The Blank Theatre's 29th Annual Young Playwrights Festival Announces Winners

Now celebrating its 29th year, The Blank Theatre's Nationwide Young Playwrights Festival has chosen 12 plays by playwrights aged 16-19 from nine different states.

This year's winning plays are: MAMA BUSHWICK IS DEAD by Elizabeth Shannon, age 17, Frederick, MD; CLEAN CLOTHES by Simon Hamrick, age 16, Charleston, SC; THE FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF BONNIE AND FRAN by Alethea Shirilan-Howlett, age 18, Jamesville, NY; QUARTER by Kea Kamiya, age 18, Bradenton, FL; MAKEUP WITH MALLORY: SPECIAL 29th BIRTHDAY BABE EDITION!! by Alyssa Ho, age 17, Pasadena, CA, and Miya Matsumune, age 17, Upland, CA; THE WAITING ROOM by Abigail Milne, age 16, Palo Alto, CA; LIVING WITH IT by Libby Eick, age 16, McLean, VA; A HOUSE WITH A BROKEN SWING by Isabel Tongson, age 16, Winter Park, FL; LAS MUJERES DE LOS ANGELES by Lourdes Castillo, age 19, New Orleans, LA; TASMANIAN DEVILS by Zachary Garfinkle, age 17, Woodbridge, CT; LET ME IN by Zander Pryor, age 18, Dallas, TX; and MISS DIVA CUP by Anya Jimenez, age 17, Brooklyn, NY.

As with last year's festival, the plays will be produced under SAG/AFTRA's Short Project Agreement. All work will be performed and recorded remotely, with all cast and crew working safely from home. In July (exact dates TBA) the plays will be divided up into weekly offerings of three plays each week.

Producing the festival in this way is made possible by the technology available through Zoom, OBS Studio, VB Audio, Skype, and more. These online platforms and downloadable software packages have made theatre from home viable and The Blank has harnessed these services successfully for many streaming shows that have been met with critical acclaim and received thousands of views.

Mentors, directors, and casting will be announced at a later date.

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