Wharton Center Reveals 2026 Young Playwrights Festival Finalists
This event highlights emerging talent in the theatrical community, providing a platform for new voices to be heard and celebrated.
Experience the original works of six 30th Anniversary Young Playwrights Festival finalists on Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Wharton Center's Pasant Theatre. Written by Michigan high school students, these one-act performances are a collaborative effort among professional mentors, collegiate students, and high school students.
Six finalists of the 30th Annual Young Playwrights Festival:
- Travis Effinger: Memento Mori
- Cranbrook Kingswood High School
- Violet Baker: Overheard
- Interlochen Arts Academy
- Taliya DeLaRosa: Rocking a New Style
- Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Michaela (Mac) Witgen: To Hell or Not to Hell
- Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Stella Perrine: What Happened That Day
- Chesaning Union High School
- Isabella Monville: With Love, Mary Jean Kelly
- Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
The Young Playwrights Festival is a showcase of six original works, written by high school students, produced by MSU Department of Theatre undergraduate and graduate students, and performed at Wharton Center on the campus of Michigan State University. These performances are free to attend and open to the public.
Michigan high school students are invited to submit a one-act play to a juried competition, and the jury selected the six finalists whose plays will be produced. Each finalist has been assigned a professional theatre mentor to help the playwright revise their play over two months: this year's mentors are Shawntai Brown, Emilio Rodriguez, and Sarah Saltwick. Each finalist will receive a $200 cash award and a staged production of their play
Honorable Mentions:
- Aaliyah Welch, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Andrew Jones, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- AtaLaya Lopez, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Connor Naylor, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Ja'Nay Marshall, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Lilly Jajawie, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Madelyn Poff, Sanctuary Academy
- Madison Bradley, Holt High School
- Medha Kulkarni, Okemos High School
- Nadia Collins, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Naledge Frierson, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Richard Shelton, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
- Rosie Sparling, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
Videos