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Saturday, July 11, 2015

The Hormel Festival of New Plays and Musicals 2016 Submission Guidelines

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 *Fees are waived for members of WGA or Dramatists Guild
PHOENIX THEATRE’S HORMEL NEW WORKS FESTIVAL is accepting full length play submissions for 2016.

PHOENIX THEATRE announces its 18th Hormel New Works Festival, and its 9th national playwrights’ competition. The New Works Festival presents four staged readings of plays and musicals each summer at Phoenix Theatre, the oldest arts organization in Arizona and the largest Phoenix-based producing theatre. Playwrights whose work has been presented include Beau Willimon, Y York, Donna Hoke, Kris Bauske, Jack Heifner, Janet Neipris, Craig Bohmler, Hal Corley, James McClure, Rich Orloff, Eric Coble, Dale Wasserman, & Richard Warren.

The New Works festival is accepting submissions for the following:

Full Length Plays: Both dramatic and comedic. Plays should be original, un-produced full length, bound scripts that are finished enough to profit from a workshop reading by professional actors but still open to revision. Do not send synopsis or screen plays. No multiple authors or collaborations will be accepted. Scripts may not exceed 100 pages of dialogue and must be bound in traditional script form. Cast size must be limited to 5 characters or less and no more than 3 locations. Full length plays would receive a staged reading. 

Submission fee: $10* Please send hard copy to mailing address below. *Fees are waived for members of WGA or Dramatists Guild

Please send to:
Phoenix Theatre New Works Festival
C/O Pasha Yamotahari
100 E. McDowell Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85004


Full Length Musicals: Musicals should be original, un-produced full length, bound script and score. CD’s of studio recordings are accepted as well. Musicals should be finished enough to profit from a workshop reading by professional actors but still open to revision. No more than 3 authors (book writer, lyricist and composer) will be accepted. Scripts may not exceed 100 pages of dialogue and must be bound in traditional script form. Cast size must be limited to 8 actors (could play multiple characters) or less and no more than 5 locations. Full Length Musicals would receive a staged reading. Submission Fee $10. Please send hard copy to mailing address below. *Fees are waived for members of NAMT, Dramatist Guild and/or WGA.

Please send to:
Phoenix Theatre New Works Festival
C/O Pasha Yamotahari
100 E. McDowell Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85004

Short Plays: 10 to 45 minutes: (NO FEE REQUIRED) Plays should use 5 or less actors, comedy or drama, (please no musicals). Selected short plays will receive a staged reading in our annual Evening of Short Plays. Please email submissions to r.harper@phoenixtheatre.com (Robbie Harper: Associate Artistic Director) Please put Short Play submission in subject line. Please make sure that the play is submitted as a PDF. No more than 3 submissions per playwright are accepted. Travel and lodging not included.

Songs for our Composer/Lyricist cabaret: (NO FEE REQUIRED) We are looking to feature new voices in the American Musical Theatre.


  • Please submit 3 complete songs: 1 ballad, 1 up-tempo and one production number. (preferred but not required)
  • Include sheet music and/or recording of the songs. Recordings do not need to be professional recordings. If sending recording through mail, please have song list written on song sheet included with your CD.
  • Please submit by email, please use QuickTime, WMP (Mp3 or Mp4) and/or DROP BOX. Please have files labeled and saved as PDF. Include Composer/Lyricist Cabaret in the subject line.
  • Please let us know whether the musical is complete or in development or just a sampling of your work.
  • Include draft of libretto (if available) or a possible synopsis. Please have these files as PDF.
  • Songs will be featured in a cabaret setting with 2 other composers.
  • Composers will receive airfare and housing and are requested to attend the cabaret.

For the Full Length scripts selected, we offer a staged reading, with professional actors, directors and dramaturges, to be held May 2nd – May 15th 2016 in Phoenix.

If your script/musical is selected, you must be available to be in residence for a 10 day time span during the span of the festival.

Please make checks, money orders, etc., payable to Phoenix Theatre.

Payments must be included with your script. Do not send cash. Scripts will NOT be returned.

Deadline for submission postmarked by: August 1st 2015

Finalists will be chosen and contacted by: November 1st 2015


For questions please email:

Mr. Robert Harper at r.harper@phoenixtheatre.com
(Associate Artistic Director/Festival Director)

or

Mr. Pasha Yamotahari at p.yamotahari@phoenixtheatre.com

(Resident Dramaturge)

To submit your script:
Please send to:
Phoenix Theatre New Works Festival
C/O Pasha Yamotahari

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