Friends with the Write Stuff to Present 3rd Annual Playwriting Festival at Theatre Tallahassee
The festival will feature 20+ Florida playwrights, staged readings, and more.
Friends with the Write Stuff will return with its 3rd Annual Playwriting Festival on April 24-26, 2026, filling Theatre Tallahassee's Studio space with staged readings, lively conversation, and the electric thrill of hearing brand-new work out loud for the first time.
This three-day event celebrates emerging and established playwrights through short play showcases ("Vignettes"), full-length readings with talkbacks, a playwright panel, and networking events designed to connect artists and audiences. With more than 20 playwrights from across Florida represented, the festival offers a fast-paced, welcoming way to discover new voices-whether you're a theatre regular, an aspiring writer, or simply curious about how plays are made.
Attendees can choose a single session or dive into the full weekend. Programming includes:
- Opening reception and community meet-ups
- The Write Stuff: Playwrights Unscripted panel discussion
- Several Vignettes Showcases featuring short plays across the weekend
- Four full-length readings with talkbacks
- A special interactive feature: the Stage Write Challenge, where participants receive a prompt, write overnight, and share their new pages during a reveal session
Ticket Options
- Full Weekend Pass - $25 (includes all readings/showcases Fri-Sun, reception, networking events, panels/talkbacks, special engagements, and Stage Write Challenge reveal & results)
- Single-session tickets - $10 (Friday Night Only; Saturday Day Only; Saturday Night Only; Sunday Day Only; Sunday Night Only)
Schedule Highlights:
Friday, April 24
- 6:00 PM Reception
- 7:00 PM The Write Stuff: Playwrights Unscripted (panel discussion)
- 8:00 PM Vignettes Showcase (Short Plays) - Part 1
- 10:00 PM Stage Write Challenge Kickoff
Saturday, April 25
- 12:00 PM Stage Write Challenge Reveal
- 1:30 PM Full-Length Reading + Talkback: Broken (Michelle R. Nickens)
- 4:00 PM Vignettes Showcase - Part 2
- 4:30 PM Special Engagement: The Man at the Gate (Brian Davis)
- 6:00 PM Networking Event
- 7:00 PM Vignettes Showcase - Part 3
- 8:00 PM Full-Length Reading + Talkback: Olivia's Fate (Bert A. Mitchell)
Sunday, April 26
- 1:00 PM Vignettes Showcase - Part 4
- 2:00 PM Full-Length Reading + Talkback: Pending Endings (Bev DeMello)
- 4:00 PM Networking Event
- 5:00 PM Vignettes Showcase - Part 5
- 6:00 PM Full-Length Reading + Talkback: The Devouring and the Star (Danielle Wirsansky)
- 8:00 PM Closing Remarks
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