City Theatre has revealed the winners of the 2025 Young Playwrights Contest, an annual regional competition for grades 7-12.
The five winning writers were chosen from more than 300 submissions, and will have the opportunity to develop their scripts in collaboration with professional theatre artists — a director, dramaturgs, designers, and actors — for productions on City Theatre’s stage.
The Young Playwrights Festival’s public performances will take place October 25-26, 2025.
Winning plays also will be published in City Theatre’s Young Playwrights Anthology.
“These young writers captivated our literary committee with fearless storytelling and emotional depth, and their one-act plays offer unique perspectives of the world around us,” said Katie Trupiano, director of Education & Accessibility for City. “As we launch into our 26th year of producing youth voices, we are excited to continue to nurture these playwrights and provide a platform for their voices.”
The five winning plays in 2025 were:
Echoes of Birthday Laughter by Mary Joyce (eighth grade, Belle Vernon Middle School). Description: The play follows Alex’s quest for birthday perfection in New York City. The big day spirals into a whirlwind of miscommunications, over-the-top expectations, and one unforgettable cupcake showdown. This heartwarming play is a celebration of friendship, self discovery, and the beautiful chaos of growing up.
Bolts and Apologies by Hayden Carr, AJ Montenaro and Oliver Rent (seventh grade, Keystone Oaks Middle School). Description: Meet Trigger 3.0, a grumpy AI from Cy-York City who thinks humans are obsolete — until a mysterious portal sends him spiraling 100 years into the past. Lost in 2025 New York, Trigger stumbles through fast food joints, war memorials, and shocking truths about the people he once mocked.
Chaos and Reason by Tiana Ellis (12th grade, Washington High School). Description: When a charming library encounter with the radiant Ester sparks something new, Parker must navigate anxiety, self-doubt, and the tug-of-war between impulse and logic to find connection in the mess. Equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and deeply relatable, the play is a love letter to overthinkers, awkward moments, and the beautiful struggle of being human.
Rest Their Souls by Basil Lee (11th grade, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12). Description: What if the past could be trimmed away with a pair of scissors? As Chantal and Jobina snip away the faces of their classmates from an old group photo, what begins as petty revenge unfolds into a poignant excavation of memory, identity, and the lives they might have lived.
The Train of Memory by Isabella Blick (12th grade, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12). Description: When anxious dad Jack fails to help his son, Nathan, tie a notoriously tricky scout knot, he’s launched on a surreal, high-speed journey through the foggy tunnels of his own memory — guided by a sharp-tongued, ageless train engineer. As Jack dives into [his own childhood], he must rediscover a skill he thought he’d never need again, all to prove he’s still got what it takes to be a hero in his son’s eyes.
Watch for more details at https://citytheatrecompany.org/.
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