ANNOUNCING:
​ THE 2019 ANNUAL PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL WINNERS

Chosen from more than 650 submissions from students in 40 different schools, the winners of this year's Annual Playwriting Festival are...

Elementary

First Place
  • Class Play, Challenger's Revenge, Cheltenham Elementary, Teacher Gerald Aungst, Teaching Artist MR Stine

  • Robin Dickerson, Zoe Grant, Alissa Mosby, and Paulisha Lugo-Perez, Tears, Overbrook Educational Center, Teacher Tajah Eddy, Teaching Artist Jenna Stelmok

  • Ingrid Kary, Our Little Quarrel,
    Elkins Park School, Teacher Mary Aiken, Teaching Artists Linnell Truchon and Marissa Kennedy

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Second Place
  • Giselle Bonner, Lexi Miller, Harry Nejberger, and Rashad Wright, Humans Invading Earth, Wyncote Elementary, Teacher Kristin Krause, Teaching Artists MR Stine and Carlos Roa

  • Class Play, Chaotic Concert,
    Glenside Elementary, Teachers Leslie Brock and Kristina Rodkey, Teaching Artist Linnell Truchon

  • Class Play, Happy Evil Days,
    Glenside Elementary, Teacher Caitlin Ramirez, Teaching Artist Linnell Truchon

  • Class Play, Monstrous Queen,
    Cheltenham Elementary, Teacher Gerald Aungst, Teaching Artist MR Stine

  • Class Play, The Saving Sisters,
    Myers Elementary, Teacher Mimi Rubin, Teaching Artist MR Stine

  • Donna Diallo, N. Traore, and C.  Zigani, Eat Healthy,
    Tilden Middle School, Teacher Alandra Abrams

  • Jayla Elliott, Emery Harrison, Rashad Mills, and Hunter Scheuerman, Trouble in Moosetropolis, Myers Elementary, Teacher Mimi Rubin, Teaching Artist MR Stine

  • Maya Gest, Moo!, Elkins Park School, Teacher Mary Aiken, Teaching Artists Linnell Truchon and Marissa Kennedy

  • Amira Kinsey, Torianna Waite, and Felicia Warwick, Sister Attack, Overbrook Educational Center, Teacher Tajah Eddy, Teaching Artist Jenna Stelmok

  • Nate Leary, Harlem Ware, and Rose Wilden, The Great Emu War of 1719, Wyncote Elementary, Teacher Kristin Krause, Teaching Artists MR Stine and Carlos Roa

Third Place
  • Fatima Choudhry, Muneerah Chowdhury, Imani Nasir, and Alani Rivera, The Power of a Hug, Overbrook Educational Center, Teacher Tajah Eddy, Teaching Artist Jenna Stelmok

  • Class Play, The Portal, Ludlow Elementary, Teachers Maureen Mullin and Katerina Lardova, Teaching Artist Emily Moylan

  • Caralyn Conwell, Lev Cuker, Tim Dugan, and Bijou Tilema, PAC MAN, Myers Elementary, Teacher Mimi Rubin, Teaching Artist MR Stine

  • Class Play, Fortnite Mystery,
    Glenside Elementary, Teachers Stacy Epstein and Dana Harbison, Teaching Artist Linnell Truchon

  • Samira Kennerly, The Void Castle, Elkins Park School, Teacher Mary Aiken, Teaching Artists Linnell Truchon and Marissa Kennedy

  • Cara Le and Isabella Pero, Tied Up in High School Drama, Cheltenham Elementary, Teacher Gerald Aungst, Teaching Artist MR Stine

  • Ellie Mulhearn and Ava Washington, Lesson Learned, 
    Wyncote Elementary, Teacher Kristin Krause, Teaching Artists MR Stine and Carlos Roa

Middle School

First Place
  • Luc Bastien, Ray Eggerts, Owen Erdman, Tomas Felleti-Moore, and Jia-ming Gong, Ye Olde Tale of Hairbrushes and Perils, J.R. Masterman School, Teacher Nicole McGeary, Teaching Artist Ryan Walter

  • Laina Bungard, Cardinal,
    Independence Charter School, Teacher Olukemi Kamson, Teaching Artists Donovan Lockett and
    Briyana Clarel

  • Franky Lockenour, Parents Trapped, Bala Cynwyd Middle School, Teacher Rachel Nichols, Teaching Artist Phoebe Schaub

Second Place
  • Hager Alsekaf, Ayona Kuriakose, Aanand Shah, and Isabella Smith-Santos, Agent Star, J.R. Masterman School, Teacher Karen Celli, Teaching Artist Ryan Walter

  • Chloe Baker, How to Seek Truth, Strath Haven Middle School, Teacher Eleanor Salgado, Teaching Artists Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Kate McGrath

  • Alyssa Benko, Taking Granted,
    Springfield Township Middle School, Teacher Jill Vizza, Teaching Artist Anthony Martinez-Briggs

  • Emma Biedermann, The Invincible Girl, Welsh Valley Middle School, Teachers Elizabeth Serpentine and Bernadette Bartholomew, Teaching Artist Steve Gravelle

  • Sabrena Brown and Gabriel Dianderas, The Reason of Rebirth, Grover Washington Middle School, Teacher Michele McQuade, Teaching Artist Evan Raines

  • Elina Chen, Angela Lin, Rena Liu, and Krista Sam, Gone Missing, J.R. Masterman School, Teacher Nicole McGeary, Teaching Artist Ryan Walter

  • Grace Cubbage, Rory Gonzales, Mikayla Key, and Kathleen Shovlin, Where Two Branches Meet, J.R. Masterman School, Teacher LeeAnne Fox-Jones, Teaching Artist Ryan Walter

  • Dorothy Danbury, Every Imaginable Universe, Drexel Hill Middle School, Teacher Pat Livoy, Teaching Artist Kate McGrath

  • Eleanora Grossman, Say Cheese, Strath Haven Middle School, Teacher Eleanor Salgado, Teaching Artists Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Kate McGrath

  • Rhys Hals, A Suburban Mystery, Strath Haven Middle School, Teacher Eleanor Salgado, Teaching Artists Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Kate McGrath

  • Mariam Kane, The Savior,
    Penrose School, Teacher Lori Odum, Teaching Artist Kate McGrath

  • Sophia Kasner, No One Cares,
    Bala Cynwyd Middle School, Teacher Rachel Nichols, Teaching Artist Phoebe Schaub

  • Jordan Kempner, I’m Okay,
    Springfield Township Middle School, Teacher Jill Vizza, Teaching Artist Anthony Martinez-Briggs

  • Winnie Kenney, The Fourth Wall, Strath Haven Middle School, Teacher Eleanor Salgado, Teaching Artists Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Kate McGrath

  • Tamea Lowe, Simply Peps,
    Beverly Hills Middle School, Teacher Pat Donnelly, Teaching Artist Emily Moylan

  • Daniela Loyola-Cortes, What a Man Would Do Independence Charter School, Teacher Olukemi Kamson, Teaching Artists Donovan Lockett and
    Briyana Clarel

  • Andrew Marcus, Shakespeare’s Curtain Call: A Comedy, Cedarbrook Middle School, Teacher Elizabeth Susanin, Teaching Artist Kate McGrath

  • Amina McCain, What About Me?, Elkins Park School, Teacher Mary Aiken, Teaching Artists Linnell Truchon and Marissa Kennedy

  • Lila Mistry, Hear Me
    The Baldwin School, Teacher Aileen McCulloch

  • Ella Nadler, Expectations
    Cedarbrook Middle School, Teacher Elizabeth Susanin, Teaching Artist Kate McGrath

  • Rose Weathers, The Influencer
    Welsh Valley Middle School, Teachers Elizabeth Serpentine and Bernadette Bartholomew, Teaching Artist Steve Gravelle

Third Place
  • Eliot Berkman-Lamm, Don’t Play With Knives,Strath Haven Middle School, Teacher Eleanor Salgado, Teaching Artists Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Kate McGrath

  • Nora Chen, Just History,
    Strath Haven Middle School, Teacher Eleanor Salgado, Teaching Artists Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Kate McGrath

  • Jenna DeTemple, Breakthrough, The Baldwin School, Teacher Aileen McCulloch

  • Quinn Durso, Missing,
    Elkins Park School, Teacher Mary Aiken, Teaching Artists Linnell Truchon and Marissa Kennedy

  • Lesly Farfan, Change,
    Independence Charter School, Teacher Olukemi Kamson, Teaching Artists Donovan Lockett and
    Briyana Clarel
     
  • Cyrus Fisher, Lena Garcia-Thompson, Sadie Krumrine, and Vivian Zhang, Imagine That, J.R. Masterman School, Teacher LeeAnne Fox-Jones, Teaching Artist Ryan Walter

  • Amber Hill, The Truth, 
    Beverly Hills Middle School, Teacher Pat Donnelly, Teaching Artist Emily Moylan

  • Daniel Medlock, The Apple Princess, Independence Charter School, Teacher Olukemi Kamson, Teaching Artists Donovan Lockett and
    Briyana Clarel

  • Samantha Merritt, Aliens,
    Bala Cynwyd Middle School, Teacher Rachel Nichols, Teaching Artist Phoebe Schaub

  • Tina Nguyen, Friends, 
    Grover Washington Middle School, Teacher Michele McQuade, Teaching Artist Evan Raines

  • Betti Pang, Time Stands Still,
    Welsh Valley Middle School, Teachers Elizabeth Serpentine and Bernadette Bartholomew, Teaching Artist Steve Gravelle

  • Maxine Schafroth Doty, Getting Better, Independence Charter School, Teacher Olukemi Kamson, Teaching Artists Donovan Lockett and
    Briyana Clarel

  • Kahlila Tomlin, Gender Doesn’t Matter If You Want to Succeed, Penrose School, Teacher Lori Odum, Teaching Artist Kate McGrath

  • Frank Walsh, File 42: Sean Henderson, Springfield Township Middle School, Teacher Jill Vizza, Teaching Artist Anthony Martinez-Briggs

  • Luke Winski, Last-Minute Snow Day, Springfield Township Middle School, Teacher Jill Vizza, Teaching Artist Anthony Martinez-Briggs

High School

First Place
  • Isabella Cacciatore, Keenan Gilbert, Simona Sheppard, Kendra Taylor, and Krisire Tuggles, Herding Pigs in the Garden, Furness High School, Teachers Christine Hsu and Rene Justis, Teaching Artists MR Stine and Phoebe Schaub

  • Juliet Dempsey, Witch Hazel,
    Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Teacher Sally Wojcik

  • Monie Duong, It’s Not Real Music, Science Leadership Academy, Teacher Josh Block, Teaching Artists Kate McGrath and Mal Cherifi

  • Malcolm Ford, Speak Your Mind, Lankenau High School, Teacher Donna Bucknor, Teaching Artists Steve Gravelle and Carlos Roa

  • Cecelia McKinney, A Childish Plea, Ridley High School, PYP Resident Playwrights Program

Second Place
  • Hanadi Abdulkadir, Destiny Gauthney Janiya Sutton, and Ashley Williams, The Other Side, Academy at Palumbo, Teacher Anissa Weinraub, Teaching Artists Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Rachel
    O'Hanlon-Rodriguez

  • Bryant Almonte-Alday, Yeziel Caballero-Navarro, Emma Donnelly, Sean Jones and Angel Pineiro-Falter
    Present,     Kensington High School, Teacher Sharon Hall, Teaching Artists Katherine Perry and Emily Moylan

  • Jenifer Betancur, Just Another Love Story, Esperanza Academy, Teacher Dwight Wilkins

  • Lucy Bonin, Do Svidaniya,
    The Baldwin School, Teacher Aileen McCulloch

  • Grace Conley, Below The Fallen Sun, Science Leadership Academy, Teacher Josh Block, Teaching Artists Kate McGrath and Mal Cherifi

  • Benjamin Elkins, Park Bench
    Lower Merion High School, Teacher Minecci

  • Amani Gilliam, El Hombre, El Heroe, Cheltenham High School, Teacher Molly Lazer, Teaching Artist Ryan Walter

  • Ja-lin Guzzman and Isabela Gonzalez, The Bullet Without a Name, Kensington CAPA, Teacher Cottingham

  • Julia Jennings, Set in Train
    Upper Moreland High School, Teacher Carmen Ferrarello

  • Adam Kabba, Child Slaves
    West Philadelphia High School, Teacher Peter Thomas, Teaching Artists Kate McGrath and Sabriaya Shipley

  • Katie Lu, To My Daughter, Mary, Wissahickon High School, Teacher Moylan

  • Isabella Mullins, Meya’s Secret
    Kensington High School, Teacher Sara Zubroff, Teaching Artists Brittany Brewer and Carlos Roa

  • Akunna Ottih, The People Within, Cheltenham High School, Teacher Molly Lazer, Teaching Artist Ryan Walter

  • Ashley Pechin, Fate’s Melody
    Bayard Rustin, Teacher Sarah Gallagher

  • Claire Phillips, Young Jane
    Lower Merion High School, Teacher Jeanne Mastriano

  • Brianna Ramberg, Expectations, Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Teacher Sally Wojcik

  • Chloe Simmons, Shooting Down Guilt, Science Leadership Academy, Teacher Josh Block, Teaching Artists Kate McGrath and Mal Cherifi

  • Jamar Simpson, The Decision,
    Lankenau High School, Teacher Donna Bucknor, Teaching Artists Steve Gravelle and Carlos Roa

  • Haley Smith, The Flowers We Pick, Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Teacher Sally Wojcik

  • Olivia Shuman, What I Didn’t Say, Friends Select, Teacher Donna Romero

  • Kaya Trefz, Happy Days Are Here Again, High School for Creative and Performing Arts, PYP Resident Playwrights Program

  • Kira Wiener, Shattered,
    Springfield Township Middle School, PYP Resident Playwrights Program

  • Zhihan Xia, Anna,
    The Baldwin School, Teacher Aileen McCulloch

Third Place
  • Grace Angelastro, Julian, I’m No Saint, Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Teacher Sally Wojcik

  • Mikal Carter, The Grind
    Lankenau High School, Teacher Donna Bucknor, Teaching Artists Steve Gravelle and Carlos Roa

  • Chris Crump, Father Meets Son, Northeast High School, Teacher Theresa Bramwell, Teaching Artists Zandra Espinoza and Jillian Jetton

  • Brian Clopp, Jamall Davis, Brett Heist, Steven Moon, and Chris Vargas, Past, Kensington High School, Teacher Sharon Hall, Teaching Artists Katherine Perry and Emily Moylan

  • Tymirr Farlar and  Amir White, Lottery Ticket, Academy at Palumbo, Teacher Anissa Weinraub, Teaching Artists Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Rachel O'Hanlon-Rodriguez

  • Naythen Fantauzzi, Bird Houses, Kensington High School, Teacher Sara Zubroff, Teaching Artists Brittany Brewer and Carlos Roa

  • Ryan Ferguson, Peter Murnane, and Frederick Runzer, The Epic Battle of the Walruses, Bayard Rustin, Teacher Sarah Gallagher

  • Camille Johnson and Keyana Thomas, The Asylum, Academy at Palumbo, Teacher Anissa Weinraub, Teaching Artists Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Rachel
    O'Hanlon-Rodriguez

  • Dilan Kuders, Lost in the Night, Bayard Rustin, Teacher Sarah Gallagher

  • Charles Langley, Familiar Tears, Science Leadership Academy, Teacher Josh Block, Teaching Artists Kate McGrath and Mal Cherifi

  • Sophia Lee, The Salt River,
    The Baldwin School, Teacher Aileen McCulloch

  • Juliana Long, Detestable Act,
    Science Leadership Academy, Teacher Josh Block, Teaching Artists Kate McGrath and Mal Cherifi

  • Joziah Matos, A Helping Hand
    Science Leadership Academy, Teacher Michael Clapper

  • Saniya Moore, Unfaithful
    Lankenau High School, Teacher Donna Bucknor, Teaching Artists Steve Gravelle and Carlos Roa

  • Lydia Reithmeier, The Basement, Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Teacher Sally Wojcik

  • Thea Risher, Untitled,
    Science Leadership Academy, Teacher Michael Clapper

  • Jagger Ryan, Untitled,
    Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Teacher Sally Wojcik

  • Xaxa Sheng-Smith, Flower,
    Friends Select, Teacher Donna Romero

  • Estella Stein, The Monsters,
    The Baldwin School, Teacher Aileen McCulloch

  • Claire Sun, Schrödinger's Love Story, Lower Merion High School, Teacher Jeanne Mastriano

  • Arianna Torres, The Clowns
    Esperanza Academy, Teacher Dwight Wilkins
THANK YOU to all of the writers, teachers, and teaching artists for all of your hard work, both that which is recognized in this list and that which is not. We are honored to read your work and to share your talents and perspectives with others.  

Past Winners Lists

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