(Cincinnati, OH) Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) is pleased to announce the winner of the seventh annual PLAY/write: The Jackie Demaline Regional Collegiate Playwriting Competition. The annual collegiate competition nurtures local aspiring dramatists who are helping to shape the future of American theatre and provides a $2,500 juried cash award to support the early work and career of each winner along with staged professional readings of their scripts.
The winner of this year’s prize is Dinithi Fernando (University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music) for her play Be Patient, My Little Grasshopper, which will receive a full-length professional reading on Sunday, October 19 at 2:00 pm at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati.
The panel of judges would also like to recognize Iris Shipley (CCM) as the runner up for her play Last Call.
About the Competition
The competition commemorates the life and work of writer, critic, and theatre enthusiast Jackie Demaline. A passionate arts advocate, Ms. Demaline served as an important catalyst for change in the theater community and was an entertainment writer and editor for numerous publications. Her legacy lives on through this competition, providing professional development for emerging writers, amplifying new voices and perspectives, and kick-starting arts careers.
About the Play
Be Patient, My Little Grasshopper by Dinithi Fernando is a new dramedy that explores first relationships, identity, and how Sri Lankan culture wrestles with trauma. Lakshani has loved her college experience so far: she’s thriving with new friends, balancing family visits, and dreaming of the future. Then she meets him. Charming, funny, irresistible . . . until he isn’t. What starts as flirtation turns dark as his attention becomes dangerous. Lakshani is caught between her family’s expectations, her own fears, and the terrifying reality of a stalker who won’t let go. Can she confide in her parents? Will she find a way to break free? Or will silence put her—and everyone around her—at risk?
About the Playwright
Dinithi Fernando is currently an acting student at University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. Her credits include playing M in Peerless at the Human Race Theatre, playing Mamillius in The Winter’s Tale at CCM, and writing and acting in this past year’s Transmigration Festival at CCM. She is working towards creating more representation in the industry, raising awareness about different social issues, and telling stories about her culture. Dinithi hopes Be Patient, My Little Grasshopper can raise awareness about stalking, assault, and how Sri Lankan culture deals with trauma.
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2025–2026 Season Presenting Sponsor is the LKC Foundation.
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is supported, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.
The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire our audiences.
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