The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center is holding its 17th Annual Young Playwrights Festival through Sunday at its Waterford campus.

The five Featured Playwrights (and their plays, schools and hometowns) at the 2022 festival will be:

— Sierra Blanco, "The Modern American Dragonslayer on the 4th of July," Professional Children’s School, NY (Monterey, CA)

— Ella Brady, "Somewhere out There," Old Saybrook High School (Old Saybrook, CT)

— Isabella Dioquino, "Death Deadlines," Clark Lane Middle School (Quaker Hill, CT)

— Emma Montieth, "Mr. Hit Man," New London Multi Magnet High School (Quaker Hill, CT)

— Hazel Siu, "Small Bank," Waterford High School (Waterford, CT)

The 14 Guest Playwrights who will be joining them this weekend will be: Eliana Álvarez, Groton; AJ Cash, New London; Jada Collins, Waterford; Arthur Dhervilly, Waterford; Rami Elhadhoudi, Waterford; Leo Fishman Janowitz, New York, NY; Alexis Grasdock, Old Lyme; Lily Griffin, Groton; Will Grimes, Chestnut Hill, Mass.; Jayden Kujawski, Old Saybrook; Marcus Lowy, Old Saybrook; Gabrielle McKayle, Vernon; Mikayla Senkewitcz, Waterford; and Juan Vieyra, Old Saybrook.

The Featured Playwrights are spending a weekend at the O'Neill with a dedicated creative team — director, dramaturg, and actors composed of National Theater Institute alumni — helping them stage their plays.

The 14 Guest Playwrights will also have the opportunity to observe the development process as well as the chance to hear their plays read aloud.

“After a couple years of digital and hybrid versions of our festival, it pleases me to no end to be able to invite all nineteen of our young playwrights onto the O’Neill campus to experience the process of live rehearsals and play development,” says Sophia Chapadjiev, YPF’s Artistic Director and Director of Education.

Performances of the five featured plays will be at 5 p.m. Sunday in the Dina Merrill Theater, located on the O’Neill’s campus at 305 Great Neck Road in Waterford. Seating will be on a first come, first serve basis, and attendees are asked to pay what they can to help support the festival. Masks will be required to be worn during the performance.