Winners of The Seventh Annual Young Playwrights 10-Minute Play Contest Read at Palm Beach Dramaworks

One of Palm Beach Dramaworks' most inspiring evenings, the presentation of the winning plays of the Young Playwrights 10-Minute Play Contest (YPC), took place at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre on Wednesday, February 28. The 10 winning plays received staged readings by professional actors in front of an enthusiastic audience.

As always, the contest was open to students in grades 9-12 throughout Palm Beach County, and the winners were chosen by a group of theatre professionals. Each of the student playwrights were awarded a $250 prize and will be given a keepsake anthology of the winning plays.

The YPC provides teens with the chance to write about subjects that are meaningful to them, and to inspire teachers to incorporate playwriting into their classrooms. Under the guidance of Director of Education and Community Engagement Gary Cadwallader, the young playwrights are invited to participate in the rehearsal process, where they learn how professional playwrights, directors, and actors work together to revise and strengthen their plays.     

The impact on the participating students has been profound, as is apparent from the sentiments expressed by previous winners: “I would never know that I had such a passion for [playwriting] if not for the program.” “I [learned] that there were a lot of other people within the same county that had the same passion for writing as me, and that made me feel less alone.” “It reaffirmed to me that this is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life.” “Thanks to Palm Beach Dramaworks, I know that young writers like myself have a place in this world.” “This is what the arts should be. This is the kind of stuff that we need to give kids everywhere. I think this is how you foster a love for the arts, and how you foster growth and development.” 

Winners

Abigail Calix, 12, Santaluces High School

Bruneldo Lajeunesse, 12, Royal Palm Beach High School

Abigail McMullen*, 12, American Heritage School

Hudson Reynolds, 10, G-Star School of the Arts

Yair D. Roman, 12, G-Star School of the Arts

Ava Schulties, 12, The Benjamin School

Oliver Shane*, 11, William T. Dwyer High School

Emily Singer*, 12, Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts

Abigail Trachtenberg*, 12, American Heritage School

Alessandra Roberts, 12, St. Andrew's School

*These four young playwrights were also winners last year.

Now in its seventh year, the YPC was established to introduce the joy of writing for live theatre to young people, and to give them an outlet for expressing their thoughts and ideas. The program has proved to be so popular that last season PBD launched the Young Playwrights 1-Minute Play Contest for middle school students. The second annual contest is currently underway. The winning plays will be performed at PBD on Wednesday, April 17.

Palm Beach Dramaworks is a professional, nonprofit theatre company founded in 2000 and located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach. Each season, the award-winning company produces five mainstage shows and offers a wide variety of programs for students at the theatre and in schools. Committed to fostering the future of theatre, PBD has become a hub for playwrights in Florida and around the country to nurture their work through initiatives including The Dramaworkshop and the new Plays Festival. PBD is a member of Theatre Communications Group, Florida Professional Theatres Association, the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, and NNPN. www.palmbeachdramaworks.com

The Don & Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis Street.

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