**FEATURED CONTEST: David A. Einhorn Prize**
Deadline: November 4, 2024
website: https://www.untitledtheater.com/david-einhorn-playwriting-award?fbclid=IwY2xjawFqrsNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHSRgw4S7ywA8MnU9Ec_MpgGAb8167WzD34tJLAK1PbLryjrOPdZ5PZ3D4Q_aem_8IBwk_BsTlCzE0aRDCNn4A
David A. Einhorn was the co-founder of Untitled Theater Company No. 61. This prize is to commemorate his work, with a special emphasis on supporting an American playwright or librettist 30 or older (citizens or legal residents) who has been working independently for at least 5 years, producing work independently without the support of large institutional theaters.
We are looking for work that resonates with the mission of the theater company, tackling ideas (political, scientific, and philosophical). Stylistically, we are looking for work that connects to classic absurdist theater and playwrights such as Ionesco, Beckett, and Havel. Humor is a very important stylistic element, as well as an overt theatricality.
Plays submitted should be 15 – 45 minutes in length (2,500 – 7,500 words). If it is a libretto with music, we are looking for a work approximately 15 minutes in length. If it is a libretto without music, the same length as for the play should apply.
The prize will be $2,000, split in two parts. $1,000 will go directly to the playwright, and there will be a $1,000 pledge towards the future production of one of the playwright’s works. There will also be a January 26, 2025 reading of the play or libretto, as part of our 30th anniversary celebration
There is no restriction in terms of previous development/production.
There is no restriction in terms of previous development/production.
Document 1 is a script. Playwrights are requested to submit anonymously, so please be sure no name appears on the script. In the same document, please include a paragraph about the central idea of the play and how the work explores it.
Document 1a is for those who are submitting a libretto or a play with music. Please attach or include a link to sample music (just music or preferably a recording of music and lyrics). PLEASE NOTE: try to keep it all as anonymous as possible, so a link to your clearly marked YouTube account is less than ideal. Dropbox or similar is fine, as is an attachment of course.
Document 2 is a history of independently produced work, in which the playwright was in some way involved in the process of production. It should include at least three productions over the span of at least five years. This should also be submitted anonymously. You can also include a future planned production which would benefit from the $1,000 pledge (though it is not required that you have that production planned).
Examples of independently produced work that applies: a theater (or opera) company for which the playwright is Artistic Director or Co-Artistic Director or similar position. A stand-alone production where the playwright was responsible for financial/logistical elements of the show, or for which they shared that responsibility. Something that would not qualify: a one-act evening where the playwright simply submitted a script.
Finally, be sure to include your name and contact information (email and phone) either in the body of the email or in a separate document.
Submissions are open from October 1 – November 4. Script submissions are capped at 120. Submissions should be sent to utc61submissions@gmail.com
1. THE LANFORD WILSON NEW AMERICAN PLAY FESTIVAL
DEADLINE: October 1, 2024
WEBSITE: https://semo.edu/colleges-departments/arts-media/conservatory/lanford-wilson
The Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival honors new American plays that provide dynamic performance opportunities for college-aged actors. The festival endeavors both to recognize playwrights for their outstanding work and to provide a resource for universities across the country to identify dynamic plays with robust roles for college-aged actors for production at their institutions. The festival features both a full-length and short play division.
The 2025 Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival will be held in person at the Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance on the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University from May 25 to May 31, 2025.
The festival will feature staged readings of five Official Selection full-length plays and ten Official Selection short plays, as well as workshops and seminars on playwriting and new play development.
After the festival, one full-length play will be selected for the festival’s top prize and will receive its world premiere in the 2025-2026 Dobbins Conservatory Mainstage Season and will be considered for publication by Concord Theatricals, the world’s most significant theatrical company, comprising the catalogs of R&H Theatricals, Samuel French, Tams-Witmark, and The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection.
FULL-LENGTH SUBMISSIONS
Seeking non-musical plays that have:
A cast with all or nearly all characters between the ages of 15-25 (with no more than two characters outside of that age range).
A mid to large-sized cast (i.e., at least five actors, preferably at least ten).
A running time of at least 80 minutes.
Significant representation (in both number and quality) of roles for female-identifying actors.
Dynamic, fully-drawn roles to challenge student actors.
Thematic values that will speak to college-aged artists and audience members.
The festival also places a value on plays that have the potential to provide performance
opportunities to actors from under-represented groups. Please note: The Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival is specifically seeking plays in which the characters are in their teens and early twenties, not simply characters that could be played by actors in their teens and early twenties. The festival is not seeking plays with characters that are “ageless” or “any age.” Plays should be about characters who are experiencing late adolescence and early adulthood.
Full-length plays should not have had a previous full production. Workshops and readings are fine.
SHORT PLAY SUBMISSIONS
Finalists for the festival’s top prize will receive airfare and housing to participate in the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival on the campus of the Jeanine Larson Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University in May of 2025. Staged readings of the finalists’ plays will be presented as part of the festival, and the winner of the prize will be announced at the end of the week-long event.
The winning full-length play will receive:
A world premiere production in the 2025-2026 Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance theatre season.
Consideration of the play for publication by Concord Theatricals, the world’s most significant theatrical company, comprising the catalogs of RandH Theatricals, Samuel French, Tams-Witmark, and The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection.
A meeting for the playwright with new play acquisition staff at Concord Theatricals.
Seeking non-musical plays that have:
A cast of characters exclusively in their teens and twenties.
Dynamic, fully-drawn roles to challenge student actors.
A running time of 10-25 minutes.
Thematic values that will speak to college-aged artists and audience members.
The festival also places a value on plays that have the potential to provide performance opportunities to female-identifying actors and actors from under-represented groups.
Plays should not have had a previous production under an Actors Equity agreement. Non-union productions, workshops, and readings are fine.
The ten Official Selection short plays will receive:
A staged reading at the 2025 Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival.
Publication in the anthology Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival 2025: The Short Plays, which will be distributed nationwide through online and retail outlets.
2. OBSIDIAN THEATRE FESTIVAL
DEADLINE: October 4, 2024
WEBSITE: www.obsidianfest.org
Seeking new, short and full length plays by emerging Black playwrights for its upcoming theatre festival: June 26-29, 2025. As part of the four-day festival, select plays will be staged, rehearsed, produced, performed, and filmed. Pieces will be presented for live theatre audiences, as well as professionally filmed and streamed for free for audiences visiting Obsidian’s website later in the year. Each play or musical will receive two (2) performances during the festival week.
SUBMISSION CRITERION
Plays no shorter than 30 minutes and no longer than 90 minutes
A sample of 10 pages.
A current, complete script.
Video Submissions will not be accepted.
No more than 100 play submissions will be accepted.
Musicals between 30-60 minutes in length (operettas, musical comedy, book musicals, experimental theatre, etc.).
Audio recordings 2-5 minutes in length.
Musical documentation of two pieces (sheet music, lead sheets, chord charts).
Selected pieces will be produced for live audiences in Detroit and filmed for streaming across the country.
Due to the nature of this festival and the location of the staged readings, at this time, pieces that require heavy choreography will not be a good fit.
Selected musical theatre teams will be paid a flat stipend of $500.00 USD. Selected playwrights will be paid a stipend of $500USD for the production period / for our producing the play in front of a live theatre audience.
FAQ
Question: Do you have to live in Detroit to participate/submit your play?
Answer: No.
Question: Can I submit if my play is less than 30 minutes long?
Answer: No. Although we ask for a sample of 10-pages, the festival is not a 10-minute play festival.
Question: Can I still submit my play if it has already had a reading or has been produced somewhere else?
Answer: While we encourage new work, we also support the developmental process. If your piece is in development, has had a reading, or has been produced at smaller theatres then send it along.
Question: Can I submit more than one play?
Answer: Yes, however, no more than two submissions per playwright will be permitted. Playwright’s submitting more than two works will be removed from the committee process.
Question: What do you mean by filmed?
Answer: The Obsidian Theatre Festival is captured with a multi-camera shoot in the theatre during the festival. The captured footage will then be edited and streamed globally on Obsidian's website for free, later in the year.
SUBMIT A PLAY:
https://bit.ly/otf25ms-submit or scan the QR code
SUBMIT A MUSICAL:
https://bit.ly/otf25mt-submit or scan the QR code!
3. NEW HARMONY WRITERS RESIDENCE
DEADLINE: October 7, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.newharmonyproject.org/apply
For nearly four decades, The New Harmony Project has gathered world-class writers and artists
along the banks of the Wabash River for an intensive, creative residency and retreat in the spring of each year. Throughout that time, Pulitzer Prize, Tony, Emmy, and Academy Award-winning artists have worked alongside early and mid-career writers, students, and the local community to create a one-of-a-kind experience in Utopia. With a unique focus on people over product, The New Harmony Project clears space and provides a supportive environment for each writer and artist to build their own experience.
OUR MISSION
The New Harmony Project is a national arts organization whose mission is to nurture writers in the development of scripts and new works that interrogate the complexity of hope. Through artist-centered programming, we care for writers so they can change the world.
THE 2025 WRITERS’ RESIDENCY
This year, through our open selection process, we're seeking storytellers who are interested in an artist-centered residency that will provide a creative and nurturing environment, supportive artistic community, and dramaturgical resources in a bucolic setting. These residencies will not include a full developmental workshop with actors and a creative team, but there will be opportunities to hear your work out loud in informal settings.
At the 2025 residency, we will also be supporting 3 Productions in Residence selected in collaboration with partner organizations outside of the open selection process. These projects will be receiving a full developmental workshop with actors and a creative team, but will be shorter in duration. Writers cannot apply for the Productions in Residence program.
WHEN IS THE 2025 RESIDENCY?
May 21 - June 1, 2025 in New Harmony, IN
WHAT IS THE PROJECT LOOKING FOR IN A COMPANY MEMBER?
We are looking for artists who will be active participants in creating a welcoming, supportive and engaged artistic community over the course of the conference.
We support stories and storytellers interrogating the complexity of hope. If you’ve read our mission statement and you’re still not sure you're a good fit for the conference, you can gain a fuller sense of our aesthetic and philosophical interests by perusing our roster of writers and scripts that have recently found an artistic home at NHP.
We are actively working to dismantle racism within our organization, and are committed to supporting artists who honor a multiplicity of perspectives.
WHAT DOES THE PROJECT PROVIDE?
There is no out of pocket expense to apply or attend, and we pay a modest honorarium to each participant.
Additionally, we provide:
A creative community and an unparalleled level of artistic support, including dramaturgical meetings, informal salons to hear work, collaborators willing to read pages, student interns to provide support, etc.
Roundtrip air and ground transportation to/from Southern Indiana
Three meals daily
A private room at the New Harmony Inn
For parent artists, childcare support is available in a myriad of ways based on your artistic needs
If you have any questions, please email applications@newharmonyproject.org (please, no phone calls). We look forward to reviewing your applications, and thank you for taking the time to apply!
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS YEAR’S APPLICATION PROCESS? CHECK OUT THE FAQ PAGE, OR EMAIL US AT APPLICATIONS@NEWHARMONYPROJECT.ORG
4. GPTC NEW PLAY FESTIVAL
DEADLINE: October 15, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.gptcplays.com/how-to-apply-2/
This conference provides a sanctuary for playwrights to create away from the pressure of the press, industry insiders, and representatives. It is a critical incubator in the Midwest that serves the nation. There are so few opportunities like this left (you can count them on one hand). The GPTC allows for new work to be developed to act as a pipeline for our American stages.
Each year, the Festival helps to develop a group of new plays that are selected from a pool of around 1000 submissions. During the Festival, local and national playwrights, actors, directors, dramaturgs, designers and Omaha community members, share a week of stories, workshops, readings, meals, performances and celebrations. All public festival events are free to attend.
This year’s festival will take place from May 25th – May 31st (2025). The festival takes place in Omaha, Nebraska. *Playwrights who are accepted to the festival are required to attend the full week of the festival. The application process is anonymous. None of the readers who review and select the plays will know who wrote them. There is a $10 application fee. The fee helps to pay a part of the reader’s stipends. There is a PayPal payment link on the application page for you to pay this fee. Selected playwrights are provided with travel, hotel, most meals, local transportation, and a $750 stipend.
Accepted plays will be assigned a local director and cast. They will also be assigned a dramaturg and designer from our national team.
Plays may be one acts or full length, but no shorter than thirty pages in length. Plays may not have had a professional production. Playwrights may send only one play per year. Plays that were sent to us in previous years may be sent in again. No musicals or plays for young audiences are accepted.
Playwrights who are accepted to the festival agree to give full support to their fellow playwrights throughout the week. Ten plays and playwrights will be selected for the 2025 New Play Festival.
Please follow this link to send us your play.
5. ART OMI 2025 RESIDENCY DEADLINE: October 15th, 2023 WEBSITE: https://artomi.org/residencies/writers
Art Omi: Writers hosts authors and translators from around the world for residencies throughout the spring and fall. The program’s strong international emphasis provides exposure for global literary voices and reflects the spirit of cultural exchange that is essential to Art Omi’s mission.
Guests may select a residency of one week to two months; about ten writers at a time gather to live and work in a rural setting overlooking the Catskill Mountains. Daytime is reserved for writing and quiet activities, while evenings are more communal. A program of weekly visits bring guests from the New York publishing community. Noted editors, agents and book scouts are invited to share dinner and conversation on both creative and practical subjects, offering insight into the workings of the publishing industry, and introductions to some of its key professionals. Readings throughout the year invite the public to experience finished and in-process work by writers and translators in residence.
Art Omi: Writers welcomes published writers and translators of every type of literature. All text-based projects—fiction, nonfiction, theater, film, poetry, etc.—are eligible. International, cultural and creative exchange is a foundation of our mission, and a wide distribution of national background is an important part of our selection process.
All residencies are fully funded with accommodations, food, local transport and public programming provided. However, please note that Art Omi: Writers does not provide travel funds. Selected residents are responsible for funding their own travel or securing travel funds from a third party.
6. UNLEASHED 2025 SEEKS PLAYS BY ASIAN AMERICANS
DEADLINE: October 25, 2024
WEBSITE: https://porkfilled.com/wp/
We have a CAP of 50 eligible plays.
Unleashed 2025 returns for a week-long festival of brand new genre plays by Asian Americans! Pork Filled Productions is sounding the call, once again, for one acts and full length plays that indulge in genre, upend expectations, and expand imaginations.
From Roger Tang, executive director of PFP: “We have more stories in us than oppression or identity plays. We want to give writers free rein to let loose their full storytelling potential on stage. And we want the audience to have fun and we get to tell our stories.”
If you are accepted, you will be given actors, a director, and a dramaturge. Private workshops, writing time, and a public workshop at Theatre Off Jackson in Seattle, W.A.
Send plays to – submissions@porkfilled.com
All submitting playwrights must complete the accompanying application form
We have a CAP of 50 eligible plays. We will close submissions early if we reach this mark.
We are only accepting 4 Play at this time for workshop readings.
Questions? – info@porkfilled.com
Plays are not required to have specifically diverse casts or racial themes; however, Pork Filled Productions is dedicated to casting all of our shows with at least 51% actors of color, so please keep that in mind when considering your submissions.
Submission guidelines
1 – We are looking for one acts (30-45 minutes) and full length plays (90+ minutes) by Asian American playwrights.
2 – We are specifically seeking bold, imaginative new work in genres such as noir, science fiction, fantasy, horror, action adventure, or any mashup in-between. We want your play to have FUN and FANTASTICAL universes and indulge in the idea of play! No living room drama plays please!
3 – Selected plays will receive a public staged reading in Seattle, WA. Local writers from the Pacific Northwest are strongly encouraged to submit.
4- We will prioritize local playwrights, but this application is open to a national call. If accepted, your play will have a private and public staged reading, but we are not able to offer accommodation or transportation to Seattle at this time.
5 – All submitted plays will be considered for a full production by Pork Filled Productions.
6– Deadline for submissions is October 25th 2024.
7 – Only emailed submissions with a completed Application Form will be considered. Please submit all materials as attachments in MS Word or PDF format to submissions@porkfilled.com.
8 – Playwrights may ONLY make one submission, and the plays must not have had a professional stage production at the time of submission. Readings and workshops are not considered productions.
9- If accepted will receive a stipend of 300$ for you time and dedication to your work
10- Winners will be announced Early January 2025
11- In Feb/March/April- Private readings will be had and the playwright will have time to rewrite the script and have feedback from actors, the director, and the dramaturge
12- There will be a public reading of the play at Theatre Off Jackson the week of 6/16/25
7. ATC’S NATIONAL LATINE PLAYWRIGHTS AWARD 2025 DEADLINE: October 31, 2024
WEBSITE: https://atc.org/national-latine-playwrights-award/nlpa-submission-information/
Latine playwrights residing in the United States, its territories or Mexico are encouraged to submit scripts for the award. Each script will be read and evaluated by a culturally diverse panel of theatre artists; finalists will be judged by ATC artistic staff.
The winner of the National Latine Playwrights Award will receive $2,500.
Full-length and longer one-act plays with a minimum of 50 pages on any subject will be accepted. The winner will be notified by Spring 2025.
The award is open to all Latine playwrights currently residing in the United States, its territories, or Mexico. Scripts may be in English, Spanish, or a combination of the two (Spanish scripts must be accompanied by an English translation). Plays must be unpublished, professionally unproduced, and not currently under option at the time of submission.
Full-length and one-act plays, with a minimum length of 50 pages, on any subject will be accepted.
The physical scripts become the property of Arizona Theatre Company and will not be returned. In this case, “property” means the physical property of the theatre, not the intellectual property or any rights to the play.
Application requirements include:
Submissions of a single script can be sent via email to NLPA@atc.org.
Include a cover letter of no more than one page describing the play’s developmental history and how the play fits into the playwright’s broader career trajectory.
For more information contact Elaine Romero, ATC Playwright-in-Residence.
8.EDWARD F. ALBEE FOUNDATION RESIDENCY 2025
DEADLINE: October 31, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.albeefoundation.org/
Playwrights should submit a full script (short plays and one acts are considered "full scripts" for this purpose.) Please limit scripts to fewer than 130 pages (in a single file).
The Edward F. Albee Foundation maintains the William Flanagan Memorial Creative Persons Center (better known as "The Barn") in Montauk, Long Island, New York, as a residence for writers and visual artists of all media. Due to extensive, site-wide renovations, we are proud to be completely ADA-accessible and open our doors to all creative people.
The Center is open year-round (with the exception of December, when it is closed for general maintenance and holidays), and can accommodate four creative persons at a time. Residencies are for calendar months only. The standards for admission are, simply, talent and need.
Located approximately two miles from the center of Montauk and the Atlantic Ocean, "The Barn" rests in a secluded knoll which offers privacy and a peaceful atmosphere. The Foundation expects all those accepted for residence to work seriously and to conduct themselves in such a manner as to aid fellow residents in their endeavors. Writers and visual artists are offered individual en-suite bedrooms and separate working studios. Residents are responsible for their food, travel, and other expenses. The environment is simple and communal. Residents are expected to do their share in maintaining the condition of "The Barn" as well as its peaceful environment.
9. FUTUREFEST 2025
DEADLINE: October 31, 2024 Or when they have received 375 scripts
WEBSITE: https://www.daytonplayhouse.com/submissions
The Dayton Playhouse invites playwrights of all races and ethnicities, all gender identities, all physical abilities, and all ages to submit scripts for consideration as a Finalist for FutureFest 2025.
FEE
Submission fee will be waived for members of the Dramatists Guild.
$20 submission fee per script. This fee will be waived for members of the Dramatists Guild. Checks and money orders should be made payable to “The Dayton Playhouse”. Fees may be paid online by following this link to our online payment system.
ELIGIBILITY
Entry must be an original work written for THE STAGE and intended for an English-speaking audience*. No musicals or plays for children will be accepted. Plays must be full length with a run time of at least 75 minutes. The script must not have been published, or produced where admission was charged, prior to FutureFest 2025. Staged readings/workshop productions are not necessarily disqualifying factors. Playwrights may submit no more than two scripts for consideration for FutureFest 2025.
* Scripts may include phrases/sentences from other languages, even characters speaking in other languages, but the primary language of the script must be English.
Electronic submissions of scripts are required. Scripts in PDF format are preferred. Word or Google Doc formats are acceptable.
Submit an anonymized copy (no name/contact info) of your script, in standard play format with pages numbered. After the title page include a brief synopsis, character breakdown, setting, and scene breakdown, if applicable. The script submission form (link below) must be filled out for each script submission. If applicable, the form also provides the opportunity to submit an image of your Dramatists Guild membership card.
Should your script be selected and produced as one of the five Finalists, you must be available to attend, in person, the weekend festival (July 18-20, 2025) in Dayton, Ohio and participate in all events. Finalists must acknowledge “FutureFest 2025 at the Dayton Playhouse” as well as the Festival cast when the script is published. The winning playwright grants the Dayton Playhouse permission to produce the winning play as part of its 2025-2026 or 2026-2027 mainstage season.
SELECTION PROCESS
Each entry is guaranteed a minimum of three reads. The original play reading committee, following many months of discussion and voting, narrows down the entries to 15 – 18, which are then read by the entire committee before they select the 12 semi-finalists. A second committee selects the five finalists. During FutureFest weekend, the plays will each have a staged reading and be publicly adjudicated by a panel of theatre professionals (nationally-based and regional). Following the final production of the weekend, the adjudicators vote and select the winning script.
FINALISTS
Finalists will be posted on the Dayton Playhouse website (www.daytonplayhouse.com) in May 2025.
AWARDS
A $500 honorarium will be awarded to the winning playwright; all Finalists will each receive a $100 honorarium. The Dayton Playhouse provides the five Finalists travel (within the continental U.S.) to Dayton and lodging for FutureFest weekend.
The Dayton Playhouse reserves the right to produce a full production of the winning script for a future season, free of payment of rights. The show will have 6 performances over a two week period. The winning script will receive a full production as a part of a Dayton Playhouse mainstage season with six performances. Exact production dates are to be determined but will fall between March 2026 and May 2027. The winning playwright will have the opportunity to update the script based on feedback from the FutureFest weekend and participate in the production process.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
All submitting playwrights must complete the submission form for each submitted script. Please click this link to access the Script Submission Form:
FutureFest 2025 Script Submission Form
10. PREMIERE STAGES PLAY FESTIVAL 2025
DEADLINE: November 1, 2024
WEBSITE: https://premierestagesatkean.com/play-festival/guidelines/
Premiere Stages is committed to supporting emerging and regional playwrights by developing and producing new plays. Since 2005, the Premiere Play Festival has offered playwrights the opportunity to develop their work in an encouraging, focused environment through discussions, rehearsals, readings, workshops, and Equity productions.
Through the Premiere Play Festival, Premiere Stages has developed many plays that have gone on to have successful productions in New York and at regional theatres throughout the country. We strive to facilitate relationships between writers and theatre professionals who we think will respond to their work, in hopes that plays developed at Premiere will go on to subsequent productions. We offer Play Festival winners the option to retain the coveted “World Premiere” brand on their plays. Additionally, Premiere’s productions are consistently reviewed, scouted by major publishing houses, and honored by the American Theatre Critics Association.
Premiere Stages will accept submissions of unproduced plays written by playwrights affiliated with the greater metropolitan area from September 1, 2024, through November 1, 2024. All plays submitted to the festival are evaluated by a panel of professional theatre producers, directors, dramaturgs, playwrights, and publishers. Four to five finalists are subsequently selected for public Equity readings in Spring of 2025.
Awards
Following the Spring readings, one play is selected for an Equity production in the Premiere Stages 2025 season and receives an award of $3000. The runner-up receives a 29-hour staged reading and $1500. The other finalists will each be awarded $1000.
Premiere Stages is committed to supporting a diverse group of writers; playwrights of all backgrounds, ages, and experience levels are encouraged to apply.
Submission Guidelines
PDF FORMAT SUBMISSIONS ONLY
Plays must be full-length and have a cast size of no more than eight.
Plays must be unpublished and unproduced (readings and workshops are okay), with no productions and/or publication currently scheduled through September 2026.
Playwrights must have strong affiliations with the greater metropolitan area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware).
Musicals, adaptations (of existing plays or other sources), and solo shows are not eligible.
Submissions are limited to one script per playwright.
Please contact Premiere Stages to inquire about submitting a script that has been previously submitted.
Playwrights must be available for the development of their script (see the 2025 schedule table).
Submissions are accepted September 1, 2024 through 11:59 p.m. on November 1, 2024. Submissions sent early in the submission window are strongly encouraged.
Names and contact information are welcome on cover pages of scripts.
All plays must be submitted as a PDF via Submittable at premierestagesatkean.submittable.com/submit. Hard copies will not be accepted.
We accept script samples and synopses from playwrights without an agent. Submissions must include:
Brief synopsis of the play (no more than half a page)
History of the play’s development (or statement that it has none)
The playwright’s bio or resume
Script sample from the play (no more than 10 pages plus title page and character breakdown)
Premiere Stages will request full scripts to read if the play seems viable for the 2025 season. In 2022 and 2023, the winning plays were first received as samples.
All plays must be submitted as a PDF via Submittable at premierestagesatkean.submittable.com/submit. Hard copies will not be accepted.
Agent Submissions
Premiere Stages will accept full scripts from literary agents or theatre professionals affiliated with Premiere Stages.
11. THE RICHARD RODGERS AWARDS
DEADLINE: November 1, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.artsandletters.org/rodgers-award
The Richard Rodgers Awards were created and endowed in 1978 by composer and member Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) for the development of new works of musical theater. These awards support readings and productions of musicals by emerging composers and writers at nonprofit theaters in New York City. The winners are selected by a jury of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Previous recipients include Jonathan Larson, for Rent; Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley, for Violet; Kirsten Childs, for The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin; Anaïs Mitchell for Hadestown; and Jason Kim, Helen Park, Max Vernon, and Woodshed Collective, for KPOP.
12. KINSMAN QUARTERLY HOLIDAY PLAYWRIGHT CONTEST
DEADLINE: November 15, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.kinsmanquarterly.org/
We are looking for holiday scripts for our upcoming collection Holiday Plays for Cultures Worldwide. Submissions should include one-act shorts with themes of holidays, especially from BIPOC and underrepresented cultures. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, and Easter. Scripts must be original, unpublished works in English, ideal for families and low-budget organizations. Shorts should be between 10 and 20 pages with less than 6 main characters. Winning scripts receive up to $500 USD and publication.
Selected submissions will be published on the Kinsman Quarterly website and promoted on its social media sites and printed advertisements. Copyrights of the individual submissions remain with the authors. Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc owns the copyrights to the collection as a unit.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, however submissions should be withdrawn if accepted elsewhere. To ensure that we are able to publish the unpublished work, winning contestants and finalists are asked to wait a full year after publication before they republish the work themselves or with another organization.
Those Eligible
individuals 18 years or older
authors of BIPOC and underrepresented communities preferred, but not restrictive
must be able to receive award payment through Paypal
Contest Guidelines
Each entry should be an original, unpublished work by the submitting author, which does not infringe upon the copyrights of another individual or entity.
Scripts should be between 10 and 20 pages with less than 6 main characters.
Submissions must be received by November 15, 2024 at 11:59pm EST.
Submissions should feature holiday themes with rich cultural content
Participants may enter more than one submission.
Changes to the competition entry cannot be made once a work is submitted. However, a revised version may be resubmitted. In such cases, include the word "revision" in the file name.
Submission files must be named by Title_AuthorName. Example: "Missing Diamonds_DoeJohn".
All entries must be submitted as an MS Word doc/docx or .pdf file.
All entries must be in 12-point courier font for in a standard play format.
Be sure to remove all track changes from edited text.
Entries that do not adhere to guidelines will not be considered.
Prizes
Grand Prize = $500 cash prize and publication in the collection "Holiday Plays for Cultures Worldwide" and as individual scripts on the Kinsman Quarterly website.
1st Runner Up = $250 cash prize and publication in the collection "Holiday Plays for Cultures Worldwide" and as individual scripts on the Kinsman Quarterly website.
2nd Runner Up = $150 cash prize and publication in the collection "Holiday Plays for Cultures Worldwide" and as individual scripts on the Kinsman Quarterly website.
Top 6 Finalists receive a $50 Amazon gift card and publication in the collection "Holiday Plays for Cultures Worldwide" and as individual scripts on the Kinsman Quarterly website.
13. WOODWARD/NEWMAN AWARD
DEADLINE: ROLLING
WEBSITE: https://seeconstellation.org/get-involved/submit-play/
The Woodward/Newman Award is an exclusive honor offered by Constellation Stage & Screen, started through the support of Joanne Woodward, Newman’s Own Foundation, and the Newman family, celebrating Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward’s tremendous history of work on stage and screen. It presents the best unpublished play of the year with a cash prize of $3,000 and a full production as part of Constellation’s Mainstage season.
We are currently accepting submissions for the 2025-26 Woodward/Newman Award. The award recipient will be announced by May 15, 2025. The winner will be awarded $3,000 and a full production.
“Full-length” plays should have a complete running time of between 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes) to 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes). TYA shows should have a complete running time of over 40 minutes.
Plays submitted must be unpublished at the time of submission (independently published is acceptable).
Each play should be individually submitted at the following link: CONSTELLATION STAGE & SCREEN PLAY SUBMISSION.
You will be asked to submit your play as an attachment and all other information (bio, history, synopsis, character breakdown) will be entered into a form. Musical submissions may upload demos as an attachment or include a link to a shared folder.
Limit of 2 play submissions per year.
$3,000 cash prize is in lieu of royalties for the full production. Housing & transportation will also be provided.
Any unpublished play submitted to Constellation regardless of method (e.g. online form, agent submission, direct contact) may be considered for the Woodward/Newman Award.
Please note that we are moving away from a “finalists” model in lieu of keeping all plays under consideration for extended periods (2yrs). In 2025-26 we will no longer announce finalists and only announce a winner.
If you have any questions, please email literary@seeconstellation.org.
14. NES Artist Residency (in Skagaströnd, Iceland)
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: https://neslist.is/apply/
As one of the largest residencies in Iceland, NES currently hosts between 90–120 artists per year. NES provides artists with a workspace and living quarters within Skagaströnd, and the freedom to create as they wish. Artists receive a $175 stipend/week, with housing accommodations.
15. NATIVE VOICES PRODUCTION SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: theautry.org/events/signature-programs/native-voices-annual-call-for-scripts
Native Voices is devoted to developing and producing new works for the stage by Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and First Nations playwrights.
2025 OPEN Submission for Production Consideration
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 2025 General Production Consideration.
How to Submit
Checklist for All Submission Types
❏ 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(s) linked below
Where to Send Submissions
We only accept electronic submissions (preferably PDF format).
To submit, make sure you have everything on the checklist above, click on the link below to fill out the form and upload your materials:
- Short Plays: coming soon!
- Full Length Plays: https://bit.ly/2024NVScriptCall
- General Production Consideration: https://bit.ly/2024NVScriptCallGP
A Note About the Native Voices Distance Dramaturgy Process
Months prior to residencies, selected playwrights participate in dramaturgical conversations with an assigned director and dramaturg. Workshops with these creative teams and a cast of professional actors commence once the playwright arrives on-site. It is important to note that these conversations and workshops are playwright driven, allowing the writer to shape their own developmental path. Selected playwrights should be prepared to dedicate adequate time to this process prior to arriving on-site. For More Information or Questions: nvliteraryassociate@gmail.com
MISSION:
To support creative freedom for engineers and scientists outside of traditional institutional frameworks
To thoughtfully enable the creative ventures, inquiries, and expressions that will shape our technology-driven future
To build an interdisciplinary community of artists, engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs to collaborate in meaningful and unpredictable ways
Since we opened our doors in 2014, Stochastic Labs has helped pioneer exceptional 20th/21st-century creative ventures including Lynn Hershman Leeson and NASA scientist Josiah Zayner’s epic transmedia artwork The Infinity Engine; JD Beltran and Scott Minneman’s Cinema Snowglobe; Alexander Reben’s film-making robot BlabDroid; Graham Plumb and Karen Marcelo’s volumetric Open Cube; street artist KATSU’s AI Criminals; and Lauren Lee Mccarthy’s interactive performance piece Follower, among others.
16. THE FOUNDATION FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS – EMERGENCY GRANTS
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. Each month FCA receives an average of 100 Emergency Grant applications and makes approximately 12-21 grants. Grants range in amount from $500 to $3,000, and the average grant is now $1,900. We recommend that artists review all of our eligibility guidelines and FAQs before applying.
17. 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 submit your work to get the conversation going to partner with us.
