For additional information on DTC's Delaware Young Playwright's Festival, please contact us at dypf@delawaretheatre.org
DELAWARE YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL 2026-2027
THEME: Imagine the possibilities of possibilities. What leaps of faith do we have to take to envision a whole new world? How can trusting what is possible create a new reality? Possibility contains potential - by challenging what is, we can create what will be.
Friday, Sept 25
DYPF Announcement of Theme & Packet Released
Tuesday, Sept 29
DYPF Kickoff Call on Zoom
Friday, November 6
1st Round plays due to DTC
Friday, December 11
DTC returns Round 1 critique to playwrights
Friday, January 8
Competition/Second Round plays due to DTC
Friday, February 5
Finalists plays/Playwrights announced
Saturday, March 6
Workshop 1
Saturday, March 13
Workshop 2
Saturday, March 20
Workshop 3
Monday, April 5
Final rewrites due from finalists to DTC
Thursday, May 13
DYPF Performance
Delaware Theatre Company is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 DYPF Finalists and Honorable Mentions.
2025–2026 Festival Winners
(Listed alphabetically by playwright)
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Lucy Elaine Baker, Voices Beneath the Fog – Sussex Central High School
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Kara Dassel, The Monster and the Cannibal – Charter School of Wilmington
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Josephine DeCaire, Two Worlds - Dos Mundos – Charter School of Wilmington
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Sean Eppehimer, SUNRISE: The French Revolution – Charter School of Wilmington
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Darby Ann Tisdel, Missing Pieces – MOT Charter School
Honorable Mentions
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Sophie Lavoie Boone, Schism – Charter School of Wilmington
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Kris Burns, The Scrap Yard – William Penn High School
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Hayley Eng, Taxicab – Charter School of Wilmington
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Lilly Ranken, No One is Safe – MOT Charter School
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Abby Westmore, Food for Thought – Cape Henlopen High School
Congratulations to these playwrights, and to all who participated in this year's DYPF! Thank you to the teachers and students for your participation in this year's DYPF- we were thrilled with the level of interest and the exciting content of the plays!
The Delaware Young Playwrights Festival is dedicated to amplifying youth voices through the art of playwriting. Through workshops, mentorship, and performance opportunities, the program empowers students to develop their creative expression, strengthen writing skills, and build confidence. It also supports educators by integrating storytelling into Arts and English Language curricula.
2026 DYPF Winners and Instructors
2025 DYPF Winners
Darby Ann Tisdel, Ahshira Wilson, Spencer Camlin, Joe-Christina Werts, Emily Howard
DYPF Honorable Mentions
Paul White, Adrien Kinderman, Aidan Reagan, Elias Olvera, Samuel Obilie Mante
The Delaware Young Playwrights Festival at Delaware Theatre Company helps students develop their voices through playwriting. Through workshops, mentorship, and performance opportunities, the program gives young writers real-world experience and support. DYPF strengthens writing skills, builds confidence, and encourages students to express their ideas clearly and purposefully. We support teachers and students in exploring storytelling and highlight the value of youth perspectives through the process of creating and sharing original work.
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To me, DYPF has given me a voice, a place where I'm not too scared to share my writing.
– Joey-Christina Werts, Cab Calloway School of the Arts
I loved how welcoming and supportive DYPF was for me! Everyone was not only kind but also very relatable, and that's hard to establish in a professional setting sometimes.
– Ahshira Wilson, St. Elizabeth High School
DYPF SPONSORED BY:
DYPF is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.