of the plays, where students have the chance to see their peers’ work. A nighttime performance, awards ceremony and reception is open to the public.
YPF 2022
We are so excited to be back inside the theatre for the 21st Annual Young Playwrights Festival! The public performance and awards ceremony of the top 8 plays will be performed, Reader’s Theatre style, by The Barter Players, at Barter’s Gilliam Stage at 7:00 PM on November 14, 2022. A school performance will be held at Barter Theatre’s Gilliam Stage at 10:00 AM on November 14, 2022.
Please call Barter’s Box Office at (276) 628-3991 to reserve your free tickets (for school performances, we request you reserve tickets by October 14th).
YPF Submission Guidelines
Teachers must attend at least one workshop in which Barter professionals give them the tools for teaching playwriting to their students.
After receiving classroom instruction on playwriting, students develop plays and submit them to a select group of Barter professionals for feedback and critique. The plays are not to exceed 10 minutes in length.
To participate in future YPFs email bguyton@bartertheatre.com
YPF Winners
The three winning plays are lightly staged at Barter Theatre by professional actors, and the five honorable mention plays are given a reading.
Writers of the top three plays receive cash prizes and a mentoring session with a Barter professional, which allows the students to have valuable one-on-one time with experts in the field of theatre and playwriting.
Teachers of the top three winning plays will receive two tickets to any play of the 2023 Barter Season.
Winners work with Barter professionals to enhance and or lengthen their plays. Awards are presented each year to the winning students and schools.
Thank You To Our YPF Sponsors
Mooneyhan Family Foundation
Speedway Children’s Charities
Moonflower Montessori
Crutchfield Corporation
