The Theater Project's 16th Annual Young Playwrights Competition Accepting Entries Through 1/21

The Theater Project is once again reaching out to creative young people in its 17th annual Young Playwrights Competition. Winners receive cash prizes and see their work performed by professional actors at the awards ceremony in March of 2019. The submission deadline is January 21, 2019. 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," said 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 be creative by providing a showcase for their work."

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 to present prizes and share their journeys with the newest honorees. On the day of the ceremony, the judges and members of The Theater Project's Adult Playwrights Workshop also offer half-hour tutorials to any interested contest entrant. The Young Playwrights event takes place at the Cranford Community Center. The Theater Project, an award-winning professional company in residence at the Burgdorff Cultural Center in Maplewood, also presents programs in Rahway, Union and Cranford.

"We want to make sure that kids know their creative efforts are valued by showcasing them for the community," says Mark Spina. "In tough economic times, arts education sometimes gets short changed as people struggle to make ends meet and schools see their budgets shrink. 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."

This year's event is supported by a $500 grant from Investors Foundation. The grant will help further Theater Project's mission of encouraging the next generation of writers. "We are deeply grateful for this gift," says Theater Project board president Kevin Carver.