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Q&A with Student Playwriting Competition Winners, Finalists
Six winners have been selected for the Middle School & High School Playwriting Competition, three in each age group. This year, the DCPA received 142 middle school and 107 high school submissions – nearly 100 more than last year.
The top three plays by each age group will be included in the 2024 Playwriting Anthology and the three winning high school plays will receive a public staged reading as part of the 2024 Colorado New Play Summit, running February 24 & 25. Then, the staged readings will travel to the playwright’s local high school on February 26, to share with their peer community the work and creativity of the selected playwrights.
After careful review by a panel of artistic, literary and theatre education professionals, DCPA Education and Community Engagement is proud to announce the following winners for the Middle School & High School Playwriting Competition.
THE THREE HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS
The Adults are Talking
by Sophie Brown, Junior at Northfield High School
In a nameless town of the American Midwest, a family mourns the loss of their matriarch, Grandma Dor. The multi-generational gathering discovers a journal Grandma Dor kept in the later years of her life. Chaos ensues as bonds are tested, while the family uncovers the deceit, secrets, and tension that have existed within their dynamic for years.
DCPA: What was something new you discovered about yourself while writing your play?
Brown: I discovered that my best ideas aren’t conscious. When I try too hard to force a certain plot or theme, it doesn’t always turn out the way I’d like it to. My favorite parts of teh playwriting process were surprises, even to myself.
DCPA: What is your favorite line from your play?
Brown: “And the adults are always talking, and I talk too, so does that make me a grown up? I don’t think I want to be one yet. That…that hurts to think about.”
DCPA: If you could cast one actor in your play, who would it be and in which role?
Brown: Meryl Streep would be an excellent Dorothy. Her natural ability to play strong women would really add a lot of depth to the role.
Bridge
by Patton Coughlin, Junior at The Arts Academy at Pueblo County High School
In a ‘collage’ town, two students are forced to share the same artistic space to create a mural. Both insist on their ownership of the space, but work to come to an understanding through compromise, heartwarming discussion, and sharing of their unique cultures. Through their art, they learn just how beautiful creation can be.
DCPA: What was something new you discovered about yourself while writing your play?
Coughlin: My art is largely affected by my culture and the way I have lived my life, each memory and experience has fueled my passion and creative drive. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
DCPA: What is your favorite line from your play?
Coughlin: “This seems like a you corporate issue, not a me personal issue.”
DCPA: If you could cast one actor in your play, who would it be and in which role?
Coughlin: Auli’i Cravalho as Kira. She has been shown to have a wide range and seems as though she would do very well at portraying Kira’s distaste for the world around her, but also her artistic wonderment and creativity.
The Girl on Federal Boulevard
by Casey Eidson, Junior at Denver School of the Arts
All goes wrong in an ethically-questionable, experimental medical trial when a young lab assistant falls in love with a patient. However, Dr. Nieman will stop at nothing to ensure the success of his groundbreaking treatment. The doctor is extremely committed to curing drug addiction through selective memory loss, no matter who is caught in the crossfire.
DCPA: What is something new you discovered about yourself while writing your play?
Eidson: I discovered I have trouble relying solely on dialogue to tell a story. I heavily considered writing through a narrator to spell out my characters’ thoughts.
DCPA: What is your favorite line from your play?
Eidson: “I can’t sue Dr. Nieman. Shit, he’s the smartest man alive”
DCPA: If you could cast one actor in your play, who would it be and in which role?
Eidson: I would cast J.K. Simmons in the role of Dr. Nieman. Simmons possesses an extreme talent for intimidating an audience. He flawlessly executes roles in which he plays a no-nonsense man in a position of power.
THE THREE MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNERS
Deathbed
by Wilson Walker, North Routt Community Charter School
An ailing grandfather teaches his grandson a valuable life lesson from his deathbed.
DCPA: What is something new you discovered about yourself while writing your play?
Walker: I learned how a simple Instagram post can spark an idea for a story plot.
DCPA: What is your favorite line from your play?
Walker: “All in all it was one of the best times of my life, but also one of the hardest.”
DCPA: If you could cast one actor in your play, who would it be and in which role?
Walker: Harrison Ford would fit the role of the grandpa well.
Swift Thinking
by Sofia Foster & Sienna Weihe, William “Bill” Roberts K-8 School
A young Phoebe has just been dumped by her jerk of a boyfriend. When she wishes that she could forget he exists, the goddess Aphrodottie (Aphrodite’s twin sister) appears. Together, they brainstorm ways to get back at Phoebe’s ex, but things don’t always go according to plan.
DCPA: What was something you discovered about yourself while writing your play?
Foster & Weihe: We both discovered that we like writing plays!
DCPA: What is your favorite line in your play?
Foster: “It’s okay, I would be jealous of these pipes as well. I say you call him up right now and tell him what’s up. Don’t listen to your head, your heart, or your gut. Listen to the loudest, smartest voice (singsong) Mineee.”
Weihe: “Ok, jeez. How about…oh! What if we drown him in the middle of the Arctic Ocean?”
DCPA: If you could cast one actor in your play, who would it be and in which role?
Foster: I would cast Hailee Steinfeld as Phoebe because she stars in my favorite movie and I think she has the same attitude as Phoebe.
Weihe: I think Ariana Greenblatt would be a good choice to play Phoebe because she’s very feisty and a great actress.
You Must Wear Your Kippah
by Jude Pockross, Morey Middle School
A controlling Orthodox Jewish dad wants his son to live a certain lifestyle, obeying the Torah commandments. But Jonah, his son, wants to live his own life on his own terms.
DCPA: What is something you discovered about yourself while writing your play?
Pockross: I realized how grateful I am to be in an accepting Jewish family, one who accepts me for who I am and whatever I want to be.
DCPA: What is your favorite line from your play?
Pockross: “I can bobby pin your kippah if you like.”
DCPA: If you could cast one actor in your play, who would it be and in which role?
Pockross: Adam Sandler would play the dad because 1) he is Jewish, 2) I want to meet Adam Sandler, and 3) he would honor the role.
THE SEVEN HIGH SCHOOL FINALISTS
The Building on 5th Street
by Madalynn Tharp, Senior at Animus High School
Four teenagers sneak into a mysterious abandoned building on a dare. Determined to stay until sunrise, the group’s resolve begins to crumble as odd things begin to happen – until one person disappears. The rest of the group fights for their friend, discovering long-dead secrets, before they become one as well.
DCPA: If you could cast one actor in your play, who would it be and in which role?
Tharp: I would pick Gaten Matarazzo to play Timothy because of his portrayal as Dustin Henderson on Stranger Things. He is a lovable character but over time, he deepens into a more serious person, especially when protecting others.
Consider the Ravens
by Victoria Schnell, Senior at Cherry Creek High School
A guidance counselor seeks to uncover the past of a new patient. He comes to realize they have more in common than they at first believe. It is a dark drama that focuses on how trauma can still affect us as we grow older, but we can help others realize they aren’t alone.
DCPA: What is your favorite line from your play?
Schnell: “You said ‘send them off.’ I’m wondering where we are sending them off to.”
The Envelope
by Sunny Wiggins, Junior at The Arts Academy at Pueblo County High School
Life turns upside down for Magnolia Arlington after a ball in 1890. To support her family, Magnolia pursues a rich suitor, sending him a romantic letter. But when the young postman intercepts and decides to pose as the rich suitor, a nail-biting affair ensues. This romantic period piece proves that love doesn’t always take the easiest path.
DCPA: What is something new you discovered about yourself while writing your play?
Wiggins: I discovered I have a tendency to root for true love in any instance, healthy or not. Love stories are nuanced and complicated, but even when they aren’t simple, they are true.
Eupnea
by Charlie Quinn, Sophomore at Denver School of the Arts
Analise, a young girl who has recently died, is waiting for her bus. Satyr, a mysterious figure of death, waits with her. As they talk, they discover things about themselves and the paths of their lives. In the end, the two look at a new sort of life before them with a friend at their side.
DCPA: What is your favorite line from your play?
Quinn: “When the little boy died, he found nothing. He was the first human, the first to die. So he sat, alone in the odd void. He was not sad, but not unhappy. Simply dead.”
Everything is Fine
by Riley Dean, Junior at Denver School of the Arts
In a distant utopia, an Antidote has been developed to cure the Clinically Insane. Unbeknownst to the cured, the government now has access to their thoughts and control over their actions. Young Nari and Rowan become targets as they discover their government’s intentions.
DCPA: What is something new you discovered about yourself while writing your play?
Dean: I discovered how much I enjoy an ending that is not always happy, but real instead.
My Future is (Kinda) In Your Hands
by Esther Weiss, Senior at Cherry Creek High School
In traditional April Fool’s Day fashion, Christine replaces her twin sister Stephanie’s shampoo with temporary hair dye. When the sisters discover the hair dye isn’t so temporary, Stephanie must send Christine in her place to a high stakes job interview. For their plan to work, the sisters must face a suppressed sibling rivalry, which could jeopardize everything.
DCPA: If you could cast one actor in your play, who would it be and in which role?
Weiss: I would cast Benedict Cumberbatch as the fashion company’s boss. He can act both serious and comical, and he has “the look” I imagined when writing the character. Plus, a British accent always helps things…
Takes A Bow
by Hannah Harr, Junior at Jefferson County Open School
On opening night for a production of Romeo and Juliet, the lead actress unexpectedly quits, sending the cast into upheaval. Drama ensues as the prop master is hired to play Juliet, the lead actress returns, and the director threatens to fire everyone. The cast and crew must work out their differences before the show can go on.
DCPA: What is something new you discovered about yourself while writing your play?
Harr: I hold myself to a very high standard, particularly with my writing. That said, I do some of my best work with a deadline and pressure.