Denver Theatre - High School Playwriting Competition

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SUBMIT A PLAY
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Our one-act play playwriting workshops competition is designed to nurture young writers, develop new plays and inspire Colorado high school students to challenge themselves. Submissions are judged blindly by DCPA artistic, literary and educational professionals.

Ten semifinalists are chosen from a talented pool of entrants. Three finalists are then chosen and will each receive:

A cash scholarship of $250
A professional reading of their play at the annual Colorado New Play Summit
A $250 gift certificate for books, supplies or other tools for their teachers and classrooms

The final winning play will be fully produced by the Education summer teen program. The student playwrights will be part of the rehearsal to see the process of bringing their play to life.

GET STUDENTS STARTED WITH A FREE WORKSHOP
Calling all Colorado high school drama and language arts teachers! Sign up your students for a free 60-minute playwriting workshop with our industry professionals to introduce them to the fundamentals of writing a one-act play. Workshops are an excellent way to get students excited to enter the competition while teaching them about playwriting and theatre simultaneously. Schools can book up to 10 workshops, and teachers can book up to five consecutive workshops in a day. Class limit: 35 students per workshop. Playwriting workshops are available seasonally September through November and are subject to availability.

READY TO SIGN UP? Call us at 303.446.4824 or send us an email.

Generously sponsored by The Robert and Judi Newman Family Foundation, The Ross Foundation, June Travis, and Transamerica.

Before you start writing your script, double-check the following guidelines for your piece. When you’re ready to send, use one of our following methods to submit.

Submissions must be:

an original, unpublished one-act play
previously unproduced
limited to no more than 35 pages
typed in standard play-style format (12pt. Times New Roman font with numbered pages)
submitted online or postmarked no later than Dec 1

Submissions must not:

be a translation or excerpt
have the playwright’s name anywhere on the manuscript

Submissions are read blindly. Students submitting online enter their contact information separately from their manuscript. If submitting by mail, please include all of your contact information on a separate sheet of paper.

Playwrights must:

be currently enrolled in a Colorado high school or home school
limit submissions to one entry per year

No revisions will be accepted after submission. Do not send your only copy. Manuscripts will not be returned. No submission fee.

Submissions will be accepted beginning October 1, 2017. Please check back to submit digitally (preferred) or for submission mailing address.

QUESTIONS? Contact us at 303.446.4850 or send an email.

Discover the talented semifinalists, finalists and winners from this season and go back in time to see past playwrights who took home the honors.

2017/18 Playwriting Competition

Finalists (alphabetical by play title)
Technical Difficulties by Julianna Luce and Trinell Samuel, Vista Peak Preparatory
The Warrior by Emmaleth Ryan, Grandview High School
Wine Colored Lip Gloss by Noah Jackson, Girls Athletic Leadership School

Semi-Finalists
A World Out There by Micah Wilborn, Air Academy High School
An Unforeseen Stop by Joshua Martelon, Cherry Creek High School
Don’t be Fooled by Murphy Manor by Katanu Mwendwa, DSST: Conservatory Green High School
Forces of the Universe Anonymous by Ashley Wright, Valor Christian High School and Amelia Middlebrooks, Homeschooled
The Girl in the Yellow Dress by Gemma Vincent, Gunnison High School
Invisible Scars by Callista Zaronias, Peak to Peak Charter School
Technical Difficulties by Julianna Luce and Trinell Samuel, Vista Peak Preparatory
Trauma Bay Five by Arianna Josue, Lakewood High School
The Warrior by Emmaleth Ryan, Grandview High School
Wine Colored Lip Gloss by Noah Jackson, Girls Athletic Leadership School

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Past Playwriting Competitions

2016/17 Playwriting Competition

2016/17 Playwriting Competition
Winner(s)
Dear Boy on the Tree by Jasmin Hernandez, Vista Peak Preparatory
Spilt Lava by Ryan McCormick, Fort Collins High School

Finalists (alphabetical by play title)
Dear Boy on the Tree by Jasmin Hernandez, Vista Peak Preparatory
Chill Winds by Jessica Wood, Denver Christian School
Counting In Clay by Parker Bennett, Fossil Ridge High School
Spilt Lava by Ryan McCormick, Fort Collins High School

Semi-finalists
As We Know It by Corinna Donovan and Walker Carroll, Crested Butte Community School
Dear Boy on the Tree by Jasmin Hernandez, Vista Peak Preparatory
Chill Winds by Jessica Wood, Denver Christian School
Counting in Clay by Parker Bennett, Fossil Ridge High School
Dr. Grumpy Pants by Daniela Villalobos Payan, York International
Imaginary Friends by Abby Meyer and Nic Rhodes, Fossil Ridge High School
The Mistress of Stories by Amelia Middlebrooks, Valor Christian High School
The Sincerest Form of Flattery by Samantha Shapard, Overland High School
Spilt Lava by Ryan McCormick, Fort Collins High School
Waiting by Sarah Shapard, Overland High School
2015/16 Playwriting Competition

The semi-finalists and finalists for the 2015/16 playwriting Competition

Winner:

Sonder by Kendra Knapp, Valor Christian High School

Finalists (alphabetical by play title)

Dark River by Jessica Wood, Denver Christian School

Divinity of Hell by Gabrielle Moore, D’Evelyn Senior High School

Sonder by Kendra Knapp, Valor Christian High School

Semi-finalists

Black and Blue by by Ashley Wright and Amelia Middlebrooks, Valor Christian High School

Daffodil by Kristine Guo, Peak to Peak Charter School

Dark River by Jessica Wood, Denver Christian High School

Divinity of Hell by Gabrielle Moore, D’Evelyn Senior High School

Don’t; Quixotic by Kalina Gallardo, Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy

Empty Space by Kiera Eriksen-McAuliffe, Denver School of the Arts

Home in the Garden by Stephanie Kiel and Mady McGraw, Chatfield Senior High School

Mahdi by Jacob Kendrick, Peak to Peak Charter School

Moonlight by Jafei Pollitt, Denver School of the Arts

Sonder by Kendra Knapp, Valor Christian High School
2014/15 Playwriting Competition

The winner of the 2014/15 playwriting competition.

The Tale of the Almighty Sword by Jack Hansen

The semi-finalists and finalists for the 2014/15 playwriting competition.

Finalists (alphabetical by play title)

Election by Catherine Novotny, Grandview High School

Lark’s Mechanics by Kaytlin Camp, Gunnison High School

The Tale of the Almighty Sword by Jack Hansen, Arapahoe High School

Semi-Finalists (alphabetical by play title)

Divide by Kiana Trippler, ThunderRidge High School

Election by Catherine Novotny, Grandview High School

Lark’s Mechanics by Kaytlin Camp, Gunnison High School

Life According to Mauve by Keely Kritz, Denver School of the Arts

Open Mic by Joshua Contreras, Gunnison High School

Paper Clips by Christina Arias, Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy

The Suburbs by Kendra Knapp, Valor Christian High School

The Tale of the Almighty Sword by Jack Hansen, Arapahoe High School

The Window on the Fourth Wall by Ryan McCormick, Fort Collins High School

Unspoken by Nathan Mast, Thomas B. Doherty High School
2013/14 Playwriting Competition

Winner:

One-Sided Fish by Laurain Park, Alexander Dawson High School

Finalists:

Into the Stars by Jack Fletcher, East High School

One-Sided Fish by Laurain Park, Alexander Dawson High School

Sailor’s Knot: A Play in Six Movements by Victoria Capraro, Denver School of the Arts

Semi-Finalists:

A Case of the Mondays by Tristan Cunningham, Sand Creek High School, Colorado Springs

Into the Stars by Jack Fletcher, East High School, Denver

Lost by Thomas J Norton, Discovery Canyon High School, Colorado Springs

Never EvEn Tried by Nicholas Sugarman, Cherry Creek High School, Denver

One-Sided Fish by Laurain Park, Alexander Dawson High School, Lafayette

Sailor’s Knot: A Play in Six Movements by Victoria Capraro, Denver School of the Arts, Denver

The Adventures of Sammie the Heartless and Cory the Firebreather by Meg Flinders, Heritage High School, Littleton

The Coffee Shop by Kendall Horan, Cheyenne Mountain High School, Colorado Springs

The Story of You by Mateo Correa, Denver School of the Arts, Denver

Yesterdays by Gabriela Gonzales, Denver School of the Arts, Denver
Sponsored by the Newman Family Fund and June Travis with additional support from FirstBank and Spencer Ross

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Playwriting Competition FAQs

How should I format my play?
Standard Play Format is the universally accepted way to format an unpublished play. Here are the basics:
- Use 12 point Times New Roman as your font.
- Dialogue should begin 1.5 inches from the left side of the page and be single spaced.
- Character names should be in all caps, centered on the page.
- Stage directions should be indented five spaces and enclosed in parentheses. Hit return for a blank line before and after them. If a character name appears in the stage directions, make it all caps.
DOWNLOAD STANDARD PLAY FORMAT
What is the difference between a screenplay and a play?

A screenplay is a script written exclusively for television or film. It is written with the camera in mind. A one-act play is for the stage and is written for a live audience. A successful play focuses on dialogue and discovery through dialogue. A screenplay focuses on visual story telling through action and multiple locations. This is successful in films because of the role of editing.
Can I submit an adaptation?

We are looking for original work. However, if you are inspired by a well-known story but are creating your own original interpretation, we’ll consider it. For example, West Side Story is inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet but is an original work.
What kind of subject material are you looking for?

You have stories to tell. Trust your own experience and know that it has value. We don’t need you to re-write Hunger Games for the stage. We want original work with your authentic voice. We will not dictate subject matter; however, gratuitous violence, adult language or adult themes do not necessarily make a great play. Keep in mind your play is being considered for a teen production.
How many pages can I write?

The maximum is 35 pages. Please use the Standard Play Format for your script so that your page numbers are accurate.
Should I write my name on my manuscript?

No. Manuscripts are read blindly. If you submit online you can fill out contact information separately on your profile. Your uploaded document should be free of any identifying information. If you choose to mail-in or hand deliver your manuscript, please include your contact information, including your high school and parent/guardian name and phone number on a separate piece of paper.

High School Playwriting Competition

Past Playwriting Competitions

The semi-finalists and finalists for the 2015/16 playwriting Competition

The winner of the 2014/15 playwriting competition.

The semi-finalists and finalists for the 2014/15 playwriting competition.

Playwriting Competition FAQs