Barter Theatre hosted its 25th Annual Young Playwrights Festival Oct. 26, with a special morning performance on Gilliam Stage attended by 459 students, teachersand community members.
This year’s festival featured an impressive 274 original plays written by 387 playwrights representing 15 high schools across Virginia and Tennessee. Since its inception in 2002, the program has welcomed more than 8,400 young writers and produced over 5,700 student plays, continuing Barter’s long tradition of nurturing creativity and amplifying student voices throughout the region.
2026’s first-place winner is "Ponderosity," written by Mollie Cregger from Chilhowie High School, whose teacher is Valerie Booth. The second-place winner is "Clairvoyant," written by Will Duncan from Patrick Henry High School, whose teacher is Michele Duncan. Third place is "The Train Station," written by Jane Hackett from Elizabethton High School, whose teacher is Sara Hardin.
This year’s Honorable Mention plays, presented in no particular order, include "To Catch a Cryptid" by Coy Fridy, Science Hill High School (Teacher: Nancy McDonald); "The Average Medieval Wedding" by Aida Brown and Channing Waldie, Northwood High School (Teacher: David Burns); and "The Witness" by Journey Cross and Morgan Havens, Chilhowie High School (Teacher: Valerie Booth).
The Young Playwrights Festival cultivates and celebrates 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 founder of the Playwright’s Lab at Hollins University. Students then spend seven weeks crafting original works, each receiving 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 theatre and 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 stories, and see their words come to life on stage.
