“You Will Be Found” College Essay Writing Challenge—2021

Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary Broadway musical, and its breakout song is the Act One finale, “You Will Be Found.” Evan Hansen is about to find the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in.

During the past year, finding connection has never been more integral to our daily lives, yet it's also required more creativity than ever to maintain it.

The Broadway Education Alliance, the production of Dear Evan Hansen, and Gotham Writers invite 11th-grade and 12th-grade students to write a college-application style essay (no longer than 650-words) that describes how you have managed to ensure those around you were a little less alone in recent months – or, alternatively, a moment where you yourself have found comfort in connection.

Entries will be judged by a panel of writers and theatre professionals. The winner will receive a $10,000 college scholarship from Dear Evan Hansen Lead Producer Stacey Mindich and a free six-week Gotham Writers class. Additional prizes may also be awarded by regional Broadway touring venues across the country.

Details:

• Entries should be 650 words or less.
• Students in 11th or 12th grades are eligible to enter.
• The contest is open to residents of the United States and its territories.
• There is no entry fee.
• Essays should be specific and have a clear narrative.
• Entries will be evaluated on originality, the quality of the writing, narrative, and clarity.
• Entries will be judged by a panel of writers and Broadway theater professionals. Previous contest judges include six-time Tony nominee Chad Beguelin, Little Brown Books for Young Readers editorial director Farrin Jacobs, and Washington Post theater critic Peter Marks.
• Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, April 5^th, 2021.