Applications are now available for Ensemble Theatre Company’s 2025 Young Playwrights Festival.

Designed for aspiring playwrights, ages 14-19, the tuition-free program is a cornerstone of ETC’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of storytellers, offering a transformative creative experience that is crucial to ensuring a vibrant future for American theater. The program is limited to 10 participants.

The Young Playwrights Festival is a four-month journey where participants will craft a 10-minute play within a supportive and inspiring environment.

Under the guidance of professional directors and actors, these original works will be publicly presented, bringing young voices to the forefront of our community’s theatrical scene.

The Young Playwrights Festival is structured in three comprehensive phases:

· Phase One: Students attend weekly two-hour sessions, which will be held in-person and on Zoom, starting Jan. 11. The sessions will cover playwriting fundamentals, the evolution of American theater, and drama’s key principles. Participants will complete a rough draft of their play by March 15.
· Phase Two: In April, students receive personalized mentorship from professional playwrights, assisting them through the revision process, with the final draft due by April 20.
· Phase Three: Students will engage in a casting session April 26, followed by rehearsals April 28-May 9, leading up to the final rehearsal and performance day on May 10. A post-show reception will follow the festival in the New Vic Courtyard. 


Throughout the program, students will learn dramatic composition principles, develop original plays, and engage in collaborative creative sessions, culminating in their work being brought to life on stage.

Deadline to apply is Sunday, Dec. 1. Applicants will be notified of the results by Sunday, Dec. 20.

To apply, visit Young Playwrights Festival – ETC at the New Vic. The tuition-free program is accessible to allv aspiring playwrights.