The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford is holding its 16th annual Young Playwrights Festival.

Employing the signature “O’Neill process,” the festival provides professional support to develop original one-act plays written by middle and high school students (age 12-18).

Selected from 167 nationwide entries from 52 schools, five student playwrights are having the opportunity to develop their work through a script-in-hand staged reading April 30-May 2, in-person at the O’Neill. Undergraduate students from across the country training at the National Theater Institute this spring collaborated with local middle and high school students to bring these works to life:

"What the Future Holds" by Emma Courtright, Old Saybrook Middle School

"Breakfast" by Jasper Galouzis, Fitch High School

"Dear Diary" by Shelby Pauloski, Old Saybrook Middle School

"The Will of Walter" by Hazel Siu, Clark Lane Middle School

"Integrity" by Paige Walstra, Waterford High School

In addition to a fully staged reading for immediate family, students also received dream design renderings by scenic designer Dahlia Al-Habieli (NTI Fall '05). This is the first year that the Young Playwrights Festival has been held concurrently with the National Theater Institute spring semester. Throughout the pandemic, NTI has been offering safe, in-person theater training and was well-suited to support local students with an on-campus development experience. In another first for YPF, this year marked the first musical written for the program, "Dear Diary."

Other young playwrights were selected to participate virtually in the Guest Playwright Observation program, which was held earlier in the month and provided a table reading, personalized feedback, and mentorship to 10 middle and high school students. The local students selected were: "From the Flames of Disease" by Zaya Haglund, ISAAC; "Open Wounds" by Nazariah Isaac, New London High School; "So Get This" by Addison Mobley, Clark Lane Middle School; "Borderline" by Ariana Rosado, Waterford High School; and "Scrapyard Goals" by Cameron Webster, Clark Lane Middle School.