Florida Studio Theatre Announces Winners Of Annual Youth Playwriting Competition
Over the course of the 2021-2022 academic year, FST received submissions from almost 4,600 playwrights.
By: A.A. Cristi Mar. 29, 2022
Florida Studio Theatre has announced the winning plays of this year's annual youth playwriting competition. Now in its 31st year, FST's WRITE A PLAY program is an arts-in-education initiative, providing students with the example, the inspiration, and the skills to write their own original plays. Over the course of the 2021-2022 academic year, FST received submissions from almost 4,600 playwrights.
Thanks to generous support from individual donors and foundational support from organizations like the Community Foundation of Sarasota and the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation, WRITE A PLAY continues to inspire the next generation of playwrights.
For the first time since 2019, the WRITE A PLAY experience will culminate on Florida Studio Theatre's five-theatre campus with Young Playwrights Festival (YPF) Day, an annual celebration of children's imagination and creativity. On Saturday, May 14, participating students, teachers, and families from across the state of Florida will come together to enjoy live performances of the year's winning plays brought to life by professional actors. This year's compilation of winning plays is titled The Grandma That Eats Everything & Other Winning Plays. Following these live performances, playwrights are honored in an awards ceremony and are presented with certificates and medals on stage. The 2022 Young Playwrights Festival Day is a private event, reserved for the winning playwrights, their families, and teachers who participated in this year's WRITE A PLAY program.
"There is nothing on earth like the excitement and joy these young playwrights experience when they see something they wrote-something from their imagination brought to life-on stage," said Adam Ratner, FST's Young Playwrights Festival Coordinator and Lead Teaching Artist. "The courage it takes to share their creativity is so important. After two difficult and trying years, we are all finally able to come together with friends, family, and the community to celebrate the plays of these amazing young artists. Theatre is an art that is meant to be shared in a live environment with others. The fact that it is possible to do so again for the 2022 Young Playwrights Festival is a dream come true."
A full list of the winning plays and playwrights who will be recognized at this year's YPF Day follows the end of this release. For more information about FST's WRITE A PLAY program, please contact FST's WRITE A PLAY Coordinator, Shelby Lynhall, at SLynhall@floridastudiotheatre.org.
2021-2022 Winning Plays and Playwrights (Grades K-6)
All Signs Point to Friendship by Lila Freymann
Bay Haven School of Basics Plus (Sarasota County), Mrs. Fancher-3rd Grade
The Bucket Filler and the Bucket Dipper by Kensington Kotuby and Madison Thomas
Ashton Elementary (Sarasota County), Mrs. Kreger-1st Grade
The Flame of Age by Mr. Saldivar and Mrs. Hall's 3rd Grade Class
Tuttle Elementary (Sarasota County)
Going Fishing by Connor Haag
Bradenton Christian School (Manatee County), Mrs. Hurles-4th Grade
Kids Can't Teach by Mallory Boudreaux
Bradenton Christian School (Manatee County), Mrs. Hurles-4th Grade
The Last Acorn by Emma Bernardi
Island Village Montessori School (Sarasota County), Ms. Debbie and Ms. Anne-3rd Grade
Phone Problem by John Rivera
Holy Name School (Camden, NJ), Ms. Steiner-4th Grade
The Sad Penguin by Jamie Hinck
Pine View School (Sarasota County), Ms. Williams-3rd Grade
Talk to the Hand by Kaleen Callahan, Annabelle Froelich, and Leeann Lukan
Island Village Montessori School (Sarasota County), Ms. Amy-4th Grade
What Lies in the Ancient Swamp by Gianna Best, Danielle Chuc, Logan Dennis, Ayden Fejzic, Payton Hirst, Lily Kis, Sophia Lewellen, Isabell Nese, Nicole Rojas, Kade Roth, Trey Teteak, and Lukas Willhoite
Ascension Lutheran School (Sarasota County), Ms. Anklam- 5th & 6th Grade
2021-2022 Winning Plays and Playwrights (Grades 7-12)
Broccoli! by Lucas Hutches
Manatee School for the Arts (Manatee County), Mr. Bajjaly-6th Grade
Chronicles of Cindernat and the Three Musketeers by Anna, Annabella, Blaze, Caleb, John, Kameron, Kevin, Mark, Mike, Natalie, and Nick
The Haven (Sarasota County), Mr. John-Various Grades
The Music Man by Leandro Nieves
Holy Name School (Camden, NJ), Mr. Carroll-8th Grade
Only Imagine by Maddie Holdway
Booker Middle School (Sarasota County), Ms. Mills-8th Grade
Spark of Light by Estella Viers
Booker Middle School (Sarasota County), Ms. Mills-8th Grade
A True Friendship by Lihi Cohen
Shelanu School (Tel Mond, Israel), Bar Bracha Menashe-6th Grade
Vending Machine Envy by Jacob Ranke and Logan Ranke
Braden River High School (Manatee County), Mr. Robinson-Shinall-10th & 12th Grade
Win-Win by Matrick Thorpe
Pine View School (Sarasota County), Mrs. O'Mahony-9th Grade
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