5th Annual Young Native Storytellers Contest

The 5th Annual Yale Young Native Storyteller’s Contest is sponsored by the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program to support the next generation of Native writers. We invite indigenous writers aged twenty-five years and younger to submit written versions of their plays for consideration. 

Winners of the contest will receive an all-expense paid trip to Yale University as part of the Yale Native Play Festival March 1-5th 2019th, where the winning play will be performed as a staged reading with community and professional actors. Winners will also have the opportunity to be mentored by a professional Native playwright.  

Below, you can find all information for applicants to apply. If you have any further questions, please send us an email at madeline.sayet@yale.edu

Once you review the necessary information, please email your submission to madeline.sayet@yale.edu

Thank you for your creativity and passion! We look forward to reading and seeing you work!

For All Applicants:

Applications are due: December 15th 2019

All submissions must be emailed to madeline.sayet@yale.edu

The playwright must be between the ages of 15 and 25 and identify as indigenous (if the selected writer is under 18 years of age, their parent or guardian will also receive an all-expense paid trip to Yale to accompany them) 

Plays must be original scripts (no more than 120 pages and no less than 50 pages) and written in standard play-script format with one-inch margins, 12 point Times or Courier font, all pages numbered, a title page, and character list. Plays must be in either word or PDF format.  

Front page of script must list:

-      Title of play 

-      Full Name

-      Tribal Affiliation

-      Date of Birth

-      Home Address

-      Email 

-      Phone Number 

*Note: Putting on a play is a collective effort and, as such, the winning playwright will be partnered with a professional Native playwright and/or director to workshop their piece before its staged reading in March.