Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 01/04/2024
The Theater Project, an award-winning professional company and incubator for rising talent, is once again reaching out to creative young people in New Jersey with its 22nd annual Young Playwrights Competition. Winners receive cash prizes and see their work performed by professional actors at the Zoom awards ceremony in the spring. The submission deadline to enter the 2024 competition is Monday, January 22.
Interested students and teachers can access entry details, videos, and podcasts with last year’s winners on the website, www.TheTheaterProject.org.
“Every year one of our winners tells us, I would never have tried to do this if I hadn't heard about the competition,” says artistic director Mark Spina. “We hope to inspire more young people to write short plays, developing the verbal abilities, critical thinking skills and creativity that they need to succeed in any field.”
The winning playwrights receive cash prizes; the honorable mentions are awarded gift certificates. The Theater Project works with its “alumni” winners to find other venues for their work, by sponsoring them in other competitions such as the Samuel French Festival in New York City.
Several past winners of the Playwrights Competition have gone on to pursue degrees in theater and playwriting, and they often return to The Theater Project’s event to present prizes and share their journeys with the newest honorees. The judges, members of The Theater Project’s Adult Playwrights Workshop, also offer half-hour tutorials to any interested contest entrant.
The honorees at last year’s event represented nine different high schools and eight different New Jersey towns:
FIRST PRIZE: Elise Harvey, Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School, Bridgewater
SECOND PRIZE: Delia Mullen, Communications High School, Wall Township
THIRD PRIZE (a tie):
Nicole M. Beltre, Teaneck High School and Henry Frieman, Communications High School, Wall Township
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Kristen Gallagher, Communications High School, Wall Township
MJ King, Morristown High School
Leila Kramer & Trevor Preece (joint entry), Cherry Hill High School East
Mia Longenecker, Madison High School
Lucas Luchsinger, Union County Vocational Technical School, Scotch Plains
Charlie Patton, High Technology High School, Lincroft
Jonathan Tejada, Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy, Elizabeth
“We want to make sure that kids know their creative efforts are valued by showcasing them for the community – making it an online event allows them to share their work with friends anywhere around the country and beyond,” says program coordinator Kevin Carver. “Arts education sometimes gets short-changed as schools struggle to meet so many demands. But when kids lose out on arts experiences, they miss opportunities to develop critical thinking skills that are needed now more than ever.”
Now in its 30th year, The Theater Project presents programs and productions in Cranford, Maplewood, Union, and West Orange.
EVENT PREVIEWS
Gateway Playhouse presents Neil Simon's "London Suite"
(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- Gateway Playhouse presents Neil Simon's London Suite with three performances from July 11-12, 2026. Witty, charming, and unmistakably Neil Simon, London Suite invites audiences into a series of hilarious and heartfelt encounters set in the same London hotel room.
The Light Opera of New Jersey presents "H.M.S. Pinafore" at the Sieminski Theater Cultural Arts Center
(BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- The Light Opera of New Jersey presents H.M.S. Pinafore from July 11-12, 2026 at the Sieminski Theater Cultural Arts Center. This is a comic operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan that satirize the British class system.
Misfits Theatre Co. presents "She Loves Me"
(MATAWAN, NJ) -- Misfits Theatre Co., a community theater organization dedicated to producing bold, entertaining, and accessible theater for audiences of all ages, presents its inaugural book musical production, She Loves Me at Matawan Regional High School from July 10-12, 2026.
Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center presents "Sense and Sensibility" in Plainfield
(PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center invites audiences to experience Jane Austen's beloved classic Sense and Sensibility in a charming production. NOTE: Due to storm damage at duCret Center of Art, they will now be performing indoors at Plainfield Performing Arts Center. Performances take place July 10-12, 2026
Howell PAL Theater Company presents "Grease"
(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Howell PAL Theater Company presents the classic musical Grease weekends from July 10-12, 2026 at the Jersey Shore Arts Center. Grease is a love song to the 1950s and a cornerstone of the American musical comedy form.
Pioneer Productions presents encore run of "What the Constitution Means to Me" in Chatham Borough
(CHATHAM, NJ) -- Pioneer Productions is thrilled to announce encore performances of their production of Heidi Schreck's "What the Constitution Means to Me." Following a sold-out run of the show in downtown Morristown earlier this year, the original cast and production team have partnered with Chatham Borough to present an encore weekend July 11-12, 2026 at the Stanely Center.
Masquerade Theatre presents a staged reading of "Executive Decisions" by Dan Jankauskas
(RIVERSIDE, NJ) -- Masquerade Theatre presents a staged reading of Executive Decisions by Dan Jankauskas from July 10-12, 2026. It tells the story of two coworkers, Fives and Tenner, who are suddenly faced with the prospect that their routine deskwork has lethal consequences.
Phoenix Productions presents "Rock of Ages"
(RED BANK, NJ) -- Phoenix Productions presents Rock of Ages from July 10-12, 2026 at Count Basie Center for the Arts. Rock of Ages takes you back to the time of big bands with big egos playing big guitar solos and sporting even bigger hair!
Skyline Theatre Company presents Shakespeare on the Porch with "Much Ado About Nothing"
(BLOOMFIELD, NJ) -- Skyline Theatre Company presents Much Ado About Nothing with performances July 17-18, 2026 as part of its Shakespeare on the Porch series. The Bard's ultimate rom-com comes to life on the porch of the Oakeside Mansion.
The Montclair Foundation and Studio Players will present Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" at Van Vleck House and Gardens
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The Montclair Foundation and Studio Players will present Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing outside at Van Vleck House and Gardens across two weekends from July 10-18, 2026. This is no ordinary stage production, it’s an immersive theatrical experience.
FEATURED EVENTS
