Playwrights Theatre is currently accepting submissions for the 27th Annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest. Plays are accepted in the following divisions: Elementary (grades 4-6), Junior High (grades 7-9), High School (grades 10-12), Rewrites (grades 10-12) and Podstages (Grades 10-12). Interested young playwrights must submit their plays online at http://www.njypf.org/. High School, Rewrites and Podstages entries must be received no later than 11:59pm on Friday, January 8, 2010. Elementary and Junior High School entries must be received no later than 11:59pm on Friday, January 15, 2010. For complete details and submission guidelines, visit http://www.njypf.org, or contact Jim DeVivo, Direction of Education at 973-514-1787 X14 or jdevivo@ptnj.org, or visit the New Jersey Young Playwrights Blog at http://njyoungplaywrights.blogspot.com/

There may be up to three winners in the Elementary, Junior High, and High School divisions; and one winner in the Rewrites and Podstages Division. High School, Rewrites and Podstages winners receive a New Jersey Governor's Award in Arts Education, cosponsored by the New Jersey Arts Education Partnership and the New Jersey Department of Education. Winning playwrights who individually write their play (i.e. without a co-author) may be eligible to receive a scholarship to attend Camp Premiere, the summer theatre program at Premiere Stages. Elementary and Junior High School award recipients will receive Certificates of Achievement.

The Podstages Division is an opportunity for students in grades 10-12 to submit a new script in the format of a radio play. The winner in this division will have a live play reading of the script, and a possible recording on Playwrights Theatre's Podstages website.

Previous New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest winners have gone on to win the National Young Playwrights Contest and have careers as journalists, playwrights and screenwriters.

For over 26 years, the New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest has been deepening the writing experience for young writers by providing entrants with detailed feedback from theatre professionals about their play. For the fourth year in a row, winning plays will be presented as staged readings with professional actors and directors during the New Jersey Young Playwrights Festival, a partnership between Playwrights Theatre and Premiere Stages at Kean University. The Festival is held during school hours so authors and their school communities are able to attend the Festival together. The festival will be held in May 2010. Admission to the readings is free, but reservations are suggested, as seating is limited.