(Abingdon, VA)—Barter Theatre hosted its 24th Annual Young Playwrights Festival Oct. 27, with a special morning performance on Gilliam Stage attended by 372 students, teachers, and community members.
This year’s festival featured 261 original plays written by 320 playwrights representing 14 high schools across Virginia and Tennessee. Since its inception in 2002, the program has welcomed more than 8,000 young writers and produced over 5,300 student plays, continuing Barter’s long tradition of nurturing creativity and amplifying student voices throughout the region.
2025’s first-place winner is "What the Gorge Looks Like,"writtenby Madelyn Campbell from Science Hill High School, whose teacher is Nancy McDonald. The second-place winner is "Lunatics & Leaders," written by Bella Shumate from Elizabethton High School, whose teacher is Sara Hardin. Third place is "Seeds of Contemplation," written by Will Duncan from Patrick Henry High School, whose teacher is Michele Duncan.
This year’s Honorable Mention plays, presented in no particular order, include "Being Her" by Remi Nolen, Pulaski County High School (Teacher: Brianna Smith); "The Great Giovanni Giuseppe" by Jacob Cooke, Bricen Fryeand Berkley Stewart, Northwood High School (Teacher: David Burns); and "Letters" by Emily Mullins, Daniel Boone High School (Teacher: Jamie Arnold).
The Young Playwrights Festival is designed to cultivate and celebrate the creative voices of high school students while strengthening their writing and storytelling skills. Each year, participating teachers receive playwriting instruction from Todd Ristau, professional playwright and Director of the Playwright’s Lab at Hollins University. Students then spend eight weeks crafting original works, all of which receive individualized feedback from Barter Theatre professionals.
The top three plays are lightly staged by Barter’s professional actors, while the Honorable Mentions receive a staged reading. The winning playwrights are also awarded cash prizes and a mentoring session with a Barter professional, offering invaluable one-on-one time with experts in theaterand playwriting.
For more than two decades, Barter Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival has served as a cornerstone of arts education in the region, inspiring students to find their voices, share their storiesand see their words come to life on stage.
