In partnership for over 30 years with Temple University, multi-generational teams of artists take on selected plays written by middle school and high school students. Bringing the new play development process to life for artists and audiences alike, New Voices is a glimpse at the freshest new plays written by the next generation of great writers, artists, and thinkers.

BILL ONE:
October 28, 30 at 7pm
November 1 at 2pm

“The Painting Game” by Ronan Purcell, Cheltenham High School, 12th Grade

In the satirical comedy The Painting Game, one man struggles with his purpose as an artist in the extravagant and cutthroat world of art.

“The Artist and the Muse” by Jubilee Kleinberg, Greene Street Friends, 8th Grade

If you had to give up your life passion for the ones you love, would you? In The Artist and the Muse, this is the question Juliette and Louis grapple with as they travel through the world of Renaissance art, asking themselves how far they’re willing to go for each other.

“The Garden of Eden” by Avigail Wus, Pennsbury High School, 10th Grade

The Garden of Eden follows Evelyn as she recounts her past memories in a desperate attempt to understand where it all went wrong. Evelyn, through reliving the history of her relationship with Adam, struggles to pinpoint what true love is in a heart-wrenching story of life, loss, and learning how to move on.

BILL TWO:
October 29, November 1 at 7pm
November 2 at 2pm

The Booth by Amare Lamonte Robbins, Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, 12th Grade

In The Booth, the line between your future and your present does not exist. Have some pie, blueberry or cherry?

I Believe You by Cai Dunne, Friends Central, 9th Grade

I Believe You follows 16-year-old Everette who hasn't spoken in two years, making her the target of a vicious game trying to make her scream. As she finds an ally in an unexpected place, this coming-of-age story begs the question: how do you fall in love if you can't love yourself?

A Weed in the Rose Garden, by Samya Joseph, Dobbins Technical, 9th grade

How can you grow into your truest self when the soil around you is depleted? A Weed in a Rose Garden is a poetic piece about discovering gender identity and resisting a society that doesn’t want you to succeed.

I Thought I Was Saved, by Madda Larsen, Academy at Palumbo, 10th grade

I Thought I was Saved is a love letter to all those who struggle with their queerness in the face of religion. Throughout the monologue, the main character wrestles and grapples with the idea of being queer in a community that simply does not accept that. Written in the form of a prayer, this work is a think-piece into the effect of suppression on children, and the fear that comes with fire-and-brimstone christianity.

The Silence that Screamed, by Matab Abdelhalim, Academy at Palumbo, 10th Grade

The Silence That Screams is a poignant meditation on the paralyzing guilt of survival, asking a haunting question: When peace is finally achieved, what is the cost of its quiet, and how does one earn the right to breathe free?

Death’s Door, by Marielle Miller, Cedarbrook Middle School, 8th Grade

Sometimes using your words is harder than you think. Catch a glimpse of a world you didn't know existed, a girl fighting for herself, and a pain we don't realize we cause in Death’s Door.

ABOUT THE PROCESS
Each year, Philadelphia Young Playwrights invites students to submit their plays and monologues to the Annual Playwriting Festival. Plays are considered by the Literary Committee—a collection of nearly 70 program alumni, artists, staff, teachers, and others—who read and write individualized responses to every play. Literary Committee members recommend a number of outstanding plays to be considered for further consideration by two additional groups of readers, Pre-Final Committee and Final Committee. At Final Committee, the panel selects plays and monologues for opportunities such as public productions, one-on-one mentorship, and one-day playwriting retreats. Students whose pieces are selected for production are invited to continue to revise and develop their plays in partnership with theater professionals as part of the rehearsal and performance process.

These shows were selected from over 630 submissions from 30 different schools to be a part of this production! Student playwrights have the opportunity to be present in the rehearsal process, and work with local professional directors and actors to bring their writing from page to stage.

New Voices 2025

Fresh New Plays from the Next Generation of Writers