The Young Playwrights Program(YPP) is an opportunity for high school students to develop their voice and write new theatre pieces.
YPP meets young playwrights where they’re at! In the Young Playwrights Program, high school students have the opportunity to write and submit their work for first performance on a public stage by professional actors and directors in our 2026-27 season. Submissions are read by theatre professionals and select finalists will be chosen to have their pieces performed at the annual Young Playwrights Festival at Town Hall Theatre.
Young Playwrights Festival 2026, Shrews on Mars by Maximilian Streubel
Photos by Craig Isaacs of BlueGoo Photography
Bring the Young Playwrights Program to Your School
All YPP workshops are free for schools and students, bringing high quality theater education to schools across the east Bay Area.
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The Young Playwrights Program (YPP) is an opportunity for high school students to develop and produce new theatre pieces. We bring theatre artists to your classroom for a one day workshop to teach students more about the creative development of playwriting. Students will discuss ideas and practice scene writing with theatre artists and have the opportunity to submit their work for production in our Young Playwrights Festival coming up in early 2027. Submissions in the Festival are not required, but suggested.
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In-School workshops: approx. 50 minutes or one class period
Please let us know if you are interested in multiple workshops across different classes or longer class workshops for block days.
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Writing Standards: W.9-10.3.a, W.9-10.3.b, W.9-10.3.d, W.9-10.3.e, W.11-12.3
Speaking and Listening Standards: SL.9-10.4, SL.11-12.4
Theatre Standards: Prof.TH:Cr1.b, Acc.TH:Cr1.b, Prof.TH:Cr3.a, Adv.TH:Cr3.a, Prof.TH:Pr4, Acc.TH:Pr4, Acc.TH:Re7, Prof.TH:Re8.b, Acc.TH:Cn11.2.a
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Ready to bring a YPP workshop to your students? Contact Kelly Handler, Education Coordinator: Kelly.Handler@TownHallTheatre.com
Submit Your Short Play
Submissions Due By:
December 31st, 2026
Playwright Submissions
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All submitting playwrights must live in Contra Costa or Alameda County.
Playwrights must be currently enrolled in high school or an equivalent youth schooling program
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Submit to: ypf@townhalltheatre.com
Submissions must include your full name, age, and name of your school (if applicable).
Submissions must be shared in either Word Documents, Google Documents, or PDF format.
Submissions should be unpublished original plays on any subject. Adaptations or original stories welcome!
Submissions must require 4 or fewer actors and may not exceed 10 minutes (approximately 10 pages) in length.
Playwrights can submit up to 3 plays per playwright or playwright team.
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All submitted plays will be read and scored by local theatre professionals. Each play will have the opportunity to score points based on the following categories: Development of the Story, Characterization, Dialogue, Originality, and Writing Mechanics. Plays additionally have the opportunity to earn partial or full discretionary points, given to plays that stand out or go above and beyond the expectations of our adjudicators.
All plays are judged blind (with playwright information fully removed) to ensure an equal opportunity for all submitting playwrights. In addition, all plays are read by a minimum of three separate theatre professionals to create a final averaged score.
Finalists will be chosen from the highest scoring submissions and announced in January 2026.
Writer Resources
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Sometimes, we just need a little boost to get the writing juices flowing. Here are 30 prompts to help you get started if you’re struggling to begin, brought to you by the Playwrights’ Center.
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From AMERICAN THEATRE magazine, The Subtext is a podcast where playwrights talk to playwrights about the things usually left unsaid. In a conversation that dives into life’s muck, we learn what irks, agitates, motivates, inspires and—ultimately—what makes writers tick. Go here to listen to episodes with authors such as José Rivera, Rachel Lynett, Chloé Hung, and more!
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The New Play Exchange is the worlds largest digital library of scripts by living playwrights. Reading other new works can be a great way to explore new themes, see how other writers tackled ideas and conversations on stage, or to gain inspiration from other creatives. Join today to gain access to over 53,000 plays and see how other playwrights are building their work.
Past Winners
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Shrews on Mars! by Maximilian Streubel, Miramonte High School
Stats by Lia Camper, California Crosspoint Academy
The Stars by GG Gallagher, Acalanes High School
Yoga Moms by Alice Olson, Miramonte High School
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Wedding Worries and Crazy Cakes: A Gale Williams Story by Cassidy Mintz, Campolindo High School
Till the Very Last Breath, Again by Quinn Chiappetta, Acalanes High School
Duality by Chance Marie Newby, Miramonte High School
The Morrison by Amelia Soong, Miramonte High School
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Olives and Oafs by Nate Wayne, Miramonte High School
No Bullets Ill-Gotten by Amelia Soong, Miramonte High School
The New Girl by Alvera Bamorya, Acalanes High School
The Promise by Lauren Wagner, Miramonte High School
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It’s Not a Heist by Ella Bradley and Colin Perusse, Miramonte High School
May Lilies Do Die by Amelia Soong, Miramonte High School
Not For Myself by Hannah Johnson, Miramonte High School
The Three Surgeons by Ivan Smith and Hannah Shagan, Miramonte High School
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For the Best by Addison Gates
What Do You Want by Miriya Huie
Romeo & Juliet: The Documentary by Minda Jenab
Math Class by Alana Ruesga
Da Tempest by Heather Shinn
Therapy Session by Nadia Torpey
Roommates by Lindsey Villamor
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A Day Will Come by Chloe Starczewski
Float by Ka’Nayah Landers-Daniels
Three Worms by Phoenix Flum
Sleeping Beauty by Valentina Navarro-Marsili
Carrot’s Duck Diaries by Syrine Cherifi, Rebecca Whelan, and Erik Peterson
Ollie and Eve by Jeffrey Biggers
Ponte by Scarlett Mosher