Amplifying the voices of the next generation of writers, artists, activists and global citizens.
OPC TACO TUESDAY WRITE NIGHTS 2026
with Kim Maxwell & Lily Brown
JANUARY 20 | FEBRUARY 17 | MARCH 17 | APRIL 21 | May 19 | June 16
5:30 - 9 PM
226 W OJAI AVE #102
We’re inviting high school students to come eat tacos and write with us! Taco Tuesday Write Nights are OPC's monthly hangout for high school students in Ojai that includes workshops and Q+A’s with OPC professional artists. Drop in for one or come to all six. Each workshop is "Pay What You Can" with only 12 spots available for each date on a first-come-first-serve basis. Email us as soon as possible to claim your spot!
Express yourself.
Learn from professional artists.
Write what you want.
Taco Tuesday Write Nights are designed for high school students in Ojai who are curious about writing, storytelling, and creative expression—no prior experience required.
For more information and to RSVP, email Kim Maxwell at [email protected] or Lily Brown at [email protected]
Taco Tuesday program generously supported by Trudy Frohlich.
OJAI PLAYWRIGHTS CONFERENCE YOUTH WORKSHOP 2026:
SUNDAY, JULY 19 - SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
APPLICATIONS OPEN TUESDAY, MARCH 17
PROGRAM VALUES:
The OPC Youth Workshop is specifically designed to be inclusive and supportive of all experience levels: all are welcome. Our ideal candidate demonstrates commitment to curiosity and community and is available for the full duration of the program. Interest in playwriting specifically is not a requirement and students who may be more inclined toward either writing or performing are encouraged to apply.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW:
July 19 - July 30: Workshop & Performance*
OPC’s Youth Workshop leads 8 high school students (from incoming freshman to recently graduated seniors) through a process of writing, developing, and presenting their own dramatic works under the tutelage of veteran director and writing / acting coach Kim Maxwell and writer, director, performer Lily Brown. Throughout the 10 days, students are also mentored by visiting artists – OPC playwrights, actors, directors, dramaturgs, staff, Youth Workshop alum and more – who guide the students through further writing and acting exercises, lead inspiring Q&As, and offer dramaturgical / editorial support on their work. This process culminates when the young writer-performers take the stage with their raw and uncensored material during a special performance event alongside the OPC Interns and Writers In Residence.
*Workshop runs from 10AM - 4PM daily. Students will be given a full day off on Saturday, July 25th.
July 31 - August 2: OPC New Works Festival
Each Youth Workshop participant receives an OPC Company Pass, allowing them to attend all OPC New Works Festival readings and special events!
Tuition is $1,050 and includes meals during workshop hours; scholarships are available.
IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES:
Applications Open: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Applications Close: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Student Interviews: To be scheduled between June 16 and June 23, 2026
Acceptance & Waitlist Notifications: Tuesday, June 23, 2026*
Non-Refundable Deposit Due: Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Tuition Balance Due: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
*Waitlisted students are not guaranteed admission to the program and will be notified by Wednesday, July 15, 2026 if there is an opportunity to move from the waitlist into the program.
For additional information please contact Kim Maxwell at [email protected] and Lily Brown at [email protected].
KIM MAXWELL, PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Kim Maxwell is a Co-Founder of the Ojai Playwrights Conference, serving as a Board Member since its inception and as Director of its Youth Program for over 25 years. She is a producer, director, writer, dramaturg, teacher, mother, wife, Founder/Principal at Kim Maxwell Studio, and Creator/Producer of The Townies Podcast. Kim is also Co-Founder and served as Co-Artistic Director of Theater 150 for 11 years. Kim’s transformative style of teaching has inspired absolute beginners and professional actors alike. With her compassionate guidance, students undertake the fulfilling and transformative process of discovering, developing, and performing their own stories. From preteens to senior citizens, Kim’s students, over a thousand in number, have gathered in living rooms, theaters, and detention centers throughout Los Angeles and Ventura Counties to share their stories and have their voices heard. Kim received a Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award from the City of Ojai in 2013 and was named the 2018 Visionary of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners.
LILY BROWN, PROGRAM CO-DIRECTOR
A theater rat from rural California, Lily Brown is a Director, Writer, and Meisner-trained Actor whose first narrative short film, Dead Serious, premiered at the Oscar-qualifying New Hampshire Film Festival in 2023. She is in post-production on her sophomore short film titled What To Do When You’re Caught in the Middle of a Wildfire by Noah Lashly, and is in development on an original short film, Stealth (Finalist, Ojai Film Society Young Filmmakers Grant; Quarterfinalist, Filmmatic’s Short Screenplay Awards for Drama). Lily is a Company Member at Pacific Resident Theater and has directed and dramaturged new works, readings, and solo performances in theaters throughout Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. She co-produced a downhome-style storytelling podcast, The Townies Podcast, where selections of these live works can be heard. Lily also serves on the reading committee of the Ojai Playwrights Conference and is the Co-Director of its Youth Workshop. Her work is personal, comedic, and political and centers femme and queer characters from small towns.
