Fourteenth Annual Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival

Local high school students may enter their ten-minute plays in competition for one of eight finalist slots in the Festival, May 2-3. The script judged Best Play will earn its playwright the $1,000 Verna Safran Prize. Runner-Up will receive $500 and the other six finalists receive $100. Playwrights wishing to be considered should read the Guidelines.

Thirteenth Annual Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival

Lakeland Student Wins Verna Safran Prize for Best Play

Ali Wasmund and Yinoelle Colon in A Memory Away, by Lakeland High student Patricia Brady — Ali Wasmund and Yinoelle Colon in A MEMORY AWAY, by Lake Gibson High student Patricia Brady

A MEMORY AWAY—Evangeline De La O, Steven Butler, Ali Wasmund, playwright Patricia Brady, Yinoelle Colon, director Nicol Moeller.

The grief following a school shooting is truthfully told in Patricia Brady’s drama, A MEMORY AWAY, featuring performances by Ali Wasmund, Yinoelle Colon, Evangeline De La O, and Steven Butler, with direction by Nicol Moeller. This is the Best Play and the winner of The Verna Safran Prize and $1,000 for Patricia.

13th Annual Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival — CLICK HERE TO SEE THE COMPLETE PLAYBILL

Anuj Naidu, Donna DeFant, Jill Schroeder, and Declan Moyer in The Matriarch of 2034, by St Petersburg High student Rafael Faraci.

THE MATRIARCH OF 2034—Anuj Naidu, Declan Moyer, director Lee Gundersheimer, Jill Schroeder, playwright Rafael Faraci, and Donna DeFant.

Raphael Faraci’s THE MATRIARCH OF 2034, directed by Lee Gundersheimer, with performances by Donna DeFant, Anuj Naidu, Jill Schroeder, and Declan Moyer is the 2025 Runner-up and earns Raphael $500.

FILING ERRORS—Evangeline De La O, playwright Liam Adeney, Scott Ehrenpreis, Carrie Greenberg, Paul Mullen, and director Aden Russell.

CHANNEL SURFING— Dylan Jones, Anuj Naidu, playwright Aaron Gordon, Charles Agurcia, director Lindsey Nickel, Eric Henry, Sarah Haun, and Allie Walker.

THE GIFT—Terry Occhiogrosso, director Yinoelle Colon, playwright Norah Courtright, Ruby Daines, and Manuel Gaspar.

TWO LINES LATER—Director Susana Falcon, Sarah Haun, playwright Ashley Black, and Carrie Greenberg.

STAY WILD, MOON CHILD—Cristina Bickerstaff, director Glenn Schudel, playwright Delaney Lockwood, Charles Agurcia, Thiana Machado, and Ruby Daines,

THREE P's IN A POD—Tami Vaughan, Ali Wasmund, director Lucinda Schlotterback, playwright Seamus Kehoe, Eric Henry, Paul Mullen, and Nick Schroeder.

What makes a good ten-minute play? We suggest studying some excellent examples: the finalists in Theatre Odyssey festivals. All five volumes, covering festivals from 2006 to 2025, are available from Amazon.