Write On: Annual Young Playwrights' Competition

Selected Students for 2011-2012

Ali Demopoulos
Morgan Finn
Cameron Tyson Harrison
Andre Anthony Mitchell
Will Niedmann
Jullisa Webb

What is Write On?

Write On is Hartford Stage's Annual Young Playwrights' Competition and is open to all Connecticut residents in grades 9-12. From among these applicants, 5-6 are selected to participate in the program. Write On playwrights have the unique opportunity to sit in on rehearsals and readings at Hartford Stage's Brand: NEW Festival of New Work in order to learn about the professional play development process first-hand. The Brand: NEW experience is at the core of Write On, and provides the young playwrights with valuable knowledge that supports their work in intensive writing workshops taught by a professional playwright who serves as a Teaching Artist for the program. The program culminates in the spring with readings of the ten-minute plays the young playwrights will develop in the workshops.

Entry Info

It starts with an idea…

Send us your idea for a 10-minute play inspired by a topic that is important to you and relevant to your world. Include characters, setting, and as much of the story as you can—beginning, middle, and end. If your idea is chosen, we'll help with the rest.

Deadline for entry is October 10, 2011.
Selected students will be notified during the week of October 17.

Write On is open to all Connecticut residents who will be enrolled in high school (must be in grades 9-12) in the 2011-2012 school year. One entry per person, please. Entries may be in English or Spanish.

Timeline

Selected students are expected to commit to the following:

  • Monday, October 24—Informational meeting with fellow Write On students and Hartford Stage staff.
  • November 3-5—Brand: NEW Festival at Hartford Stage. Each student will be assigned to observe a rehearsal process (individual schedules TBD) and should attend the readings of the five Brand: NEW plays.
  • December-May—Four playwriting workshops (held over two weekends—TBD) taught by Hartford Stage's Aetna New Voices Fellow.
  • May 2012—Weekend rehearsals with professional actors and directors for each student-written play, followed by a staged reading of the plays on Monday evening.

Need Help Getting Started?

Write On is looking for young writers with a story they think is important. We want you to write about something that matters to you and that you feel a connection to.

Need inspiration? Try picking up a newspaper, logging on to a news organization's website, or looking through a magazine.

  • What people, places, and events grab your attention?
  • What stories do the photos and advertisements tell?
  • Who are the characters? Is there anyone you want to know more about?
  • If you see something that speaks to you, consider the reason why. How does it connect to you and your life?

Ask yourself these questions when drafting your idea:

  • What am I trying to say with this play? What do I want the audience to know, understand, or wonder?
  • Does my idea contain a clear conflict?
  • Can I explore this topic in a 10-minute format?