18th Annual Young Playwrights Competition Accepts Entries Now Through January 24

The Theater Project is once again reaching out to creative young people in its 18th annual Young Playwrights Competition. Winners receive cash prizes and see their work performed by professional actors at the awards ceremony in March of 2020. The submission deadline is January 24, 2020. New Jersey's high school playwrights submit their short plays at TheTheaterProject.org web site, where they will find all the necessary entry guidelines and formatting rules.

"We look forward to inspiring and being inspired," says artistic director Mark Spina. "Every year, we are energized by the incredible talent and creativity in the entries, and every year we hope to inspire more young people to write and exercise their verbal abilities, critical thinking skills and creativity by providing a showcase for their work."

On the day of the ceremony, the judges, members of The Theater Project's Adult Playwrights Workshop, also offer half-hour tutorials to any interested contest entrant. Several past winners of the Playwrights Competition have gone on to pursue degrees in theater and playwriting, and they often return to The Theater Project's event to present prizes and share their journeys with the newest honorees.

"We want to make sure that kids know their creative efforts are valued by showcasing them for the community," says program coordinator Kevin Carver. "Arts education sometimes gets short-changed as schools struggle to meet so many demands. But when kids lose out on arts experiences, they miss opportunities to develop critical thinking and reading skills that are needed now more than ever." In last year's contest, ten young people were honored in the March awards ceremony: First Prize: Kianni Keys, Newark Academy; Second Prize: Jaid Green, Bergen County Academies; Third Prize: Fiona Flynn, River Dell Regional High School. Honorable Mentions: Jacqueline Acunto, Bergen County Academies Julianna Felt, Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child Stephen Lehren, Columbia High School Jonathan Price, Plainfield High School Angel Cruz Rodriguez, Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy Spencer Scalamoni, Roxbury High School Peren Yesilyurt, Bergen County Academies The three winners receive cash prizes; the honorable mentions are awarded gift certificates. The Theater Project is an award-winning professional company in Union, NJ. The company also offers events in Cranford, Rahway and Maplewood.