For a decade, the Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival has been giving Riverside County students a stage for their stories. Now, as it celebrates that milestone, the organization is doing something for the adults who helped get it there — and bringing a major new sponsor along for the ride.
Legacy Reading Series
Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival
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An extraordinary lineup of Coachella Valley theater artists joins PSYPF for five months of staged readings.
The Legacy Reading Series brings together some of the most talented actors and directors in the desert, many of whom have generously given their time and talent to our Festival over the years.”— David Youse, Executive Director
PALM SPRINGS, CA, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival (PSYPF) continues the celebration of its historic 10th Anniversary Season with the announcement of its Legacy Reading Series, featuring five acclaimed American plays performed by some of the Coachella Valley’s finest professional actors and directors. The Festival is also proud to welcome Michael Braun and GRIT Development as its newest sponsor, further strengthening the organization’s commitment to nurturing young creative voices throughout Riverside County.
Beginning January 25, 2027, and continuing once a month through May, the Legacy Reading Series will take place at the Desert Playhouse, home of Dezart Performs, located at 605 S. Riverside Drive in Palm Springs.
Each Monday evening will feature an intimate staged reading of a contemporary American play, bringing together an extraordinary collection of local theatrical talent in support of the Festival’s educational mission.
In keeping with the anniversary celebration, tickets are just $10 — $10 for 10 years!
“This is a very special year for us, and I wanted to find a way to celebrate not only the young playwrights who are the heart of our organization, but also the extraordinary theater community that has supported us for the past decade,” said David Youse, Founder and Executive Director of PSYPF. “The Legacy Reading Series brings together some of the most talented actors and directors in the desert, many of whom have generously given their time and talent to our Festival over the years. Five wonderful plays, five Monday nights, and just ten dollars a ticket. It’s our way of celebrating ten years while helping build the next ten.”
2027 Legacy Reading Series
All plays are presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
Monday, January 25 — THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIG
By Wendy Wasserstein | Directed by Keith Hoffman
Monday, February 22 — THE LYONS
By Nicky Silver | Directed by David Youse
Monday, March 29 — SILVER LININGS
By Ted Tally | Directed by Jack Kenny
Monday, April 26 — VANITIES
By Jack Heifner | Directed by Sierra Barrick
Monday, May 17 — SKINTIGHT
By Joshua Harmon | Directed by Craig Wells
All readings begin at 7:00 PM, with doors opening at 6:00 PM.
Tickets are $10 per reading, with all proceeds benefiting the Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival and its mission to encourage, develop and celebrate the next generation of young playwrights throughout Riverside County.
Tickets and additional information: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/palm-springs-young-playwrights-festival-10th-anniversary-legacy-reading-series
PSYPF Welcomes Michael Braun and GRIT Development.
As PSYPF celebrates its first decade, the organization is also delighted to announce Michael Braun and GRIT Development as a new sponsor.
Palm Springs is a city shaped by people who see possibility in what comes next. Michael Braun and GRIT Development have played an important role in the evolution of downtown Palm Springs, helping shape the community through thoughtful real estate development and investment. Now, they are extending that commitment to the next generation of storytellers.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Michael Braun and GRIT Development to the PSYPF family,” said Youse. “Michael and his team have invested so much in the physical development of Palm Springs, and now they’re investing in something equally important — the creativity, confidence and potential of young people in our community. That kind of support means the world to us, especially as we celebrate our tenth anniversary and look toward the future.”
GRIT Development joins a growing community of foundations, businesses and individuals whose generosity makes the Festival’s educational and artistic programming possible.
Celebrating Ten Years of Young Playwrights
For ten years, the Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival has provided elementary, middle and high school students throughout Riverside County with opportunities to develop their original theatrical work under the guidance of professional mentors. Each winning playwright receives a $500 scholarship, professional mentorship and a public staged reading of their work performed by professional actors and directed by established theater professionals. Beginning with the 10th Anniversary Season, winning playwrights will also receive a complimentary one-on-one coaching session with actor David Lambert, known for his work on The Fosters.
The Festival’s continued partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education has been instrumental in expanding its reach beyond the Coachella Valley and connecting with students throughout Riverside County.
“We remain enormously grateful to the Riverside County Office of Education for its continued partnership and belief in our mission,” added Youse. “Our goal has always been to make sure that a young person with a story to tell has an opportunity to be heard, regardless of where they live in Riverside County.”
Play submissions are currently open for the 10th Annual Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival, which will take place June 6, 2027. Students attending schools throughout Riverside County are encouraged to submit their original plays by March 29, 2027.
Acknowledging Our Supporters.
The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival gratefully acknowledges the generosity and continued commitment of its of its supporters, including Anderson Children’s Foundation, Western Wind Foundation, Cherry Lane Alternative, GRIT Development, Jason Smith and Tom Valach, Tom Hartnett and Paul Reid, Steve Hamilton, Eddie Nestlebush and Scott Poland, and Kevin Stotts.
PSYPF also recognizes its valued community partners, including the Riverside County Office of Education, Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs, Palm Springs Cultural Center and Dezart Performs.
Their collective support continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young writers throughout Riverside County.
About the Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival
The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging and developing theatrical creative writing among elementary, middle and high school students throughout Riverside County, California. Through professional mentorship, scholarships, staged readings and opportunities to work with accomplished theater artists, PSYPF helps young playwrights discover their voices and experience the power of seeing their stories brought to to life.
The 2026–2027 season marks the organization’s historic 10th Anniversary. For more information, visit www.psypf.org.
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David Youse
Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival
info@psypf.org
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Why it matters: By pairing a $10 ticket price with a new sponsor like GRIT Development, PSYPF is showing how community investment can sustain arts education for the long haul. The Legacy Reading Series doesn’t just raise funds — it keeps local theater professionals engaged with a mission that has already put hundreds of young writers on stage, and promises to do so for another decade.
