THE MARILYN BIANCHI KIDS’ PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL (MBKPF)

Announcing the winners of the 47th ANNUAL MARILYN BIANCHI KIDS’ PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL

Dobama Theatre is thrilled to share that the following plays and playwrights will be honored during this year's Festival:

** Denotes plays that will be presented in the 47th Annual Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival performances at Dobama Theatre June 5, 6, 7, and 8th, 2025.

Abby Janatovich, **THE HIDDEN HEIRLOOM (5th grade, North Royalton Middle School)

Carson Ramsey, THE MAGICAL WORLD (3rd grade, Redwood Elementary)

Diamond Judge, Neema Ramadhani, Rachel Leawon, and Zania Heard, **ALL FOR THE CHEESE (6th grade, Mary M. Bethune School)

Emma Lu, **PRESIDENT AVA (4th grade, Canterbury Elementary)

Evan Mears, **FORMY (12th grade, Shaker Heights High School) 

Hugo Bertin, **CIRCLES AND THE TALKING STICK (1st grade, Canterbury Elementary) 

Jayaira Johnson, MY BROTHER’S KEEPER (12th grade, Shaker Heights High School) 

Jonathon Wysochanski, THE MAN ON THE FOUNTAIN (3rd grade, Heritage Elementary)

Jude Wise, THE LIGHTHOUSE OF SOLITUDE (7th grade, North Royalton Middle School)

Katherine Scheff, ** THE KINGDOM OF THE BEAVERS (7th grade, North Royalton Middle School)

Landon Jeffers, TRICKED (5th grade, North Royalton Middle School)

Nathan Balk, **DREAMSCRAPED (9th grade, homeschool) 

Sophia Corrado, **THE SUSPICIOUS DAME (5th grade, Chagrin Falls Intermediate)

Sophia Petrovic, **THE MAGICIAN’S HAT (8th grade, Ruffing Montessori)

Stanley Mazzei, **FRED’S TIME ON AN ISLAND (8th grade, Stonebrook White Montessori) 

Vivian Smith, IN THE MIDST OF DUSK (8th grade, North Royalton Middle School)

Additionally, the following plays received honorable mention:

ADVENTURES IN THE FRUIT JUNGLE by Cam’ren Murphy, Heidi Stevens, Kameron Powell, Karri Johnson-Scott, Nicholas Douthitt, Jr., Quinell Burch (4th grade, Mary M. Bethune School)

DEATH AT A DINER by August Sumlin, Casey Higgins, Eliana Feldman, Lilly Chaiten, Madeline Adler, Sascha Leiken, Sydney Hicks, Zoe Dent (Laurel Upper School) 

TO BE HONEST by Amaria Moore, Ayanna Blake, Destynee Irizarry, Elliot Lee, Jamiyah Youngs, Mariyah Hill, Scarlett Rose, Ta'Kaurah Cloud, Zyere Ealom (12th grade, Cleveland School of the Arts) 

Thanks and ever thanks to the hundreds of marvelous students who shared their plays with us, the teachers who included the Young Playwrights Program in their curriculum, our fabulous team of Teaching Artists, to Lake Erie Ink, and most especially THANK YOU to all of these judges who made sure every play was read with delight and thoughtfulness:

Abby Jarvis, Aditi Garg, Alejandro Martinez, Alex Minyard, Amy Weaver, Aseem Garg, Autumn Perry, Ben Pollizi, Blanche Valancy, Bri Clark, Bryce E Lewis, Cali Parey, Chennelle Bryant Harris, Christopher Johnston, Colin Anderson, David Blanchard, David Hansen, Elise Kuklinca, Elizabeth Davidson, Ellis Maracchini, Emily Polcyn, Eric Coble, Erin E Dolan, Erin Horan, Erin D Moydell, Erin Williams, Faye Sholitan, Garret Oester, Hannah Storch, Heather Utsler-Smith, Jean Martin, Jonah Raider-Roth, Julia Fisher, Karen Gygli, Kate Atherton, Kate Smith, Katie Booze Mooney, Kierstan Conway, Kristy Cruz, Lauren Lash, Lena Chapin, Lily Warner, Lorna Patterson, Logan Cutler Smith, Lynna Metrisin, Maddy Schwartz, Michael Glavan, Mindy Hermann, Minor Stokes, Rachel Barrera, Rachel Gold, Rachel Zake, Reyna Berry, Riley Ameel, Robby Luchese, Samantha Cocco, Sarah Parr, Shelley Starhurski, Stuart Hoffman, Theo Pavilich, Tim Collingwood, Travis Williams, Zaria Keys

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Since 1979 the MBKPF has been an integral part of Dobama Theatre’s mission to provide educational outreach programming. Our goal is to provide a platform for Northeast Ohio youth to express their thoughts, hopes, dreams, and creativity through the writing of original plays. 

The MBKPF was created in honor of co-founder Marilyn Bianchi after her passing. For over 40 years, the MBKPF has recognized talented playwrights in grades 1-12 and celebrated the creative voices of youth all over Northeast Ohio. Once students submit their original plays, the plays are read and scored, and select scripts are produced on the Dobama stage for the Festival performances in June. 

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

ANY Northeast Ohio student in grades 1-12 can write and submit a short, original play to the MBKPF. It doesn’t matter what kind of school you go to - public, private, charter, homeschool - you are welcome to participate!

Plays must be the original work of the student submitting it. No adaptations or copying situations or characters from movies, TV, books, video games, or other plays.

Submitted plays should be no longer than 10 minutes when read aloud.

The play can be any topic or genre: comedy, drama, mystery, fantasy - wherever your imagination leads you!

Every play will be read and scored by at least three adult judges with experience in writing, theatre arts, and/or education. Scores are awarded on the basis of imagination, originality, and human values as much as playwriting skills.

Between 15 and 22 high-scoring plays are selected as winners every year.

Some of the winning plays will be selected for production on Dobama's stage for the Festival performances in early June every year.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Festival Dates:

7pm Thurs June 5th

7pm Fri June 6th +

7pm Sat June 7th

2pm Sun June 8th

+ The MBKPF Benefit Performance will be the evening of Friday June 6th (tickets $25), where the winners will be invited onstage after the show to be recognized and receive their prizes.

The Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday performances will be free and first come, first served with seating limited.