Bring Madrika to Life
Design Contests for Sets, Makeup,
and Costumes
Showcase your talent in The Story of Madrika design contest. Whether you’re passionate about stagecraft, makeup artistry, or costume design, this is your chance to share your vision and creativity with the world.
The Story of Madrika Design Challenge
A National Contest for Theatre Arts, Technology, Engineering and other Creative Students who wish to design for a new Musical based on the book.
Unleash your creativity in The Story of Madrika design contests! First-place winners take home a $500 prize, scholarship, or stipend, see their design brought to life in the showcase, join the production team, and shine in our online gallery and social media spotlight. Whether your passion is stagecraft, makeup artistry, or costume design, this is your moment to make magic and share your vision with the world.
The Story of Madrika (the book) has been adapted into a fascinating new musical designed for the Big Stage, Madrika! This contest represents an international opportunity to spotlight unknown designers who can meet the challenge of capturing the MAGIC of MADRIKA. Which category captures your personal magic?
Categories:
Best Set Design
Best Makeup Design
Best Costume Design
Contest Overview
Calling all student designers! We invite talented and interested creative students from colleges, universities, and arts schools to bring the magical world of The Story of Madrika to life. This is your chance to showcase your creativity and have your work seen by industry professionals. Finalists will be featured in our digital or live staged showcase, and winners may have their designs brought to life in the professional production of the new musical based on The Story of Madrika.
About The Story of Madrika
When Madrika, sixteen, loses her beloved grandmother, the only family she has ever known, an incredible, magical journey begins. Everything ordinary (enchanted apple spice muffins, wolf companions with whom she speaks, her extraordinary ability to hear thoughts of others) becomes trivial compared to her gloriously extraordinary new life ahead. Before the first step, Madrika learns there is far more to her than she or anyone in her sleepy little town might have imagined: Madrika is powerfully magical! With wondrous supernatural beings at her side, her real education begins!
Journey along with Madrika, her wolves, and unusual friends as she encounters good and evil. The Story of Madrika describes her metamorphosis as she taps into Love and Destiny to right long-festering wrongs and become The Empoweress. Madrika’s story is a reminder of the magic that sparkles and vibrates in us all.
The Story of Madrika (the book upon which the musical is based) is available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca. The musical’s libretto is available by request by contacting TheStoryofMadrika@gmail.com
Key Dates
- Contest Opens: proposed October 1, 2025
- Submission Deadline: February 28, 2026
- Winners Announced: April 30, 2026
- Showcase (Virtual or Live): 2026 Showcase
Contest Categories
- Best Set Design — Design the world(s) Madrika travels through.
- Best Makeup Design — Create looks for fantastical creatures, Madrika, and her companions.
- Best Costume Design — Design for major characters, including Madrika, the Mentors, the 3-headed dragon, the evil mayor, and the enchanting winged forest nymphs.
Prizes
1st Place (each category):
○ $5000 prize, scholarship, or stipend
○ Design featured in The Story of Madrika showcase
○ Invitation to join the showcase production team
○ Focus of online gallery and social media spotlight● Honorable Mentions:
○ Certificate of Distinction – two maximum $500 prizes(s)
○ Featured in online gallery and social media spotlight
Submission Guidelines
- You must be currently enrolled or recently graduated from an arts or theatre, technical, innovative, engineering, or other program at an arts school, university, or college, or be a participant in extracurricular theatre productions, or in technical/engineering or professional innovation studies.
- Submissions may be individual or team-based (max six students per team).
- You may submit to one or multiple categories.
- Each submission should include:
- Design renderings or sketches, or other depictions (including digital)
- A written or video-recorded concept statement (max 300 words) explaining your artistic choices
- Optional: mood boards, inspiration images, fabric swatches, or models (photographed) – whatever you feel is needed to best represent your designs.
Questions?
Contact us at: TheStoryofMadrika@gmail.com
Claim Your Spot in the
Madrika Design Contest
Ready to bring your creativity to life? Fill out the form below!
Please submit all design submissions via email to TheStoryofMadrika@gmail.com