Ensemble Studio Theatre's Youngblood, a collective of emerging professional playwrights, has announced the group of new members for its 2024-2025 season. Morgan Barnes-Whitehead, Stefani Kuo, Abigail C. Onwunali, Fernando Buzhar Segall, and Matt Shvyrkov will join the collective. 

Now in its 31st year, Youngblood provides artistic guidance, peer support, regular feedback, and a development environment to allow playwrights to hone their skills and explore their craft. The group also provides exposure to the public and the press, professional industry outreach, and opportunities for production and publication.

The new writers will join returning Youngblood members jose sebastian alberdi, Lyndsey Bourne, Brysen Boyd, Libby Carr, Edison Ventura Mata Diaz, K’yana Faulkner-Smith, Dylan Guerra, Justice Hehir, Lily Houghton, Renae Jarrett, Anchuli Felicia King, Nadja Leonhard-Hooper, kaia lyons, Hanna Novak, Charlie Oh, Ife Olujobi, Phanésia Pharel, Audley Puglisi, Nia Akilah Robinson, Eliana Theologides Rodriguez, Holly Settoon, Marissa Joyce Stamps, Graham Techler, Danny Tejera, May Treuhaft-Ali, Susan Yassky, and Celeste Yim. 

Graduating playwrights include Harron Atkins, Ava Geyer, Miz Hashimoto, and Sam Mueller. Recent grads will have their work showcased November 3 at the Youngblood Sunday Brunch, a recurring short play series by the collective's writers. 

“We were blown away by the demand for spots this year—there are so few opportunities for writers at the beginning of their careers, and it's a heartbreaker that we can't work with more of them," program director RJ Tolan said in a statement. "But after processing a record 275 applications, we're so excited to start working with these five incredible writers and can't wait to see what they bring to the group over the next few years." 

Visit EnsembleStudioTheatre.org.