Masque and Spectacle seeks short plays for its September 2025 issue

Website

Deadline: July 31, 2025

Send drama submissions to masqueandspectacle@gmail.com. Attach written submissions in a single Word doc or docx file, and include the word “DRAMA” in the email subject line.

Masque & Spectacle reads submissions for its bi-annual issues November 1 – January 31 and May 1 – July 31. Submissions received outside of this time period will be automatically deleted. Responses can be expected within a month. Acceptance rate is around 10%. Submissions not titled/tagged or formatted or properly under the Submissions Guidelines will not be considered for publication. We only consider one submission per author/format during any given reading period.

The theme for our September Issue is magic.

We do not accept previously published work, and we ask for First Electronic Rights and Non-Exclusive Archival Rights upon acceptance. Unfortunately, we are unable to pay contributors at this time.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere. Additionally, we do not typically publish the same authors in back-to-back issues.

For any queries, please contact us at masqueandspectacle@gmail.com.

Drama

We welcome 10-minute plays (up to approximately 10 pages in length). No full-length plays will be considered at this time. Shorter plays are also welcome.

While traditional plays are welcome, we are particularly interested in innovative and/or interdisciplinary texts that break new ground, either in relation to their subject matter, or in how the text itself is performed/written/represented on stage.

Playwrights may submit one previously unpublished 10-minute play for consideration. The script should be accompanied by a cover letter, which includes your name, address, phone number, and email address. Proper playwriting format should be used. If you are uncertain about this format, several examples can be found online.

Nomad Theatre seeks short plays for Order in the Court

Website

Deadline: June 16, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Nomad Theatre seeks 6-10 short plays to be a part of our upcoming show, Order in the Court in September 2025 in Normal, IL. Submissions will open on May 12th and close on June 16th, 2025. Nomadtheatre.org

Experience the drama and intrigue of the courtroom like never before with "Order in the Court," a selection of original plays specifically crafted to be performed in the McLean County Courthouse. We hope to delve into themes of justice, morality, and the human condition, set against the authentic backdrop of a courtroom, immersing the audience in the tension and intensity of legal battles.

Selected plays must take place in a courtroom. We encourage you to use the space creatively. They must be unpublished and unproduced at the time of submission.

Mclean County courthouse is a historical landmark housed in the Mclean County Museum of History, and many historical court cases have taken place here. We encourage you to be inspired by local Mclean County History cases, or include themes that showcase at the Museum of History and themes surrounding America 250, such as Unfinished Revolutions; Power of Place; We the People; American Experiment; Doing History: 250th Anniversary – AASLH

You can also browse the exhibits at the museum for inspiration: Digital Exhibits

A picture of the space has been included for your reference. PLEASE NOTE: the jury box will house audience members - so plays can only include one or two actors that sit in the jury box.

This call is open to all playwrights in the United States. Selected playwrights receive a $25 honorarium, full production of their show and a ticket to attend. We encourage anyone to submit, even if you’ve never written a play. We want to support underrepresented playwrights, including women, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, disabled, neurodiverse, etc, and encourage you to submit.

Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

· How well it meets the theme of ‘Order in the Court’

· Overall writing quality (Plot - we like different or quirky, weird, out-of-the-box theatre; Character Development; Dialogue)

· Suitability for our actors and space - low tech, 1-4 characters, flexible casting

Submissions will open on May 12th and close on June 16th, 2025. Selected playwrights will receive notification by August 25, 2025. If you have not received notification from us by that date, we did not choose you for the production.

Submission Guidelines:

· One submission per playwright

· a running time of 10-12 minutes long

· A cover page should include the title, the playwright’s name, contact information, a brief synopsis, and character descriptions.

· Pages should be numbered.

· Minimum of 1, maximum of 4 characters

· Label your document as TitleOfPlay_LastName

· Must take place in a courtroom.

· No musicals.

We suggest formatting similar to the Dramatist Guild Guidelines: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/sites/default/files/2020-01/General-SFI-Formatting-Guidelines-Complete.pdf

If you have questions or need any accommodations for submission, please email nomadtheatresubmissions@gmail.com

Nomad's mission is to provide an immersive theatre experience by exposing audience members to eclectic and moving stories, taking theatre outside of a traditional theatre space and into site-specific locations.

If you have questions or need any accommodations for submission, please email Nomad Theatre at nomadtheatresubmissions@gmail.com

23rd Annual New Play Festival at Centre Stage

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM 

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

• Submissions are open to any playwright whether from South Carolina, the region, country, or from around the world! 
• Only one entry per playwright/playwright’s representative is permitted.
• NO entries may be previously published.
• Likewise, NO entries may have previously fully realized, regionally produced performances through the dates of the Centre Stage New Play Festival 2025 (previous readings and workshops are acceptable).
• Entries may have NO more than seven (7) actors required.
• All entries must be no more than 120 pages, but one-act and full-length plays are welcome.
• Scripts must be in the Traditional or Modern format for plays as defined by the Dramatists Guild. 
• Screenplays, musicals, and 10-minute plays will NOT be accepted, plays with music may be submitted.
• Playwrights are encouraged to submit a cover letter along with their script that includes a brief summary of the play and a suggestion of the unique perspective or experience provided by the playwright's body of work.

Little Plays Big Murder short play festival

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2025

​

Email a Word or PDF file of your script to producer@westchesterplays.com. We will respond that we have received the script. All communications will be via email. Read the format section above for what to include.

Westchester Civic Theater (WCT) is holding another round of our 8x10 Play Festival. It will include 8, ten-minute scripts that are new. We hope one (or more) will be written by you!

WHO KILLED THE DIRECTOR?
Your job as the writer is to come up with a 10 min play using the characters provided in the opening as well as any other characters you feel you may want to add to enhance the play and solve the crime as to who killed the director and why. One catch, the opening of your play must have a character start your play by saying, "This is what happened."

At the start of the show, the attached scene: view here will provide the setup your play will be one of the 8 short plays that follow.

GRACE GODPLOP, 20's, young and a bit naive when it comes to the theatre world, originally from the south and acts like a Southern Belle. Many eyes are on her due to her charm and looks.

DONALD SPEAR, 50's, older actor and a bit of a grump, seems to be stuck doing Community Theatre and wants to some day breakout, he does not suffer fools

MORRIS CATROPHY, also in 50's, this guy IS a fool, nice man but clueless to the point where others think he cannot be that dumb

DEBBIE LITTLE, 50's-60's, loud mouth and intelligent but puts her foot in her mouth too many times, is never afraid to speak her mind and one not to mess with

KAT CROTHERS, older than 40, female, all business and no pleasure make this person a dullard

JOHNNY NICER, 30's, works with the lights and has the hots for Grace, he knows his job well and hopes to someday break away from lighting and maybe direct his own show one day

You must incorporate the theme but feel free to color outside the lines.

From script submission to performance - the process:

Phase 1: Script Submission - Due by June 30

Requirements

Ten Minutes - This is about 8 pages of dialogue in 12 pt font. While we will read all scripts, if they are much over 8 pages they will not be considered for production. 

Subject Matter - Write the best story that incorporates the theme in some way. 

Cast Size - No requirement.​ If your script is on the convention hall floor, know that we'll add in extras as appropriate to pass by in the background. 

Playwright Location - We don't care where you're from. Have an amazing script, submit it!

**Format - PDF or Word. On the title page include your Name, location and email address. Do not include your name on the script pages.

Never Performed Material - We want scripts that have never been performed with set, cast and all the drama. If it went through a stage reading or two, okey doke.

Set - When writing your script, know that we have limited space, tech, and no projection. Single set works best but if things need to come in and out, that's cool we'll figure it out. We use chairs and simple items to represent the area.

You can submit as many scripts as you'd like! More the merrier

**SPECIAL OPTION - Feel like submitting 3, 2-3 minute scripts that are vignettes telling one story? Do that. We will weave each of the 2 minute scripts in-between the other 7 scripts. You can submit them in one document.

Scripts remain your property. If selected, we will produce them, perform them, take production pictures, and record them in production. The pictures will be shared and the recordings will live on our YouTube page. Beyond that, they are yours.

We look forward to reading your scripts! 

Phase 2 - July 1 - July 20, 2025

We have an awesome group of people who will read all the scripts to determine which are the best fit for WCT and the production. Keeping to the ten minutes is critical! This team will reduce the submitted scripts down to 15-20. These scripts will enter Phase 3 - director matching.

Phase 3 - Script/Director Matching - July 21 - 30

8 Scripts, 8 Directors

The narrowed down selections will be shared with 8 directors (director spots still open). The directors will read the scripts and determine which they would like to direct. The core WCT team will do some fancy analysis of the 8 director's responses and complete the final matching. From there...on to casting.

Phase 4 - Three Performances

Friday, September 5, 7:00pm

Saturday, September 6, 2:00pm

Saturday, September 6, 7:00pm

A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers 2025

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2025

Sixty years as one of the leading play publishers for the educational market has taught us that some of our best-selling shows are written not by professional playwrights, but by teachers who create a play based on the specific needs of their drama program. Once published, these plays are quickly embraced by other teachers who share the same opportunities, challenges and limitations that seem universal in schools.

We want to encourage the development and publication of quality plays written specifically by teachers and other educators. Our A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers is open to all teachers employed at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada. All plays submitted for publication through this contest must have been produced within the past two years at the school where the playwright teaches.

Submissions will be accepted on an on-going basis with a June 30 cutoff each year. All qualifying manuscripts accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists. Pioneer Drama Service reserves the right to forego naming a winner from the finalists, at its discretion.

The contest winner, selected from contest finalists and announced no later than October 31 each year, will receive a $500 royalty advance and a one-time $500 donation to the school theatre program where the play was first produced.

Contest Rules

Only entries submitted in accordance with all rules will be eligible for consideration.
Playwright must be a current or retired faculty member at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada.

• Only entries submitted with an Official Contest Entry Form will be considered.
• Only entries that have been fully staged at the teacher’s school no more than two years prior to the submission date will be considered. We encourage you to take advantage of this production to revise your script as needed before submitting your manuscript.
• All entries must be accompanied by proof of production in the form of a copy of the program, a newsletter or newspaper article, a review, a photo or a letter from the school principal.
• Contest entries must meet all Pioneer Drama general guidelines and requirements for play submission, which can be found at pioneerdrama.com/playwrights/submit.asp.
• Individuals currently published by Pioneer Drama Service are not eligible for this contest. Pioneer Drama Service employees and their families are also excluded.

All manuscripts submitted for this contest will automatically be simultaneously considered for our annual Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest, which is open to all individuals not previously published by Pioneer Drama Service. See pioneerdrama.com for more details.

Questions? Contact us by email or by calling 800-333-7262.

Lost Lake Folk Opera is open for short play submissions

Website

Deadline: August 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

We are accepting submissions of short stories, short plays, poetry and opinion essays for the Fall 2025 issue of Lost Lake Folk Opera from April 1-August 1, 2025. 

Lost Lake Folk Opera is proud to announce that Submissions are Open for its fifteenth issue, Volume 10, with the special theme, United We Write. LLFO v10 will feature a guest editorial team led by Joshua Davies serving as Managing editor. 

LLFO will feature poetry, fiction, short plays and essays responding to the socio-economic and political realities in the United States, writing that identifies political crises, societal grief, economic shocks, social injustice. We are not looking for political writing per se, but rather literary art that address the struggle we individuals face collectively to maintain a grip on reality and a firm foothold safe from the sinkholes, ruptures, and buried ordnance littering the landscape of our lives. 

Suffering is endemic to human existence. It is shaped by the times, by race and culture, by politics, war, economics—and by each person’s experience. The ancient Hebrew concept of Tikkun Olam captures this reality: that this world is made by brokenness, by disconnections. Or the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pottery is soldered back together with gold – not to disguise the breakage, but to illuminate it. To witness the sacredness each being carries, to honor the interconnection in life, and art, and one’s conduct is to aid in mending of the world. With this in mind, please submit up to five poems or maximum 2500 words of fiction, essay or short play. Rough maximum of ten pages. Submissions deadline is August 1, 2025.

Line by line, word by word, at Lost Lake Folk Opera, we aim to stitch each broken seam together. Voice by voice and ear by ear, we seek to honor all that’s most precious in each other. In our own small way to work towards repair and healing, in community: United, We Write.

UCROSS Fellowship for Native American Writers 2026

Website

Deadline: July 16, 2025 at 2:00 AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Current work is requested. An applicant's work sample and project description are the most significant feature of their application. Unless work is interdisciplinary, i.e. the various genres interconnect, each applicant is encouraged to apply in a primary discipline and submit a work sample and project description that emphasizes this single discipline. Competition for residencies varies annually and with the number of applications. While only one Fellowship winner will be selected, all applicants will have the option of being considered for a general Ucross residency.
ELIGIBILITY: Residencies are open to Native American writers who meet the criteria below. They must:

Be a practicing contemporary writer who is currently producing works in one or more of the following genres, including but not limited to FICTION, NONFICTION, POETRY, DRAMA, SCREENWRITING, PLAYWRITING, and HYBRID FORMS;

Be an enrolled member of a state-recognized or federally-recognized Tribe, Pueblo, Nation, Native Community, Political Entity, or Alaskan Native Village.

PLAYWRITING WORK SAMPLE: Your sample should represent the genre in which you plan to work while in residence. Writing samples should be double-spaced and include your full name. * Appropriate samples: One complete play (documentation of production may be included, if relevant), noting the 20 pages that you would like the reviewers to read.

Vidalia Winter Yield seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2025

We're accepting submissions for our Winter Yield collection of 10-minute plays to be produced in January 2026. The setting for this show is the airport. It can be at the gate, ticket counter, baggage claim, etc… as long as it’s in the airport (not on an airplane). We are only seeking plays that fit this setting at this time.

Submissions should contain a maximum of 6 characters, minimal prop requirements, and provide opportunity for diverse casting. Adult language and content are permitted, but it should be relevant to the story and not gratuitous.

Submissions cannot have been previously produced in the Atlanta Metro Area.

Limit TWO (2) submissions per playwright.

(Any playwright caught violating this will be disqualified)


PAY: A $30 stipend is paid to the playwrights whose plays are selected.


***PLEASE READ THE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY***

If submitting two plays, send each submission in a separate email


Email submissions to: vidaliatheatre@gmail.com


In the subject line type: Your Name - Title of Play – WY26

Be sure to include the following information in the body of the email:

your email and telephone

city, state (or country if outside USA) in which you reside

Number of characters

Comedy or Drama

All scripts must be attached as a PDF. No other file types will be accepted.

Note: *We do not utilize blind submissions in our review process*


**ANY SUBMISSION THAT DOES NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED**

OPEN TO ALL PLAYWRIGHTS

(with special consideration for those who reside in Georgia)

CONTACT US


Mail: 2382 Charleston Ter, Decatur GA 30034

Email: vidaliatheatre@gmail.com

Tel: 678-315-2767

Fred Ebb Award 2025

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2025

Each applicant must be a composer/lyricist or composer/lyricist team wishing to create work for the musical theatre, and must not yet have achieved significant commercial success.

Application Materials:

1. Electronic files of up to four songs from one or more musical theatre pieces, with typewritten lyrics and a description of the dramatic context for each song (combined into one PDF for all songs); 
2. and A completed application form.

Application Guidelines:

All applications will be coded as they arrive. Because all submissions will be reviewed anonymously, please do not place name(s) of writer(s) on electronic file names, lyric sheets, or description of dramatic context. Names should only appear on the Application Form.

MP3, ZIP, and M4A files are preferred, but Dropbox links will be acceptable as well. Dropbox files should not have time limits.

Only musical theatre work will be considered.

Please do not submit recordings with significant audience sound.

The applicant(s) must have written all the songs included in the submission. For example, a composer cannot submit one song with her own lyrics, and a second song with lyrics by another writer.
No individual may appear on more than one application. You cannot apply as an individual and again as part of a team, or as part of more than one songwriting team.

Submission Deadline: Applications will be accepted from June 1st – June 30th.

Please submit applications to:
fredebbfound@gmail.com

The winner will be selected in November and will receive $60,000.

Please note that due to the volume of applications, only finalists will be contacted.

MACH 33: The Caltech Festival of New Science-Driven Plays and MACH 33 Launchpad: The Caltech Early-Development Lab for New Science-Driven Plays

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

MACH 33: The Caltech Festival of New Science-Driven Plays and

MACH 33 Launchpad: The Caltech Early-Development Lab for New Science-Driven Plays

Theater Arts Caltech invites submissions for the 2025–26 season of MACH 33: The Caltech Festival of New Science-Driven Plays and MACH 33 Launchpad: The Caltech

Early-Development Lab for New Science-Driven Plays. Both programs support playwrights in developing science-focused work in dialogue with scientists from Caltech and JPL.

Deadline for submissions: August 15, 2025.

Please visit our webpage for more information: https://tacit.caltech.edu/mach33/
 

MACH 33: The Caltech Festival of New Science-Driven Plays

Festival Dates: TBD Spring 2026

 

MACH 33 presents staged readings of full-length, unproduced plays that place science, mathematics, or technology at the center of the story. Each reading is followed by a public discussion featuring scientists from Caltech or JPL. Selected playwrights will be paired with a science advisor to help refine the scientific content of the play. Winningplaywrights will receive a stipend of $500.

Submit to: Arden Thomas, Associate Artistic Director Email: arden.e.thomas@gmail.com
Subject line: MACH 33 Submission

MACH 33 Launchpad: The Caltech Early-Development Lab for New Science-Driven Plays

October 2025 - March 2026

Launchpad is designed for very early-development plays. Selected playwrights will work in a generative, collaborative environment with Caltech and JPL scientists to explore and develop the scientific ideas driving theirplays. Selections from the Launchpad plays will be performed at the MACH 33 Festival of New Science-Driven Plays at Caltech.

Submit to: Cole Remmen, Launchpad Program Manager Email:coleremmen@caltech.edu
Subject line: MACH 33 Launchpad Submission

 

Note: Plays submitted to Launchpad must be in-progress and open to substantial revision. They need not be complete or ready for a public reading.

Eligibility and Submission Guidelines (for both programs):

• Playwright must reside in the Greater Los Angeles area.
• Only one submission per playwright.
• Plays must not be published or professionally produced. (Previous readings are acceptable.)
• Plays must center on real-world scientific, mathematical, or technological themes.
• Maximum cast size of 8. Doubling is permitted; include a doubling plan with the cast list.
• Scripts must be submitted in PDF format, with standard formatting (12 pt font, numbered pages, character names above dialogue).
• Science must be integral to the story, not just metaphor or setting. See below for more on what we mean by “science-driven.”

Your submission must include:

• Blind Script PDF – Title only, no author name
• For Launchpad: a summary of any unfinished scenes
• Provide cast list and doubling plan (if applicable)
• Synopsis (max 200 words)
• Playwright Info PDF – Title, author name, contact info, date of most recent revision
• Artist Statement PDF – Brief explanation of how a science advisor from Caltech or JPL could help you develop the scientific dimensions of your play (blind – no author name)
• For Launchpad submissions only: If the play includes music, you may also attach sheet music or demo recordings if available

WHAT IS A SCIENCE-DRIVEN PLAY?

A science-driven play engages deeply with real-world scientific, mathematical, or technological ideas. The science is not just a backdrop or metaphor—it directly shapes the world of the play and the choices of its characters. In particular, a science-driven play typically: 

• Places real science, math, or technology at the heart of the dramatic conflict
• Features characters—often scientists, mathematicians, or engineers—whose work and thinking are central to the story
• Helps audiences gain a better understanding of how science works, how it impacts our lives, and how it intersects with broader human concerns
• Broadens the cultural imagination around science, challenging clichés or assumptions
• Grounds its content in real-world inquiry rather than speculative or science fiction (no aliens, time travel, or futuristic tech)

These plays are driven by curiosity, grounded in research, and open up new ways of thinking aboutscience and society. A panel of readers from both scientific and theatrical communities will review submissions. We look forward to reading your work!

M. T. Pockets Theatre open for season submissions

 Website

Deadline: September 30, 2025 11:59 PM

Submit on the online form

Submissions are open for our 2026 season. 

We will continue taking submissions after this date for our 2027 season. 

Up to 4 selections will be made from the submissions, and authors will be notified by email on November 15, 2025. Announcement of the 2026 season will be made on Dec. 2, 2025 - the National Day of Giving.

Mission

To enhance the theatre community in Morgantown, West Virginia and surrounding regions by presenting live performances of classic, contemporary and new works that promote women and minorities in the arts; provide a venue for alternative theatre that addresses contemporary and sensitive issues through performance; provide a venue for new works and support the work of emerging playwrights and artists without bias; provide theatre accessible to those whom otherwise might not have the opportunity to experience live theatre due to physical, financial or geographical limitations.

Go Try Play Write - June 2025

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2025

We're proud to announce a new monthly playwriting contest in collaboration with Bamboo Ridge Press. Every month, Kumu Kahua's artistic director Harry Wong III will select a writing prompt on the first day of that month. We're looking for 5-page monologues or 10-page scenes based on that prompt; the due date for submissions are always the last day of the month. All entries must be written in traditional play format; instructions on this format can be found here (https://www.dramatistsguild.com/script-formats), courtesy of the Dramatists Guild.

There will be one winner each month. Scripts will be submitted to the judges anonymously. Winners will receive $100 and a subscription to Bamboo Ridge Press. Woo!

The prompt for June 2025 is:

A word salad prompt. Write a 10- to 12-page maximum scene — not a monologue — using Donald Trump’s response taken from a transcript of a Business Roundtable meeting in Doha, Qatar on May 15, 2025, recorded in Roll Call; 00:10:42-00:13:47. These lines are public record and can be found here, or below. The lines from this response are only certain lines you can use and they have to be used in the order they occur. Break the lines up into dialogue. You can also make up stage directions. Use as many characters you want/need to make sense of Trump’s response. The president’s response you have is verbatim and unedited. Remember, only use the lines provided in the order they occur:

—

ROLL CALL (ROLLCALL.COM) REMARKS: DONALD TRUMP ATTENDS A BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE IN DOHA, QATAR - MAY 15, 2025
TAKEN FROM TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING IN ROLL CALL; 00:10:42-00:13:47

“…when you look at what's happening with Russia and Ukraine.
The drone is killing tremendous numbers of people. You hide behind a tree and the drone comes down and it circles you with fire. You don't have a chance. The tree comes down also, by the way. It's so intense. I mean, you see these trees being knocked down like they're being sawed down by a top of the line timberman, like, you know who, Sean Duffy.
Do you know that Sean Duffy, the head of the transportation department, who's working right now on the airports and getting a system because Biden didn't do a thing for four years and Pete Buttigieg was the head and he goes bicycling to work -- he takes a bicycle to work. Can you believe -- he's running the biggest air system in the world and he takes a bicycle to work.

And they say he's going to run for president. I don't see it. Who knows, right, but I don't see it. But when I look at what they've done, is so horrible what they have done and the work they did do, they wasted billions of dollars on trying to hook up air systems to copper and they tried to hook up copper to glass.
And the glass doesn't work with copper and they had 30,000 different contractors doing 30,000 jobs. And when they put it all together, they spent billions of dollars, it didn't even come close to working. And we're going to be giving out a brand-new system. It's very important. We'll have the best system and we think we know who that system is, but we have a lot of a lot of bidding.
But we want one check. We want a unified system. We don't want to have 5,000 contractors in all different places, some digging ditches and some not digging ditches because they want to go by satellite. Satellite seems to be the way to go. So we're going to be giving that out pretty soon, but what people don't know about, Sean, because I mentioned lumberjacks, that Sean, you probably didn't know this, I'm not talking about this Sea — No, this is a different, Sean Duffy, the head of transportation.”

—

Best of luck!

Veterans' 10 Minute Playwrighting Contest 2025

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2025 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

All playwrights, regardless of military affiliation, are invited to enter Salem State University’s 10-Minute Playwriting Contest. However, preference will be given to those with a direct military connection. This includes active-duty military, reservists, National Guard, Veterans, and direct family of any of these.

The theme of the play should directly touch on military service and/or how military service affects a community. The contest and festival look to recognize and celebrate those that have served and currently serve. We are looking to bring together a variety of voices exploring both the challenges and the victories and positive influences that Veterans have on our community.

Judges will select finalists, whose plays will be part of a series of staged readings in November 2025.

Important Dates

June 30, 2025 - Entry deadline

August 15, 2025 - Notification of finalists

November 2025 – Staged readings with post-performance discussions. Additional details forthcoming.

Contest Rules

• Only submissions through Submittable will be considered.
• One submission per playwright.
• Only original plays, not-yet produced or published, are eligible.
• All plays are judged blind. Do not include any personal, identifying information anywhere on your submission.
• Musicals and adaptations are not eligible.
• Simultaneous submissions are allowed. If your play is accepted elsewhere, please let us know immediately. If your play is chosen to be performed, you agree to withdraw your play from all other places where it is under consideration.
• By submitting, you agree to allow Salem State University to produce the first staged reading of your play.
• Scripts meeting the rules and submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by judges.
• Judging will be done by SSU faculty and members of the SSU Veterans’ community.

Judging Criteria

StoryPlot seems fresh, intriguing and original
Something happens; sufficient conflict and tension throughout the play
Plot is active, vital and dramatic on stage
Story moves along; pace is engaging

VoiceStrong, interesting writing style
Clear viewpoint that’s well integrated into the play

CharactersInteresting and compelling characters
Characters seem credible and real
Main character evolves or develops through the course of the play

DialogueDialogue suits the characters
Dialogue sounds natural and credible for the plot and location
Each character has own unique voice
Dialogue seems fresh and compelling (not dull, boring, or generic)

AppropriatenessThe play can be staged in the 10-minute time allotment in a black box theatre with limited set, sound, and design.

Overall effectPlay is transformative and memorable

Submitting Your Work

The script must be in standard playwriting format with 12-point Courier font. Use double spacing when changing from one character to another. Use single spacing everywhere else. If you are unfamiliar with standard playwriting format, please check out this example.

PLAYS THAT FAIL TO MEET THESE CRITERIA WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Questions: email arts@salemstate.edu

The Yale Drama Series 2026

Website

Deadline: August 15, 2025 EDT 

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Hardcopy submissions are also possible - no staples:

Send the manuscript to Yale Drama Series, P.O. Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040.

The Yale Drama Series is seeking submissions for its 2026 playwriting competition. The winning play will be selected by the series’ current judge, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. The winner of this annual competition will be awarded the David Charles Horn Prize of $10,000, publication of their manuscript by Yale University Press, and a staged reading at the Schwarzman Center at Yale University. The prize and publication are contingent on the playwright’s agreeing to the terms of the publishing agreement.

There is no entry fee. Please follow these guidelines in preparing your manuscript:

1. This contest is restricted to plays written in the English language. Worldwide submissions are accepted.

2. Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays, with a minimum of 65 pages. Plays with less than 65 pages will not be considered.

3. Translations, adaptations, musicals, and children’s plays are not accepted.

4. The Yale Drama Series is intended to support emerging playwrights. Playwrights may win the competition only once.

5. Playwrights may submit only one manuscript per year. Only manuscripts authored by one playwright are eligible.

6. Plays that have been professionally produced or published are not eligible. Plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production or that have been published as an actor’s edition will be considered.

7. Plays may not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission.

8. Plays must be typed/word-processed and page numbered. Plays with images are not accepted.

9. The Yale Drama Series reserves the right to reject any manuscript for any reason.

10. The Yale Drama Series reserves the right of the judge to not choose a winner for any given year of the competition and reserves the right to determine the ineligibility of a winner, in keeping with the spirit of the competition, and based upon the accomplishments of the author.

Before submitting your play, please:

1. Omit your name and contact information from your manuscript and submission file name.

2. Begin your manuscript with a title page that shows the play's title, a 2-3 sentence keynote description of the play, a list of characters, and a list of acts and scenes.

3. Enter the title of your play, your name and contact information (including address, phone number, and email address), and a brief biography where indicated in the electronic submission form.

For more information about the Yale Drama Series, please visit:
yalebooks.com/drama
dchornfoundation.org
or email us at yaledramaseries@yale.edu

Cry Havoc Play List 2025

Website

Deadline: June 23, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM.

We are pleased to announce the third annual cycle of PlayList, a short play development series. Each participating playwright will complete the project with a submission-ready 10-minute play and the project will culminate in a public presentation of the play collection. PlayList is for writers of any background, identity, education or experience level who are interested in honing their work on a short script with a room full of artists experienced in new play development. Applicants need to be local to the NYC area to participate, and CRY HAVOC is especially seeking artists from underrepresented communities for this project. No fee to apply or participate, and writers are paid a stipend for the use of their work in the public presentation.

The CRY HAVOC Company believes that writing a script doesn’t have to be a solitary experience. Feedback at key points in the writing process can bring you closer to your goals. Our approach to script development places your writing goals at the center of the workshop discussion, ensuring that collaborators are offering feedback in service of the play you are trying to write.

If you are interested in seeing how our structured feedback process can support your work, apply to be one of our PlayList writers!

PlayList participants will write new 10-minute scripts inspired by creative prompts linked by a theme. The 2025 theme is Cover to Cover; each writer will draw inspiration for a two-character play from a cover song and an album cover.

What’s the Process?
SELECT: Playwrights apply to the project, sharing a writing sample and a cover song and album cover to serve as inspiration for a ten-minute play.
SHUFFLE: The songs and album covers are reassigned randomly among the five selected playwrights.
CREATE: Each PlayList writer drafts a ten-minute, two-character play inspired by another playwright’s prompts.
COLLAB: Writers develop their drafts over several feedback sessions in the CRY HAVOC Workshop.
PLAY: Actors and directors join the process to present the PlayList collection as a public Equity 29-Hour Reading of the plays.

How does the collaboration work?
Each writer works with a facilitator—a CRY HAVOC artist to confer with before/after each feedback session. Facilitators moderate each session in support of the playwright and their goals. The feedback sessions will include our roster of artists with years of new play dramaturgy experience, the other PlayList writers, and their invited guests and colleagues.

PlayList applicants are asked to commit to participation in a preliminary welcome meeting via Zoom, six in-person workshop sessions in NYC, two final-draft Zoom workshop sessions, and the public reading in NYC. See schedule below (all sessions will be in the evening):

Wed. 8/20: Welcome Zoom meeting
Tue. 9/2 and Thu. 9/4: In-person workshops, 1st drafts
Mon. 9/8 and Wed. 9/10: In-person workshops, 2nd drafts
Mon. 9/15 and Wed. 9/17: In-person workshops, 3rd drafts
Wed. 9/24 and Thu. 9/25: Zoom workshops, rehearsal drafts
Wed. 10/8: Public presentation

Who is PlayList for?
This program is for writers of ANY background, especially if you are:
- looking for tools to support the development of new work
- searching for a community to serve as a “home base” for creative feedback and support
- not sure what you are going to write next
- an artist at any stage of your career, from emerging to established, who is looking for new collaborators

What are we looking for?
CRY HAVOC is looking for artists who are interested in:
- discussing their work and their goals
- supporting the work of others
- exploring a system for structured feedback

How can I apply?
If you are interested in participating in PlayList, please submit:
- a 10-page writing sample and brief description why/how is this sample representative of your work?
- a cover song that has particular significance to you and brief explanation - why this song?
- an album cover and brief explanation - why this album cover?

The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award 2025

Website

Deadline: June 17, 2025

The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award is open to New York State playwrights and screenwriters, including those who live within the five boroughs of New York City.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Must be a working playwright or screenwriter. Acceptable forms of playwriting or screenwriting include stageplays, screenplays, teleplays, libretti, radio plays, and audio dramas. No audio is accepted.
• Must self-identify as LGBTQ+.
• Must be a current full-time resident of New York State for a minimum of 12 months at the time the application closes.
• Must be at least 25 years of age at the time the application closes.
• Cannot be enrolled in a degree-seeking program of any kind.
• Can be past recipients of any NYFA grant or fellowship programs, except past recipients of The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award.
• Cannot be a NYFA employee, members of the NYFA Board of Trustees or Artists’ Advisory Committee, and/or an immediate family member of any of the above.

More information on the website.

SUBMISSIONS for the 2nd On One Foot 10-Minute Playwriting Contest

Website

Deadline: June 14. 2025

but may close the window for submissions once 500 ten-minute plays have been received

SUBMISSION FORM

The “OOF! On One Foot” Contest is part of the Jewish Plays Project, plays2gather and the Berkshire Theater Group’s 2nd Festival of New Jewish Plays, to be held August 28-31, 2025 at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield, MA. Up to six selected 10-minute plays will receive cash prizes, and their plays will be produced by the JPP in the Festival. 

2025 Prompt: Moving Forward at the edge of the Unknown : In one of the first freedom stories, Moses leads the Jewish people to the edge of a dangerous unknown. They respond: “Were there not enough graves in mitzrayim? You had to bring us here?” Moses appeals to G-d, but is told simply “Go forward.” Then one brave soul, Nachson, simply moves into the abyss, and the way becomes clear. Channeling the courage (chutzpah?) of Nachson, the JPP and p2g seek a range of 10-minute plays that ask: What does it take to move ahead in these times, when the way seems blocked or uncertain? We invite responses that reflect the broadest range of Jewish experiences and wisdom including (and especially) humor.

The Contest is inspired by Hillel the Sage’s teaching summarizing the whole Torah while standing on one foot: “That which is hateful to you, do not do unto your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary. Now, go and learn.”

FULL CONTEST ELIGIBILITY
Eligible plays:

• must contain significant Jewish themes, characters, content, or points of view.
• must respond to the 2025 prompt above – Moving Forward at the Edge of the Unknown.
• will have a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 6 actors
• You can apply with more than one ten minute play for this contest, as long as the writer feels all submissions connect with the prompt
• We do not accept musicals at this time.
• do not need to be created for this Contest, but should not have already been published. 
• Plays submitted can be on any topic, with any characters, but readers will be evaluating the ten minute plays in relation to these teachings, and the ways they inspire us to move forward in the world. 

CHECKLIST

• Plays must be in a single PDF document.
• Plays must include a title page without the author’s identifying information.
• Plays must include a character breakdown, which includes a doubling scheme for six actors if the play has more than six characters.

We acknowledge that with the variety of theatrical styles and artistic forms, a ten minute play may be more or less than 10 pages. However, the running time for each play should not exceed 10 minutes.
Please note that while we accept plays in many formats, we prefer the Dramatists Guild Standard Format.

TIMELINE

Ten minute plays will be received on a rolling basis beginning May 1.

Jewish Plays Project will accept plays through June 14, 2025, but may close the window for submissions once 500 ten-minute plays have been received.
No entry fees. Application and further details- https://jewishplaysproject.org/artists/oof/

Avant Barde 10th Annual Scripts in Play Festival

Website

Deadline: June 7, 2025

To submit your script, fill out the google form at the following link: https://forms.gle/TK13zpEc2sR9o3S39. 

Avant Bard produces thought-provoking theatre that interrogates dramatic literary classics and classical themes. Please only submit work that aligns with this mission. We also give preference to submissions from playwrights who live in the DC region. The submission deadline for the 10th Annual Scripts in Play Festival is June 7th, 2025.

We will program readings of the selected plays in the 10th Annual Scripts in Play Festival in Fall 2025 (October 4th-5th, 11th-12th, and 18th-19th). Festival plays are assigned a director, who will cast and stage two readings with free admission. Rehearsals will occur before the initial reading and a special workshop rehearsal–during which the playwright and director will have the opportunity to make adjustments based on anything learned through the initial reading and audience feedback–will take place after the first reading and before the second reading. Avant Bard is specifically seeking new plays that could benefit from this special workshop rehearsal between the two staged readings.

If selected, playwrights will receive a stipend covering the performance rights for the 10th annual Scripts in Play festival. If not selected, playwrights will receive notice from the reading committee. We will provide responses to all submissions no later than August 31, 2025.

If you have questions about your submission please email scripts@avantbard.org.

Call for Submissions: “ Test Tube Theatre ” – An Anthology of One-Minute Plays Inspired by Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World

Website

Deadline: July 12, 2025

“Everyone belongs to everyone else.”

Fresh Words-An International Literary Magazine is seeking bold, imaginative, and thought-provoking one-minute plays inspired by the chillingly utopian world of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World .

In a world where people are bred, not born , and happiness is a chemical equation , what space is left for the soul? We invite playwrights and writers to explore the chilling utopia of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World — through the sharp, compact lens of the one-minute play .

Explore the delicate balance between pleasure and control, freedom and conditioning, identity and conformity. From designer lives to emotionless societies, from genetic caste systems to happiness as a commodity — we want your most distilled theatrical visions that reflect Huxley’s vision of a future where everything is perfect… except freedom.

Whether satirical, surreal, dystopian, or deeply personal, your play should question what it means to be human in a world built for compliance.

Theme: Must be inspired by or reflect the themes of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World :

• Conditioning and control
• Loss of individuality
• The illusion of happiness
• Genetic engineering and social stratification
• Consumerism and distraction
• The suppression of truth and emotion

Length: Each play must be performable in one minute, generally 1-2 pages.

Number of Entries: Authors may submit up to 5 one-minute plays. All submissions must be in a single email.

Genre: Open to all styles — drama, satire, speculative fiction, dark comedy, absurdist theatre, monologues, dialogues, or experimental forms.

Originality: Must be original. Simultaneous submissions are allowed; please notify us if your piece is accepted elsewhere.

Format: Submit in standard playwriting format (.doc, .docx, or Pdf). Include character list, setting (if applicable), and stage directions.

Rights: Selected authors retain full copyright, intellectual property rights, performance and production rights. If selected, we ask only for one time publication rights for our anthology.

What We’re Looking For:

• Philosophical insight within tight constraints
• Emotional resonance or biting satire
• Strong voice and clear concept
• Innovative use of limited time and space
• Reimagined or symbolic takes on Huxley’s vision

If your play can show how joy can be a cage — or how freedom sounds like chaos — in just sixty seconds, we want to read it.

How to Submit:

Send your submission(s) as attachments to: dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com

Subject line:
“BRAVE NEW WORLD SUBMISSION – [Your Name]”

Include a short bio (50–70 words), in third person narrative, with your submission.

Remember:
“One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them.”

Don McCann Playwriting Contest 2025

Website

Deadline: June 15, 2025

The Oswego Players were established in 1938 as a non-profit community theater organization dedicated to live theater productions and theater education for Oswego area residents. Consistent with those goals, a playwriting contest was established to promote the creation of original, one-act plays by contemporary authors.

The contest is FREE and open to any playwright who is 18 years or older and resides (or attends college) in the state of New York.

• All plays must be based on original concepts (no adaptions of any works or no verse plays), unpublished and unproduced.
• The Oswego Players reserves the right to produce and perform any of the prize winners.
• The content, theme, and time period of the play are at the discretion of the writer.
• Since a live production of the of at least one of the prize winners is planned* simplicity is highly recommended:
• One act, single set, with a run time of 20 to 30
• Written so it can be staged with minimal set, props, lighting and sound effects, and costume design.
• The story should not exceed eight characters due to the potential unavailability of actors.
• All entries must include a cover page which includes the name of the play, name of the playwright, and an updated address, phone number, and email address.

Provided there are enough entries, the following cash prizes will be awarded:
– 1st Prize: $250.00 – 2nd Prize: $150.00 – 3rd Prize: $75.00

Submissions must be received by June 15th of the contest year and sent either electronically to osweplay@yahoo.com or through the mail, Donald J. McCann Memorial Playwriting Contest, P.O. Box 183, Oswego, NY 13126.

The writers of any of the prize winners automatically gives permission to the Oswego Players, Inc. to make copies of the script for rehearsal purposes.
Submission of an entry will constitute agreement by the writer/author to the terms described herein.

* Consistent with the organizational goals of the Oswego Players, Inc., it is their desire to produce a live stage production of the winning entry within a year of its selection. However, the organization reserves the right to opt out of this provision due to unforeseen, extenuating circumstances.

Gene Frankel Theatre Festival seeks one-act and short plays

Website

Deadline: June 22, 2025

Send all required materials to: GeneFrankelTheatrePlayFestival@gmail.com
Subject line: Gene Frankel Theatre Festival – Title of Play
Early submissions are encouraged.

The Gene Frankel Theatre
Festival Dates: August 4-17, 2025

The first Gene Frankel Theatre Festival launches in New York City this summer, presenting short plays and one-acts by a range of artists.

The festival encourages theatrical variety and aims to feature a diverse and compelling lineup across multiple programs.

The applicants will need to produce the work - director, casting, and all production elements. The Gene Frankel Theatre will help with setting up your technical needs such as lighting, sound, and projections.

Eligible Work

• Short plays (maximum 15 minutes)
• One-act plays (up to 60 minutes)

All genres are considered, including drama, comedy, movement-based work, and experimental forms. Submitted work should be new or recently developed. It can have been previously developed or produced in some capacity, but should be a New York premiere. All work MUST be unpublished.

Each play should have a maximum of 5 actors.

Selection Criteria

Pieces will be selected based on artistic merit, originality, clarity of vision, and suitability for festival programming. The goal is to present a high-quality, varied lineup. Submission does not guarantee selection.

Submission Materials

• Full script in PDF format
• Brief synopsis
• Character breakdown (Each play should have a maximum of 5 actors)
• Indication of category: short play (up to 20 minutes) or one-act (up to 60 minutes)
• Production history, if applicable
• Limit two submissions per applicant.

Optional: Playwright bio, brief tech/staging notes, prior production photos or media (if available), and social media or website links may also be included to support your submission.

Participation Details

No submission fee. All participants must be available from August 4th through August 17th.

A $100 participation fee for short plays and a $150 participation fee for one act plays for selected works will apply.


Awards

Selected productions will be eligible for awards, including Best Play, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director. Awards will be given in both short play and one-act categories.

Festival Format
Each selected play will be presented in one of several curated blocks. Each block will run approximately 90 minutes (including intermission) and receive three performances during the two-week performance schedule. The Festival will conclude with a Gala event featuring guest performances and an awards ceremony.

The Braid Salon Theatre seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: July 1, 2025

Santa Monica, California

Click Here to Submit

Two Faiths, One Love: Interfaith families reveal the humorous challenges and unlikely situations that lead to often surprising outcomes in a blended home.

What happens inside homes located at the crossroads of religions? How does it work or not? Is yours a mix of religions or even just different approaches to Judaism? Share with us your true stories that resulted in everyone laughing together or pushing the family to its breaking point.

How long can the story be that I’m submitting?
No more than 1500 words.
Please do not submit a full length play.
All one-acts must be 5 pages or less with no more than two characters. 

Do I have to be Jewish to submit?
No, you need not be Jewish to submit, but we prefer the work to have some Jewish content or Jewish resonance. All are welcome to submit.

Can I submit more than one piece?
Yes. However, each piece needs to be submitted separately.

What if my piece doesn’t fit the theme?
Please do not submit your work unless it fits the theme.

If my work is accepted, is there remunerations?
Yes, all works selected are given an honorarium. Written pieces that are selected for Salon Theatre will be given an honorarium based on the number of times the work is performed in the show for which it was selected. Writers also receive royalties if works are reprised. With StoryNosh, you will win a $100 prize for being selected.

My story has previously been published/produced. Can I still submit?
Previously produced or published work is welcome. Please include production and/or publication history.

Can I submit my musical?
We encourage composers, song-writers, and performers to submit one song from a musical, or one scene with a song with no more than two characters. Full length musicals will be rejected without reading.

Is there an age limit to submit?
Submissions are open to writers of all ages.

Does The Braid assume rights to my piece?
No. You give us permission to distribute your story digitally and/or perform it live. However, you retain all the rights to your story.

When I will be notified if my piece is selected?
We read every piece submitted at least twice, a process that takes time. If we plan to use your work in an upcoming Salon show or StoryNosh, we will contact you by email within two weeks of the performance date or Youtube release date. Please check our website for posting of those dates. If we cannot use your piece this season, we will keep it in our files for possible future use, when it may be better suited to another theme.

What happens if my story is selected?
All selected pieces will be edited and adapted by our skilled dramaturges to fit The Braid’s theatrical style. All edits will receive your approval before production begins.

Your work will then be performed by professional actors and produced by The Braid’s production staff.

You will receive an honorarium for your written piece included in our Salon Theatre based on the number of times it is performed in the show for which it was selected. You will also receive royalties whenever the piece is reprised. 

Why would I submit to StoryNosh instead of a Salon Theatre show?

You can submit to both as long as you do not exceed the word limits for each and your story relates to the theme. StoryNosh just allows us to explore additional themes in a digital format that are different from our Salon Theatre series.

Can I perform my own story?

No. Writers do not perform their own work. However, in rare cases, we will allow a writer/performer to perform their own story. Writer/performers will need to send a performance reel along with their submitted story.

SUMMER 2025 Online Class in Writing the Ten-Minute Play

Summer online classes in Writing the Ten-Minute Play are now open for enrollment. 

Award-winning playwright and musical theatre writer Arianna Rose is offering two online sections in Writing The Ten-Minute Play.

Arianna has taught this course for the Dramatists Guild Institute, Delray Beach Playhouse, and other playwriting venues both online and in-person in NY and FL.

"Writing for the Stage: The Ten-Minute Play" 

Six Sessions, 3 hours each: choose one section

1. Mondays, 1 – 4 pm EST (June 9 – July 14)
2. Mondays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm EST, (June 9 – July 14) 

Newcomers Tuition: $299 early bird through June 1st; $329 after

Course Repeaters Tuition: $150 early bird through June 1st; $165 after

Discount: $20 discount for newcomers who are a member of The Dramatists Guild or South Florida Theatre League. 

Minimum 3 participants per section; maximum 10.

Course Description: 

Ten-minute play festivals continue to grow in popularity around the world, with readings, productions, and publications at every level of theatre. While short-form plays share some similarities with full-length storytelling, the dramatists who excel in this form have learned how to write into the differences. I can help you join their ranks and give you the tools to write to the highest level of craft.

This eight-session course is a combination of lecture, reading, discussion, and most importantly, in-class sharing of your work for feedback. Whether you’re a new or seasoned dramatist, Writing The Ten-Minute Play will assist you in your craft. Topics include the elements of a successful 10-minute play, dramatic structure, generating ideas, character development, giving and receiving constructive feedback, effective rewrites, formatting your play, submissions, and log-keeping.

Please contact Arianna Rose at rockawayrose@gmail.com, or via her website where there is more course information: https://ariannarose.net/playwriting-classes-and-other-workshops

Arianna Rose is the Dramatists Guild Ambassador for South Florida, a Dramatists Guild Institute Instructor and Pip Mentor, professional dramaturg, Theatre Professor, and an award-winning playwright and musical theatre writer. Recipient of the MAC Song of the Year Award, the York Theatre NEO, and numerous best short play awards. Her work has been produced in 37 states and ten countries. Published: Smith & Kraus, Applause Books, Theatre Odyssey, Ghostlight Publications & Gemco Australia. 2019-2021 Miami-Dade County Playwright Development Program, moderated by Kia Corthron. She created and moderates the weekly Plays on Purpose/Miami New Musicals stage writers group, in its sixth year. M.F.A., NYU Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing; B.A. Theatre, Bucknell University; BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop. Memberships: ASCAP, LMDA, MAESTRA, Musicians Union, New Play Exchange, South Florida Theatre League, Dramatists Guild of America  http://www.ariannarose.net

Interested but not available?

If you are interested but don't have availability for that day and times, please email me at rockawayrose@gmail.com and I'll compile a list for another section or future course.

One-on-One Private Dramaturgy

If you prefer one-on-one coaching, I am a member of the Dramaturg and Literary Managers Association of the Americas (LMDA) and the Dramatists Guild Plays-in-Progress Mentor Program. More information here: http://ariannarose.net/dramaturg-for-hire

Venice Voices New Works Festival seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: June 20, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Venice, California

The Venice Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch Library invites you to celebrate 30 years of service at our 501 S. Venice location by submitting your short one act play to VENICE VOICES. To commemorate this event, we are calling on playwrights to contribute short, unproduced scripts – no longer than ten to fifteen minutes. (applications for longer plays cannot be accepted). Please be sure the plays concern themselves with historical, contemporary, or an imagined future in Venice, California. All genres are welcome.

Selected plays will receive a staged reading in mid-August and playwrights will receive an honorarium of One Hundred Dollars. There is no fee to submit. The event is sponsored by the Friends of the Venice Library.

John E. Frank
Venice Voices Executive Producer
Venice Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch Senior Librarian


Melanie Anthony
Venice Voices Literary Manager & Dramaturg

Further questions? Reach out to John at jfrank@lapl.org

Gallery Players 29th Annual Black Box New Play Festival

Website

Deadline: July 1, 2025

NOTE the post-marked date. Mail your submissions accordingly. 

The Gallery Players in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York, is seeking plays for its 29th Annual Black Box New Play Festival to be held in January (exact dates to be determined) 2026. 

Each play selected will be given a black box production with non-equity actors. 

Playwrights must be available, if not in person, via Zoom or other virtual venue for some rehearsals and use this as an opportunity to continue work on their play. 

1). Plays must be un-produced (readings are ok); must be the play’s world premier 

2) Length of Plays: Plays should be 30 - 60 minutes. Plays must have at least 4 characters; more is even better. No monologues. No period costume pieces. You may only submit two (2) plays. 

3). Format: Pages must be numbered; A cover page with Title of the play and playwrights contact information is required, along with a page that gives plot synopsis of the play and a character breakdown 

4). Submit a copy of your playwriting resume, showing the names of plays and if produced, where produced. 

5). Playwrights cannot direct their own work 

6). Send three (3) copies of your play(s), along with your resume, to: The Gallery Players Black Box New Play Festival 199 14th Street Brooklyn, NY 11215. 

We will only contact you if your play has been accepted into the Festival. If you want confirmation that your mailing was received by us, please include a self-addressed stamped return postcard. We do not accept email submissions. We do not return scripts. Any scripts not chosen for the Festival will be destroyed to protect the copyright.

Eden Prairie Players Women's One Acts+ 2026 Submission Guidelines

Website

Deadline: none given

Submission Form - note you have to register for Theater Forms to fill out the form.

Eden Prairie Players is accepting submissions of unpublished one act plays for its 2026 Women's One Acts+ to be produced in May of 2026. Women's One Acts+ is an annual selection of short plays that are written and directed by those who identify as women and those with gender-diverse identities. 

Submission GuidelinesPlaywrights must identify as female and/or a gender-diverse identity (trans, nonbinary, intersex, two-spirit, etc.)

Plays must be English language. 

If selected, plays will be licensed for production under our license agreement for unpublished works.

You can preview this agreement here. If you submit your work, we will assume this agreement is acceptable to you. The playwright must be free to license performance rights to us directly.

It is acceptable for the play to have been published, e.g. in an anthology, as long as the playwright retains direct licensing rights.

We are seeking short one-act plays: dramas, comedies, etc.

Submit through the online submission form:Playwright contact information - name, email, address, phone.

• Name of play.
• Approximate duration.
• List of characters / descriptions: age, gender, race if one is required, etc. (please list allowable deviations) 
• Short synopsis of the play, including a description of recommended set pieces and props
• After the form is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. 

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We commit to learning more about our own implicit biases, about authentically engaging the entire community, and about fostering diverse spaces. We pledge to practice inclusive and diverse storytelling in our performances and assure an equitable and safe space for all.

Compensation 

Selected plays will be paid a royalty of from $20 to $30 per performance. We plan to have 6 or 7 performances, which will be determined later.

No compensation for selection process: By submitting your play(s) for consideration, you give Eden Prairie Players permission to distribute to reviewers as needed for the selection process. You also give permission for your play to be performed without payment at an unrehearsed table reading as part of the selection process.

Details

Plays must be submitted as a PDF file. Plays may be submitted by the playwright only. Each playwright is allowed to submit 1 play. If a play was written by more than one person, be sure this is reflected in the Credited playwrights field.

Submitted plays must be at least 8 minutes and at most 25 minutes in length.

Submissions must be received by the end of the day on June 3, 2025 in the US/Central timezone. If the number of submissions exceeds the number we can review, the submissions to be reviewed will be selected by lottery.

In the selection process, the play will be made available through TheaterForms to reviewers authorized by Eden Prairie Players. By submitting the play, the playwright gives permission for this usage. The playwright must be free to give this permission and to accept licensing terms offered by Eden Prairie Players if the play is selected. (If a play is published after being submitted, and it is selected for Women's One Acts+ 2026, Eden Prairie Players will have the choice of accepting the publisher's licensing terms or choosing an alternate submission.)
FAQ

Q: Are works by international playwrights accepted?
A: Yes! We are now able to accept English language plays from playwrights worldwide.

Q: How are plays selected?
A: We provide access to each play to one or more authorized reviewers to read and rate as part of the selection process. Plays are narrowed down to a smaller group of finalist plays. Finalists are read at a public table reading and final selections are made by our Advisory Committee.

Q: What should I know about your theater?
A: Riley-Jacques Barn is a renovated barn in Eden Prairie. It is a fairly small stage. The main portion of it is 15’ wide by 16’ deep, but part of the downstage half extends the width to 23’ wide plus a few feet of extra wings on each side that are used for entrances and exits. There are also two entrances on either side of the upstage half. Because of the number of plays we do in a performance, we like to keep our set changes quick which means we prefer plays that can be done with simpler sets.

Q. What about language in my play?
A: While we bill these productions as intended for mature audiences due to subject matter and language, we strongly consider what our audience's reaction to each piece will be.

Q: How long has Eden Prairie Players produced unpublished one-acts?
A: 2010 was the first year that EPP produced unpublished works as part of our Collection of One Acts, and it was immediately successful. The response from our audience was overwhelmingly positive. We hope to carry that enthusiasm forward each year by continuing to introduce our audience to fresh new works written by exciting playwrights. 

We added The Women's One Acts production specifically to feature the work of women playwrights in 2018, and in 2023 we proudly rebranded the event as the Women's One Acts+ to include historically underrepresented gender identities. 

Thank you for your hard work, we are honored that you are considering EPP for your submission!

Woodward/Newman Award 2026-27

Website

Deadline: August 31, 2025

Each play should be individually submitted at the following link: CONSTELLATION STAGE & SCREEN PLAY SUBMISSION.

We are currently accepting submissions for the 2026-27 Woodward/Newman Award. The award recipient will be announced by May 15, 2026. 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).

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). We will only announce a winner.

If you have any questions, please email literary@seeconstellation.org.

Ars Nova Artists in Residence Program

Website

Deadline: June 6, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

THE RESIDENCY 

The Artists in Residence Program is an individually tailored, development-based residency for early career performing artists of all disciplines to explore a project in house at Ars Nova over the course of a season. The residency is a unique opportunity for artists who develop work in 

non-traditional ways to make use of Ars Nova’s customized, flexible support to discover new things about their project and process, and to build community and peer relationships with artists across genres in the residency cohort. Residents will be invited to develop a specific project in house at Ars Nova for a season, working toward goals and benchmarks for that project that are defined at the beginning of the residency. The focus of an artist’s residency at Ars Nova is on a fruitful process and the development of an artistic practice, not on a finished product. Through a wide range of development tools, institutional resources and hands-on artistic support, residents are encouraged to think big, take risks and push their creative potential as they make work under Ars Nova’s roof. Residents will also have the opportunity to connect with one another and with the wider Ars Nova community through events, monthly get-togethers, and more.  

RESIDENCY EXPECTATIONS 

• Resident Artists will be in residence with Ars Nova from early September 2025 through end of June 2026;
• Resident Artists will attend monthly cohort gatherings led by a member of the Ars Nova Artistic Team;
• Resident Artists will work with the Artistic Team to design a development trajectory for their residency at the beginning of the season.

RESIDENCY RESOURCES 

• A monthly residency stipend
• A budget, managed by Ars Nova, to support their development in the residency;
• Hands-on support and mentorship from the Ars Nova artistic team on their artistic trajectory;
• Access to the space and resources in the Ars Nova building, including, but not limited to, rehearsal space, theater space, jump desks, printers, and more;
• Participation in a retreat at some point in the season;
• Complimentary tickets to Ars Nova shows;
• The opportunity to present work onstage at the Ars Nova Theater.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: I create with a collaborator. Can I apply with them?
A: We will accept applications from individuals, duos, or trios collaborating on a project.

Q: What kinds of artists can participate in this residency?
A: We would love to receive applications from early career generative artists of all types in the performing arts. This could include—but is not limited to—playwrights, composers, devisers, curators, comedians, clowns, choreographers, and directors. Are you a generative artist who doesn’t yet have a name for what you do? We’d love to meet you!

Q: What kind of projects are you looking for in this residency?
A: Projects that are either new or in early stages of development will benefit most from the resources offered in this residency.

Q: Is this residency open to artists outside of New York City?
A: Given the frequency of cohort gatherings and onsite development work, this residency is best suited to artists who live in the New York area.

Q: What will the full application process look like?
A: Interested artists should submit an Intent to Apply form by June 6. After reviewing all submissions, Ars Nova’s Artistic Team will invite a selection of those artists to submit a full application to the program in July. A select group of those applicants will be asked to interview with the Artistic Team in August, with the goal of finalizing the cohort by the end of August for an early September start.

Q: I want to apply to Play Group, CAMP, the Vision Residency, or Maker’s Lab. When are those applications opening for next season?
A: You should apply to this program! This year, we are putting our energy into a program that connects artists working in all mediums rather than siloing them into separate programs. The Artists in Residence Program will support all the same genres of art-making that Play Group, CAMP, Vision Residency, and Maker’s Lab supported. And ideally, its flexible nature will make room for artists who might not have found a home in any of those programs!

INTENT TO APPLY FORM INSTRUCTIONS 

Please fill out the Intent to Apply Form which includes a few short answer questions and an artist statement. The deadline for submitting an Intent to Apply Form is June 6. We invite interested artists to submit their artist statement via a written piece, audio or video recording – whatever form best supports your self-expression. If you are submitting a written statement, it should be no more than a page. If you are submitting a video or audio link, please keep the statement under two minutes. For technical or process questions, please email artistic@arsnovanyc.com.  

11th Annual Pyro PlayFest 2026 Call for Plays Theme: "Spark of Creation: Humanity, Invention, and Expression"

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Deadline: January 12, 2026

 SUBMISSION FORM

Paris Junior College Department of Drama's 11th Annual Pyro PlayFest is now accepting submissions!

In a season celebrating new voices, we are looking for bold, original short plays that explore the heart of creativity — the human spirit, invention, imagination, and the drive to express. Whether you tackle these ideas literally, abstractly, or metaphorically, we want to experience the spark that fuels your storytelling!

The chosen submissions will receive a full production on our 3/4 thrust stage space performed by students and community members in late April 2026, right here in Paris, Texas, on the Duane Allen Stage in the Ray E. Karrer Theater.

Please note: This is a non-paying opportunity. While we are unable to offer financial compensation at this time, selected playwrights will have the opportunity to have their work brought to life in front of a live audience by a dedicated team of emerging artists and community members.

Submission Guidelines

• Unpublished, minimally produced plays (readings okay; no full productions).
• Length: 10 minutes or less.
• Page Limit: 10 pages max (standard format, 12-pt font, with page numbers).
• Cast: No more than 6 characters.
• Technical Requirements: Keep it simple — minimal sets, basic lighting, and modest props.
• Theme Connection: Must explore creation, humanity, invention, or expression in some form.

Content Note: Please keep language and themes suitable for a general adult audience.

Important Dates:
• Submission Deadline: January 12, 2026
• Festival Dates: April 22-26, 2026

How to Submit:
Please submit your scripts (Up to three) in PDF format through this Google Form: New Works Submissions

Include a cover page with the following information:
• Play title
• Playwright's name
• Contact email
• Short synopsis (2-3 sentences)
• Character breakdown

Please make sure that your name is not on any part of the play except the Cover Page as we submit our shows to a panel, blind.