(L to R) Mary Learned (MJ), Addie Scoggins
Memphis Play Slam! is a 10-Minute Young Playwrights Competition and Festival hosted in partnership with International Paper through the American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE). This year’s theme — “What Hope Looks Like” — invited young writers from area schools to submit an original 10-minute script for a play tied to the theme. All entries were adjudicated by a panel of judges that consisted of local writers and directors along with the Memphis Play Slam! coordinators, Playhouse on the Square (POTS) staff, and associate and resident company members.
Addie Scoggins, an eighth grader from White Station Middle School, won the 2021 Play Slam! for the Middle School Division. Her play, titled “Hope is Awake,” is a fictional story. “It just came from my imagination, although there are so many kids and adults who struggle with all types of cancers,” says Addie. “Winning this competition shows me that I am a better writer than I think sometimes, and that I can't doubt myself when I'm writing something I may not think is very good. If you are thinking about entering the playwright competition, go for it! I had so much fun writing my play, and it is also amazing to read other peoples’ plays.”
Mary Learned (MJ), a junior in high school at First Assembly Christian School (FACS), won the 2021 Play Slam! for the High School Division. Her script, titled “Arm in Arm,” is based on true life experiences. “My inspiration for this script was based on a real-life experience I had,” MJ says. “I was buying hair dye at Sally Beauty and a lady came up to me and started talking to me because she saw the scars on my arms. When we were leaving, she gave me her business card with her number on it and it is still in my glovebox today."
“I love to write anything from scripts to poetry,” MJ continues. “I love theater as well and have been involved in theatre since the sixth grade. My advice for anyone wanting to participate in this competition is to write a script you’re passionate about. Being vulnerable in your work is a huge part of the process, and keep writing no matter what.
“To me, this win means that those who read my work are receiving it well and resonating with it. It isn’t just about winning so much as sharing a story with people.”
Playhouse on the Square will be represented by Addie and MJ’s plays in the Young Playwrights for Change competition during AATE National Conference in Providence, Rhode Island, July 28-31, 2022. Also, the top 5 finalists from each division will receive a public staged reading of their script by local area actors at Playhouse on the Square on May 13-15, 2022.
The finalists for the Middle School Division are:
The Adoption - Sri Sai Sahasra Thota, White Station Middle School
A New Journey - Kaelin Hawkins, Fayette Academy
The Perfect Start - Audrey Williams, Fayette Academy
That Magical Thing Called Hope - Lucy Gibson, Homeschooled
Honorable Mention: What Hope Looks Like - Logan Weber, Fayette Academy
The finalists for the High School Division are:
Desiderium - Carter Yeargan, Houston High School
Game of Tomorrow - Kourtney Smith, Germantown High School
Hope like Falling Snow - Israel Rusch, Homeschooled
Looks Like Me - Hannah Kate Lewis, Valley View High School
Runner Up: The Necklace - Maribel Villarreal, T-STEM Academy East High School
For more information on Play Slam!, visit playhouseonthesquare.org/play-slam/.
For more information regarding the Playwrights for Change competition, visit AATE at aate.com.