10/23/2026
Congratulations to Hadley O'Bryan ('26) for being announced as a finalist in this year's Roots of the Bluegrass New Play Competition! Winners will be announced at the Kentucky Theatre Festival Nov 20-21!
🎭🏆 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2026 ROOTS OF THE BLUEGRASS FINALISTS! 🏆🎭
The Kentucky Theatre Association is proud to announce the TOP FIVE FINALISTS in each category of the 2026 Roots of the Bluegrass Playwriting Competition!
We received an outstanding number of submissions this year, and our judges were impressed by the creativity, talent, and quality of the work submitted.
The top three finalists in each category have been notified by email, but their final placements will remain a surprise until our awards presentation!
Please join us in congratulating these talented playwrights!
🎭 10-MINUTE PLAY FINALISTS
Alphabetical by playwright’s last name
• Blight — Scott Dossett
• Mules — Frank Farmer
• Stacked Against Her — Teri Foltz
• What Color Is Your String — Jesse Mosley Jr.
• Joy Ride — Walt Pennington
🎭 ONE-ACT PLAY FINALISTS
Alphabetical by playwright’s last name
• Moon Above Benson Valley — Richard Cavendish
• What If I Didn’t — Joshua Collins
• Flannery: Grace Between the Farmhouse and the Chicken Coop — Albert J. DeGiacomo
• The Death of Emily Weatherby — Catherine Morgan Lamsfuss
• Strike Team Echo — Mike Meadors
🎭 FULL-LENGTH PLAY FINALISTS
Alphabetical by playwright’s last name
• ”________” (Eight Underscores) — David Abner
• Basil, a Fool at Large — Frank Farmer
• A Peculiar and Very Shallow Celebration of Life — A.K. Forbes
• Please God Please Bless America — Hadley O’Bryan
• Big Al — Paul Stansbury
🏆 STUDENT MONOLOGUE FINALISTS
• Purest of Hearts — David Abner
• A Friend’s Remorse — Na’tia Ellington
📍 Murray State University | Murray, Kentucky
📅 November 20–21, 2026
🎭 Kentucky Theatre Association State Festival
The top three playwrights in each play category will be recognized during the festival, with the final placements revealed at the awards presentation. First-place winners will receive a $100 prize!
Congratulations to all our finalists, and thank you to every playwright who shared their work with us this year!
