TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The spotlight was on the next generation of theatre talent on Sunday, June 1, as the Live Theatre Workshop hosted its 6th Annual Young Playwrights of Tucson contest.
With over 40 middle and high school students participating, the event marked a major milestone in a program that’s grown steadily since its founding in 2019.
Started by Amanda Gremel, the Artistic Director of Education at Live Theatre Workshop, the Young Playwrights program was created to give students from 6th to 12th grade the opportunity to not only write original plays but to bring them fully to life on stage.
From scriptwriting to lighting, directing to set design, the students handle every aspect of the production.
“I had this idea of just wanting to give students a chance to show off what I already know they have—their talents as writers, technicians, actors,” Gremel said. “It’s become something more than I ever expected it to be, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Really, I just open the doors and let these students take over the campus.”
This year’s contest featured six student-produced plays, each reflecting the unique voice and vision of its creator.
One standout, First Lemonade by Emmalynn Whitney, an 11th grader at Empire High School, explored the idea of finding hope in difficult times through light comedy.
“You can learn from mistakes and you can learn from those hard times,” Whitney said. “If life gives you lemons, you can just make lemonade.”
The program originally began during the COVID-19 pandemic, operating virtually.
It has since blossomed into a dynamic, in-person workshop with students like Nate Wiley, a junior at Catalina Foothills High School who has been attending the Live Theatre Workshop since he was in second grade. Wiley reflected on how far the Young Playwrights program has come.
"It’s incredible to see how it’s grown," Wiley said. "We started on Zoom, and now there are 40 students this year who are able to learn from this generation of performers and kind of carry that over as the future of theatre in Tucson and beyond.”
Wiley wrote Writer’s Block, a satire about a therapist dating their client’s girlfriend and the calamity that ensues.
Wiley says he enjoys making the audience think differently about normal, everyday experiences, particularly through the use of satire.
Matthew Frankenfield, who directed Writer’s Block and will be attending Pima Community College in the fall, emphasized the collaborative spirit that defines the program.
“Everyone here shares the same genuine passion for theater,” Frankenfield said. “We all kind of have one goal—to put on a show—and it makes it really satisfying and fulfilling to pull it off.”
With summer camps kicking off in June, Live Theatre Workshop plans to continue the momentum. Every week through July will feature a new student-led production, continuing the tradition of education through experience.
For more information on the Young Playwrights program or upcoming camps and shows, visit the Live Theatre Workshop website.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
