2027 YOUTH Playwriting contest

2026 Contest winners with Jacob Ettkin, Education and Engagement Manager. Photo by Jhon Ochoa.

2027 YOUTH PLAYWRITING CONTEST
INFORMATION AND RULES

 

Who should enter?  

6-12th 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 7th Street Echo - which dives into themes around community, place and memory, forging your own identity, and the artistry of Washington, DC. Ask yourself questions like:

  • What stories would a neighborhood block tell if it could speak? 

  • How do we preserve the memory of a community in the face of change? Who are the characters telling and preserving that memory? Who are the characters carrying those memories into the future?

  • How do you navigate honoring your heritage while embracing change? 

  • What kinds of stories can only be told in Washington, DC? What are the stories of the city?

  • What does it mean to be a Washingtonian?

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?

High School Plays should be 10-20 minutes in length and no more than 25 pages long.
Middle School plays should be 7-10 minutes in length and no more than 13 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 three winners from 9th-12th grade and three winners from 6th-8th grade.
The 9th-12th grade winners will receive cash prizes of $200.
The 6th-8th grade winners will receive cash prizes of $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 high school plays will be rehearsed on March 13 and presented at the High School Playwriting Contest Play Reading on Saturday, March 14, at 2 PM at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in downtown Washington, DC. The middle school winners will be honored at the reading as well. 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

FULL CONTEST RULES

Please email jacob@mosaictheater.org with your submission.

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

PAST playwriting contest PHOTOS