Announcing the Finalists for the 2022-23 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition:

Breck Tyler - Catholic High - "Lux Ferre"

Layla Robinson - Searcy - "Likewise"

Baylor Carr - Lake Hamilton - "Sweet History"

Bailey Benner/Charleigh Self - Mena - "Who Dunnit?"

Avery Turner - Parkview Arts & Science Magnet School - "Parker's Poem"

The 2022-23 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition will be held at Lake Hamilton High School in Hot Springs on Saturday, April 1 at 9 a.m.

Announcing the Finalists for the 2021-22 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition:

Blane Freeman - Russellville - "What Could Be"

Madison Lee - Lakeside - "Under the Stars"

Ryn Childers - Searcy - "Serving Heartbreak"

Tyler Willis/Jacqueline Kirkendoll - Mena - "The Absolute, Definite True Tale of Red Riding Hood"

The 2021-22 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition will be held at The Pocket Theatre in Hot Springs on Saturday, April 16 at 9 a.m.

The Finalists

The Finalists for the 2019-20 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition are as follows:

Cherysh Corning... Rogers Heritage... "01101011"
Blane Freeman... Russellville... "The Wailchester Counterpart"
Robert Gatlin... Catholic... "A Broken Reunion"
Peyton Greenwood... Greenbrier... "Blasphemy"
Avery Powell... Mena... "Scaredy Cats"
Justin Richmond... Acorn... "The Ear"
Elisha Summers... Maumelle... "Him"
Anna Wong... Pulaski Academy... "No Body"
Jacob Zawislak... Little Rock Central... "Mr. Sigmund and Professor Freud"
Victoria Jinks, Davion Musgrove... Lakeside (Hot Springs)... "The Multi"
Ana Austin, Alexeia Rankin, Rylee Suggs... Bryant... "The Dance of Death"

Congratulations to the Playwrights! These playwrights will compete in the Competition in April 2020, location to be determined.

The Winner!

Congratulations to Justin Richmond of Acorn High School for winning the 2018-19 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition! Justin's winning drama was entitled, "South of Cortez: Montezuma County". (Last year's winner, Charlotte McCombs of Fayetteville High presented the trophy to Justin.)

Anna Wong, of Pulaski Academy, was the Runner-up for her drama, "Shortcut".

The Competition was held on March 30 at The Ron Robinson Theater in downtown Little Rock. (More photos coming soon!)

2018-19 Finalists

The Finalists for the 2018-19 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition are as follows:

Justin Richmond - Acorn - "South of Cortez: Montezuma County"
Jack Clay  -  Bryant  -  "The Great American Winnebago Extravaganza"
Daniel Maxenberger  -  Catholic  -  "Burying the Devil"
Alex Trawick  -  Greenbrier  -  "Victim #4"
Hope Wortham  -  Highland  -  "My Life is a Lie?"
Dorian Barron  -  Lakeside (Hot Springs)  -  "This Was a Beautiful Mistake"
Chase Sproles  -  Little Rock Central  -  "Sunset Avenue"
Avery Powell, Cadence Barnes  -  Mena  -  "Stud"
Josie Fitz  -  Mount St. Mary Academy  -  "Maternity Leave"
Anna Wong  -  Pulaski Academy  -  "Shortcut"

In addition to the ten Finalists, there were four Alternates named to the Competition. These positions are considered "Honorable Mentions", but if one of the Finalists drops out of the Competition, an Alternate will take that slot in the Competition.

Alternates:
Madison Smith  -  Bryant  -  "A Killer's Hypnosis"
Stella Engel  -  Searcy  -  "A Play on Words"
Charles Moton  -  Maumelle  -  "Hi-Lo"
Peyton Greenwood  -  Greenbrier  -  "The Usher"

Congratulations to the Finalists and the Alternates! With a record 61 entries, the Competition was particularly tough this year, and the judging was very close.

The 2018-19 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition will be held on April 6, 2019 at The Ron Robinson Theater in Little Rock.

For questions or more information, email Stacey at aypc13@yahoo.com.

2017-18 AYPC

The 2017-18 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition was held on April 14, 2018 at The Ron Robinson Theater in Little Rock.  New photos are below, and many more photos from the Competition will be coming in the next few days.  For more information, contact Stacey at aypc13@yahoo.com.

The Winner

The Winner of the 2017-18 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition is Charlotte McCombs, a sophomore at Fayetteville High School, for her drama, "Chekhov's Gun".  McCombs' teachers are Trevor Cooperescue and Warren Rosenaur.

Below: Charlotte poses with her actors, Sarah Grace Baxter and Logan O'Hara; and is handed her trophy by last year's winner, Charles Moton of Maumelle High School.

The Runners-Up

The Competition Runners-Up are Matt Thomas and Hannah Weidner of Greenbrier High School for their comedy, "Jade and the Two Best Trips for Coffee".  Matt and Hannah's theatre teacher is Amy Brock.

The Finalists

The Finalists for the

2017-18

Arkansas Young

Playwrights Competition

Justin Richmond - "Weeds and Dandelions" - Acorn High School
Madison Smith - "The Fix" - Bryant High School
Robert Gatlin - "The Inner Workings of Gods" - Catholic High School for Boys
Charlotte McCombs - "Chekhov's Gun" - Fayetteville High School
Matt Thomas/Hannah Weidner - "Jade and the Two Best Trips for Coffee" - Greenbrier High School
Madison Esteves - "Rose and the Cookie Class" - Lakeside High School (Hot Springs)
Jamee McAdoo/Paige Mitchell - "Play, Stop, Repeat" - Little Rock Central High School
Keeley Ausburn - "Turning Pages" - Maumelle High School
Abigail Langin - "Walls" - Mena High School
Julia Mansur/Miraya Gerardo/Ariadna Leyva - "Hello" - Searcy High School

These 10 plays will be staged at the Competition on April 14, 2018 at The Ron Robinson Theater in Little Rock. 

If one of the Finalists cannot perform his/her play, an Alternate will take his/her spot in the Finals.

Alternates:
1.  Sam Gibson - "The Final Cut" - Cabot High School
2.  Jessica Reddig - "Trolley on the Tracks" - Conway High School
3.  Brenna Hyatt - "That's Just How It Happens" - Lisa Academy (Little Rock)
4.  Reece Ruhl - "Four Bedrooms" - Greene County Tech High School

The Winner!

Charles Moton of Maumelle High School won the 2016-17 Arkansas Young Playwrights Competition for his play, "Fire and Ice".  Charles' drama teachers at Maumelle are Mariann Lunsford and Shonna Wenger.


This marks the second consecutive year in which a playwright from Maumelle has won the AYPC.  Congrats, Maumelle!

Our Runner-Up

Cece Metcalf of Mena High School was named the Runner-up for her play, "What Are You In For?".  Cece's drama teacher at Mena High is Jessica Kropp.

"Fire and Ice" - Maumelle

The Playwright and Cast of Maumelle's entry,
"Fire and Ice"

-Playwright Charles Moton is third from left-

-Jaida Cruz, second from right, won an Outstanding Actress Award-

"What Are You In For?" - Mena

The Playwright, Cast and Teacher of Mena's entry,
"What Are You In For?"

-Playwright Cece Metcalf is middle row, second from left-

-Drama Teacher, Jessica Kropp, is middle row, far left-

-Marcos Castillo III, front row, far left, won an Outstanding Actor Award for the second consecutive year-

"The Addiction" - Lake Hamilton

Playwright and Cast for Lake Hamilton's entry,
"The Addiction"

-Playwright Guinness Riley is at far left-

"I'll Sea You at the Bottom" - Catholic High

The Cast, Playwright and Teacher for Catholic High's entry,

"I'll Sea You at the Bottom"

-Playwright Matthew Connell is second from left-

-Drama Teacher Carrey Cole Reynolds is on the far right-

-Ben Davis, (far left), won an award for Outstanding Actor-

"Dinner With the Flannigans" - Fouke and Fordyce

The Playwrights and Cast for Fouke's entry, "Dinner With the Flannigans"

-Playwrights Hanna Mims, (Fouke) and Josh Wiseman (Fordyce) are second and third from left-

The Judges

The Judges

(from left), Jeff Bailey, Amy Walker, Justin Pike,

Ryan Whitfield and Micah Qualls

-The 2015 AYPC Winner, Jamee Creer, (second from right), stands ready to award the trophy to the 2016-17 Winner-

-At far right is AYPC founder and director, Stacey Bean-

Payton Justice and Cam Conner

During the Competition intermission, (l. to r.), Payton Justice and Cam Conner, (North Little Rock High), entertained the AYPC audience with songs from the Broadway songbook.