Five students from North Royalton Middle School have been recognized as winners in the prestigious 48th annual Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival hosted by Dobama Theatre, 2340 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.
Each year, North Royalton Middle School teachers Tim Anderson and Cathy Drescher encourage students in grades 5 through 8 to participate in the festival by writing and submitting original plays. Entries are evaluated by a panel of judges with expertise in writing, theater, arts and education. Plays are judged on imagination, originality, human values and overall playwriting skill.
This year, five North Royalton students were selected as festival winners, an impressive accomplishment among submissions from students across the region. “This was a banner year as we received double the usual number of plays from North Royalton City Schools,” said a representative from the Marilyn Bianchi Kids' Playwriting Festival. “As you can imagine, this made for a wildly difficult judging process, and we’re thrilled that so many local students shared their imaginations with us.”
The honored students and their original plays include:
Eve Kulbanska, Grade 5, The Unexpected Journey
Arav Pandya, Grade 7, The Clock Strikes Murder
Lillyanne Barber, Grade 8, A Normal Day with Noah
Kati Scheff, Grade 8, The Republic of Binary Code
Jacob Stepien, Grade 8, Mirror
These students were recognized by the North Royalton Board of Education and administration at the May 28 regular Board meeting.
In addition to being named winners, two students received the festival’s highest distinction as their plays were selected for live production and performance at Dobama Theatre during the Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival, taking place June 4-7, 2026.
The selected productions are:
Arav Pandya’s The Clock Strikes Murder
Kati Scheff’s The Republic of Binary Code
The recognition highlights the creativity, talent and storytelling abilities of North Royalton Middle School students while showcasing the district’s commitment to the arts and student expression.