39th Annual Young Playwrights Festival at Pegasus Theatre Chicago

Pegasus Theatre Chicago presents the 39th Annual Young Playwrights Festival, January 1 - 24, 2026 at Chicago Dramatists, 798 N. Aberdeen. 

For nearly four decades, the Young Playwrights Festival, the oldest such festival in the United States, has engaged and inspired high school students across Chicago by teaching them to craft one-act plays. More than 300 submissions are received annually with the winning teen playwrights’ productions being work-shopped, staged by industry professionals and receive a premiere under the auspices of Pegasus Theatre Chicago’s Young Playwrights Festival. 

The 39th Young Playwrights Festival includes:

Blizzard Bound 

by Sophia Ponce (Whitney Young Magnet High School, Teacher Elizabeth Danesh), directed by ILesa Duncan

In a hurry to close up shop, a blizzard traps the owner of a convenience store with last minute customers.

Offices Etc. 

by Clark Tavas (Lane Tech College Prep, Teacher Dane Haiken), directed by Anna C. Bahow 

An office worker is desperate to find someone (anyone!) who knows how to operate Excel spreadsheets.

A Question 

by Lola Zimmerman (Senn High School, Teacher Harper Case), directed by Ben Locke

A pair of strangers sit on a park bench and reflect on life as an asteroid hurtles towards earth. 

Toil & Trouble 

by Ashley Snyder (Lane Tech College Prep, Teacher Dane Haiken), directed by ILesa Duncan

When three sisters reunite to cast an ancient spell, long-held resentments are soon exposed. As tempers flare, the spell reveals something far more potent than anticipated…

The regular performance schedule is Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 - $30 are available at PegasusTheatreChicago.org. Educators may schedule school group matinees via YPF@PegasusTheatreChicago.org.