In the 2022/23 theatre season, we invited young theatre lovers and playwriting enthusiasts aged 15 to 18 to write a short play entitled Who Do I Want to Be on the Stage of the World? We were keen to hear young people’s views on everyone, and especially themselves, as they are about to enter the stage of the world. What is happening on that stage? What should the stage of the world be like and what kind of play should it present? What do they stand for, and is anyone listening? What is it they want to change and how can they go about it?

For many years, the Teen writing competition has been the voice of young playwrights who have been mastering their craft at the SNT Drama Ljubljana as part of Young Drama. Their plays address the topics they find relatable and show how they experience the world through their eyes. They are often based on the experiences or summarise the life challenges of their peers but can also reflect their own experiences and thoughts.

The stage reading of Who Do I Want to Be on the Stage of the World? based on the winning texts of this year’s competition, will be produced by the students of the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television assisted by the staff of the SNT Drama, who have devised and run the Teen writing competition. The presentation of shortlisted playscripts will take place on the Small Stage on Friday, 24 March at 18.00.