The Harold G. O’Leary Youth Playwriting Contest gives young playwrights the opportunity to bring their stories to life with a full-length production at Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Each year, a single play will be selected to be performed as part of Oglebay Institute’s summer youth theater program, Parcel Players. Founded in 1967, this long-standing program offers young people interested in theater a chance to act, direct, design sets, work with costumes, lighting and more.
The contest winner will receive a $400 stipend and have their play produced with professional guidance from the Towngate Theatre staff.
Rules and Guidelines:
- Submissions must be received by April 3, 2020.
- Submissions should be original, full-length plays only.
- No screenplays, musicals or adaptations.
- You may not submit more than one play.
- Collaborations by up to two playwrights will be accepted.
- Scripts must be in Standard American Format Style.
- You must submit a PDF or MS Word file of your script. Please keep a hard copy and a backup file.
- Scripts must be typed, pages numbered, and the playwright’s name should appear on the first page.
- Scripts must be presented by the playwright(s) and not by a teacher or parent.
- Submissions will be accepted from students ages 15-25 from the following counties: Ohio (WV), Marshall (WV), Brooke (WV), Hancock (WV), Belmont (OH), Jefferson (OH), Monroe (OH) and Washington (PA).
- Towngate Theatre staff will review submissions and will determine the contest winner. Their decision will be final.
- All playwrights will be notified of the status of their submission via email.
- Scripts that do not meet the above submission guidelines will not be considered.
- Parcel Players actors are made up of students ages 13-22.
- Subject matter and language should be appropriate.
