41 Opportunities · Residencies · Fellowships · Competitions · Festivals · Development · Grants · Prizes
MARCH 2026 DEADLINES
Millay Arts — Core Playwriting Residency
▸ RESIDENCY | Writing | Hudson Valley, NY
Deadline: March 1, 2026 | Fee: $45
A fully funded residency at the historic estate of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Playwrights receive private studio space, housing, and meals in a secluded Hudson Valley environment. Selection by blind jury. Ideal for major new drafts or deep revisions of full-length work.
Website: https://www.millayarts.org
Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts — Artist Residency
▸ RESIDENCY | Interdisciplinary | Nebraska City, NE
Deadline: March 1, 2026 | Fee: None
Two- to eight-week residencies for artists across disciplines, including playwrights. Residents receive housing, private studio space, and a weekly stipend of $175. Process-oriented and low-pressure, ideal for early-stage project development and experimentation.
Website: https://www.kimmelhardingnelson.org
A Call to Conscience — Social Justice Shorts Festival
▸ FESTIVAL | 10-Minute Play | St. Louis, MO
Deadline: March 1, 2026 | Fee: None
Seeks unpublished 10-minute plays and monologues addressing social justice themes including racial justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, healthcare, economic justice, immigrant/refugee justice, and reproductive rights. Plays must feature one to three actors; simple staging preferred. Festival runs June 4–7, 2026. National submissions welcome.
Website: https://www.socialjusticeshorts.org
Studio Players 10-Minute Play Festival
▸ FESTIVAL | 10-Minute Play | Lexington, KY
Deadline: March 1, 2026 | Fee: None
Open to any playwright; monologues and one-person plays accepted. One submission per playwright. Selected works receive a production and a $250 prize. One of the more open-door 10-minute festivals in the country for writers looking to add a production credit with minimal gatekeeping.
Website: https://www.studioplayers.org/play-festival
The Old Opera House — New Voice Play Festival
▸ FESTIVAL | 15–40 Minute Play | Charles Town, WV
Deadline: March 1, 2026 | Fee: $0–$10 (sliding scale)
Seeks non-musical works of 15 to 40 minutes. No specific theme; prefers works without gratuitous adult content. Prize: $250 for winning play. A good mid-length festival slot for one-acts and short plays that don't fit the standard 10-minute format. Produced in a historic opera house venue.
Website: https://www.oldoperahouse.org/new-voice-play-festival
Prairie Ronde Artist Residency
▸ RESIDENCY | Writing | Vicksburg, MI
Deadline: March 2, 2026 | Fee: None
Located in a renovated paper mill in Vicksburg, Michigan, Prairie Ronde offers five- to six-week residencies with a stipend and travel support. Encourages engagement with place, history, and community. Well-suited for research-driven, site-responsive, and documentary-based work.
Website: https://prairierondeartistresidency.com
Cherry Lane Theatre — Playwrights Collective
▸ DEVELOPMENT | Year-Long Program | New York, NY
Deadline: March 2, 2026 | Fee: None
A year-long cohort for New York–based playwrights developing full-length works, led by playwright Annie Baker. Participants receive dramaturgical support, workshop readings, and mentorship. Among the most coveted development slots in American theatre for writers seeking deep institutional support and peer community.
Website: https://www.cherrylane.org
Anaconda Ensemble Theatre — Groundwork Reading Series
▸ READING SERIES | All Lengths | Montana
Deadline: March 2, 2026 | Fee: None
A community-based professional reading series presenting work in non-traditional venues — coffee shops, bars, hotels, and restaurants. Emphasizes affordability and accessibility. Selections announced March 30; playwrights given one week to confirm. A stipend is offered for selected work.
Website: https://anacondaensembletheatre.com
NXTHVN Studio Fellowship
▸ FELLOWSHIP | Interdisciplinary | New Haven, CT
Deadline: March 2, 2026 | Fee: None
A ten-month fellowship providing a stipend, subsidized housing, studio space, and professional development. Supports artists working across disciplines, including playwrights whose work intersects with performance, visual art, and community engagement. Strong fit for writers whose practice crosses genre boundaries.
Website: https://www.nxthvn.com/fellowship
Capital Stage — Playwrights' Revolution
▸ COMPETITION | Full-Length | Sacramento, CA
Deadline: March 6, 2026 | Fee: Max 350 submissions
Annual new play festival supporting full-length, unproduced plays through professional staged readings and audience Q&A. Four to six finalists receive one-night-only staged readings in July 2026. Open to local, national, and international playwrights. Competition fills quickly — submit early.
Website: https://capstage.org/playwrights-revolution
Scribe Playwriting Competition
▸ COMPETITION | Full-Length & Short Plays | International
Deadline: March 7, 2026 | Fee: $10.99–$14.99
An international playwriting competition open to writers worldwide, accepting plays and musicals of all lengths. Evaluated for originality, dramatic craft, and artistic vision. Winners and finalists often receive publication, staged readings, and formal recognition. An accessible entry point for playwrights seeking international exposure and credential-building.
Website: https://scribeplaywriting.weebly.com
McLaren Memorial Comedy Playwriting Competition
▸ COMPETITION | Comedy, Full-Length | Midland, TX
Deadline: March 12, 2026 | Fee: None
Focuses on unproduced comedy plays. Selected finalists receive staged readings at the McLaren Comedy Festival, allowing playwrights to hear their work before live audiences and receive direct feedback. A valuable showcase for writers working in comic modes — an underserved genre in theatre development.
Website: https://mctmidland.org/mclaren-festival
Greenberg Playwright Competition — Alley Theatre Company
▸ COMPETITION | Short & Full-Length | Blind Adjudication
Deadline: March 15, 2026 | Fee: None
Annual competition accepting both short and full-length original plays, evaluated blind. Winners receive recognition, potential staged readings, and connection to a community theatre network committed to new work. Rights remain with the playwright. Strong track record of discovering emerging voices.
Website: http://www.thealleytheatre.com/the-greenberg-playwright-competition
Centre Stage — New Play Festival
▸ FESTIVAL | Full-Length & One-Act (up to 120 pages) | Greenville, SC
Deadline: March 15, 2026 | Fee: None
Accepts one-act and full-length plays up to 120 pages. International submissions welcome. Selected works receive professional readings and audience engagement in Greenville's established professional theatre. A solid Southeast regional opportunity for writers seeking production exposure outside major urban markets.
Website: https://centrestage.org/get-involved/new-play-festival/
T. Schreiber Studio & Theatre — 10-Minute Play Festival (Theme: "In The End")
▸ FESTIVAL | 10-Minute Play | New York, NY
Deadline: March 15, 2026 | Fee: $5
Seeks 10-minute plays on the theme "In The End." Selected playwrights receive a $75 stipend and a produced reading in a New York City theatre. Operated by the well-regarded T. Schreiber Studio. A direct entry point for short work into the NYC festival circuit, with a clear thematic directive that rewards focused writing.
Website: https://tschreiber.org/productions/submit-writing/
Alleyway Theatre — Mazumdar New Play Award
▸ COMPETITION | Full-Length | Buffalo, NY
Deadline: March 15, 2026 | Fee: None
Accepts full-length plays and musicals of any style or content, including international submissions. Plays must be production-ready. Cash prize awarded to the winner. Alleyway has a long track record of supporting new work and serves as a professional development destination for writers moving work toward production. One of the more open-door full-length competitions in the country.
Website: https://www.alleyway.com/alleyworks/mazumdar/opportunity
Edward F. Albee Foundation — Playwright Residency
▸ RESIDENCY | Writing | Montauk, NY
Deadline: March 16, 2026 | Fee: None
The Albee Foundation offers residencies at "The Barn" in Montauk, providing playwrights with private rooms and studio space. Prioritizes solitude and concentrated work time; selection based on artistic need. One of the most prestigious residencies in American theatre, carrying the legacy of one of the country's defining dramatists.
Website: https://www.albeefoundation.org
Princess Grace Playwriting Fellowship
▸ FELLOWSHIP | Early-Career | New York, NY
Deadline: March 16, 2026 | Fee: None
Awards a $15,000 unrestricted cash grant to an early-career U.S. playwright along with a residency at New Dramatists in New York City. Supports emerging writers of exceptional promise. One of the most significant early-career awards in American playwriting — widely regarded as a major career accelerant.
Website: https://newdramatists.org/princess-grace-awards-playwriting-fellowship
Papatango New Writing Prize
▸ COMPETITION | Full-Length | London, UK (International submissions accepted)
Deadline: March 16, 2026 | Fee: None
One of the UK's most important new play prizes, significantly expanded for 2026. The winner receives a full premiere production co-produced with Park Theatre (Park200 stage, autumn 2027), an £8,000 commission, royalties, and publication with Nick Hern Books. A second award — the Papatango Prize Discovery — provides another £8,000 commission and a bespoke development pathway. Three additional shortlisted writers receive cash awards and a year-long development group. Uniquely, every entrant receives written feedback. Open to playwrights worldwide.
Website: https://papatango.co.uk/new-writing-prize/
Parity Productions Development Award
▸ DEVELOPMENT AWARD | Full-Length | New York, NY (Women, trans & gender-expansive/intersex playwrights only)
Deadline: March 16, 2026 (or first 150 scripts received) | Fee: None
Two awards of $2,500 each — one to a woman (cis or trans) playwright and one to a trans, gender-expansive, or intersex playwright. Selected writers receive a private closed-door reading with Parity's team, at least one public reading, and an option for Parity Productions to produce the work. Full-length plays only; must be unproduced professionally and not a musical. Reads all eligible scripts without judgment based on education or age.
Website: https://parityproductions.org/apply-for-the-development-award
"Unique New York" Short Play Festival — The Players Theatre
▸ FESTIVAL | Short Play (15 min. or less) | New York, NY
Deadline: March 25, 2026 | Fee: None
Seeking short plays and musicals centered on New York City — its spirit, contradictions, and character. Writers may submit up to two plays. Selected works produced over three weekends in June 2026 at the Steve & Marie Sgouros Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street. No screenplays or monologues.
Website: https://www.theplayerstheatre.com
FUSION Theatre Company — The Seven (Theme: "The Heart of the Matter")
▸ FESTIVAL | Short Play (max 10 pages) | Albuquerque, NM
Deadline: March 29, 2026 | Fee: $5
Annual short play festival themed "The Heart of the Matter." Any genre; musicals accepted. International submissions welcome. Seven plays selected for full production in Albuquerque. FUSION is a well-established new works company with an accessible selection process. A strong fit for tight, thematically focused short work.
Website: https://www.fusionnm.org/the-seven-2026
Vermont Studio Center — Artist & Writers Residency
▸ RESIDENCY | Writing | Johnson, VT
Deadline: March 31, 2026 | Fee: Application fee (fee waivers available)
Two- to four-week residencies for writers and visual artists, providing private studios, housing, meals, and access to a large international creative community. Financial aid and fee waiver programs available. A strong option for writers who benefit from cross-disciplinary exposure and community.
Website: https://vermontstudiocenter.org
Black Men Talk Play Festival
▸ FESTIVAL | 10-Minute Play | Black Male Playwrights
Deadline: March 31, 2026 | Fee: —
Dedicated exclusively to showcasing the work of Black male playwrights. Selected plays receive full performances in a multi-night festival run before culturally engaged audiences. Serves as both a visibility platform and a community-building initiative, offering a professional production credit and connection with other Black theatre artists.
Website: https://www.blackmentalkplayfestival.com
Central PA Playwriting Festival
▸ FESTIVAL | Full-Length & Short Plays | Pennsylvania
Deadline: March 31, 2026 | Fee: —
Celebrates new theatrical work through staged performances in central Pennsylvania. Selected via blind evaluation. Valuable for building production history and reaching live audiences — both for emerging and mid-career writers.
Website: https://centralpatheatre.com
Teatro Salón Reading Series — Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center
▸ READING SERIES | Full-Length & Short Plays | Texas
Deadline: March 31, 2026 | Fee: —
A culturally rooted reading series providing developmental dramaturgy, community engagement, and staged readings within a respected arts center. Excellent for cultural theatre work and future production pathways, with strong community interaction and access to engaged audiences.
Website: https://guadalupeculturalarts.org
ShowLAB — New Play Competition
▸ COMPETITION | Full-Length | Los Angeles, CA
Deadline: March 31, 2026 | Fee: —
Focused on full-length plays emphasizing theatricality and originality. The winning play receives a full professional production in Los Angeles along with dramaturgical development support and a cash prize. Valuable for playwrights seeking a West Coast production credit and exposure to LA theatre audiences.
Website: https://www.showlab.la
Grief Dialogues — Our Loving Companions Immersive Theatre
▸ PRODUCTION OPPORTUNITY | Short Play (3–10 min.) | San Francisco, CA
Deadline: March 31, 2026 (or first 100 submissions) | Fee: None to submit; $100 licensing fee if selected for SF run
An immersive theatre project exploring the bond between humans and animal companions. Seeking monologues, two-handers, or small ensemble works — autobiographical or fictional — that honor love, routine, humor, and the ways animals shape our lives. Selected works may be presented at The Marsh Theatre in October 2026.
Website: https://griefdialoguesstories.com/share-your-story
Theatre Southwest — Festival of Originals
▸ FESTIVAL | One-Act (approx. 20 min.) | Houston, TX
Deadline: March 31, 2026 | Fee: None
Accepts one-act plays of approximately 20 minutes, any genre, unpublished and previously unproduced in the Houston area. International submissions accepted. Selected plays receive full production. Theatre Southwest has a long history with this festival and provides a solid production opportunity in the Texas Gulf Coast market.
Website: https://tswhouston.com/festival-of-originals
APRIL 2026 DEADLINES
Playwrights for Change — AATE Adult Playwright Competition
▸ COMPETITION | 10-Minute Play | Theme-Based, National
Deadline: April 1, 2026 | Fee: None
Sponsored by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. 2026 theme: "Widening Our Circle of Compassion." Seeks short plays suitable for young audiences and community settings. Adjudicated blind; emphasizes compassion, inclusion, and social responsibility. Winners gain national recognition and distribution through AATE networks.
Website: https://www.aate.com
LAB Theater Project — Full-Length Submissions
▸ PRODUCTION OPPORTUNITY | Full-Length | Tampa, FL
Deadline: April 1, 2026 (for next season consideration) | Fee: None
LAB Theater Project is a Tampa-based nonprofit dedicated exclusively to producing new works by emerging playwrights, offering full productions — not readings. Submissions received by April 1st are considered for the next production season. LAB receives 400–500 submissions annually, making selection meaningful. A strong opportunity for playwrights seeking a world premiere in a professional Florida market.
Website: https://labtheaterproject.org/submissions/
Creative Capital — Open Call
▸ GRANT | Innovative Work | National
Deadline: April 2, 2026 | Fee: None
Provides significant grants and multi-year professional support to artists developing innovative new projects. Awardees receive substantial funding plus advisory services, workshops, and professional development over multiple years. One of the most valuable arts grants in the country — especially suited to playwrights pushing formal or conceptual boundaries.
Website: https://creative-capital.org
2 Pages/2 Voices Competition
▸ COMPETITION | 2-Page Play | Rochester, NY (Greater Rochester area residents only)
Deadline: April 6, 2026 | Fee: —
Ten winning plays receive professional script-in-hand readings with prepared actors, directors, and a live audience at Writers & Books' intimate theater. Each play must be exactly two pages with no more than two characters — a unique challenge emphasizing economy of language and dramatic compression. Post-reading discussions included.
Website: https://wab.org/2-pages-2-voices-2026
Goethe-Institut Shadowing Programme for Theatre Professionals
▸ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | Theatre Exchange | Germany
Deadline: April 10, 2026 | Fee: —
An international cultural exchange placing theatre professionals inside German theatres and production houses. Participants receive travel support, a monthly allowance, insurance, and access to performances and rehearsals. Ideal for emerging and mid-career theatre-makers seeking immersive exposure to European theatre practice and international networking.
Website: https://www.goethe.de/en/kul/foe/hos.html
Workspace Brussels — Performing Arts Residency
▸ RESIDENCY | Performing Arts | Brussels, Belgium
Deadline: April 12, 2026 | Fee: —
A major European residency supporting theatre-makers and performance artists in research and development phases. Residents receive studio space, technical support, and professional mentoring within Brussels' vibrant arts ecosystem. Open to artists worldwide; particularly suited for playwrights developing interdisciplinary or experimental performance projects.
Website: https://www.workspacebrussels.be
Royal Court Theatre — International Residency Programme
▸ RESIDENCY | Play Development | London, UK
Deadline: April 15, 2026 | Fee: —
Royal Court invites international playwrights for bespoke development residencies focused on new work creation with actors and dramaturgs. Residencies tailored to each artist's project. One of the world's most influential new-play institutions — exceptional credibility and professional connection for playwrights seeking international visibility.
Website: https://royalcourttheatre.com/international/international-residencies
Hedgebrook — Writer-in-Residence Program
▸ RESIDENCY | Writing | Whidbey Island, WA (Women writers only)
Deadline: April 17, 2026 | Fee: None
Fully funded residencies exclusively for women writers. Residents stay in private cottages on Whidbey Island and receive meals, transportation support, and time in a collaborative community. A long history of supporting women playwrights, novelists, and poets — alumni include many of the most significant women writers in American letters.
Website: https://www.hedgebrook.org
National Playwriting Competition — Theatre Rocks!
▸ COMPETITION | Full-Length | National
Deadline: April 17, 2026 | Fee: None
Awards a full professional production to an unproduced full-length play. The winning playwright receives a cash prize and a world premiere as part of the theatre's main season. One of the few competitions in the country offering a direct path to full production rather than a reading or workshop — especially valuable for polished, production-ready scripts.
Website: https://www.theatrerocks.com
Abingdon Theatre Company — One-Person Play Submissions
▸ DEVELOPMENT | Solo Play | New York, NY
Deadline: April 17, 2026 | Fee: None
Invites full-length one-person plays from established and emerging artists at all experience levels. Must be unpublished and not previously presented to New York audiences. Preference for narrative-focused writing across all genres. Requires a 250–500 word artistic statement, bio, headshot, and writing resume. Performer-writers should include a 2-minute reel. One submission per playwright.
Website: https://www.abingdontheatre.org
Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize
▸ PRIZE | LGBTQ+ Themes | International | Milan, Italy
Deadline: April 30, 2026 | Fee: None
Recognizes plays addressing LGBTQ+ themes including love, diversity, identity, and the fight against discrimination. Awards of €1,000 given to the best plays written in English and Italian, with special jury mentions across multiple categories. Award ceremony in Milan, September 2026. Submissions of any length accepted; previously produced works eligible.
Website: https://premiocarloannoni.eu
EARLY MAY 2026 DEADLINE
Carolina Playwrights Lab
▸ DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM | Full-Length | Triangle Area, NC (NC/SC residents only)
Deadline: May 10, 2026 (Submission window opens April 13) | Fee: Pay-What-You-Can April 13–20; $15 per script after April 20
A professional new works development program for playwrights residing in North or South Carolina. Develops two full-length plays over three weeks with two staged reading presentations each, followed by moderated feedback sessions with national and local industry professionals. Selected playwrights receive $500 plus housing if outside the greater Triangle area. Blind submission only; plays must be 70+ pages, unproduced, and not licensed or optioned prior to June 1, 2026. One of the most substantive regional development programs in the Southeast.
Website: https://capitalartstheaterguild.com/cplaywrights-lab/
