You can be one of the 2025 Playwright Finalists!

ABOUT THE MARTIN-LYSICRATES 2025 PRIZE

You are invited to submit the first 10-12 minutes of a new play for young people aged 12 – 15 years. The play must be able to be performed by no more than 4 actors (actors can perform multiple roles). Actors can include adults and young people.

Following a short-listing process, three scripts are presented to a live and online audience of school students of the relevant age. It is the audience of young people who judge which play is awarded a full commission.

Prizes are awarded as follows:

●       On the day, the most votes from the audience in the theatre plus votes of those watching via live streaming - $3,000 for the winner and $1,000 each for the runners-up.

●       Some weeks later votes are counted from audiences who have watched the recorded performances on our website from all over the world.

●       The combined votes from both 1) and 2) are counted and the overall winner receives a commission worth $12,000 and dramaturgical support to complete the play.

PLAYWRIGHTS: THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

Applications are now open and will close on Wednesday 23rd April 2025 at 5pm.

To submit, please email hello@lysicratesfoundation.org.au with the following information:

Cover page with play title and contact details (name, email, phone number, address).

A synopsis (max. 300 words);

Proposed cast size and character information;

The first 10-12 minutes of your play for young people aged 12 – 15 years (approx. 10-12 pages).

Please note that there should be no identifiable contact details on the actual script itself as the assessment process will be anonymous.

The shortlisted finalists will be announced by the end of May.

TEACHERS: THIS IS HOW YOUR SCHOOL PARTICIPATES

THE MAGIC OF LIVE THEATRE, PLUS THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC VOTE!

Students participate by either attending the live performance, watching the plays in their classroom live by streaming or watching the three videos of the plays through our website. Then, importantly, THEY VOTE.

To register your Expression of Interest for 2025, please email us at: hello@lysicratesfoundation.org.au with your school details and the number of students that will be either attending, watching the live stream or viewing the videos.

THEATRE FOR ALL

WHAT IS THE MARTIN-LYSICRATES PRIZE?

Three new short plays specially written for 11 to 14 year olds compete for the kids’ votes. No sets, few costumes, no frills. Just brilliant actors reading from the original scripts, survivors of a tough selection process. Huge demands made on the kids’ imagination.

THE KIDS’ CHOICE!

Kids rule OK!  The Martin-Lysicrates Prize winner is chosen not by a panel of grown-ups, or an adult expert, but by the votes of the kids themselves.

Three finalists – new short Australian plays specially written for 11- to 14- year-olds.  No elaborate sets or costumes.  Just brilliant actors reading from the original scripts.  So kids have to use their imaginations.   They watch the three plays.  They shout, laugh, stamp their feet, wave their arms.  They make up their own minds which play should win the $15,000 Martin-Lysicrates Prize. 

If they’re watching in the theatre, they then file out and cast their first ever democratic vote.

If they’re watching the event in their classroom, the teacher counts the votes and emails them - they are still part of the overall vote.

If they watch the recording , at the end their teachers email their votes and they are still part of the overall vote!

Theatre + democracy + empowerment + fun = Magic!

Then they go off and write their own plays.  Or poems. Or stories.

And there’s a fabulous teacher’s kit to help teachers prepare for the event.

(And it’s all free).