Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival launches 10th anniversary season with new programs

Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival opened submissions for its 10th annual competition as it marks a decade of serving student writers across Riverside County. The 2026-27 season adds a Legacy Reading Series, a site-specific production of RED SPEEDO and one-on-one coaching from actor and acting coach David Lambert.

Why it matters: - The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival is entering its 10th anniversary season with a bigger slate of opportunities for elementary, middle and high school writers in Riverside County. - The expanded season adds more ways for young playwrights to get professional feedback, public readings and financial support. - The festival’s countywide reach has grown beyond the Coachella Valley, with support from the Riverside County Office of Education.

What happened: - Play submissions opened for the 10th Annual Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival. - Students in Riverside County schools can submit original plays by March 29, 2027. - Selected playwrights will develop their work with professional mentors before public staged readings with professional actors and directors. - Each winning playwright will receive a $500 scholarship.

The details: - The 10th Anniversary Season begins with the new Legacy Reading Series in January 2027. - The series will feature staged readings of established plays and playwrights through the first half of 2027. - PSYPF will announce additional titles, artists and ticket information later. - The season also includes a site-specific production of Lucas Hnath’s RED SPEEDO from April 1–4, 2027. - The RED SPEEDO production will take place in a private home. - The production will serve as a fundraising event for the festival and its programs for young writers. - Additional casting, location and ticket information will be announced. - Actor and acting coach David Lambert will give each winning playwright a complimentary one-on-one session. - Lambert is best known for playing Brandon Foster on The Fosters and recently appeared in the feature film Original Sound. - The sessions are meant to help young writers explore storytelling, performance, character and collaboration.

Between the lines: - The anniversary season shows PSYPF broadening from a single student-play competition into a year-round theater pipeline. - The private-home staging of RED SPEEDO fits the festival’s push to create intimate, unconventional theater experiences while raising money. - The partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education appears central to PSYPF’s effort to identify more student writers across the county. - Founder and Executive Director David Youse said the festival wants students to know their stories matter and deserve to be heard.

What’s next: - PSYPF will roll out more anniversary announcements during the season, including the full Legacy Reading Series, participating artists, special events and additional opportunities for young playwrights. - Students can find submission information and festival details at more information. - PSYPF’s social channels are available on Instagram and Facebook.

The bottom line: - PSYPF is using its 10th anniversary to expand both access and ambition, pairing student play development with new public programming and fundraising events.