After all, they do pay our bills. Writing a well constucted theater piece for youth is not childsplay. It must address relevant ideas and values, treat sensitive issues deftly and violence with care. It must entertain but also make a point without being pedagogic, preachy or too long. Humor is paramount.
Lengthy monologues are out.
So are long slow songs and extensive flashbacks. Frequent action and changes of scene are required for shorter attention spans. Sounds like a hit Broadway musical to me. But above all, a work for young people must not talk down to its audience because they can always tell. Kids are tougher than any theater critic.