The “ONCE UPON A TIME…” Playwriting Contest!

Unleash The Creativity in Your Students!

With the 2025 “ONCE UPON A TIME…” Playwriting contest!

Submit your ideas for ONCE UPON A TIME. This new play is a fun-filled journey through the stories that shape us — from California history to fairytales, myths, legends, and even classic television! Perfect for inspiring young writers and readers, ONCE UPON A TIME celebrates the magic of storytelling through comedy, creativity, and heart. There is no submission limit, so you can submit as many times as you want! No idea too big or too small. You can submit a concept, dialogue, or even the script. The class of the winning playwright will get a free field trip to the show (more details to come)!

Submission Deadline: December 31, 2025

More B Street Playwriting Education

Introduction to Playwriting

This is a single 90-minute workshop designed to inspire and empower students to write their own plays. This workshop takes place in a single classroom, for up to 30 students.
Cost: $275

Playwriting Towards Production – 3 Workshop Series

This is a series of three 90-minute workshops designed to lead students from inspired ideas to completed drafts of original plays. This workshop series takes place in a single classroom, for up to 30 students.
Cost: $800

For Workshops & Residencies booking information please call Greg Alexander at 916-443-5391 ext 117 or send an email to galexander@bstreettheatre.org

Endorsements

Feedback from past winning playwrights:

I’m from Rocklin Elementary and my name is Tamsen Dean. I learned about Egypt. (Since our play was themed for that.) My favorite part was working with Nathaniel or choosing the plots. (Referring to watching their play being performed in front of a live audience) I looked pretty modest about it, but actually felt kind of proud.

I learned how much fun it is to write a play!……I got my idea from my aunt who has a trampoline in her back yard. I thought it would be great fun to jump all the time! Then my legs started to hurt.

When I saw my play performed I felt pride and excitement!……When my friends saw my play performed they said was who their favorite actors were and which play they liked best. They continued to talk about it all day.

It was fun working with the B Street Theater! I have written a story since the play and am considering a job as a journalist when I grow up. Thank you!

I got my idea from reading various classic novels of King Arthur and Robin Hood. When I saw my play performed, I felt happy and proud that so many people came to watch a play that I wrote and laughed at the jokes I made.

I learned to work better in pairs. My favorite part of the process was thinking up our own story. (To the question “What did it feel like watching your play performed?”) It was a really cool experience!

Feedback from teachers:

We so enjoyed all of the performances put on by the Fantasy Theater troupe at Georgetown School. My class of kindergarten students had a front row seat and were spellbound by all that they saw and heard. This was especially true of the Time Machine play, with the wonderful miming to showcase the “old time” silent movies!

I have had the pleasure of seeing Fantasy Theater school performances in the Georgetown/Garden Valley area since the early 90’s, so it was wonderful to have that chance again this year. Keep up the great work!

The B Street performance of Fantasy Festival at St. Mary School was amazing! I know my students really enjoyed it, and so did I :). I was even able to reference some ideas talked about in the plays the next school day. Please continue this program for children…it was amazing to witness the creative writing power of students!

As you know, it is not always easy to keep young children engaged. I was amazed that every one of my young students was paying rapt attention to your show. This excitement carried over to our classroom as well. It was the subject of much discussion and a topic for us to write about in class journals and a shared write activity.

We always look forward to a visit from the B Street Theatre. It is a performance we never want to miss. Our thanks to you and your team from visiting our school and sharing your talents with our young children.

Thank you so much for the wonderful performance at our school, Fairbanks Elementary. Our students always enjoy the performance and are often amazed that the actors can transport them away from the school into these funny plays. I look out at our students during the performance and see students totally absorbed and enjoying every minute of the performance.

In addition, I appreciate that you continue to encourage and honor student writers. I have had more than one student go home and try to write a play. You are doing very important work for our children.
1st grade teacher, Fairbanks Elementary

Wow! Awesome job! It truly kept all the children’s attention and was great fun to watch. Many children have not had that experience and to watch them be so entranced by the play was great. I hope that we are lucky enough to have you return next year. I would highly recommend you anytime.

It keeps the teachers inspired when we see that children are captivated by live performances; yet, rarely get that opportunity.

Thank you again for for your time, hard work and for the opportunity to have our children experience such a well performed production.