2026 High school Playwriting contest

Who should enter?  

9-12th graders in a public, private or charter school in the Washington, DC metro area including, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, or Northern Virginia

What should I write about?

Anything!

We want to encourage you to share your unique voice and imagination with us! Write about space, history, sports, your favorite food, anything! The main goal of the contest is for you to share your creativity with others.

If you’re looking for some help getting started, try taking inspiration from Mosaic’s upcoming production of Young John Lewis - which dives into themes around good trouble, justice, and activism. Ask yourself questions like:

• What does it mean to cause good trouble in your community? What change do you want to see in the world around you, and how would you make that change happen? 

• What inspires people to stand up for what’s right? What fears, conversations, and conflicts must we overcome in order to fight for what we believe in? 

• What does the word Justice mean? How do you see it lived out, or not lived out, in your community? How might different people’s views towards justice, history, and activism clash or evolve over time

• Where do you find hope? In who? How do we take care of one another during hard times?

As you ask yourself these questions and see what kinds of people, places, and stories come to your mind. Then, get to writing about them!

How much should I write?

Plays should be 10-20 minutes in length and no more than 25 pages long. They should have no more than 6 characters, ideally closer to 3-4.

Remember: 1 page is approximately 1 minute of performance

I’m still having trouble writing.

We’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find some more writing prompts that can help you get started. 

WRITING PROMPTS

• What does the word Justice mean? How do you see it lived out, or not lived out, in your community?

• If you were sent back in time, how would you be different or the same?

• What would happen if you woke up in a different world—or even a different planet? What would that world look like? How would it be different?

• Write a play about a pet or animal. What would they say if they could speak?

• Write a play in which a character from your childhood is all grown up or much different than you remember them. 

• Take an event from history or the news and imagine your best friend being engaged in it.

What can I win?

We will select a first, second, and third place winner. The first place winner will receive a cash prize of $300. The second place winner will receive $200 and the third place winner will receive $100.

All winners will receive mentorship from working DC-area directors and workshop multiple drafts of their plays, forming a cohort of emerging artists and growing their writing abilities in the process.

The winning plays will be rehearsed on March 14 and presented at the High School Playwriting Contest Play Reading on Saturday, March 15, at 2 PM at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in downtown Washington, DC. These readings will be directed by professional directors and performed by professional actors.

What else do I need to know?

The rules, of course!  Below is a summary of the contest rules.
FULL CONTEST RULES (see updated text below)

• The play must be submitted in English.

• The play must be a complete draft.

• The play must be the original creation of the Entrant.

• The play must include a title page with the playwright’s name and school information.

• The play must follow a consistent writing format and have numbered pages and stage directions. See formatting guide: Formatting Guide from City Theater Company

• The play must be in PDF format.

• The play must be in 12 pt. font.

• The play must not require more than 6 actors to be performed. 3-4 actors is ideal. 

• The play must avoid language deemed offensive to the general public.

Please email jacob@mosaictheater.org with your submission. Submissions are due by 11:59 PM on January 16, 2026.

The High School Playwriting Contest is generously underwritten by  Events DC, Frank Guzzetta & Paul Manville and Leonade Jones, and is produced in collaboration with the DC Public Library.