Announcing the 2017 EQT Young Playwrights

City Theatre Director of Education & Accessibility Kristen Link is thrilled to announce the finalists in the annual EQT Young Playwrights Contest. The six finalists, all middle and high school students from Southwestern Pennsylvania, will receive a professional production of their original one-act plays during the EQT Young Playwrights Festival, running October 24 - November 4, 2017, in the Lester Hamburg Studio at City Theatre. Four honorable mention plays were also chosen and will receive a staged reading during the festival.

"It was one of our largest submission years on record, and that made the task of selecting the finalists and honorable mentions equal parts challenging and exhilarating," said Ms. Link. "We couldn't be more impressed with the high-caliber writing these students are demonstrating, and are looking forward to introducing their unique voices to Pittsburgh audiences this fall."

The EQT Young Playwrights Contest and Festival is a cornerstone of City
Theatre's education initiatives, introducing students to the new play process and celebrating the creative and vibrant young voices of our region. This year, City Theatre received nearly 400 original one-act submissions from classrooms and individuals, which were considered by a literary panel of 50 readers nationwide. Each finalist will work alongside a professional dramaturg over the coming months to revise and develop their scripts for production.

Middle School Finalists:

Family Honor by Jack Horrigan
Jefferson Middle School

Spark by Danielle Jordan
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12

Mothers and Daughters by Chloe Werner
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12

High School Finalists:

Get out the Vote by Riley Smith
North Allegheny Senior High School

Like Oprah Said by Shelby Studt
Washington High School

The Veins of Creation by Sarah Tomko
Bentworth High School

Honorable Mentions:

Almost Home by Alaina DeMichiei
Hampton High School

A Story to Tell Death by Madison Katarski
Pittsburgh CAPA

But in Ourselves by Breanna McCann
South Fayette High School

Hold on for Me by Sarah Nelson
Moon Area High School

The EQT Young Playwrights Festival will include two weeks of student matinees, public performances October 28-29, and a reading of honorable mentions on November 4. Middle school and high school plays will be presented in two separate programs. School group and field trip inquiries may be made to Kristin Link (klink@citytheatrecompany.org; 412-431-4400 x225). Public tickets will go on sale August 14.

City Theatre, located in the historic South Side, is entering its 43rd season. Called "Pittsburgh's most innovative theater company," by the New York Times, City Theatre's mission is to provide an artistic home for the development and production of contemporary plays of substance and ideas that engage and challenge a diverse audience. CityTheatreCompany.org.

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