Young Playwrights Festival
Fostering the next generation of storytellers is a vital contribution ETC can offer to the Santa Barbara community, securing a vibrant future for American theater. The Young Playwrights Festival provides a transformative creative journey, offering emerging writers a supportive and inspiring environment to craft a 10-minute play. These works are then brought to life in a public presentation featuring professional directors and actors. Participation in this enriching program is tuition-free, ensuring accessibility for all aspiring playwrights.
The Young Playwrights Festival will return in 2026.
Saturday, May 10th at 7:00 pm.
No reservations required. This is a free event.
The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street
This year’s Young Playwrights Festival presents three searingly honest and unflinchingly bold new works that explore the complex landscapes of identity, relationships, and the burdens of the past. From fractured families to the cutthroat world of fame, these plays delve into the hidden anxieties and unspoken truths that define a generation grappling with unprecedented challenges.
Whether dealing with social status (Society), toxic relationships (Captive), or the fallout of fame (The Outtakes), these young playwrights offer a powerful and evocative glimpse into the issues that matter most to their generation.
THE YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL 2025
THE 2025 YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
This program is made possible through the generous support of
The Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation
Naomi Farkas‘s darkly comedic and chilling new play, The Outtakes, explores the toxic legacy of child stardom and the desperate measures people take to escape their past.
When a group of former child stars reunites at their abandoned studio, they stumble upon the body of their manipulative former showrunner. As the spotlight of suspicion shines on each of them, the dark secrets of their shared past are unearthed. Trapped by fame and fueled by resentment, they must decide: protect themselves, or protect each other?
The Outtakes is a gripping and provocative thriller about the price of fame, the long shadow of trauma, and the twisted bonds that tie us together.
THE OUTTAKES BIOS
NAOMI FARKAS (Playwright) is a 17-year-old student at Larchmont Charter High School and an aspiring storyteller. In 2024, she won the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Gold Key for her poem Femme Fatalist. They were also given honorable mentions for their works A Play Within A Play (dramatic script) and Perishable Goods (Science Fiction & Fantasy). She was a winner of the Kennedy Center VSA Playwright Discovery Award, one of six students chosen nationally to travel to Washington DC and workshop a short play (Prisoner’s Dilemma) with a professional dramaturg. They’ve had their writing published in multiple places over the years including the online environmental magazine Gaia Lit, Unum e pluribus: An Anthology of Youth Poetry, the Los Angeles Press, the Teen Author Boot Camp Poetry Collection, The Argonaut, and Gia on the Move. They’ve also been working with the Get Lit poetry nonprofit since about 2019 to present and have been on the Get Lit Players team for two years now, a nationally recognized youth poetry troupe. She’s performed poetry in front of schools and as part of LAISTs Prose Bowl, along with renowned poet Olivia Gatwood. They are a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, advocate for mental health, and trauma survivor. They dream of publishing a novel (or multiple) and sharing their stories with whoever is willing to listen. You can find her wandering the aisles of your local library, procrastinating and daydreaming.
Paul Canter (Director) works with students each year at SMHS during their one-act festival, most recently directing his own short play, Before We Begin. As an actor, he was recently seen in UCSB Launch Pad’s professional premiere of Everybody’s Favorite Mothers, originating the dual roles of Jules Manford and Mrs. Cratchit. He also originated the role of Charlie in the premiere of George and Emily Get Married (Theatre Group). Other productions include Lobby Hero (Ensemble Theatre; Independent Award), The Father (Producing Unit), Two Wrongs (Actor Circle), Dinner With Friends (Alcazar Theatre), and The End of Lorraine (NYC). Paul studied acting at CalArts, and Meisner technique with John Parkinson. He plays music with his old timey band The Rusty Mucket Boys, and is a resident artist with Actor Circle.
Jaclynn Cherry (Actor) is excited to be part of the Young Playwrights Festival for the first time. She is an LA-based actor and can be seen performing improv and standup across town. Recent film credits include Catching Claus, Choose Your Own Sketch Show, and Your Half of the Rent. When not on stage or set, she can be found doing taxes (she’s also a CPA), surfing, and playing pickleball.www.jaclynncherry.com
Julie Marchiano (Actor) is delighted to be part of YPF! An actor, writer, and comedian in Los Angeles, Julie has recently been seen onstage with Back Room Shakespeare Project LA, PlayGround LA, and Sacred Fools Theatre Company (Waiting for Waiting for Godot – West Coast Premiere). Before moving to Los Angeles, Julie lived in Chicago for six years, where she wrote and performed in two revues on The Second City’s e.t.c. Resident Stage, and traveled across the country (by land and by sea) with their National Touring Company and Second City Theatricals. She is a regular performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles and is an actor and writer for the award-winning Story Pirates podcast. You may have seen her turning into her parents in a national commercial campaign for Progressive, or caught her brief yet memorable arc on Season 3 of Barry (HBO).
Lauren B. Mosley (Actor) is best known for her role as Rachel Page in the box office film MISSING with Nia Long and Storm Reid. Her credits include an Ambies award-winning thriller, an Apple podcast, and an upcoming television series, LAST KNOWN POSITION with Gina Rodriguez, the hit movie MID 90s with Jonah Hill, and the television series HUSH. She began her acting career at the renowned magnet arts elementary school, Thomas G. Pullen, and has achieved double B.S. degrees in Broadcasting & Public Relations and a Master’s in Fine Arts.
Travers Tobis (Actor) is a fourth-year Theater BFA Acting Major. Travers acted in the LAUNCHPAD Production of Everybody’s Favorite Mothers as Morty Manford, Indecent as Lemml, Art as Serge, and Hay Fever as Simon Bliss. With this reading festival, he’s incredibly excited to work with this wonderful cast, as well as develop a new character and explore important themes.
In Zev Vitanza‘s gripping new play, The Society, a seemingly innocent school festival becomes the battleground for power, manipulation, and a shocking act of violence.
Peyton, the driven student leader, finds her carefully constructed world crumbling when her trusted mentor, Dr. GO, inexplicably turns against her. As her ideas are dismissed, her position is usurped, and the pressure mounts, Peyton spirals towards a breaking point.
Society pulls back the curtain on the dark side of academia, where unchecked ambition and ruthless manipulation can have deadly consequences.
THE SOCIETY BIOS
ZEV VITANZA-MORALES (Playwright) is a 16-year-old sophomore at Blue Ridge Academy. He wrote his first play, Bitter End, for the YPF in 2023. He was also a semi-finalist at the California Young Playwrights Contest, in San Diego. Zev started acting professionally in commercials at age 9 and has starred in a TV pilot and numerous short films. This spring he will be performing in Fairytale Theater, at the Alcazar Theater in Carpinteria. Zev is on the Channel Islands Rowing Team, a member of the Miller YMCA Youth Government delegation and is a member of the Blue Ridge Academy, National Honor Society. His passion for the arts is surpassed only by his interest in social justice. He hopes to find a way to incorporate the two as his life’s work. Zev has one dog, three cats, and a pet duck named Nickel. He looks forward to writing a comedic play this year in hopes of lighting the mood dictated by the current political climate. He would like to thank Brian, Michael, and Amanda here at the YPF for creating a safe space to develop his skills as a playwright.
Matthew Tavianini (Director) is thrilled to be directing for ETC’s Young Playwrights Festival, showcasing the talented young playwrights of tomorrow. For over 23 years, Matthew has served as the managing director/producer/actor with the BOXTALES Theatre Co., A company devoted to bringing myths and folktales from other cultures to elementary school students and family audiences. He graduated from UCSB and the Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory, where he received his MFA in acting. Matthew co-founded the Lit Moon Theatre Company and was recently in Lit Moon’s production of King Lear, which will tour to Yerevan, Armenia, later this year. He also played Torvald in LMTC’s production of A Doll’s House, Caesar in Julius Caesar, Semyonov Pischik in The Cherry Orchard, and Trinculo/Alonso in The Tempest. At SBCC, he played Chris/Inspector in The Play That Goes Wrong, Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express, and Alfie in One Man, Two Guvnors. Other roles include Michal in Genesis West’s production of The Pillowman, Karl in The Last Days of the Empire, Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, Telemachus in BOXTALES’ production of The Odyssey, Joe in The Last Night of Ballyhoo, David in The Rivals, Thurio in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Matt in Wrench, and Bobby in American Buffalo. Matthew teaches acting, Shakespeare, and stage combat, and works as a director/actor for the Santa Barbara Revels and as a director for the Montecito Union School’s 6th grade spring musical. He has enjoyed working at the Westport Playhouse, The Odyssey Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Asolo Theatre, The Theatre Group at SBCC, The Ensemble Theatre, Speaking of Stories, Santa Barbara Shakespeare Co., and City at Peace.
Annette McGuire (Actor) is elated to make her ETC debut at the Young Playwrights Festival! Annette, a Santa Barbara local, has recently completed her first year at NYU Tisch studying Drama at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Favorite credits include John Proctor is the Villain at SBCC THEATRE GROUP, Pippin at RUBICON THEATRE COMPANY, Henry V at RUBICON THEATRE COMPANY, High School Musical at DOS PUEBLOS THEATRE COMPANY, and The Tempest with THE PUBLIC DOMAIN PLAYERS. Upcoming film: “The Golden Hours” directed by Jorrit van der Kooi, premiering May 19th at the Paseo Nuevo Cinema in Downtown SB! Annette has also participated in many short films through the NYU Kanbar Institute of Film and Television. She would like to thank her loving parents and brothers, Ian and Elliot, for their endless guidance and support.
Leslie AnnRenee (Actor) is a board member of the Alcazar Theatre in Carpinteria and the Elite Theatre in Oxnard. She is also one of the founding members of the JestHers, an all-female improv troupe in Ventura. Leslie has performed in and directed numerous plays in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. She is a Sony Pictures/Entertainment Fund Teaching Artist Program graduate and teaches a Storytelling/Improv class at the Alcazar Theatre. It has been 25 years since she has performed at the Ensemble Theater, and she is thrilled to be back. She is honored to be part of the Young Playwrights Festival and work with this group of talented teen playwrights.
Nick Apostolina (Actor) is excited to be a part of ETSB’s Young Playwrights Festival! Regional credits include Mordred in Camelot (Laguna Playhouse/North Coast Rep), Hally in Master Harold…and the Boys (Syracuse Stage), Phil in The Solid Life of Sugar Water (Deaf West), and more. Next month, Nick will be seen in the world premiere of The Baroness at Playhouse on Park. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Taylor, and Big Tex.
Van Riker (Actor) boasts a rich Theater background, hailing from a theatrical family that founded the “Aspen Playhouse”. Notable roles include Kris Kringle in “Miracle on 34th Street” and Mr. Woodhouse in “Emma”. He has performed nationally, with cherished experiences in Neil Simon’s “Rumors” and Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None,” to name a few. Van’s actively engaged with the Theater Committee, has walked the boards of the Alcazar Theater, Garvin Theater, Center Stage, and is now very happy to add The New Vic Theater.
Step into the opulent bridal suite, where champagne bubbles mask simmering resentments. In Fennel Higley‘s compelling play, Captive, a picture-perfect wedding day becomes the stage for a family drama you won’t forget.
As Emily prepares to walk down the aisle, a shocking revelation threatens to destroy everything. Now, the bride must confront her parents’ fractured marriage, her fiancé’s cold pragmatism, and the unsettling possibility that she’s walking into a gilded cage.
Captive is a sharp, funny, and ultimately heartbreaking exploration of love, family, and the price of happily ever after.
CAPTIVE BIOS
FENNEL EMMANUELLE HIGLEY (Playwright) is 16 and is homeschooled. Her writing experience includes a short playwriting course through the Dramatists Guild that concluded with a play reading by professional actors online. Fennel has written a short play for Young Actors Studio, which has had a reading by students and which they plan to produce soon. She has also written a short comedy play for a local scout troop, which they hope to put on in the spring. She enjoys writing and reading poetry with a group, with guest poet laureates who share their poems. Fennel received a Children’s Canon Award and publication for one of her poems a few years ago. One of her hobbies is acting, and she is currently rehearsing for Lysistrata by Aristophanes. She recently enjoyed being Estragon in Waiting for Godot. She has studied acting at various drama schools and enjoyed short courses at RADA and UCLA last year. Fennel continues to study acting at Young Actors Studio and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is working towards a Diploma in Acting. She is also beginning a Diploma in Creative Writing this semester, allowing her to work on short stories and novel writing. She enjoys seeing theatre and some of her favorites have been A Doll’s House at Odyssey Theatre L.A., The House of Bernarda Alba at National Theatre, London, Betrayal at City Garage, Santa Monica, and Richard III at Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Her future ambition is to be an actor and playwright.
Brian Harwell (Director) has been directing and performing in the Santa Barbara area for twenty-five years with Lit Moon Theater Company, Ensemble Theatre Company, Rubicon Theatre Company, SBCC Theater Group, UCSB, Genesis West, Elements Theater, The Producing Unit, Drama Dogs, and numerous other independent projects. He has won SB Independent Awards for his performances in King Lear, The Death of Kings, The Designated Mourner, A Number, Henry VI part iii, Our Town, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, and I Hate Hamlet. This is his third time directing for the Young Playwrights Project.
Leslie AnnRenee (Actor) is a board member of the Alcazar Theatre in Carpinteria and the Elite Theatre in Oxnard. She is also one of the founding members of the JestHers, an all-female improv troupe in Ventura. Leslie has performed in and directed numerous plays in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. She is a Sony Pictures/Entertainment Fund Teaching Artist Program graduate and teaches a Storytelling/Improv class at the Alcazar Theatre. It has been 25 years since she has performed at the Ensemble Theater, and she is thrilled to be back. She is honored to be part of the Young Playwrights Festival and work with this group of talented teen playwrights.
Morgan McDonald (Actor) is an LA-based theater artist. Some of her past works as a performer have included Love’s Labour’s Lost (CalArts), 4.48 Psychosis (UNCC), Crave (UNCC), and Spoon River Anthology (Charlotte Symphony Orchestra). While her main pursuit is acting, Morgan “just likes theater” and continues to find fulfillment in stage managing, writing, directing, and producing. Her recent ASM credits include The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and The Overcoat. She is a graduate of the MFA Acting program at California Institute of the Arts. Shout out to her Mom, Dad, and dog Hobbes.
Nick Enea (Actor) took the scenic route to LA: a BFA from UC Santa Barbara, a few stamps in the passport, and plenty of roles that taught him how to listen louder than he speaks. Nick is a proud member of Arts for Change, a nonprofit touring troupe that brings Holocaust education to schools and the public through the play SURVIVORS by Wendy Kout. He has recently performed at local theaters including La Mirada Theatre and Long Beach Shakespeare, as well as internationally with the Verona Shakespeare Fringe Festival in Italy and Prague Shakespeare Company in the Czech Republic. Nick has an upcoming performance in My Tiger at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. He’s thrilled to rekindle his connection with Santa Barbara’s theater community through Ensemble Theater Company.
Todd Goodlett (Actor) is an actor, playwright, and screenwriter originally from West Texas. He’s appeared in productions of Waiting for Godot, Red Noses, and The Kentucky Cycle at Texas Tech Theater, and more recently in Arsenic and Old Lace and August: Osage County with The Theatre Group at SBCC. As a playwright, Todd’s work has been developed and produced at the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival, Moving Arts Theatre in Los Angeles, Cygnet Theatre in San Diego, and The Landing Theatre in Houston. His writing blends dark humor with emotional depth and has been recognized by PlayPenn and the Bay Area Playwrights Festival.
ETC is seeking union and non-union actors of all ages and types for our Young Playwrights Festival. Auditions will take place on Saturday, April 26, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Each audition will be by appointment on Zoom.
WHAT TO PREPARE
Please prepare 1 or 2 short monologues not more than 3-minutes in total length. You will also be asked to submit a headshot and resume.
REHEARSALS and PERFORMANCE
The first two rehearsals will be on Zoom between May 1 and 9. One final rehearsal will be on stage at The New Vic on Saturday, May 10, between 2 pm and 6 pm. The readings will happen at 7 p.m. Actors will not be expected to memorize the material.
COMPENSATION
If selected to participate, actors will receive a modest honorarium.
CONTACT US
For more information, please contact Director of Education Brian McDonald at 805.965.5400 Ext. 541 or via email at bmcdonald@etcsb.org9
Audition Announcement
ETC is seeking union and non-union actors of all ages and types for our Young Playwrights Festival. Auditions will take place on Saturday, April 26 between 10am and 12noon. Each audition will be by appointment on Zoom.
WHAT TO PREPARE
Please prepare 1 or 2 short monologues not more than 3-minutes in total length. You will also be asked to submit a headshot and resume.
REHEARSALS and PERFORMANCE
The first two rehearsals will take place on Zoom between May 1 and 9. One final rehearsal will be on stage at The New Vic on Saturday, May 10, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The readings will happen that same afternoon at 2 p.m. Actors will not be expected to memorize the material.
COMPENSATION
If selected to participate, actors will receive a modest honorarium.
CONTACT US
For more information, please get in touch with Director of Education Brian McDonald at 805.965.5400 Ext. 541 or via email at bmcdonald@etcsb.org
The 2025 Young Playwrights Festival
Students who complete the Young Playwright Festival program will receive multiple and varied opportunities to develop their creativity and gain artistic skills. Phase One includes 2 hours a week of classroom instruction focusing on the fundamentals of playwriting, the evolution of playwriting in American theater, and essential principles of drama. Students will engage in writing exercises, theater games, and creative exploration. At the completion of this first phase, students will have completed a rough draft of a 10-minute play. Phase Two provides one-on-one guidance from a professional playwright to help students during the revision process. Phase Three gives students the opportunity to collaborate with a professional theater director to cast and produce staged readings of the plays for the public. After each play is performed the playwright participates in an on-stage Q&A session with the audience.
Throughout the YPF program, students will:
- Learn the basic principles of dramatic composition for live stage performance
- Execute a range of assigned playwriting exercises considered essential to drama
- Compose original scenes and 10-minute plays
- Develop knowledge of dramatic literature and theory and discuss sample plays by experienced writers
- Create characters through dialogue, action and objectives
- Understand the concepts of Exposition, Rhythm, and Dramatic Tension
- Research, gather, and synthesize information from a variety of sources and present it in a structured, coherent manner, both in writing and orally
- Learn how to effectively communicate creative ideas
- Develop the ability to critique and analyze a variety of peer-generated writing, and the ability to receive and synthesize critiques of their own writing from peers and faculty
- Develop collaborative skills with peers and other professional theatre artists
APPLICATION PROCESS
Sunday, December 11, 2024 Application Deadline
Sunday, December 20, 2024 Applicants Notified of Results
PHASE ONE: Class Time
(Held in-person and on Zoom)
Saturday January 11 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
Saturday January 18 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
Saturday January 25 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
Saturday February 1 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
Saturday February 8 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
Saturday February 15 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
Saturday February 22 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
Saturday March 1 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
Saturday March 8 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
Saturday March 15 10:00 AM 12:00 PM
DEADLINE March 15: Completed First Draft
PHASE TWO: Mentors meet with students in April.
Students engage in private one-on-one coaching sessions with their assigned mentor. These sessions occur each week at a mutually agreed-upon time and can happen in person, over the phone, or via video conference.
DEADLINE April 20: Final Draft for Actors and Directors
PHASE THREE: Casting, Rehearsals and Public Readings
Saturday, April 26, from 10 am – 4 pm Casting Session at The New Vic
Students will engage in the audition process with the directors and cast their plays.
Monday, April 28 – Friday, May 9 Rehearsals
During this period, rehearsals with the director, actors, stage manager, and playwright occur over Zoom. The exact days and times are yet to be determined, but they are held after school and into the evening. Each play will have two rehearsals that usually run about two hours each.
Saturday, May 10, 2025: Final Rehearsal and Performance Day
10:00 am – 5:30 pm Rehearsal on stage; each play will be assigned a 1-hour time slot.
7:00 pm Festival Begins / Post-Show Reception in the New Vic Courtyard
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
- YPF is a tuition-free education program.
- There is no cost to apply.
- Applications must be received by Sunday, December 11, 2024.
- Applicants must be ages 14-19.
- This program is limited to 10 participants.
- All applicants will be notified by December 20, 2024.