Previews: PSYPF ANNOUNCES 9TH ANNUAL PLAY WINNERS at Palm Springs Cultural Center

The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival (PSYPF) announced on March 20 that it has selected four winning entries to be showcased in this year’s festival. PSYPF promotes and  encourages theatrical creative writing among elementary, middle, and high school students throughout Riverside County. Each year, the organization produces an annual festival featuring staged readings of selected student works, brought to life by professional actors and directors.

A special selection committee reviewed submissions and chose the 2026 winners. Each winning playwright will receive mentorship to enhance their playwriting skills, a public staged reading of their work, and a $500 scholarship to support their continued artistic development. The winning playwrights will work with this year’s mentor, Greg Cope White, Co-Executive Producer of Netflix’s BOOTS, who will provide professional guidance and coach the students through the process of finalizing their plays.

The staged readings will be presented at the Ninth Annual Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival on June 7, 2026 at 12 PM at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Casting is currently underway, with performers to be announced in May.

$10 Tickets may be purchased at:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-palm-springs-young-playwrights-festival

The 2026 Winning Plays

THE AUTHOR BEHIND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER 

Written by Allana Beckman

Valley View High School, Moreno Valley, CA

THE RATS OF BROADWAY

Written by Jason Bulanek

Canyon Springs High School, Moreno Valley, CAPalm Springs Young Playwrights Festival Announces 2024 Winners, page 2

LOOK AT ME, I EXIST

Written by Ryleigh Sanchez

Valley View High School, Moreno Valley, CA

MERMAID STORY

Written by Carleigh Rios

Martin Luther King High School, Riverside, CA

“We were truly impressed by both the volume and caliber of plays submitted this year,” said David Youse, Executive Director of the Festival. “Entries represented a wide range of grade levels. Selecting the four winners was no easy task, and we’re thrilled with the final choices. We look forward to collaborating with these talented young playwrights and congratulate all the students who participated.”

In addition, the Festival announced that Bent Theatre, a professional theater in Palm Springs, will provide a $500 scholarship for a winning play with an LGBTQ+ theme, aligning with its mission to support and uplift LGBTQIA+ communities.

The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival maintains an active Advisory Board composed of past festival winners, including Kayla McCarty (2025), Abigail Alldredge (2024), Anthony Banuelos (2024), Erik Evans (2024), George Sandoval (2023), Brooklyn Rutledge (2022), Yamani Scoggins (2021), Cal Vaughan (2020 & 2021), Ava Hemstreet (2020), and Xuan Anh Ly Biggs (2020 & 2023).

PSYPF partners with the Riverside County Office of Education to expand outreach beyond the Coachella Valley and serve students throughout Riverside County.

PSYPF is funded by Anderson Children’s Foundation, Western Wind Foundation, Cherry Lane Alternative, the City of Palm Springs, John P. Monahan, Jason Smith and Tom Valach, Tom Hartnett and Paul Reid, and Joe Corner, Kevin Stotts, Eddie Nestlebush, Scott Poland and Steve Hamilton.

Sponsors include the Riverside County Office of Education, Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs (Peggy Trott, General Manager), and the Palm Springs Cultural Center (Michael Green, Executive Director).

PSYPF is a nonprofit organization. To learn more or support its mission, visit www.psypf.org.