The Script Starts Here: Our Process for Creating Youth-Centered Plays

When it comes to casting middle schoolers in a play, the perfect script can feel like a unicorn—hard to find and even harder to fit. That’s why, at Orlando Family Stage, we don’t just look for the right script. We sometimes build it from the ground up!

Each year, we commission original scripts tailored specifically for our Performance Workshops, where students in grades 3–8 come together to rehearse and perform a brand-new piece of theatre. These plays are built from scratch to reflect the bold imagination, diverse identities, and developing voices of our students.

What Makes a Script Work for a Performance Workshop?

We offer playwrights a unique challenge:

Structural Needs:

• 45-minute runtime
• Accommodates  approximately 20 students
• Rehearsed in eight Saturdays
• Based on OFS’s provided concept
  

Creative Goals:

• Every student gets lines or a meaningful role
• Age-appropriate for grades 3–8
• Reflects OFS values: inclusion, inspiration, creativity, and connection

This isn’t just a writing challenge, it’s an invitation to design a story that feels made-to-measure for our young artists.

Our Process

To meet this need, our education team partners closely with playwrights from the very beginning, sharing key details like student age ranges, ensemble size, rehearsal timeframes, and the technical limits of our black box theatre, so writers know exactly who they’re writing for.

Our team puts out a call for submissions to potential playwrights who return a plot and character summary. The team reviews these submissions and chooses one to develop into a full script. We use a detailed rubric to guide our decision-making. Submissions are evaluated not only for plot and originality, but for cast flexibility, character diversity, developmental appropriateness, and staging feasibility.

A Wickedly Fun Idea

Our most recent commissioned piece, A Wicked Freaky Friday, written by playwright Alexander Hehr, began with this spark:

What happens when rival roommates, Elphaba and Galinda, wake up in each other’s bodies?

In this magical twist on Freaky Friday, a strange soul swap sets off a series of comic and heartfelt mishaps at Shiz University, sparking lessons in empathy, identity, and connection.

When we shared the concept with Alexander, he jumped at the chance.

“Getting to write for grades 3–8 was an absolute joy,” said Alexander. “It felt like connecting back to my roots, writing comedy for my friends in middle school and high school. I think this age group has a limitless imagination and has an easy time grasping fantastical and silly scenarios to bring them to life.”

“I drew a lot from what was funny when I was 12… Freaky Friday was a supernatural teen drama in my opinion, much like Sabrina the Teenage Witch and That’s So Raven, so that genre was a foundation for this script and tone.”

Collaboration is Key

From start to finish, developing a script like A Wicked Freaky Friday is a collaborative effort. Our education team reviews drafts, offering notes to ensure character portrayals are inclusive and empowering. 

“Our goal is to collaborate with the playwright to shape a story that not only sparks imagination but also aligns with the interests, identities, and developmental needs of our student performers,” Bryn Fussell, a member of the OFS Education team, noted. “We may also offer additional guidance around characters or plot ideas…we asked for characters who model kindness and complexity, especially when navigating conflict.”

For example, early in development, we worked closely with Alexander to reshape how other students interact with Elphaba. Our team wanted to avoid outdated tropes or one-dimensional portrayals. The goal isn’t to erase conflict, but to model how it can be nuanced, age-appropriate, and rooted in empathy.

“The parts of the script that received the most feedback revolved around Elphaba,” Alexander explained. “It was a struggle to show conflict between her and the other students without it feeling dark or angry. I had to work on Elphaba’s attitude in the story, shaping her to be a strong and confident person rather than aggressive or standoffish.”

This request is part of our larger commitment to culturally responsive teaching and mental wellness among youth. Scripts commissioned for Orlando Family Stage must support students emotionally and artistically, offering space to build empathy, explore identity, and engage with their peers in brave, creative ways.

Making Space for Every Voice

We know the value of seeing yourself in a story, and of being given the opportunity to help tell it.

“Creating moments for nearly every character or actor to shine within a page limit was an endeavor,” Alexander shared, “but I am so happy with how everything turned out.”

The biggest creative challenges, he said, became the most rewarding.

“The large group scenes… were fun ways to make sure all actors are showcased in a timely and well-paced style. It took a while to develop scenes that moved the story forward and allowed everyone to have their limelight.”

What Do Students Take Away?

What students gain from this experience goes far beyond the final bow. The script needs to create space for students to learn foundational performance skills, like blocking, collaboration, and character development, in just eight weeks of Saturday rehearsals.

Beyond the laughs and hijinks, these original plays encourage deeper learning.

“In A Wicked Freaky Friday, students are invited to explore a powerful “what if” scenario, reimagining an alternate universe or pivotal turning point for the witches,” Bryn shared, “students must dig into character backstories to make thoughtful performance choices. This process is more than just acting; it’s a meaningful exercise in empathy.”

Alexander echoed this sentiment:

“Theater will always be a vital tool for connecting to our community with our stories, even silly ones like mine.”

“I hope the students and audiences find enjoyment in participating and creating live theater,” he added. “Opportunities like this introduce a passion for art and entertainment and remind families how powerful it is to be in the room when a story is unfolding in front of your eyes.”

Why It Matters

Commissioning original works is how we make sure our students are centered in the theatrical process.

“In the end,” said Bryn, “the most rewarding moment is seeing the project performed by the very students it was created for. They’re not just acting in a play; they’re part of something original and imaginative, built specifically with them in mind.”

As Alexander put it best:

“Theater is one of the most magical tools we have to build community—even if the story is a little silly, it can still be powerful.”

Ready to join the cast?

Whether your child is a first-time performer or a budding playwright, there’s a place for them at Orlando Family Stage. Click here to view upcoming Performance Workshops or other classes.

Are you a writer interested in joining our playwright call list?

Email [email protected] to express your interest.