1. FESTIVAL OF TEN XIII
DEADLINE: May 1st
WEBSITE: https://www2.brockport.edu/academics/theatre-music/festival-of-ten/
The Department of Theatre and Music Studies at SUNY Brockport is pleased to announce its 13th Biennial Festival of Ten-Minute Plays.Brockport’s Festival of Ten began in 1999, and every two years since then audiences have enjoyed these performances consisting of 10 ten-minute plays. Our Festival of Ten has grown over the years and now has an International reputation, with playwrights from as far away as Australia. For each festival we accept 500 submissions, ultimately selecting ten to produce. Plays can be submitted beginning March 15, 2022, until May 1, 2022, or until we reach 500 submissions.
Submission Guidelines:
All plays will be submitted online. Submitted plays should have the name of the playwright removed. Each script must have a running time of 7–14 minutes. Only original scripts allowed. Maximum of two scripts per playwright. Plays that have been read or performed in any manner for a paying audience prior to submission are not accepted. Plays written by current Brockport Department of Theatre and Music Studies faculty and staff (full and part-time) are not accepted. Entries will be acknowledged via email. Only the first 500 scripts received will be considered. The top ten scripts will be produced in fully realized productions as part of the SUNY Brockport’s Festival of Ten XIII (February/March 2023). Finalists will be notified by November 30, 2023. If you are unsure how to format your play, view this sample format for an example. If you have questions or need more information, please email festivalof10@brockport.edu. If you are submitting more than one play, please create a separate submission for each one.
2. AURAND HARRIS MEMORIAL PLAYWRITING AWARD
DEADLINE: May 1st
WEBSITE:https://www.netconline.org/aurand-harris-memorial-playwriting-award
This award was created in 1997 to honor the late Aurand Harris (1915-1996) for his lifetime dedication to all aspects of professional theatre for young audiences.A panel of judges named by the NETC Executive Board will administer this award. A staged reading of the prize-winning scripts will be held along with the Annual Excellence in Theatre Awards ceremony.
SUBMISSIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED BY COMPLETING THE FORM AND SUBMITTING YOUR SCRIPT THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, BELOW.
SUBMIT HERE
RULES OF ENTRY
The contest is open to all playwrights and is for new full-length plays for young audiences. No musicals nor plays targeted at adult audiences
Plays submitted to the contest must not have been
Plays submitted which have had workshop productions or staged readings are eligible and encouraged.
Plays submitted to this contest may have been submitted to another playwriting contest, and may have previously won a prize or an award in another contest. However, such plays must not have been published or professionally produced and must not be under option for publication or professional production.
Playwrights may submit only ONE play to the contest in one year.
All pages of the script must be numbered in sequence, along with title of play, in upper right hand corner.
In the case of an adaptation from a book or any other source, permission from the original author is the responsibility of the playwright.Will I receive a response that you received my submission?
Can the play contain music?
Can it be an adaptation of a book?
What format should it be uploaded in?
How should my play be labeled?
How many scripts can I submit?
3. PARAMOUNT WRITERS MENTORING PROGRAM
DEADLINE: May 1st
WEBSITE: https://www.paramount.com/writers-mentoring-program
Now in its 19th year, 135 emerging diverse writers have graduated from the Paramount Writers Mentoring Program. Over 125 careers have been launched, including those of 18 current showrunners.
As part of its ongoing commitment to create additional access, exposure and opportunity for talented and motivated writers of diverse backgrounds, Paramount's Writers Mentoring Program is an eight-month program with a three-fold focus: It opens doors by providing opportunities for mentees to build and foster relationships with showrunners and network and studio executives. It supports emerging writers in their efforts to improve their craft by working with executive mentors. And it helps writers hone the essential interpersonal skills necessary to break in and succeed.
Each participant will be teamed with executive mentors from Paramount Global. Under the supervision of their mentors, participants will write a new writing sample. Once a week, for 16 weeks, participants will be invited to attend a small workshop-style meeting with various showrunners and other industry professionals. Speakers include agents, managers, development and current executives and showrunners. There is also a half-day mock writers room for mentees to experience the process in a safe environment.
Each participant will have help in creating a rigorous career action plan and there will be on-going support in evaluating and achieving those goals. Another important benefit of the program is the development of a close-knit peer support group that will sustain participants through the program and beyond.
It has been found that in order to derive the greatest benefit from the program, participants should be available to 1) attend a once a week (evening) workshop 2) attend a half day mock writers room and 3) have ongoing interaction with their mentors via zoom, phone or email. Program elements such as mentoring, weekly workshops the mock writers room can be scheduled around participants’ existing work commitments.
The Paramount Writers Mentoring Program is not employment and there is no monetary compensation. It is, instead, a structured program of career development, support, and personal access to executives and the decision-making processes, with the goal of preparing aspiring writers for later employment opportunities in television.
Aspiring diverse writers with a strong desire to write for Paramount television series are encouraged to apply. You must be 21 or older and able to work in the United States to be eligible. All completed application materials must be received between April 1, 2023 and May 1, 2023. No hand delivered submissions will be accepted. Finalists will be notified in late September 2023 (or such later date as may be determined by Paramount). The program is scheduled to begin in October 2023 and continues through April 2024. Paramount reserves the right to make adjustments to program schedule as necessary.
DEADLINE: May 1st, 2023
WEBSITE: https://www.pablocenter.org/about-us/news/65/wisconsin-shakespeare-festival-seeks-submissions-for-new-plays-workshop/
SUBMISSION FORM
As an integral part of this new festival, Pablo Center is proud to introduce Improbable Fiction: A New Works series. Playwrights from across the region and country are invited to submit one-act plays in one of three categories: “Young Voices” (for writers ages 16-24), “Diverse Perspectives (for writers who identify as BIPOC), or “Shakes-pired” (for works inspired by or an homage to Shakespeare and his plays). Through a blind adjudication process, the festival will select three playwrights to showcase their talent and creative writing through the workshop and provide a stipend of $1,500 for each script selected. Notification of Selected Plays: Mid-May 2023
Entry Fee: None
Stipend per script selected: $1,500
What is it?: A single one-act play from each of the three categories will be chosen to be workshopped and staged as an integral part of the 2023 season of the Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival. The categories are as follows:
● Young Voices: Playwrights between the ages of 16 and 24
● Diverse Perspectives: Playwrights who self-identify as BIPOC.
● Shakes-pired: A new work that is inspired by, derived from, or an homage to Shakespeare, his plays, and/or his characters
Each selected play will be assigned a director, stage manager, actors, and dramaturg and/or writing coach, and be workshopped in collaboration with the playwright over the summer months, culminating in a public performance (fully-staged or a staged reading).
Guidelines:
● Please include a synopsis of your play in 50-100 words.
● Plays should run no fewer than 15 minutes, or more than 45 minutes in length.
● Plays must be typed in standard play format.
● Plays must not have been previously produced or published.
● Plays shall be full complete works, not a scene or act from a larger work or work-in-progress.
● The playwright’s name should not appear anywhere in the script.
● Include two title pages: One title page should contain a) the name of your play, and b) your name, address, phone number, and email address. The second title page should include only the title of your play, as this will be a blind read.
● Production criteria include scripts able to be produced with open staging and minimal design/technical support for a 400-seat black box theater. Scripts not fitting this criteria may be considered, but may be given a staged reading versus a full production.
● Playwrights retain full rights to all works submitted. However, WSF shall be named as “first produced”
● Selected plays will have a production mounted in late July 2023 at Pablo Center at the Confluence’s Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival with one public performance each.
● Playwrights are encouraged to attend rehearsals either via Zoom or in-person and collaborate with the director – the purpose is to both help the playwright to fine tune the script and the director to collaborate on a new script.
● Playwrights are requested to attend the performance of their work, either in person or via zoom and participate in a post-show discussion.
Submission process:
Please fill out this form with your submission: bit.ly/WSFimprobablefiction2023
Any questions should be directed to: Katherine Bauer at wsf@pablocenter.org with the subject line, “NEW WORKS QUESTIONS"
5. AAPI FOR CHANGE
DEADLINE: May 1st
WEBSITE: https://aapiforchange.org/calling-all-nyc-aapi-artists/
AAP For Changes mission is to bring different racial and ethnic backgrounds together to
stand firm against hatred and discrimination through civic engagement and open discussions.
All AAPI artists around New York City are welcome to showcase their work. The top honoree will receive an award of $1000/month for 12 months. $20 registration fee to benefit AAPI for Change. Once registration fee is paid, we will email you the application form.
6. APPALACHIAN FESTIVAL OF PLAYS AND PLAYWRIGHTS
DEADLINE: May 1st
WEBSITE: https://bartertheatre.com/appalachian-festival-of-plays-and-playwrights/
Plays must be written by an Appalachian playwright (currently living in a state that contains the Appalachian Mountain Range— which, for our purposes, run from New York to Alabama.)
OR
The plays must be set in the Appalachian region.
Plays must be unpublished and must not have had a full professional production.
Plays must be full length.
Plays must be submitted electronically.
Please send play and a brief synopsis to: apfestival@bartertheatre.com
7. SIMONS CENTER FOR GEOMETRY & PHYSICS SCIENCE PLAYWRITING COMPETITION
DEADLINE: May 1st
WEBSITE: https://scgp.stonybrook.edu/archives/39683
The SCGP is delighted to announce a new call for plays inviting all talented playwrights with an interest in the sciences, and talented scientists with an interest in the theatre to compose a ten-minute play with a substantial science and/or technological component. This contest is open to the general public.
First Prize Winner: $500
Second Prize Winner: $200
Third Prize Winner: $100
The Science Playwriting Competition brings science and theatre together for the dissemination of scientific knowledge through an intriguing lens — providing inspiration for plays that lead to exciting ways of learning about science. Rooted in artistic expression, the best science plays can be exceptional works of art that aesthetically convey scientific concepts, potentially resulting in further explorations in both disciplines. In this way, science and theatre may learn from each other, through their common goals of investigating and gaining an understanding of the significance of science and how the world works.
The competition commenced in 2012 with the assistance of an NSF grant awarded for scientific outreach projects initiated by Professor of Physics Christopher Herzog with additional support from the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, and the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics. The competition draws playwrights from all over the world who submit 10-minute plays with compelling stories and innovative expression of science and theatricality.
The preferred topics in hard sciences and technology include, but are not limited to: Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Computer Science, Space Exploration, Chemistry, Neuroscience, Anthropology and Archaeology.
ENTRIES MAY BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY ONLINE
-A public staged reading of the winning entries will be performed during the Fall 2023 semester at the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics.
Guidelines:
– Plays should be approximately 10 minutes in length (usually around 10 pages).
– Winning playwrights will receive a directed, live-staged reading of their work in the Fall 2023 semester.
– Plays must include a title page that includes the playwright’s name, address, phone number, and email address.
– Plays must be original unpublished work and must not be created with the assistance of any form of AI.
8. I AM SOUL PLAYWRIGHTS RESIDENCY PROGRAM
DEADLINE: May 8th
WEBSITE: https://www.nationalblacktheatre.org/playwrights-residency
Launched in 2012, The I AM SOUL Playwrights Residency Program uniquely serves the best and brightest emerging Black playwrights from around the nation. Through this program, NBT seeks to foster mutually-beneficial relationships between Black institutions and creatives to re-establish historically Black theatrical institutions as the foremost supporters and producers of Black artistry. This 18-month residency aims to unleash the souls of two to three Black playwrights per cycle. Coined as a dream MFA program, this program is about process, not product, so playwrights experiment with form, style, and narrative to develop, hone and explore new ways of artistic expression in a nourishing environment. Each resident is provided a financial stipend, dramaturgical and developmental resources, a full production team, and two 29-hour workshops.
9. THE VANGUARD ARTS FUND
DEADLINE: May 12th
WEBSITE: https://www.olneytheatre.org/about-us/work-here/vanguard-arts-fund
Vanguard Arts Fund applications are now open for Olney Theatre Center’s 2023-24 season. The Vanguard Arts Fund provides development support to diverse teams of artists interested in creating works - especially works that cross artistic disciplines - in a collaborative environment. From the seed of an idea for a new play, to a concept for a classic adaptation, to a first draft or first song of a musical, we provide intensive workshop time at various stages of the development process. We commit to these artistic teams in hopes of producing their work at Olney Theatre Center in a future season.
The Vanguard Arts Fund was launched in 2017 with a $350,000 endowment gift from the Eugene B. Casey Foundation; the Fund’s success in developing shows we’ve gone on to produce prompted the Foundation to add $1 million to the endowment in 2022.
What kind of projects are we looking for?
While OTC will consider text-based work that springs from the mind of a singular playwright, successful proposals for new work will more likely bring together more than one generative artist in an interdisciplinary fashion to explore new or classic stories. So, a director and videographer working on an off-beat immersive experience, or workshopping a new musical, or a number of designers or actors coming together with a playwright to devise something, or a playwright and director working jointly to create something, or a composer working with a bunch of musicians and a choreographer on an idea all are examples of exciting proposals. Directors, actors, playwrights, designers, stage managers - we want to hear from anyone with a great idea and a great plan to pursue their artistic visions.
We are committed to ensuring the majority of projects we fund are led by BIPOC generative artists, and intend to support at least one BIPOC-created musical each year.
At this time, we are only able to consider artists based in the United States.
Please send the following information as a single pdf to hallie@olneytheatre.org.
In 1-2 pages: About the Project
Point of View
At what stage of development is this project currently, and what is the project’s development history?
In up to 1 page: What are your goals for a Vanguard Arts Fund workshop? How will this workshop support the development of this project?
How much time do you think you need to explore this project?
The names and bios of the artists/collaborators involved in this project
Number of performers or other types of artists needed for a workshop (if known) Any supporting materials (script drafts, song recordings, synopsis, orchestration, etc.)
Support for projects in the past has ranged from $2,500 to $15,000. However, support of up to $25,000 will be considered.
QUESTIONS? Email Hallie@olneytheatre.org
10. VANDERBILT ECO-GRIEF PERFORMANCE PROJECT & COMMISSION
DEADLINE: May 12th
WEBSITE: https://as.vanderbilt.edu/theatre/about/Commission.php
Vanderbilt is commissioning three short plays dealing with eco-grief, the complex mixture of
emotions—sorrow, guilt, terror, and a sense of complicity, among others—that consideration of climate change and environmental degradation give rise to. We will pay each playwright $5000 and fully produce the plays in the fall of 2024 at Vanderbilt University. We have planned a process that will include interaction with undergraduate students studying environmental science as well as theatre. If you are interested in applying to write one of these plays, please submit a writing sample (any full-length play), a resume, and a one paragraph statement reflecting your understanding or experience with eco-grief by May 12, 2023 to the email address below.
This project grows out of an intuition that the feelings surrounding climate change and the
difficulty of achieving political consensus on how to address it can feel overwhelming, making
necessary conversations difficult to manage. We are interested in using performance as a way of acknowledging the emotional toll of reckoning with our environment and through that reckoning, promote much needed discussion of the changes that await us.
During the fall of 2023, playwrights will meet three times (remotely) with environmental studies
students who can help them with research and serve as scientific consultants and sounding
boards as the playwright begins work. In the spring of 2023, we will bring the playwrights to
campus for developmental readings of the plays. The final scripts will be due in the summer of
2024. We will fully stage the plays in the fall of 2024 using sustainable materials and practices.
To Apply:
Send a writing sample (a full-length play), a one paragraph statement articulating your
experience and understanding of eco-grief, and a resume to Dr. Leah Lowe at
leah.lowe@vanderbilt.edu
11. AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL - PLAYWRITING COMPETITION
DEADLINE: May 25th
WEBSITE: https://austinfilmfestival.com/submit/play/
At Austin Film Festival, our mission is to champion all writers across mediums. Our Playwriting Competition (open to full-length plays) gives playwrights a chance to explore our film and television conference. It will also allow film professionals to discover storytellers who have mastered the art and craft of stage drama.
AFF has always promoted story as the most important element of film and TV. So giving playwrights their own story exposure and a chance of crossover into film and TV only advances our mission. There are many other playwriting competitions out there, but AFF offers playwrights broader access to successful writers and professionals in all the other related fields.
The play that makes the Final Round will have a reading during the Conference. Advancing playwrights will have access to exclusive panels, workshops, roundtables, and unique networking opportunities with professionals in theatre, film, and television.
12. I AM SOUL DIRECTING RESIDENCY
DEADLINE: May 30th
WEBSITE: https://www.nationalblacktheatre.org/directing-residency
Launched in 2018, the Directing Residency Program is a rigorous yet creative playground for Black directors to gain exposure, New York City credentials and, most importantly, technical skills under the guidance of the LAB program staff. Piloted in fellowship with the inaugural Directing Resident, Ebony Noelle Golden, this program provides a home for one director for a minimum of 18 months who will focus on mounting an NBT main-stage production of an existing play.
In addition to arming emerging directors with focused training and professional mentorship, the program seeks to radically shift accessibility dynamics that have historically disadvantaged directors of color. Residents gain experience at a reputable New York City theater and expand their collaborative network. Each resident is provided a stipend, dramaturgical and developmental resources, a full production team, and three 29-hour workshops.
With I AM SOUL, NBT seeks to foster mutually-beneficial relationships between Black institutions and creatives in order to reestablish historically Black theatrical institutions as the foremost supporters and producers of Black artistry.
13. ELIZA MOORE FELLOWSHIP FOR ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE
DEADLINE: May 31sth
WEBSITE: https://www.osgf.org/fellowships/eliza-moore-artistic-excellence
The Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence is awarded annually to one outstanding, early-career artist who is developing new works that address plants, gardens, or landscapes in the broad sense. This award is open to visual artists, literary artists, dancers, and musicians. The award includes a $10,000 individual grant and requires a 2 - 5 week stay at Oak Spring. While at OSGF, the Fellow will be able to meet with staff, explore our 700-acre landscape and our efforts in sustainable land management, and visit our rare book library that holds over 19,000 objects, including many examples of botanical art.
OSGF intends to award the Fellowship to an exceptional artist whose works show remarkable promise to contribute to a deeper understanding of the natural world, and humankind’s place in it. The Fellow will be scheduled to visit when there are other Interdisciplinary Residents or Fellows on-site. This scheduling will allow the Fellow to join in communal meals, and optional activities and field trips with other artists, ecologists, researchers, or scholars working on projects related to OSGF’s mission. Beyond time devoted to their projects, a Fellow’s typical day at Oak Spring might include a walk to enjoy the landscape or birds; an appointment to visit the Oak Spring Library; and/or a morning spent volunteering at the BCCF or in the formal garden. These optional activities provide Fellows time to learn from, and interact with our staff. None of these activities are required, and we understand that some Fellows might want to spend most of their time in their writing or working independently.
At the culmination of their stay, we encourage, but don’t require, Fellows to give a 20 – 30 minute presentation with time for questions, to Oak Spring staff and any other Fellows, Residents, or program participants who might be on site.
Application Process
SUBMIT:
a resume/curriculum vitae (not to exceed two pages),
a 200 - 300-word statement on your artistic practice,
a statement of 200 - 300 words stating how your work relates to Oak Spring Garden Foundation’s mission to “perpetuate and share the gifts of Rachel (“Bunny”) Lambert Mellon, including her residence, garden, estate and the Oak Spring Garden Library, to serve the public interest. OSGF is dedicated to inspiring and facilitating scholarship and public dialogue on the history and future of plants, including the culture of gardens and landscapes and the importance of plants for human well-being,”
For creative non-fiction, fiction, essayists, or other writers: 7 - 10 pages total that demonstrate your current interests. Please use 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and double-space your writing sample. Do not include photocopies of published work, title pages, tables of contents or HYPERLINKS. Please be sure to state the genre of the work sample.
For time-based artists, including: filmmakers, musicians, dancers, and performance artists: 10 minutes cumulatively of work samples. OSGF encourages video files to be uploaded directly to Submittable, but when necessary, we also accept links to vimeo or other external sites as long as the appropriate passwords are provided.
For poets and playwrights: you may submit 7 - 10 pages total. Poetry may be spaced as needed, and scripts should follow standard script formatting.
Eligible applicants must be early-career artists not enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in 2024. We will consider individuals with a proven track-record of professionalism, but who are yet under-recognized, as early-career. Eligible early-career applicants will have some recognition in the form of exhibitions, commissions, performances, grant awards, residencies, Fellowships and/or publications.
Individuals who have participated in an extensive number of solo exhibitions, or who have published a significant number of books will be considered established or late career, and are not eligible for the Eliza Moore Fellowship. We encourage those who are not eligible for this Fellowship to apply to the Interdisciplinary Residency.
The successful Fellow must be self-directed and able to work independently while on site. Applicants are expected to show dedication to their artistic practice, clear connection to the natural world in their work, exceptional promise, and good communication skills.
Dates
The $10,000 individual grant associated with this award can be put towards travel to and from OSGF, materials and supplies purchased for their residency, and other items that will support their work, before or after their stay at OSGF.
14. 9THIRTY THEATRE COMPANY (9TTC)
DEADLINE: May 31st
WEBSITE: http://9ttc.org/submissions.php
9Thirty Theatre Company (9TTC) accepts submissions from March to May each season. Please note that due to our small staff we are unable to respond to submissions that are not accepted. Please adhere to the guidelines below. Send submissions in either a .doc or .pdf format to Submissions@9ttc.org. In respect of our commitment to the environment please do not mail submissions to our office.
9TTC produces works that incorporate environmental issues as part of the part, characters, or theme. We are uniquely dedicated to Eco Theatre, connecting humanity and nature, in various forms. We accept original one acts, and full length plays and musicals.
We do not accept one-person shows, children's shows, screenplays, or works without environmental themes. 9Thirty Theatre Company also does not produce works that have already been produced in New York City.
To have your work considered, please submit the following as one file:
• cover letter, including your contact information
• brief synopsis of piece (500 words or less)
• character descriptions
• 20 page dialogue sample
• brief production history of the work (if applicable)
• bio for yourself and any other collaborators
• if submitting a musical, please include at least 3 recorded demo tracks
Please include the project name, history and plan of action, project description (please include what your work is exploring or a synopsis), and any research you have done.
15. THE PEN/HEIM TRANSLATION FUND GRANTS
DEADLINE: June 1st
WEBSITE: https://pen.submittable.com/submit/191304/2022-pen-heim-translation-fund-grants
The PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants were established in the summer of 2003 by a gift from Priscilla and Michael Henry Heim in response to the low number of literary translations currently appearing in English. Their purpose is to promote the publication and reception of translated world literature in English.
Eligibility:
Translations of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or drama, originally written by a single individual.
Translations should not have previously appeared in English in print or should have appeared only in an outdated or otherwise flawed translation.
Works should be translations-in-progress, as the grant aims to provide support for completion.
There are no restrictions on the nationality or citizenship of the translator, but the works must be translated into English.
Projects may have a maximum of two translators but are limited to one original author.
NOT eligible: Translations of works with multiple original authors, such as anthologies, translations of literary criticism, and scholarly or otherwise technical texts.
Note: Translators may only submit one project per year. Projects that have been previously submitted and have not received a grant are unlikely to be reconsidered in a subsequent year. Translators who have previously been awarded grants by the Fund are ineligible to reapply for three years after the year in which they receive a grant–for example, grant recipients from 2020 are now eligible to reapply.
How to apply:
All documents should be in 12pt, Times New Roman, single spaced, and with 1 inch margins.
The submission form requires the following:
A 1-2 page statement outlining the work and describing its importance.
A biography and bibliography of the author, including information on translations of their work into other languages.
A CV of the translator, no longer than 3 pages.
If the book is not in the public domain and the project is not yet under contract, please include a photocopy of the copyright notice on the original (the copyright notice is a line including the character ©, a date, and the name of the copyright holder, which appears as part of the front matter in every book), and a letter from the copyright holder stating that English-language rights to the book are available. A letter or copy of an email from the copyright holder is sufficient.
If the translation is currently under contract with a publisher, please submit a copy of the contract.
A translation sample is required. For prose, this should be within the range of 8-10 pages (when formatted as required, this will be approximately 3,000-5,000 words). For poetry, please include 1-2 poems per page, within an 8–10 page range.
The same passage in the original language (and, if the work has been previously translated, the same passage in the earlier version).
16. NANCY DEAN LESBIAN PLAYWRITING AWARD
DEADLINE: June 1st
WEBSITE: https://www.openmeadows.org/nancy-dean-lesbian-playwriting-award.html
As we are a small family foundation with an all-volunteer board, we must rely on nominations to identify potential recipients. We are asking professors, teachers, artistic directors, directors, literary managers, actors, writers, and others to nominate promising writers. As we want to be inclusive, we will allow people to self-nominate. The following are our guidelines:
Writer is lesbian, queer or gay or nonbinary;
Writer has written at least one play;
Writer is writing plays about lesbians;
Writer is committed to writing plays and furthering her/their career;
Writer is interested in receiving the award.
Please send a letter(pdf) describing why your playwright should receive this award and a full-length play (pdf) to openmeadowsfdn@gmail.com. In your letter, please be as detailed as possible in up to 2 pages.
Include the writer’s resume and website or other social media links. We will announce the recipients October 31, 2023. We have been granting three awards of $5000, $2500 and $1250.
17. THE DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT WRITING PROGRAM
DEADLINE: June 2nd
WEBSITE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MoILDwQfCNDD595R_YwNa4935BtYmGLo/view?fbclid=IwAR2u2hAU8QQpW1yD2hRwSoR3ipYtceQaJciMN-302YLAOR-yYF8LEZzaF9A
The primary goal is to staff Program Writers on Disney Entertainment (DE) series as staff
writers during the program year. Staffing is not guaranteed. The twelve-month program is
tentatively set to begin in January 2024 and end in January of the following year. Please note,
time frames are subject to change. For the first few months of the Program, writers participate in a professional development curriculum designed to better prepare them for staffing
consideration, including developing, writing, and polishing at least one (1) original pilot script to be used as a staffing sample. The Program also provides engagement with executives, producers and credentialed writers, designed to facilitate relationships that can prove invaluable in developing a television writing career. Additional past activities have included: workshops led by veteran television writers, producers and Program alumni, and networking mixers with executives, producers, and showrunners.
18. SOUL PRODUCING RESIDENCY PROGRAM
DEADLINE: June 15th
WEBSITE: https://www.nationalblacktheatre.org/producing-residency
Launched in 2015, the Soul Producing Residency Program’s mission is to unveil, uplift and inform the next generation of Black leaders in cultural production. As writers and artists of color continue to conquer new feats in the performing arts industry, it has become increasingly important to equip emerging Black producers with the tools needed to step into their power as leaders, general managers and cultural curators.
Piloted as a fellowship with the two previous residents, Marie Cisco and Ngozi Anyanwu, this program calls back to Dr. Barbara Ann Teer’s guiding principle of autonomy in Black storytelling, and provides an unprecedented opportunity for applicants of color to gain real-time experience. Under the supportive guidance of the L.A.B program staff, the 10-month residency supports residents by providing the network and guidance needed to produce in New York City in real time. Each resident will receive a stipend and access to a library for resources to sharpen their skills.
With I AM SOUL, NBT seeks to foster mutually-beneficial relationships between Black institutions and creatives in order to reestablish historically Black theatrical institutions as the foremost supporters and producers of Black artistry.
19. ABBEY THEATRE OPEN SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE: October 31st
WEBSITE: https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/scripts-and-ideas/
Our submission window is currently open. As Ireland’s National Theatre, our commitment is to reading scripts and ideas by writers and artists resident on the island of Ireland, or Irish writers and artists who might live abroad. Due to the volume of submissions we receive, we are unable to read work that does not match this description.
Once submitted, each play is read by our panel of experienced theatre professionals. For this first read, each play is read anonymously, meaning we get an honest assessment of the play’s potential and theatricality, as well as the play’s suitability for the Abbey Theatre. After being read by a member of our panel, every play is further considered within the department. We’ll consider, as part of its context, the general interest of the play in relation to the rest of our programming and how the play might develop from this draft. For this reason, it’s sensible to send us a draft that you’ve taken time to reflect on, as we won’t be able to read the same play again.
If we decide not to produce your play, we will send you a letter offering some feedback on your script, and may point you in the direction of other opportunities either at the Abbey Theatre or elsewhere. This can take us up to six months as we receive in excess of three hundred submissions a year and reply to them all.
If you have an idea which you can’t really send us as a finished script, you can still let us know about it. It might be a play you want to write that you want to research, a play without words, a piece of dance theatre, an event, a happening or an interdisciplinary work that would be difficult to get a sense of in a script alone. It could also be a proposal for a co-production. The process of submitting an idea is, on purpose, short; we want to get a sense of what excites you about the project and why you need our support to achieve it. We will fully consider all of the material you send us to come to a decision.
Your proposed idea should answer these questions.
What is it you want to make? (50 words max)
What do you want to happen in the show? (500 words max)
How do you want to make the show? (100 words max about the ways you might go about making the work)
Why do you want to make it now? (100 words max about why this idea is urgent)
Your idea may be accompanied by links to video, audio, images, extracts of text or other supporting materials.
What happens after you submit your idea?
Once you have sent us an email, your idea will be logged. All of the material you send will be considered by the Abbey Theatre’s artistic team in one of our quarterly meetings. You will receive a response by email within six months of your submission.
Submission Guidelines
These submission guidelines refer to both scripts and ideas. Please have a careful read of them before you consider sending in your work.
If you submitted your play or idea between 1st November 2022 and 31st January 2023, we ask you to re-submit your work on or after 1st February 2023, as no scripts will be accepted during this time.
When you send in your submission, tell us in your email a little about yourself, why you feel your play or idea would be a good fit for the Abbey, and any experience you have (it’s fine if you have none!).
We do accept short plays, musicals, and adaptations, but we are not in the position to read work in or intended for mediums other than live theatre. Novels, short stories, screenplays, audio plays, and teleplays will not be read.
We can only accept plays or ideas written in Irish or English.
For scripts, we only accept completed plays. Extracts will not be read.
Unfortunately, we’re not able to re-consider an idea or script that has already been through the process.
Your script or idea must be clearly typed and formatted; we cannot accept handwritten work or printed hard copies.
Your script or idea must be sent in Word, PDF or other standard formats (such as JPG for photographs) as an attachment.
Do not include your name or contact information on the script document.
We only accept one script or idea at a time.
Where to Send Your Script or Idea
Before submitting, make sure you have read the submission guidelines in full.
To submit your script, please email script@abbeytheatre.ie. To submit your idea, please email ideas@abbeytheatre.ie.
If you have any questions about the New Work department, please drop us a line at new.work@abbeytheatre.ie.
If you would like us to come and see your produced play or rehearsed reading, write to us at new.work@abbeytheatre.ie telling us a bit about you, the play and its stage of development. As a small team, we can’t see everything, but we will come if we can.
20. THE JEWISH PLAYS PROJECT
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: www.jewishplaysproject.org/guide
AN IMPORTANT NOTE: SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN TO ARTISTS OF ALL
BACKGROUNDS, DENOMINATIONS, FAITHS, CREEDS, RELIGIONS, and other IDEALS.
SUBMISSION PROCESS: Fill out the Project Application Form and attach a play to the form as a PDF. You must submit your play with your name and other identifying information removed (we review all plays blind). We will consider submitted plays and musicals:
MUSICALS: Submitted musicals must include links to recordings of at least 3 songs to be reviewed. Please note, we review musicals on a different timeline than our other programming.
ELIGIBILITY: The following must be true of a submitted play or musical:
It contains significant Jewish themes, characters, content, or points of view.
It is in English, or primarily in English—we love plays that play with language as a theatrical tool, and plays that explore the differences in language. It just needs to be primarily accessible to an English speaking audience. (We welcome translations.)
It is full length, meaning over around 75 minutes in length. (For a guide, that usually means 60 pages or more. We DO NOT review 10 or 20 minute plays.)
It has not had a full production in the NY Metro region or a major regional theater (LORT C or above).
It has never been published in any form.
NOTE: We are most interested in submissions that embrace and depend on Jewish identity at their dramatic core, while avoiding stereotypical forms that rely on cultural or ethnic shorthands in lieu of dramatic development. This holds true whether dealing with the historical gravity of the Holocaust or employing stereotypical tropes for comic effect.
The JPP brings all the tools of new play development to bear on the plays we select: dramaturgical consultation and research; the involvement of collaborating artists - including directors, designers and actors - at all stages as needed; private and public presentations; and industry advocacy. We partner with great writers who not only have a great idea for a play, but have a heartfelt intention to write a Jewish play. To us, this means that during the development process, the writer is committed to making decisions about the progress of the play (or musical) that enhance and deepen the Jewish content, spirit, ideas and values in the work.
21. NATIVE VOICES PRODUCTION SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: theautry.org/events/signature-programs/native-voices-annual-call-for-scripts
We accept scripts all year long. Do you have a full-length script that has been developed and produced that you would like us to consider for a future Native Voices production in Los Angeles? Please follow the Checklist for All Submissions below and in the Native Voices Script Submission form check the box for 2023 General Production Consideration.
Checklist for Call for Scripts
Please label script attachment as follows: PlayTitle_Author’s Last Name, First Initial (Example: MyNewPlay_Doe, J.doc).
All submissions must conform to a standard play-script format (one-inch margins, #12 Times or Courier font, all pages numbered).
Include a title page with full contact information (mailing address, phone numbers, e-mail address) and a draft or revision date.
Include a character breakdown at the beginning of your script.
Provide a biography of 75–100 words. Please label attachment as follows: Bio_Author’s Last Name, First Initial (Example: Bio_Doe, J.doc).
Provide a press ready photo of at least 300dpi. Please label attachment as follows: Photo_Author’s Last Name, First Initial (Example: Photo_Doe, J.doc).
Provide development history for the play. Label attachment as follows: DevHistory_PlayTitle_Author’s Last Name, First Initial (Example: DevHistory_MyNewPlay_Doe, J.doc).
To submit, fill out our online form and upload your submission materials here: Native Voices Script Submission Form
Please do not send treatments or outlines. Previously produced plays should be submitted under the 2023 General Submission for Production Consideration. Playwrights are encouraged to make multiple submissions (up to three per event), but selection will be limited to only one play per playwright, per event.
22. AUDIBLE EMERGING PLAYWRIGHTS FUND
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: https://www.audible.com/ep/audible-theater
In 2017, Audible launched a theater initiative, intended to radically increase access to exceptional plays and performances. A core pillar of the initiative is the Emerging Playwrights Fund, a program that invests in and nurtures self-identifying emerging playwrights, some of our most inventive, delightful, and provocative storytellers. Through the Fund, Audible aims to connect extraordinary performers with remarkable original work, amplifying new voices and harnessing the power and potential of audio to reach millions of listeners.
The Fund specifically supports t he creation of original dramatic work, written with audio in mind, but theatrical in spirit. Audible is dedicated to commissioning, developing, and producing work that reflects the diversity of our members and our world. To accomplish this, Audible is committed to granting at least 50% of emerging playwright commissions to artists of color and women.
To be considered as an applicant for a commission, please submit all of the following to AudibleTheater@audible.com:
1. One full-length script for an original or adapted play (in English language only) that represents your voice ("Script"). The Script can be in any genre and may include one-acts and solo pieces;
2. A short biography; and
3. A brief statement about why audio plays appeal to you.
If you have an idea for an original audio play, you are welcome to include a pitch or summary along with your statement (this is encouraged, but not required).
Any applicant over the age of 18 may submit a Script. Submissions are accepted year-round. Due to the number of Scripts that Audible receives, Audible will only consider one Script at a time from each applicant and will not consider resubmissions, including those that have been significantly revised. The Audible team evaluates submissions on a rolling basis, and applicants will be notified regarding the status of their submissions via email. Thanks in advance for your patience while we process your Script; our typical response time is 6-8 months.
23. THE STOCHASTIC LABS
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: https://stochasticlabs.org/residencies/
The Stochastic Labs offers fully-sponsored residencies to engineers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs from around the world. Residencies include a private apartment at the mansion, co-working and/or dedicated work space, shop access, a $1,000 monthly stipend and a budget for materials.
24. THE FOUNDATION FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: https://www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org/grants/emergency-grants/
Created in 1993 to further FCA's mission to encourage, sponsor, and promote work of a contemporary, experimental nature, Emergency Grants provide urgent funding for visual and performing artists who:
Have sudden, unanticipated opportunities to present their work to the public when there is insufficient time to seek other sources of funding
Incur unexpected or unbudgeted expenses for projects close to completion with committed exhibition or performance dates
Emergency Grants is the only active, multi-disciplinary program that offers immediate assistance of this kind to artists living and working anywhere in the United States, for projects occurring in the U.S. and abroad.VEach month FCA receives an average of 95 Emergency Grant applications and makes approximately 12-15 grants. Grants range in amount from $500 to $3,000, and the average grant is now $1,700. We recommend that artists review all of our eligibility guidelines and FAQs before applying. You may also complete our Eligibility Questionnaire, but please note that the questionnaire is not a substitute for a thorough review of program guidelines.
25. THEATRE ARIEL OPEN SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE: Open
WEBSITE: http://www.theatreariel.org/opportunities
Theatre Ariel is always seeking the next great Jewish play to present to our audiences. Theatre Ariel is looking for plays that engage with the rich world of Jewish life, thought and practice; plays where Judaism, Jewish identity or Jewish perspectives are significant or driving factors in the story (In other words, not plays where the characters ‘happen’ to be Jewish or that have a few yiddishisms or “Jewish jokes” in them, but plays where Jewish life/thought/history is integral or particularly relevant to the story.). Theatre Ariel seeks plays with casts of five actors or less.
You do not have to be Jewish to have your work considered by Theatre Ariel.
All our performances are presented as salon-style theatre readings in people’s homes, following a long tradition of Jewish theatre. For the foreseeable future, we will be presenting in a hybrid model of both in-person and virtual performances. To have your script considered, please email the following to submissions@theatreariel.org:
Brief cover letter introducing yourself and your play, as well as a short plot summary and character breakdown (indicating doubling, if any)
Ten minute excerpt from the script (if these are not the first ten pages, then please supply a brief explanation of where we are in the story when your sample picks up)
Theatre Ariel is committed to reading and responding to every submission we receive. Please allow three to six months for a response. Please forward any questions you may have to the same email address listed above.
26. THE DOROTHY ROSS FRIEDMAN RESIDENCE
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: https://actorsfund.org/services-and-programs/housing-resource-center?mc_cid=1266183bf9&mc_eid=7436d341a2
and
https://actorsfund.org/sites/default/files/Friedman-Application-Revision-7-21-20.pdf?mc_cid=1266183bf9&mc_eid=7436d341a2
If you think you are eligible, now is a fabulous time to apply to The Dorothy Ross Friedman Residence. The Friedman is a shared housing (roommates) residence that offers affordable housing for working professionals in performing arts and entertainment, persons with HIV/AIDS, and senior citizens (60 years of age or older). Most of the apartments are 2-bedrooms, where you would have one roommate and there are a few 3-bedrooms, where you would have two roommates. All tenants have a rent stabilized lease. All apartments are complete with dishwasher, washer/dryer, central heating, and AC. Many apartments have terraces with spectacular Manhattan views, and everyone has access to the Colleen Dewhurst Community Room and the newly renovated Bette Midler Rooftop and Garden. On-site social services include a range of community programs and the Waldman Living Room for seniors. The Friedman Residence also features 24-hour security.
Criteria: Income Eligibility: 1-person household: $28,500 - $47,760
27. WILD CULTURE , WILD PROJECT
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: http://www.thewildproject.org/programs/wild-culture/
Wild Culture is a program where wild project partners with a cross-section of independent, downtown performance artists to help both professional and emerging theater performers nurture, broaden and advance projects that are in various stages of development. Wild Culture gives artists free or subsidized space at wild project’s 89-seat eco-friendly theater, a stipend, box-office split, tech staff, marketing and community outreach to sustain the innovative creativity of downtown performance and unburden independent artists from prohibitive production costs. The program generally grants each project limited engagements of one to three performances. Projects that wish to submit to Wild Culture should align with wild project’s mission to enrich and educate the community, explore issues relating to female, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ artist communities, and demonstrate a clear performance aesthetic.
Wild Culture adapts each partnership to the specific needs and artistic vision of the project. Wild Culture is an ongoing program throughout the year.
If you have a project that might be suitable for a Wild Culture partnership, please email Producing Artistic Director Ana Mari de Quesada at adequesada@thewildproject.org to get the conversation going to partner with u
28. LONG WHARF THEATRE LITERARY PROGRAM & NEW WORK DEVELOPMENT
DEADLINE: Year round
WEBSITE: https://longwharf.org/casting-and-literary
Long Wharf Theatre has a proud and rich history of forming meaningful relationships with artists, supporting the development of their work, and moving their projects towards production. We are particularly interested in incubating new pieces that center BIPOC voices, push form, and feature innovative dramaturgy. We are also eager to support projects that originate with artists other than playwrights, such as designers, directors, dramaturgs, and activists. Many of these works have become part of the modern American canon with more than thirty Long Wharf Theatre productions transferred to Broadway or Off-Broadway runs. We are revitalizing our commitment to playwrights at all stages in their careers, and are now welcoming scripts from unrepresented playwrights as well as agents.
Email scripts to: literary@longwharf.org
Type of Materials: Full-length, One act, 10-minute scripts, musicals, adaptations, translations, virtual/Zoom plays.
DEADLINE: NA
WEBSITE: https://www.purplerosetheatre.org/opportunities/script-submissions/
It is our mission to develop and produce new plays that give voice to a wide and diverse range of playwrights. We are unique in our journey toward quality storytelling, as we accept scripts from playwrights who have agency representation, as well as those who do not. Because of this, we receive a large number of submissions, and while we want to read everything that comes in, we also want to make sure that all who plan to submit understands that the Purple Rose is a professional theatre and only wishes to see the best work in which a playwright is capable. In addition to selecting a play that exemplifies a playwright’s storytelling ability, he/she/they must please adhere to the following guidelines to be accepted or considered.
Please submit only the first 40 pages; the title page does not count, however the character description/setting page will. Please include a brief synopsis on this page as well.
The 40 pages must be part of a full-length play. At this time we do not accept One-Acts or monologues.
Please save the file as monthyear: TITLE OF PLAY_Last Name; ex. 0722: MY PLAY_Playwright
The file must be in PDF; .doc, .docx, Google Drive files, .fdx or any extension other than .pdf will not be accepted or opened.
Dramatists Guild Modern Stage Play format is preferred but not required.
Include a brief synopsis of the play in the body of the email; emails containing scene-by-scene breakdowns will not be read.
Provide any development histories and production rights including, but not limited to: workshops, readings, former/current/slotted productions, labs, conferences, liens, etc.
Please notify us of any agency representation and include their contact information.
30. NY THEATER FESTIVAL SPRING/SUMMERFEST
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: http://newyorktheaterfestival.com/summerfest-festivals/
We strongly believe that self producing a play or a musical can offer a very important tool for the growth of every playwright’s work. Once a playwright sees their work onstage, it provides an opportunity for the playwright to improve or modify their story. It’s also a great opportunity to invite people from the industry to see your production. People are more likely to go see a show than to read an unsolicited script, as some industry people receive on average thousands of submissions per month, and they understand that the journey for a show to be successful often goes through several productions.
Our team is completely dedicated to help get your work seen. We are always with you to help, from the first moment of your tech rehearsal to the closing of your last show. You will never be left alone during the process. We will help you to choose some of the 85 set/furniture props we offer to dress your stage for your run, and give you a complete crash course on how to use the audio/light/video system, which are intentionally very user friendly. After we show you how to use the tools we provide and how to utilize the space, you will be able to rehearse your tech rehearsal with whatever plan works best for you and your production. A team member will be present to provide prime responses to every inquiry, as well as a telephone # you can call anytime during relevant hours throughout the run of your show. In 11 years and 19 seasons we have successfully hosted 1,200 plays and 300 musicals and rewarded with cash prizes over 300 artists who participated in our Festival.
PRIZES:
We offer up to $8,000 in Prizes. $3,500 alone goes to the season’s best production (either a play or a musical)
