FST Announces Winners of Annual Youth Playwriting Competition

April 5, 2023 – Sarasota

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is proud to announce the winning plays of this year’s annual youth playwriting competition. Now in its 32^nd 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 2022-2023 academic year, FST received submissions from more than 4,000 playwrights.

This year, the WRITE A PLAY experience culminates 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 20, 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 Last Acorn & Other Winning Plays. Following these live performances, playwrights are honored in an awards ceremony and are presented with certificates and medals on stage. The 2023 Young Playwrights Festival Day is a private event, reserved for the winning playwrights, their families, and educators who participated in this year’s WRITE A PLAY program.

“There is absolutely nothing like the excitement and pride these young playwrights show when they see something that they wrote and imagined on stage,” said Caroline Saldivar. “It takes courage to share your creativity and express yourself, but it is so important. We’re looking forward to coming together with friends, family, and the community to celebrate the plays of these amazing young writers.”

Thanks to generous support from individual donors, WRITE A PLAY continues to inspire the next generation of playwrights. Support from the Community Foundation of Sarasota, Manatee Community Foundation, The Patterson Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Suncoast Credit Union Foundation, Publix Super Markets Charities, Wells Fargo Foundation, Embracing Our Differences, Sister Cities Association of Sarasota, and the Greenfield Foundation also made this year’s WRITE A PLAY program possible. WRITE A PLAY is also sponsored in part by the Bank of America Client Foundation and by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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 Education and WRITE A PLAY Manager, Shelby Lynhall, at SLynhall@floridastudiotheatre.org.

2022-2023 Winning Plays and Playwrights (Grades K-6)

Sharing Joy by Alyannah Dixon
Bay Haven School of Basics Plus (Sarasota County), Ms. Wedebrock – 3^rd Grade

The Big Situation by Isabelle Fishman and Katherine Kimball
Pine View School (Sarasota County), Ms. Abeysakra – 3^rd Grade

The Boy Who Wanted to Dance Ballet by Alma Gilbo 
Shelanu School, Telmond, Israel, Bar Bracha Menashe – 6^th Grade

The Big Dance by Layla Vaughn 
McNeal Elementary (Manatee County), Mrs. Freeman – 3^rd Grade

The Power of PB and J by Ivan Gorodnitchev
Bay Haven School of Basics Plus (Sarasota County), Ms. Wedebrock – 3^rd Grade

Raphael’s Orchard by Ofek Alon 
Shelanu School, Telmond, Israel, Bar Bracha Menashe – 6^th Grade

The Office Party by Ms. Bolstridge’s and Mrs. Solum’s Class
Brentwood Elementary School (Sarasota County) – 3^rd Grade

The Donut Adventure by Mrs. Buchoffer’s Class 
Holy Name School, Camden, New Jersey – 3^rd Grade

2022-2023 Winning Plays and Playwrights (Grades 7-12)

The Hamster and Daniel by Diego Gonzales

Riverview High School (Sarasota County), Mr. A – 9^th Grade

Rules of Theatre by Kubrick Croce

Hackley School, Tarrytown, NY, Ms. Maddox – 7^th Grade

A New Planet in the System by Marcus Aurelien, Alanna Leissner, and Sage Sniegocki

Riverview High School (Sarasota County), Mr. A – 12^th and 9^th grades 

Colors by Ottis Jackson 

Booker Middle School (Sarasota County), Mrs. Mills – 8^th Grade

Kyle the Unicorn and the Stupid Little Kids by Elle Singerman, Bille Shelks, Sy Pornasadoro, Jaden Philipi, Lesly Mariana Penagos Gonzalez, Ella Nastoff, Piper Mulligan, Haley Keigher, Alexa De Luna, Carver Cleveland, Eduardo Cavazos, Emurhi Arcadi, Olivia Andrzejewki-Wilson, Mackenzie Summers, and Zahara Sir

Booker Middle School (Sarasota County), Mrs. Mills – 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th Grades

Daydreams by Anna Brodoska and Aubrey Bland

Incarnation Catholic School (Sarasota), Ms. Christenson – 7^th Grade

WEIRD by Matrick Thorpe

Pine View School (Sarasota County), Mrs. Light – 10^th Grade