Kendeda Playwriting Competition Archives
Celebrating 20 Years
Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition
For over 20 years, Alliance Theatre has produced the only playwriting competition of its kind in the nation. We are so proud to support the development of emerging playwrights from across the country through this unique program.
Past winners have become some of today’s most exciting writers and playwrights. Explore winners and finalists from previous competitions.
2025/26 Competition
Winner
Beth Hyland, Fires, Ohio, University of California, San Diego
Finalists
Ida Cutler, Moe is a Dick, Yale School of Drama
Ally Merkel, Mira & Dill, NYU
Alex Lin, Barren, The Juilliard School
Xiaoyan Kang, The Words of Ants, University of Iowa
2024/25 Competition
Winner
Milo Cramer, Business Ideas, University of California, San Diego
Finalists
Nurit Chinn, I Love Strangers, Brooklyn College
Stefani Kuo, Final Boarding Call, Yale University, David Geffen School of Drama
Yilong Liu, We Borrowed Brokenness, The Juilliard School
Madison Wetzell, The Lost Ballad of Our Mechanical Ancestors, Brooklyn College
2023/24 Competition
Winner
a.k. payne, Furlough’s Paradise, Yale School of Drama
Finalists
Jake Brasch, The Reservoir, The Juilliard School
David Caruso, Save the Whales, etc., Boston University
Rudi Goblen, littleboylittleman, Yale School of Drama
Lia Romeo, The Agency, The Juilliard School
2022/23 Competition
Winner
Stephen Brown, The Many Wondrous Realities of Jasmine Starr-Kidd, The Juilliard School
Finalists
Adam Ashraf Elsayigh and Arianna Gayle Stucki, Memorial, Brooklyn College
Brittany Fisher, How to Bruise Gracefully, The Juilliard School
Charlie O’Leary, Ridgway, University of Iowa
Jamie Rubenstein, Ruth and Lydia, Hunter College
2021/22 Competition
Winner
Eliana Pipes, Dream Hou$e, Boston University
Finalists
Alanna Coby, Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, New York University
Carlyn Flint, Net of Worth, University of Southern California
Gloria Majule, Culture Shock, Yale University
Kyle J. McCloskey, Where the Lovelight Gleams, UCLA
2020/21 Competition
Winner
Matthew Libby, Data, NYU Tisch
Finalists
Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin, Harpers Ferry 2019, Indiana University
Jessica Huang, Mother of Exiles, Juilliard
Keyanna Khatiblou, 2020: a going away party play, Northwestern
Jay Stull, The Singularity Play, Columbia University
2019/20 Competition
Winner
Steph Del Rosso, 53% Of, University of California San Diego
Finalists
Logan Faust, Unkindness, NYU Tisch
Ava Geyer, Monster, UCSD
Cary J. Simowitz, Djarum Vanilla, UCLA
Inna Tsyrlin, Stitched with a Sickle and a Hammer, Ohio University
2018/19 Competition
Winner
B.J Tindal, Goodnight, Tyler, Northwestern University
Finalists
Karina Billini, Faded: A Calypso, The New School
Mary Lyon Kamitaki, Southernmost, University of Southern California
Marisela Treviño Orta, Shoe, University of Iowa
Samantha Riley, Happy Hour, NYU Tisch School of the Arts
2017/18 Competition
Winner
Alix Sobler, Sheltered, Columbia University
Finalists
Korde A. Tuttle, Graveyard Shift, The New School
Leo McGann, The Honey Trap, Boston University
Tori Sampson, Where Butterflies Go in the Winter, Yale School of Drama
Tearrance Chisholm, Anacostia Street Lions, Juilliard
2016/17 Competition
Winner
Jiréh Holder, Too Heavy for Your Pocket, Yale School of Drama
Finalists
Emily Feldman, Lover in Tableau, University of California San Diego
Lindsey Ferrentino, Moonlight on the Bayou, Yale School of Drama
Ben Fisher, Borealis, University of California San Diego
Mora Harris, Space Girl, Carnegie Mellon
2015/16 Competition
Winner
Eleanor Burgess, Start Down, NYU Dramatic Writing
Finalists
Will Arbery, Confession, Northwestern University
Hilary Bettis, Ghost of Lote Bravo, The Juilliard School
Nina Braddock, Wishbone, NYU Dramatic Writing
Jen Silverman, All the Roads Home, The Juilliard School
2014/15 Competition
Winner
Tsehaye Gesalyn Hébert, The C.A. Lyons Project, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Finalists
Kimberly Barrante, An Alien in Inwood, NYU Dramatic Writing
Michael Yates Crowley, Evanston: A Rare Comedy, The Juilliard School
Emily Dendinger, Pocketful of Sand, University of Iowa
Georgette Kelly, Ballast, Hunter College
2013/14 Competition
Winner
Madhuri Shekar, In Love and Warcraft, University of Southern California
Finalists
Lindsey Ferrentino, Magic Man, Hunter College
Andrew Hinderaker, Colossal, University of Texas at Austin
Jacob Juntunen, In the Shadow of His Language, Ohio University
C. Quintana, Scissoring, Columbia University School of the Arts
2012/13 Competition
Winner
Mike Lew, Bike America, The Juilliard School
Finalists
Janine Nabers, Annie Bosh is Missing, The Juilliard School
Diana Grisanti, River City, University of Texas at Austin
Peter Floyd, Absence, Boston University
Neeley Gossett, Roman Candle Summer, Hollins University
2011/12 Competition
Winner
Meg Miroshnik, The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, Yale School of Drama
Finalists
Bob Bartlett, Whales, Catholic University of America
Timothy J. Guillot, We Fight We Die, Catholic University of America
Alexander Maggio, Lost Cause; University of California, Los Angeles
Ben Snyder, Shoe Story, University of Texas at Austin
2010/11 Competition
Winner
David Mitchell Robinson, Carapace, Ohio University
Finalists
Joe Luis Cedillo, Noche y Mourning, University of Iowa
Will Fancher, The River was Whiskey, Boston University
Shane Sakhrani, The Doctor is Indian, University of Southern California
Martín Zimmerman, White Tie Ball, University of Texas at Austin
2009/10 Competition
Winner
Ismail Khalidi, Tennis in Nablus, NYU-Tisch Dramatic Writing
Finalists
Dana Lynn Formby, The Small of Her Back, Ohio University
Virginia Grise, blu, California Institute of the Arts
Emily Schwend, Splinters, The Juilliard School
Paul David Young, No One But You, The New School for Drama
2008/09 Competition
Winner
Julia Brownell, Smart Cookie, NYU-Tisch Dramatic Writing
Finalists
Randall Colburn, Lamp and Moth, Southern Illinois University–Carbondale
Zayd Dohrn, Sick, The Juilliard School
Sarah Gubbins, Fair Use, Northwestern University
Alex Lewin, The Near East; University of California, San Diego
2007/08 Competition
Winner
Tarell Alvin McCraney, In the Red and Brown Water, Yale School of Drama
Finalists
Merri Biechler, Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver, Ohio University
Bekah Brunstetter, Green, The New School for Drama
Ross Maxwell; Blind, Bleeding, Drugged & Drunk; NYU-Tisch Dramatic Writing
Josh Tobiessen, Election Day; University of California, San Diego
2006/07 Competition
Winner
Darren Canady, False Creeds, NYU-Tisch Dramatic Writing
Finalists
Elizabeth Brandon, girls, Florida State University
Chris Leyva, Solamente Una Vez, University of Iowa
Carson Kreitzer, Flesh and the Desert, University of Texas at Austin
Ruth McKee, The Nightshade Family; University of California, San Diego
2005/06 Competition
Winner
Ken Lin, said Saïd, Yale School of Drama
Finalists
Michael L. Cooper and Hyeyoung Kim, Sunfish, NYU Musical Theatre Writing Program
L.A. Kuemmel, The Monongahela House, Carnegie Mellon
Brian Tucker, Sins of the Father, The Juilliard School
William Whitehurst, He Who Outruns Rainstorms, University of Southern California
2004/05 Competition
Winner
Daphne Greaves, Day of the Kings, The Juilliard School
Finalists
Andrew Barrett, Rainy Days and Mondays, University of Iowa
Marcus Gardley; dance the holy ghost: a play on memory, Yale School of Drama
Megan Gogerty, Love Jerry, University of Texas at Austin
Mat Smart, Hand Foot Arm and Face; University of California, San Diego
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