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Young Playwrights’ Competition!

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Spotlight Youth Theatre PLAYFEST 2027

Do you have a story that belongs on the stage?

Spotlight Youth Theatre’s annual PLAYFEST invites young playwrights ages 13–24 to write an original short play for performers ages 8–19. The ultimate goal is to see your work fully produced on the Spotlight Youth Theatre stage!

Every playwright who enters – not just the winners – will receive thoughtful feedback, tips, and guidance from Spotlight’s award-winning dramatists.

Prizes

Each winning play receives:

  • A $100 prize for the playwright
  • A full production on the Spotlight Youth Theatre stage

Important Dates

Key dates for the competition:

  • Submission Period: August 1 – September 6, 2026
  • Winners Announced: September 20, 2026

 

The submission link will be available soon. Please check back frequently.

 

Playwright Entry Requirements

Eligibility

  • Playwrights must be 13–24 years old.
  • Playwrights must reside in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Entry Fee

  • $5 per script
  • Entry fees are non-refundable donations to Spotlight Youth Theatre.
  • Every entrant will receive a review and response to their submission.

Permissions & Copyright

By entering the competition, playwrights grant Spotlight Youth Theatre permission to:

  • Announce their name if selected as a winner.
  • Congratulate them publicly if they receive an Honorable Mention.
  • Include them in promotional materials related to the competition.

Winning playwrights additionally agree that Spotlight Youth Theatre may:

  • Work with the playwright to refine the script for production.
  • Produce the play one time on the Spotlight stage.
  • Photograph and record video of that production.
  • Make photographs and video of the production available to theatre-goers.
  • Use those photographs and videos to promote both the play and Spotlight Youth Theatre.
  • Stage the play as a workshop, allowing the director reasonable discretion to make small production changes when necessary.

Playwrights retain full copyright and all other exclusive rights to their work. Spotlight Youth Theatre does not own your script and receives only the rights necessary to produce, document, and promote this one production.

Script Guidelines

Collaboration

  • Plays may be written by an individual or by a team.
  • Each winning play receives one $100 prize, regardless of the number of authors.

Length

  • Plays must run no less than 15 minutes and no more than 25 minutes.

Content

  • Your play does not have to be written specifically for children.
  • Because PLAYFEST audiences may include people of all ages, language and situations must remain appropriate for mixed audiences.

Originality

  • Scripts must be entirely original.
  • Plays may not be based on, adapted from, or continue any licensed or copyrighted work, including franchises such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, or any other protected books, films, television shows, or properties.

Staging

  • Plays should take place in one location, or be designed so a single flexible set can creatively represent multiple locations without moving large set pieces on and off the stage.
  • Suggestions for projected backgrounds or similar scenic elements are welcome when needed for scene changes.

Artificial Intelligence

No AI-generated content is permitted in any aspect of your submission, including:

  • Character development
  • Dialogue
  • Storyline
  • Plot development
  • Or any other part of creating your play

Break a leg! We can’t wait to see what you create.