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.