You probably don’t think that a third-grader can write a play.

Most of them don’t think so either.

But Touchstone’ Theater’s Young Playwrights’ Festival proves that they can.

Because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the 15th Annual Young Playwrights’ Festival will be presented online, 7 p.m. May 9.

Links to the online festival will be posted at noon May 9 on Touchstone’s website: http://www.touchstone.org/

The videos of the plays will be posted on Touchstone Theatre’s YouTube channel.

The students’ plays are being presented as staged readings rather than, as planned, as performances in Baker Theatre, Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University.

But you can still experience the sense of wonder created by students from third grade through high school.

“We don’t just sit down and write,” says Mary Wright, Touchstone Young Playwrights’ Lab Coordinator and Ensemble Member.

“We use traditional theater games, activities and theater improvisation to come up with ideas.

“The kids play with ideas while they are on their feet. We let them know it’s OK to be a little goofy.

“They are drawn in and aren’t aware they are actually doing it, but before they realize it, they are starting to write.

“They will say, ‘I’ve written a play. I didn’t think I could write.’”

The Young Playwrights’ Festival is the culmination of the Young Playwrights’ Lab, an eight-week arts and literacy residency developed by Touchstone and the Bethlehem Area School District, generally done as an after-school program.

This year, 12 programs were scheduled. Nine were completed before the coronavirus shutdown. About 180 students participated.

“Young kids let their imagination run completely wild,” says Wright. “They create incredible worlds and use really deep themes.”

Wright says the most common subjects are overcoming odds, overcoming hardship, the power of friendship, and the importance of family.

“This gives kids a chance to write whatever they want without working towards a test. We try to encourage kids to experiment with ideas.

“Currently, many of them don’t have a chance to do creative writing, and this lets them enjoy the creative process.”

This year, Wright read 130 plays that were considered for presentation. Each was of varying length. The longest was 16 pages. The play can be as short as one page.

Some of the plays will be read live and some are being recorded. In addition to Touchstone Ensemble members, Touchstone affiliates from coast to coast will be participating.

Says Wright, “On the night of the festival I’ll be live, talking to the audience and taking donations.”

In previous years, the Young Playwrights’ Festival was followed by Touchstone’s annual Gala, which raised money through silent auctions and donations. It was held in the art gallery at Zoellner.

Without the Gala and ticket sales (this year’s online event is free), Wright hopes online donations can help will the gap.

“This is a difficult time for people, but I hope that they feel they can give to support next year’s program,” says Wright.

The Young Playwrights’ Festival came about as a side project of Touchstone’s 2005 “Don Quixote Project,” where the story of Quixote was presented at locations throughout Southside Bethlehem.

“Kids at Bethlehem’s Donegan Elementary School wrote their own Don Quixote play, which they performed in the halls of their school. It was wildly successful, and it started us thinking what they could they do next year,” says Wright.

The answer was Young Playwrights’ Lab and Festival.

Plays chosen for this year’s festival are: “Always Start from the Top” by Sean Haas of James Buchanan Elementary; “Trapped in YouTube” by Emerson Espinal, Melissa Rojas and Jael Garcia of Casa Guadalupe Center; “The Radioactive Octopus” by Jayden Velazquez of Donegan Elementary; “Where’s My Icing?” by Skylar Snyder of Farmersville Elementary; “Jack and Jill and the Unknowns” by Esdras Aquino-Gomez of Fountain Hill Elementary; “The Dramatic Tale of the Singer that Can’t Sing” by Ariana ‘Ana’ Stahley of Governor Wolf Elementary; “The Marching Band Prince That Saved the Aliens” by Abrielle Brennan of Nitschmann Middle School; “Pizza Man” by Izzah Freer and Junior Collazo of Sheridan Elementary. and “The Adventures of Charlie & Nesty” by Giana Vetter of Spring Garden Elementary.