New Voices for the Theater is a statewide playwriting competition that provides an opportunity for Virginia 9th-12th grade students to develop their submitted one-act plays in collaboration with theater professionals and their peers. In the spring SPARC selects six youth playwrights to participate in the two-week New Voices program.

PLAY SUMMARIES

Ooga Ooga and Other Heartfelt Emotions by Amy Bick

This play follows a highly intelligent and outcast Caveboy. To escape his bored and sad life, Caveboy paints on the cave walls. When he does, he is transported into his own imaginary world full of a special unicorn, rainbows, and magic. This world becomes so fulfilling for multiple reasons that it becomes hard to leave. Through all this, Caveboy has made permanent and ancient art. 

Misaligned by Sydney Burke

Misaligned is set in a therapist’s waiting room, where Ezra arrives early and tries to pass the time before a session, they don’t feel ready for. An unexpected presence turns the wait into something more complicated, blurring the line between thought and conversation. With gentle guidance from June, Ezra begins to sit with what’s been left unresolved. The play explores timing, avoidance, and what happens when life moves forward before, you’re ready. 

The Weight of Paper Wings by Morgan Davis

Magnolia Sutton, a senior in high school, is assigned to tutor a terminally ill classmate, Blake Henderson. As they study The Great Gatsby, their relationship deepens and turns into a poignant romance. Maggie begins to neglect her plans and friendships, forcing her to choose between the life she's always planned for and the boy who won't live to see it.

Marion's Prologue by Geremiah De Valle

Luke Ledgerson visits his estranged parents to take care of his ailing father, Kevin. Yet, things go awry when Kevin mistakes Luke for someone else, exposing painful truths. Luke is then faced with a choice: mend his broken family, or spare his sanity? 

The Greige Girl by Finn Fitzgerald

Griege guides us through the memories of her first love with a boy named Crimson. We meet Young Greige through the memories; her soul is bright, yellow, and warm, while Crimson’s soul is a deep red and dim. Despite this difference, the two fall in love. Over time, Crimson begins to fall in love with the brightness and warmth of Young Greige’s soul instead of Young Greige herself.

The Question of Goodness by Rebecca Hatcher

A woman is walking to work when a teenage boy carrying a gun runs into her and gets scared, threatening to shoot. She talks him down, and they end up having a very impactful conversation exploring the concepts of parental love and goodness. In the end, the boy panics and kills the woman, but their conversation changed him forever. 

SPARC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1981 and is one of the nation’s most comprehensive, community-based youth performing arts education organizations. We provide an atmosphere where creative expression flourishes, meaningful connections are built, and individuality is celebrated.