Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival Opens Submissions for 9th Season, Netflix Writer to Mentor Winners

The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival is accepting submissions for its 9th season, with Netflix writer and producer Greg Cope White serving as this year's professional mentor.

The festival is open to elementary, middle, and high school students enrolled in any Riverside County school. Submissions close March 6, and winners will be announced by March 20. Selected playwrights will work directly with White to develop their scripts, then see their work performed in a public staged reading by professional actors. Each winner also receives a $500 scholarship.

White is a co-executive producer and writer on Netflix's "BOOTS," based on his bestselling memoir "The Pink Marine." His other credits include three Netflix original films and projects developed for HBO, CBS, NBC, Disney, Fox, and Sony.

"Mentorship is how stories survive," White said. "When we invest time, honesty, and encouragement in young writers, we're not just helping them improve a script—we're telling them their voice matters."

The festival will be held in June at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. More information and submission guidelines are available here.