What is it?

Twin Beach Players hosts a playwriting competition that is open to all school-age children in the state of Maryland. To involve as many young playwrights as possible, all submitted scripts will be judged and scored. The top scoring plays will be invited to be performed at the festival in music stand readings. KPF18 will take place over one weekend in August 2024. There will be one evening of high school age plays, one evening of middle school age plays, and one afternoon of elementary school age plays. Three judges will award first ($75), second ($50), and third place ($25) prizes with a final prize going to the audience favorite ($75) nightly. The total number of festival readings will depend on the length of the highest scoring submissions and each night will include approximately 2 hours of plays.

Teachers interested in using this competition as part of their class should register as a “Teacher” and identify the Maryland county in which they teach.

How do I enter?

Any Maryland school-age child must register online to participate in the Festival. Once you register, you will receive a template via email to use to create, then submit your play via email to: kpf@twinbeachplayers.com. Click here to register.

 What are the submission guidelines?

  1. All playwrights must register online to receive the template. Submissions that do not use the template will not be accepted or included in the Festival.

  2. Name, grade, address, phone number, and title must also be on the outside title page only.  Pages of play should be numbered and include the name of play only.  

  3. Playwrights may submit one play.

  4. Play must be the original work of the student(s) submitting it. Adults may give advice on general terms about dramatic form, but all action, characters, and dialogue must be solely the work of the student submitting the script.

  5. If you are collaborating with other school age children on this play, please list their names and ages on the registration form and the cover of the script. Playwrights may collaborate with up to two playwrights. Any prize money will be split evenly between all playwrights. All playwrights must be between the ages of 6 and 19.

  6. Festival is limited to non-musical plays. Otherwise plays may be of any kind (comedy, drama, science fiction, mystery, fantasy, etc.) on any subject, and in any number of scenes. 

  7. Plays must be between 5 and 15 pages.

  8. All plays must be submitted via email to kpf@twinbeachplayers.com by May 12, 2024. 

  9. Festival is open to all Maryland State students, public, private, and home-schooled. 

  10. Each play will be performed in a “music stand” reading by actors that work with Twin Beach Players. Performances will take place on August 9, 10, and 11, 2024.

How will my play be judged?

  1. Is the story interesting?
  2. Are the characters consistent throughout the play?
  3. Is the dialogue believable?
  4. Is there a clear conflict?
  5. Is the conflict resolved?

Show Dates

Please come out and be a part of this wonderful kids’ program or show your support for these talented kids by attending a show!

  • Friday, August 9:  7 pm
  • Saturday, August 10:  7 pm
  • Sunday, August 11:  3 pm