Baylor New Play Initiative seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Questions? Contact bnpi@baylor.edu

The Baylor New Play Initiative at Baylor University in Waco, Texas is seeking submissions of full-length plays for development in preparation for the 2027 BNPI Festival of New Works. 

Plays must be no more than 120 pages in length and require no more than 8 actors. 

Any subject or genre is welcome.

Questions? Contact bnpi@baylor.edu

BNPI 2026/2027 Cycle

Selection and Development Calendar

2026

April 1 - May 1 —Submission window open

August –Finalist plays selected and playwrights notified (festival attendance is required)

2027

January - July—Playwrights work with assigned dramaturgs in monthly meetings

July - August—Directors added to the collaboration and professional actors cast

September/October—Rehearsals for staged readings, the BNPI New Play Festival

More About the Baylor New Play Initiative

The BNPI is a biennial program designed to assist playwrights in developing new works for the stage. The BNPI committee selects 4 plays and matches the authors with experienced dramaturgs and directors who support them in writing, revising and editing their works as they progress toward completion.  The BNPI culminates in a festival of staged readings with professional talent from across the nation, and representatives from at least a dozen professional theatres across Texas will be in attendance. Finally, each selected playwright will receive a stipend in addition to having all expenses paid for travel and attendance. 

The top adjudicated play will be awarded the Preston Kirk New Play Prize and a check for $15,000.

Oswego Players seek one-act plays from New York State residents

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026 11:59 PM EDT

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

PLAYWRITING CONTEST GUIDLINES 

The contest is FREE and open to playwrights 18 years and older residing or attending college in the state of New York. 

All plays must be based on original concepts (no adaptations of any works or no verse plays), unpublished and unproduced. 

Only the first 100 submissions received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, May 1, 2026, will be considered for this year's contest. The Oswego Players, Inc., is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, postage due or illegible entries.

Playwrights can submit one play per contest year.

By submitting a play, playwrights grant permission to Oswego Players, Inc., to produce said play at the organization's discretion with no remuncration to the playwright beyond the contest cash prize. While it is the intention of the organization to produce the winning play, it does not guarantee a staged production.

The content, theme, and time-period of the play are at the discretion of the playwright.
Since a live production 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 minutes.
Written so it can be staged with minimal set, props, lighting and sound effects, and limited period costume design.
The play should require no more than eight actors. One actor playing multiple parts is acceptable.

All entries must include a cover page which includes the name of the play, name of the playwright, and a street 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 

The prize-winning authors automatically give permission to the Oswego Players, Inc. to make copies of the script for rehearsal purposes. 

Submission of an entry will constitute agreement by the playwright to the terms described herein.

Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence 2027

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Deadline: May 31, 2026

The Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence is awarded annually to one outstanding, early-career artist who is developing new works that address plants, gardens, or landscapes in the broad sense. This award is open to visual artists, literary artists, dancers, and musicians. The award includes a $10,000 individual grant and requires a 2 - 5 week stay at Oak Spring. While at OSGF, the Fellow will be able to meet with staff, explore our 700-acre landscape and our efforts in sustainable land management, and visit our rare book library that holds over 19,000 objects, including many examples of botanical art.

OSGF intends to award the Fellowship to an exceptional artist whose works show remarkable promise to contribute to a deeper understanding of the natural world, and humankind’s place in it. The Fellow will be scheduled to visit when there are other Interdisciplinary Residents or Fellows on-site. This scheduling will allow the Fellow to join in communal meals, and optional activities and field trips with other artists, ecologists, researchers, or scholars working on projects related to OSGF’s mission. Beyond time devoted to their projects, a Fellow’s typical day at Oak Spring might include a walk to enjoy the landscape or birds; an appointment to visit the Oak Spring Library; and/or a morning spent volunteering at the BCCF or in the formal garden. These optional activities provide Fellows time to learn from, and interact with our staff. None of these activities are required, and we understand that some Fellows might want to spend most of their time in their writing or working independently. We support and enable Fellows to use their time as they best see fit.

At the culmination of their stay, we encourage, but don’t require, Fellows to give a 20 – 30 minute presentation with time for questions, to Oak Spring staff and any other Fellows, Residents, or program participants who might be on site.
Application Process

The application portal will open on February 14, 2026 and close on May 31st, 2026. Please note that there is one application for all of our 2027 Residency and Fellowship programs, and you will be prompted to select which programs you would like to be considered for. You will be asked to submit:

A resume/curriculum vitae (not to exceed two pages);

200 - 300-word statement describing your current body of work, creative projects, scholarship, or research.

200 - 300-word statement explaining why Oak Spring Garden Foundation and why now. Please consider how your work aligns with our mission.

200-word or less statement describing a time when you were part of a community. What role did you serve in the community, and what aspects of being in community did you enjoy the most?

Work samples.

For visual artists: 5 - 10 images, please include the dimensions, year, medium, and title of each work sample. 

For creative non-fiction, fiction, essayists, or other writers: 7 - 10 pages total that demonstrate your current interests. Please use 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and double-space your writing sample. Do not include photocopies of published work, title pages, tables of contents or HYPERLINKS. Please be sure to state the genre of the work sample.
For time-based artists, including: filmmakers, musicians, dancers, and performance artists: 10 minutes cumulatively of work samples. OSGF encourages video files to be uploaded directly to Submittable, but when necessary, we also accept links to vimeo or other external sites as long as the appropriate passwords are provided.

For poets and playwrights: you may submit 7 - 10 pages total. Poetry may be spaced as needed, and scripts should follow standard script formatting.

NOTE: When applying to this Fellowship, you will be asked if you are interested in being considered for one of our other residencies, if you are not selected for the Fellowship. To learn more about our residencies, visit www.osgf.org/residencies.

Eligible applicants must be early-career artists not enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in 2027. We will consider individuals with a proven track-record of professionalism, but who are yet under-recognized, as early-career. Eligible early-career applicants will have some recognition in the form of exhibitions, commissions, performances, grant awards, residencies, Fellowships and/or publications.

Individuals who have participated in an extensive number of solo exhibitions, or who have published a significant number of books will be considered established or late career, and are not eligible for the Eliza Moore Fellowship. We encourage those who are not eligible for this Fellowship to apply to the Interdisciplinary Residency.

The successful Fellow must be self-directed and able to work independently while on site. Applicants are expected to show dedication to their artistic practice, clear connection to the natural world in their work, exceptional promise, and good communication skills.
Dates

The $10,000 individual grant associated with this award can be put towards travel to and from OSGF, materials and supplies purchased for their residency, and other items that will support their work, before or after their stay at OSGF.

The selected Fellow should make travel arrangements to Dulles International Airport, where Oak Spring will arrange ground transportation for them to our estate in Upperville, VA. The Fellow will be housed in nicely appointed shared accommodations. The Fellow will have a private bedroom and bathroom, and share a living room and kitchen with 1 – 3 other Residents or Fellows.

Babes with Blades Joining Sword & Pen 2026-27 Competition

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Deadline: May 1, 2026 at midnight CDT

Please email your JS&P pitch submission in a PDF file to swordandpen@babeswithblades.org. 

(The filename must start with “Pitch for -” and the title of the proposed play (ex. “Pitch for – Patchwork Drifter.pdf”). If the title of the play begins with “the,” “a,” or “an,” please place that article at the end of the title (ex. “Pitch for – Last Daughter of Oedipus, The.pdf”). We understand in many cases these will be working titles.)

For this round of the competition, we’re looking for submissions from playwrights of underrepresented genders. This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and those who are otherwise marginalized based on gender.

Inspirational Image for JS&P 2026-2027 Competition:

We’ve chosen a new inspirational image to be incorporated into the 2026-27 contest and this year we’re seeking commissions and asking for script pitches.

IMPORTANT: This will be a BLIND SUBMISSION PROCESS.

THE PITCH:

• Please send us a pitch for your script. Full length scripts will not be accepted this year.
• Please include the following in your pitch:What is your idea for this play?
• How will you incorporate the contest image into the play specifically?
• How does your idea fit Babes’ mission?
• A 10 page sample of a currently existing play (not previously submitted to BWBTC) that you think best showcases your work and style*. Please do not include any self identifying information (ie. Name, email, website, etc.) as this is a blind submission process.

*If you would like to submit some actual exploratory/rough draft pages of the moment where the contest image occurs, rather than describing it, you may do so, but it is not required to write new pages at this point of the contest.

Script submissions for JS&P accepted between March 2, 2026 and May 1, 2026.
Want more info? Contact swordandpen@babeswithblades.org.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. The moment depicted in the inspirational image (above) must be physically dramatized/incorporated into the play. We want to (literally) perform that moment on stage. We will not accept pitches that do not include the imagery and we will not contact you.

2. Pitches/stories must be inclusive of the BIPOC community. Whether the story lends itself to characters being played by actors of any race/ethnicity or whether it includes stories that are race-specific, BIPOC characters must not be limited to secondary or background characters. “Open gender” is an option. If it’s important that a character is cisgender or transgender, please specify this in your pitch. If it’s important that a character is of a particular racial/ethnic background (including white), please specify this in your pitch. Characters of unspecified racial/ethnic background will not be automatically assumed to be white. If you choose to include a list of potential characters in your pitch, please follow these guidelines.

3. Joining Sword & Pen (JS&P) submissions are due NO LATER than midnight (CST) on May 1st, 2026.

4. All JS&P pitch submissions must be for new, full length, original works, inspired by the artwork that is the focus of the contest. Previously written, workshopped, published or performed submissions will not be considered for the contest and we will not contact you. Please do not insert the contest image into an existing script.

5. Please email your JS&P pitch submission in a PDF file to swordandpen@babeswithblades.org. The filename must start with “Pitch for -” and the title of the proposed play (ex. “Pitch for – Patchwork Drifter.pdf”). If the title of the play begins with “the,” “a,” or “an,” please place that article at the end of the title (ex. “Pitch for – Last Daughter of Oedipus, The.pdf”). We understand in many cases these will be working titles.

6. The winner of the contest agrees to participation in the Fighting Words new plays program (workshops and festival reading – dates TBD), and grants Babes With Blades Theatre Company rights to produce the world premiere production of the winning play. Production dates are TBD for 2028 (subject to change).

Things to consider:

• Our mission statement: Babes With Blades Theatre Company uses stage combat to tell stories that elevate the voices of underrepresented communities and dismantle the patriarchy. Through performance, script development, training and outreach, our ensemble creates theatre that explores the wide range of the human experience, and cultivates broader perspectives in the arts community and in society as a whole.
• We do not accept or produce musical scripts.
• Both our venues and our budgets tend to be small.
• If your play does not pass the Bechdel Test, it is unlikely to fit our mission.
• If your play does not include stage combat, it does not fit our mission.
• Characters fight as a realization of high narrative stakes. Scenes of characters training to fight are usually lacking in stakes.
• If your script includes sexualized violence, consider whether the sexualization is truly necessary to the story. Sometimes it is; often it’s not.

Click here to learn more about Joining Sword & Pen

Go Try Play Write April 2026

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Deadline: April 30, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

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 April 2026 is an “Are you ready to order, yet?” prompt:

Write a 10-page maximum scene or an eight-page maximum monologue about a restaurant where the food is great, but the service sucks. It could be a sit-down restaurant, plate lunch counter, food truck — wherever you go buy food that you no can resist. (This prompt was inspired by the cast of Blu’s Hanging!)

Nomad Theatre seeks 6-10 short plays set in a bar

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Deadline: April 27, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Nomad Theatre seeks 6-10 short plays to be a part of our upcoming show in August 2026. Submissions will open on March 2nd and closes on April 27th, 2026, at midnight. Selected playwrights will receive notification by June 30th. If you have not received notification from us by that date, we did not choose you for the production.

Nomad Theatre returns to its roots with the Bar Plays.

A bar is a special kind of crossroads...a place where strangers become confidants, where regulars guard their favorite stools, where celebrations and heartbreaks unfold under the same low light. It’s a sanctuary, a confessional, a stage for small truths and big revelations.

Pull up a chair and take a glimpse into the lives of characters navigating conversations, secrets, and emotions within the intimate confines of a local watering hole. Belly up to the bar for an evening of short plays that all take place in “The Bar”, where anything can happen, and often does.
Selected plays must take place in a bar. We encourage you to use the space creatively. They must be unpublished and unproduced at the time of submission.

This call is open to all playwrights worldwide. 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 the Bar
• 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 castingSubmission 

Guidelines:

• One submission per playwright
• A running time of 10-12 minutes long, or roughly 8-15 pages
• 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 actors (characters may be double cast)
• Label your document as TITLE OF PLAY_LastName
• Must take place in a bar.
• 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.

Ruby Slippers Theatre CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS ADVANCE THEATRE FESTIVAL: 2026/27

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Deadline: May 15, 2026

Open to anybody but they give preference to people in the Vancouver area.

For over ten years, Ruby Slippers Theatre’s Advance Theatre Festival has developed and showcased five dramatic readings over five days of new works written and directed by equity-deserving artists. Many of these plays go on to be fully professionally produced.

If you are a playwright and your play is chosen to participate in the Advance Theatre Festival, Ruby Slippers Theatre, in partnership with The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, will cover the costs of all rehearsals prior to the day of the reading, your technical rehearsal, promotion, theatrical venue, and all artists’ fees.

If you are a director interested in participating, please submit your resume and cover letter for consideration.

Playwrights: please send your play synopsis, brief bio, and a maximum fifteen-page script excerpt to info@rubyslippers.ca by May 15, 2026. 

One submission per person, please. Successful candidates will be notified by June 15, 2026.

The 2026/27 Advance Theatre Festival will take place in January/Feb of 2027. Exact dates TBD.

Our Curator for ATF 26/27 is Faly Mevamanana. You can read about her here: https://www.rubyslippers.ca/about/artist-in-residence-2025-2026/

Priority will be given to inclusivity, considering all cultural backgrounds, orientations, identities, abilities, and ages.

The Advance Theatre Festival is brought to you by Ruby Slippers Theatre in partnership with The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and Playwrights Guild of Canada. It takes place in Vancouver, B.C., on the unceded lands of the Coast Salish People.

Veterans' 10 Minute Playwrighting Contest 2026

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Deadline: June 30, 2026 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Designated a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs, a Top College and University by Military Advanced Education, and a Best for Vets College by Military Times, Salem State values our military connected students and their families and the sacrifices they have made for our country. Salem State is committed to supporting Veterans’ voices on and off campus. The arts create unique and powerful opportunities for individuals and groups to share experiences and constructive dialogue. As such, Salem State is proud to announce its seventh annual Veterans Playwriting contest which will culminate in staged readings of selected plays in November 2026.

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 2026.

Important Dates

June 30, 2026 - Entry deadline

August 15, 2026 - Notification of finalists

November 2026 – Staged readings with post-performance discussions. Additional details forthcoming.

Contest RulesOnly 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

LOL Short Play Comedy Festival 2026

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Deadline: May 8, 2026 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

Now seeking COMEDY pieces from 8 – 15 minutes. If it makes us laugh, it’s fair game! Pieces can be short plays, short musicals, or comedy sketch pieces (can be more than one skit combined).

All pieces submitted must be comedies.

DATES & LOCATIONS: July 16 – 26 2026 The Steve & Marie Sgouros Theatre at The Players Theatre: 115 MacDougal Street, New York, NY 10012 - 3rd floor walk up: 3 weeks, 4 performances weekly (Thursday through Sunday), 5 new plays featured each week. Each play performs four times in its selected week (Week 1 or Week 2). 

 ELIGIBILITY: Short Plays, Short Musicals, Short Comedy Sketches (minimum 8 minutes, can be more than one skit combined) with a performance time of 15 minutes or less, no more than 15 pages in length (not including title page). Writers are eligible to submit up to 2 plays/pieces.

PRIZE: Each week a audience favorite is selected by audience vote. The winner of each week will receive $100 prize. If you are the winner, you must submit a PayPal account to receive your prize. THEME: "LOL" Make it all about the laughs! All pieces must be comedies. 

 1) Playwrights are responsible for producing their own play - Host (us) provides theatre, technicians, marketing and box office. 

2) If selected, there is a $50 NON-refundable tech fee required Pieces MUST be NO MORE 15 minutes in length, which equals approximately 15 pages of script (not including title page). Submissions open: April 10, 2026 Submissions close: May 8, 2026 Piece selection announced soon thereafter (it may take a few weeks after the close of the submission window).

Perlberg Festival 2027 seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The 2026 Perlberg Festival of New Plays at Palm Beach Dramaworks is accepting submissions through May.

What are we looking for?

• Comedies and Dramas (no musicals)
• Cast sizes between 2 and 5 (doubling is okay)
• Plays that really explore relationships/deeper ideas/the human condition
• Plays between 70 and 120 minutes (full-length but not epically long)
• One submission per writer -- if you're trying to decide which to send, send the one that seems like the best "fit" for Palm Beach Dramaworks
• UNPRODUCED, with no productions scheduled before April of 2027

Elliot Hayes Award 2026

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Deadline: April 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

Please upload your essay without identifying information in PDF format and a separate PDF with all of the identifying information outlined here using the form.

If you don’t receive an acknowledgement of your application within 72 hours, please contact awards@lmda.org.

Named in honor of Elliott Hayes, the former dramaturg and literary manager at The Stratford Festival and a dual citizen of Canada and the USA, this award recognizes excellence in dramaturgical work on a specific project over the past two years. Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to, production, season planning and implementation, educational programming, or advocacy for the profession.

The recipient of the 2026 Elliott Hayes Award, presented at the annual LMDA conference, will receive $1000 USD and a $500 USD travel stipend to the LMDA conference held in New Haven, Connecticut.

There is no application fee. Applications will be evaluated through an anonymous application process. The application is open to all.

• All applicants will be notified of the panel decision and the winner will be notified by the end of April. However, the public announcement will be kept private until the presentation of the award at the LMDA Conference in Summer 2026.
• Application GuidelinesFor the purposes of this application, if you self-identify as a dramaturg, you are a dramaturg. If you come from a culture that does not view dramaturgy as separate from other parts of the creative process, or does not have a word for dramaturgy, and you feel your work fits within the rubric above, please contact us at admin@lmda.org to speak further.
• All applications must meet the above-mentioned standards for eligibility.
• Only one application per person.
• Although we welcome applicants from anywhere in the world, the application must be in English.
• The application must be a minimum of 500 and a maximum of 4000 words. The length of the application essay will not be a factor in awarding decisions. Within the already stated boundaries, the essay should be exactly as long as it takes for you to make a strong, clear, and cogent argument for the nomination you are putting forth.

At this time, we do not have the capability to review secondary materials such as videos or slideshows. Although their inclusion will not disqualify an application, they will not be reviewed. No letters of reference are needed – nor will they be read if sent. Please do not include a resume in your application, as we are concerned with only the strength of your proposal and what currently engages you, not your history.

In order to facilitate the anonymous application process, you must provide two separate documents in.doc or.docx format – the first discussing the work with no identifying information (including the name of the work, your name or the name of the person you are nominating, or the city, state or country in which the event took place. In other words, nothing can be included which is searchable on Google or any other search engine. The phrases “the work”, “the director”, and “the process” are all fine substitutes. The second document will include all of the identifying information not present in the first, including your name and contact info or the name and contact information of the person/work you are proposing. Your application will be reviewed by a panel of dramaturgs who represent the extraordinary talent and diversity found within our profession. Only the VP of Grants & Awards, who collects applications, will see the identifying information. The panelists will not know the identity of the winner until after a decision has been reached.

Although you are welcome to propose the work of others, that other person must be known to you, you must have had a real-life interaction with said person, and you must be able to provide contact information for them.

Any project you propose cannot have been completed before July 1, 2025. It is fine if the project is still underway. Ideally, it should be completed by December 31, 2026, though exceptions may be made for extraordinary work.

Each project may only be proposed once for the Elliott Hayes Award. While there is no limit to the number of years in a row one can apply (see note below), each year must feature a new project.
The winner of the award must appear at two conferences, either in person or virtually (using an application such as Zoom.) The first appearance would be to accept the award, and the second to present it to the next year’s winner.

The winner of the Elliott Hayes Award is required to sit on the next year’s adjudication panel.

Note: If you have won or received a special commendation for the Elliott Hayes Award, you may not reapply for three years.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact Alexandra Juckno, VP of Grants & Awards, at awards@lmda.org.

THE TENS FESTIVAL 2026 seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: May 23, 2026 at midnight EDT

Email Scripts to: Pancho@ParishPlayers.org 

Email Subject Line: Use the title of the play as the subject line of your email. 

File name: Name your PDF with the title of the play, a hyphen, and your own last name,
e.g. Hamlet-Shakespeare.

Types of Plays: Comedies or Dramas must be no more than 10 minutes in length.

Setting: Simple; the festival will offer 6 to 8 plays, and minimal set changes are required.

Notification of Selection: No later than June 20th, 2026.

Performance Dates: October 2026.

Producer: Beata Isaacs Randall

How to submit your script:

File format: PDF ONLY!

Please Note: No more than one script per playwright. We prefer new, unproduced plays; however previously produced and already published original plays will be considered. We will also give preference to "local" (New England) playwrights.

Questions? Email Pancho@ParishPlayers.org using the subject line: TENS QUESTION.

Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights 2026

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026

Please send play and a brief synopsis to:  apfestival@bartertheatre.com

Plays must be written by an Appalachian playwright (currently living in a state that contains the Appalachian Mountain Range— which, for our purposes, run from New York to Alabama.)

OR 

The plays must be set in the Appalachian region.
Plays must be unpublished and must not have had a full professional production.
Plays must be full length.
Plays must be submitted electronically.

Six new Appalachian plays are chosen from the submissions to be given public readings by Barter’s company.

The playwrights are brought in at the beginning of the festival week to be a part of the rehearsal process. Each play is given about 8 hours of rehearsal time with the focus being on clarity of story.

After each reading, there is a moderated discussion between a panel made up of three regional theatre professionals and, most importantly, the audience, for their feedback. That way, the playwright receives feedback from three separate groups: artists, panelists, and audience.

Playwrights have found this to be a very useful step in developing their plays, as well as a wonderful opportunity to meet other artists, make new friends, and enjoy the beauty of Southwest Virginia!

AFPP 2027 Submission Deadline: May 1st, 2026

The ONE Festival accepting submissions

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026

APPLICATION FORM

Full (Maximum length -1 hour/ Minimum length - 45 minutes)

Short (Maximum length - 30 minutes)

Things to Attach

• Playwrights bio
• Synopsis of theatrical work
• Script
• Actor/director/crew bias, if available
• Description of Set and Props


For purposes of these Official Rules and the Contest, the Winner shall be collectively referred to as the “THE ONE”. All potential Award Winners are subject to review of eligibility and confirmation of their compliance with these Official Rules. If any Award Winner is found to be ineligible or does not comply with these Official Rules, it will be disqualified and the Entry with the next-highest vote’s score will be named a potential Award Winner. Decisions of the Sponsors are final and binding.

Prizes and Approximate Retail Value

WINNERS: There will be one winner, who will receive from the Sponsor a prize valued at USD 5,000.00, including a portion of the prize in cash of up to 1,500.00.

The winning piece if it receives 400+ Votes will receive an additional $1,500.

The winning piece will move to a 50/50 revenue share of streaming pay-per-view revenue post-competition.

(All entries share in the streaming revenue their shows pay per view buys. at a rate of 30% of the cost to the consumer.)

Inclusion in The ONE FESTIVAL promotional ad Books,

Recognition at The ONE Festival Award Presentation (date & location to be determined

the at sole discretion of the Sponsor.

Texas State University New American Play Festival 2026

Website

Deadline: April 15, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Play scripts may be delivered by regular mail, in person, or using the submission form on our website.

For in-person or mailed-in submissions, please include a stamped self-addressed envelope if you wish your manuscript to be returned.

FOR MAIL-IN SCRIPTS:
School of Theatre, Dance, and Film | Texas State University
601 University Drive San Marcos, Texas 78666
ATTN: New American Play Festival

• Only unproduced and unpublished scripts are eligible for consideration. No musicals.
• The submission must include a synopsis and character list/breakdown.
• The playwrights are expected to attend the rehearsals and reading presentations.
• Playwrights from across the country are encouraged to submit.
• Manuscripts must be typed in the standard play format and must include the playwright’s contact information.
• You must submit the consent/information form.

Notification of selected writers by June 30, 2026.

Gi60 NYC & Gi60 Houston: Call for Play Submissions 2026

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Gi60 NYC is accepting submissions for one minute plays for our 2026 fall festival. We'd love for the following blurb and link to be shared with your community:


GUIDELINES:

• Submissions must not last longer than 60 seconds
• Your submission needs your name, play title, geographic location, and contact information in the document as well as filled out in this form
• You may submit as many one minute plays as you wish, but only one submission per form entry
• All work must be totally original and the author's own work
• Plays should not have been previously produced
• Please do not submit plays that have been submitted to Gi60 prior to 2026 for consideration
• Entries from schools should include a teacher's contact and the school name, as well as that of the author
• For consideration in Gi60 Houston and Gi60 NYC, plays must be submitted by May 1, 2026

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

• There is no submission fee, prize or payment for Gi60 participation
• Copyright remains with the author
• Plays lasting longer than 60 seconds may not be considered
• The organizers may use individual plays to promote the Gi60 festival
• Final play selection will be announced on the Gi60 city websites and social media
• Gi60 NYC is staffed and created by professionals who are volunteers and give their time free of charge
• The organizers reserve the right to cut scripts without notification where necessary. (E.g. if a play is running significantly longer than 60 seconds, we may delete some small lines if their intention is communicated elsewhere in the script)
• Gi60 festivals may be recorded and made available for viewing on the Gi60 International YouTube Channel. To view past plays: Gi60 Channel YouTube or the Gi60 International Channel YouTube.
• Gi60 is a Screaming Media Production (c) 2004

PLEASE NOTE: We annually receive between 700-900 submissions. Due to the high volume of plays we receive each year we are unable to write to individual playwrights to notify them if their play has not been selected.

We look forward to reading your play!

MIDTOWN INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL 2026 SHORT PLAY LAB seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: April 11, 2026

Play MUST be 10 minutes or under to be considered.

Please send scripts to mitfxq@gmail.com.

29th Annual Festival of Originals

Website

Deadline: April 15, 2026 11:59pm 

The TSW-FOO is FREE to enter and will once again be calling for short one act (20 minute) plays in any and all genres from all over the country and the world. 

• Each playwright may submit up to 2 plays for consideration.
• All entries should be unpublished and not previously produced in the Houston area.
• All Genres are accepted. But Light comedies are encouraged.
• Monologues or One Actor plays are not accepted.
• Plays should be 20 minutes in length (give or take a minute or two).
• Page count should be no less than 17, but no more that 22 pages. 12 point font (Courier, Arial, or Times New Roman) and use Standard Playwriting Format.
• There is no maximum limit of characters or sets, but common sense should be used as 5 plays will be produced in one evening.
• Number all pages of the script(s) and they MUST be securely bound by three hold punch with braids or three hole punch folder. NO STAPLES!
• Scripts must be submitted by postal mail ONLY. Emailed PDF or Word files will not be considered.*
• Scripts (heard copies) cannot be returned.

NOTE: *We apologize for the inconvenience of mailed in hard copies for all domestic entries, but the TSW-FOO does make exceptions for overseas entries. if you are entering from a country outside of the United States you may email a PDF to: mimiholloway@gmail.com

This is also the email to address any questions.

Be sure to include your contact information; phone number, email, and mailing address on the title page of each script.

List all characters with a brief character description.

Please include a one paragraph synopsis of the play.

Make sure all mailed entries are POSTMARKED by April 15, 2026.

Overseas entries must be emailed before 11:59pm April 15, 2026.

One hundred dollars will be paid to all playwrights selected for production.

Scripts should be mailed to:

Theatre Southwest
3939 Hillcroft Ave STE 160
Houston, Texas 77057-7759

Attn: TSW-FOO

Call for Short Play Scripts East/West PlayFest 2026

Website

Deadline: April 17, 2026

Only the first 250 plays received will be considered.

Email Submissions Address
ebtmac@gmail.com
Attachments can be doc, rtf or pdf files. 

Hard Copy Submissions Address
East/West PlayFest
Milford Arts Council
40 Railroad Avenue South
Milford, CT 06460

The Milford Arts Council’s Eastbound Theatre has announced a “Call for Short Play Scripts” for the East/West PlayFest, a festival of short plays to be produced in July 2026.

Six finalists will receive a production of their play, with two outdoor performances at the Milford Historical Society. The program will be repeated the following weekend at Westport Community Theatre, hence the “East/West PlayFest” name.

The festival is produced by Eastbound Theatre, a division of the Milford Arts Council.

Playwrights will maintain all rights to their material.

Please do not submit more than two plays

Submissions must be unpublished short plays of approximately 10-15 pages in length.

Please Note

Finalists will be notified via email unless playwright requests otherwise.

Two performances will be held at the Milford Historical Society on July 11-12 at 4pm.

In the event of bad weather, the performances will move inside the MAC, home of the Milford Arts Council.

Additional performances will be held the following weekend at Westport Community Theatre on July 17-18, 7:30pm.

Milford Arts Council/Eastbound Theatre – https://milfordarts.org/

Westport Community Theatre – https://westportcommunitytheatre.com/

The Marion Art Center is now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 MTPI season

Website

Deadline: April 17, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT

The online application is at the bottom of their website page

Marion, Massachusetts

The MAC Theater Playwrights Incubator is a program for first-time playwrights to see their work realized on the stage.

Finding theaters to produce new or unpublished plays can be an obstacle for any new playwright. The MAC Theater Playwrights Incubator is a structured program that aims to discover and support, through workshop and production, new stage plays by first time, unpublished playwrights.

These plays are small cast shows with one to six characters. Selected playwrights will work with two mentors who are experienced theater artists to fine-tune their plays over the course of several months and prepare the script for production.

After regular writing evaluations and the script is ready, the mentors will work with the MAC to find a director and assist her or him in casting the show with appropriate actors. One or more readings with a select focus group audience will include a feedback-response process, and the end result is a completed script, ready for debut performance for a live audience on stage at the Marion Art Center.

Any new writer who has not yet been published or had a play produced is invited to submit her or his script or outline for consideration. There is no cost to participate in this program. Selected applicants are required to sign an agreement with the MAC Theater, outlining expectations and a commitment to the program. Playwrights must be available to meet on site with mentors, for readings and all aspects of the production process including auditions, rehearsals, tech work and performances.

General inquiries may be sent to mtpi@marionartcenter.org.

2026 Play Reading Series at The Actors Theatre Workshop

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

After filling out this form, please be sure to email your script and a synopsis of your play to outreach@actorstheatreworkshop.com

We’re offering playwrights the opportunity to host their own play readings in our professional theater space. This is your chance to test your work with a live audience and gain invaluable feedback.

The Actors Theatre Workshop in NYC is accepting submissions of original plays for our curated Spring 2026 Play Reading and Discussion Series this April – June. 

The theme is Finding Hope Through Darkness. 

We are looking for contemporary works that examine the pressing issues individuals and families face in America today. This series will highlight works that challenge and inspire audiences.

The Actors Theatre Workshop will co-produce selected plays. We will offer the playwright our physical theater space to host their own play reading with a live, publicly invited audience. Playwrights will be responsible for providing the non-Equity cast, crew, and production. ATW, along with the playwright, will support marketing efforts to bring in the audience.

Submissions are open until April 30th. Decisions will be made as soon as possible, but no later than mid-May.

2026 Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize (9th Edition)

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026

Send your submission to info@premiocarloannoni.eu

The Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize is now open for submissions with topics concerning the LGBTQ+ community, including love, diversity, and identity in a time of gender fluidity

Submissions of any length are accepted: full-length plays, as well as short plays, 10 minutes, including those already performed.

1000 € Awarded to the two best plays (English and Italian), ceremony in Milan, September 2026, and special jury mentions on multiple categories.

Abingdon Theatre Company Is Searching for Emerging, Full Length, One-Person Plays

Website

Deadline: April 17, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Abingdon Theatre Company is excited to invite both established and emerging artists to submit their full length one-person plays to continue our mission of developing brave new work. We encourage one-person plays that cover a diverse ground in genre, performance type, and subject matter.

Abingdon Theatre Company is proud to be a champion of and provide a place for one-person plays to flourish. We are particularly interested in narrative focused plays. Past one-person plays at Abingdon include Queens Girl In The World by Caleen Sinnette Jennings, Robin and Me by Dave Droxler, and Get On Your Knees by Jacqueline Novak.

Please read the following in full before submitting.

Playwrights
Play submissions should be unpublished. Plays should not have been previously presented to New York audiences. We are accepting applications from artists from all experience levels, locations, and ages. Please limit your submission to one play per playwright. Please be sure to submit a headshot and writing resume.

Playwright/Performer
Guidelines above apply. If you are also a performer of your play please be sure to submit your writing and acting resume and headshot along with a 2 minute reel in the indicated submission boxes.

All Submissions
Please submit a 250-500 word artistic statement to tell us more about your play and your mission as a playwright. Please also include a short bio.

Should you have any questions, please email info@abingdontheatre.org.

Left Coast Theatre Co. seeks short plays on the theme of QueerStories Throughout the Generations

Website

Deadline: April 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

LCTC is thrilled to announce its next script submission window for XYZα: QueerStories Throughout the Generations! From “Back in my day” to “Ok, Boomer,” each generation has plenty to say about the others. This anthology will explore relationships, tensions, and shared experiences between queer folk of various generations. While we anticipate including a couple pieces about members of an older generation teaching folk of a younger generation about their experience, we really encourage our writers to think of other ways to explore this theme.

We are currently accepting scripts of 15 mins or fewer to be considered for a reading in the spring. 

To be considered scripts must:

• Fit the theme
• Read at 15 mins or fewer
• Center around queer characters and/or experiences
• Require no more than 4 actors

The script submission window is open from Monday, March 9 through 11:59pm Saturday, April 4.

Submission Requirements:

• Scripts must be submitted in the following format (You’ll find a template in MS Word here.)
• 1” margins on all sides
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
• Page # in upper right corner of each page
• PLAY TITLE by Author Name in lower left corner of each page
• Stage directions in parentheses and indented 2.5” from the left and 1” from the right
• Character names – All Caps, indented 3” from the left
• Dialogue is not indented either on the left or the right
• Include complete contact information on the front page as noted. This will allow us to notify you whether your play has been selected
• Include a one-paragraph synopsis of the plot of the play as shown in the template

There is no limit on the number of scripts any one playwright may submit; however, each script must be submitted separately.

Sarasota Jewish Theatre is accepting full length plays

Website

Deadline: May 15, 2026

Do not send, they have reached their unspecified quota.

Sarasota Jewish Theatre is accepting full length plays with Jewish themes or by Jewish playwrights for the Newish Jewish Plays summer play reading series. 

Door is a Jar literary magazine seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: none listed

SUBMISSION FORM 

Following the Standard American Format 

Submit up to 2 short plays. Each play can range between 1 and 10 pages in length as a .doc or .docx.

Door Is A Jar Literary Magazine is looking for well-crafted poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, artwork, and book reviews for our print and digital publication. Please read over these submission guidelines carefully and look at our current and archived issues before submitting your work.

Our publication steers away from academic writing and publishes short, conversational works that use familiar language. Each new issue features artists and writers and works that are accessible for all readers.

Our issues are don't have specific themes, and we accept all genres and literary styles.

Submit all work in Times New Roman font size 11

We only accept new, unpublished work. If you have posted something to your website or social media, this counts as being published.


For book reviews please include the following information: the title, author, publisher, year of publication, page count, ISBN, and price.

Under the "Title(s)" section, please list all the titles of the pieces you are submitting, and not something general like "My Poems". Make sure you are consistent with how you present the titles in your attached document and in this space.

If you are unable to fit all the titles into the "Title(s)" section, please list them in your cover letter section of the submission form.

Please provide your name as you would like published, email, mailing address, and a fun 3-sentence bio. (We're not as interested in how many degrees you have, or how widely you've been published. Instead, we want to hear about the real you. We want to know about the little things that spur you along.)

Contributors can submit to multiple categories; however, only submit once to each category until you have received our decision about your piece.

You will receive an acceptance or rejection letter from our editorial staff within 6 months from the day of submission.​


We accept simultaneous submissions; however, please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. If accepted, please withdraw the piece from other publications.
​
We reserve first initial publishing rights, and the rights reprint right to use quotes or pieces for promotional use. We do not pay contributors at this time, but we will send out a contributor copy.

Submissions are only accepted through our website. Any submissions sent directly to our email will be deleted without response.

Please note that submissions that exceed word counts or maximum amount of material will be disqualified from consideration.

Do not send in writing or art that was created using Artificial Intelligence. Submitting work generated by A.I. technology will be considered as plagiarism.

Be the sole author/ creator of your work. We do not publish collaborative pieces.

We do not publish translations.

We do not publish craft essays.
​


If you have trouble uploading your file, the problem could have been an issue when saving, which corrupted the file, or your computer could have virus. Some people have had issues when downloading files from Google Documents. The best way around this is to copy and paste the document into a new .docx and trying to submit again.

Manhattan Theater Mission Festival of New Musicals

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026

WHO: Manhattan Theatre Mission

SEEKING: The Manhattan Theatre Mission is accepting submissions for our Festival of New Musicals.

REQUIREMENTS: Submissions must include:

• A Brief Cover Letter from the Playwright/Composer/Lyricist. Your cover letter should introduce yourselves and give us some insight into how your play came about. Please also address specific technical requirements should the play be produced in its entirety.
• A Brief Synopsis of the entire play.
• A 20 minute selection of material from the script. Excerpts may be chronological, or a selection of scenes. At least 2 songs should be submitted in selected material. Please include links or attachments of recordings and/or sheet music. Submissions with lyrics only will not be considered.

Up to 5 shows will be selected for Staged Readings of their submission in New York City. Several Awards will be given to those selected. The First Place Musical will be produced in its entirety by the Manhattan Theatre Mission in its following season.

*All submissions must be unpublished, original works.

WHEN: Submission deadline is May 1st. Those who are admitted into the festival will need to submit the entire script by September 1st for judging.

PAY: N/A

HOW TO APPLY: Please send all materials to: manhattantheatremission@gmail.com, with the subject: New Musical Submission.

Passage Theatre Seeks One-Person Plays Centering Untold American Stories for Summer 2026 Festival

Website

Deadline: April 27, 2026 at 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

Passage Theatre is holding a WORD ON FRONT 250 Solo Performance contest. A “Solo Performance” means a one-person show, written and performed by YOU. Give us your uniquely Trenton American Story. What does it mean to be YOU? What does it mean to be an American, a New Jerseyan, a Trentonian, or from whatever patch of land you call home. Show us your untold America.

Playwright/Performers must be local to travel to Trenton, NJ (a direct train ride from New York City) at their own expense and self-produce their one-person show.

Seeking submissions of one-person shows to run between 30-60 minutes.

The top 5 plays will be selected to premiere at Passage Theatre’s WORD ON FRONT 250 festival on the following dates:

Saturday, June 27th
Thursday, July 2nd
Friday, July 10th

Plays will be adjudicated by a panel of judges selected from Passage Staff and the Trenton Community.Passage Theatre is holding our WORD ON FRONT 250 Solo Performance contest. 

A “Solo Performance” means a one-person show, written and performed by you. Give us your uniquely Trenton American Story. What does it mean to be YOU? What does it mean to be an American, a New Jerseyan, a Trentonian, or from whatever patch of land you call home. Show us your untold America.

The top 5 plays will be selected to premiere at Passage Theatre’s WORD ON FRONT 250 festival on the following dates:

• Saturday, June 27th
• Thursday, July 2nd
• Friday, July 10th

Plays will be adjudicated by a panel of judges selected from Passage Staff and the Trenton Community.

Plays will be adjudicated by a panel of judges selected from Passage Staff and

the Trenton Community.

• All submissions must include a complete fully-finished script. Passage Theatre will NOT make any edits to your script before winners are announced, it must be ready for performance at the time of submission.

• Scripts should adhere to standard playwriting format: 12-point Courier New font, 1-inch margins, and 1.5-inch left margin. Key elements include centered, all-caps Scene Headings, indented and italicized Stage Directions, and centered character names above dialogue. The script is single-spaced with double-spacing between speakers. Here is an example of a properly formatted page.

• Scripts must be 30-70 pages in length. Scripts that are under 30 pages or over 70 pages will be disqualified. Your final performance should be roughly 60 minutes or less.

• Filmed clips of your performance work in addition to your script is strongly preferred.

• The script must be of your own authorship, it is preferred that the performer and author are the same person. If you choose to use a different performer than yourself you are accepting full responsibility and guidance over that performer. If you do not have a performer and are unwilling to perform yourself, your script will be disqualified.

• Passage Theatre will not be responsible for the direction of your script. If a director is needed, you must provide them. Passage Staff may give minor directorial consultation during rehearsals, upon request of the performer.

• Performances selected will occur during late June and early July 2026. Passage Theatre will provide your technical sound and lighting elements. Technical rider must be attached:
• In a separate document explain your TECH: Lights, Sound, Costumes,
• Props, and Set. Passage will facilitate and produce your technical elements to the best of our ability. The author/performer must have these elements designed and guide the creative vision.
• The author/performer must provide props and costumes.
• No firearms of any kind, including props, can be included in these performances.
• Video projection must be limited to 10 minutes or less throughout the entire script.
• Passage Theatre will not be constructing any full scenery pieces beyond the WORD ON FRONT tableau.

SPRING 2026 Online Classes in Writing the Ten-Minute Play with Arianna Rose

Online classes in Writing the Ten-Minute Play are open for enrollment.

"Writing for the Stage: The Ten-Minute Play"
Six Sessions, 3 hours each:

1. Thursdays, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
OR 6:30 – 9:30 pm EDT
April 23 – May 28

2. Mondays, 1:00 – 4:00 pm OR 6:30 – 9:30 pm EDT
May 4 – June 15 (no class 5/27)
Tuition: $299 early bird through 4/19 (Thursdays) 4/30 (Mondays); $349 after

Course Repeaters Tuition: $175

Minimum 3 participants per section; maximum 8.

Recent Participant Testimonials:

“Arianna’s mastery of the 10-minute play form is undeniable, and her passion for the craft is contagious… The “writer’s group” portion of the class became a highlight for me; it created a supportive space to share work, give and receive feedback, and learn from one another. Arianna’s organization and commitment to equity in the Zoom room created a safe, thoughtful, energizing space that didn’t just help me write a play—it helped me grow as a writer.”

~ Laura Thoma

“I’ve taken more than a few playwriting classes, both in-person and online, and your class was by far the most productive and useful…I have a newfound appreciation for the plays I’ve read and how to write them, thanks to you.“

~ Tom Cocklin, 2-time participant

“I enjoyed the class immensely and learned a lot. I would definitely recommend it to playwrights of all levels. The course was well organized, it's clear you are passionate about the subject, care for your students and have deep knowledge that you are so generous to share…

~ Jeff Perlman

“Arianna is extremely skilled at sharing insightful, individualized feedback in a supportive environment. Her focus on dramatic structure was particularly helpful, and the course also offered invaluable and specific real world advice for writing and submitting short plays to festivals…

~ Donna R. Boyd, 2-time participant

Course Description:

Ten-minute play festivals dominate submission opportunities. While short-form plays share similarities with full-lengths, the dramatists who excel in this form write into the differences. You’ll learn the tools to write to the highest level of craft and make your work more producible.

The course combines lecture, reading, discussion, and in-class sharing of your writing for feedback. Topics: 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.

Arianna has taught this course since 2023 at the Dramatists Guild Institute, PlayPenn Theatre, Delray Beach Playhouse, and independently. Her short plays have been presented in 37 states and 11 countries to date; won numerous awards; published in Smith & Kraus Anthologies, Applause Books, Ghostlight Publications, Theatre Odyssey Publications, Purple Light Publications.

Contact Arianna Rose at rockawayrose@gmail.com, or via the website where there is more information:

https://ariannarose.net/playwriting-classes-and-other-workshops

Interested but not available?
Email rockawayrose@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list.

One-on-One Private Dramaturgy/Script Consulting
Prefer one-on-one coaching? Member, Dramaturg and Literary Managers Association of the Americas (LMDA) and the Dramatists Guild Plays-in-Progress Mentor Program. More information:
http://ariannarose.net/dramaturg-for-hire

The Democracy Cycle Commission 2026

Website

Deadline: April 28, 2026, 5:00 PM ET

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Over a 5-year period, The Democracy Cycle – a collaboration between the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) and Civis Foundation – will commission and develop a total of 25 new performing arts works across the fields of theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance that express themes related to the nature and practice of democracy, particularly as it is practiced in the United States. This is a national and international open call.

Purpose

• Our hope is that the commissioned projects will enrich and expand discussion of and participation in democracy – be it in the national, state, regional, or hyperlocal community realm – as it is practiced within the United States and worldwide. The Democracy Cycle project is inspired by the following beliefs:Democratic values are a global expression of humanity’s striving to live with one another with respect and in peace.
• Democracy, as practiced in the United States, includes a history of founding exclusions. It has been, and must continue to be, the ongoing work of our society to expand upon the ideals of inclusivity embedded in our founding documents.
• Democracy faces significant perceived and actual threats in the current moment, both domestically and internationally.
• The Intersection of capitalism and democracy creates both opportunities and tensions.
• Artists are the beating heart of democratic values because of their ability to imagine new worlds, envision new possibilities, and provoke meaningful discourse across divides.

The primary focus of The Democracy Cycle will be on democracy as it is currently being practiced in the United States. However, commissioned projects may include references to democracies worldwide provided they have potential for informing and deepening our understanding of American democracy.

The Commission

Each selected artist will receive $60,000 in support, consisting of a commission of $30,000 to create the new work as well as an additional $30,000 in support of the work’s development process (research, readings, workshops etc.).

• May-September 2026: Applications are screened for eligibility by TDC staff. Eligible proposals are reviewed by a minimum of two Readers. Using Readers’ evaluative scores, a list of finalists is developed.
• Fall 2026: A peer panel drawn from the fields of performing arts, and the study and practice of democracy reviews finalists’ proposals and selects 8 projects to receive the 2026 commissions.
• Winter 2027: All 2026 Open Call applicants notified of their project’s status

Eligibility Requirements

• Eligible applicants must:Be generative artists who are currently creating new work in theater, dance, music, opera, or multi-disciplinary performance
• Have created, completed, and premiered at least 2 full-length prior works of live performance publicly, as evidenced by their bio, CV and/or work samples (Note: Staged readings and/or workshop showings are not premieres.)
• Propose a new live performance work which may be at any stage of development, but may not be planned to premiere before May 1, 2027. (Remounts of previously completed/premiered works are ineligible.)
• Propose a new live performance work which is planned to be completed in 2027 or 2028.
• Be prepared to manage the income-tax implications of accepting a commission from a U.S.-based arts organization. (U.S. citizenship is not a requirement, this is a national and international open call.)
• Proposals are not eligible ifThe lead artist is enrolled as a full-time student in a degree-granting program. Ph.D. candidates need to have completed their course work by the application deadline to be eligible
• The lead artist is under the age of eighteen
• The main purpose of the project is the curation or documentation of existing work(s)
• The proposed work advocates by name for the success or failure of a current partisan candidate for office or a political party
• The lead artist or any of the main collaborators are employees or immediate family of employees of PAC NYC or Civis Foundation

Selection Criteria

• Readers and panelists will consider the following in selecting the commissioned projects:
• How does the proposed work expand, critique, or celebrate democracy, the practice of democracy, and democratic ideals?
• How has the artist or artists identified and responded to ideas or themes related to democracy, including core democratic principles and values (ex. political equality, majority rule, minority rights, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, among others.)
• Does the work demonstrate clear potential for generating meaningful reflection and discourse on democracy as demonstrated by project narrative, samples of prior work, and artistic history of its collaborators.

SkyPilot Seeking One-Act Submissions

Website

Deadline: May 20, 2026

 (Fee waived for members of the Dramatist Guild with proof of membership)

Theatre Company Welcomes Submissions for Chosen Theme,

“It’s The Holiday Season”

SkyPilot Theatre Company, a non-profit ensemble company of actors, directors and designers producing provocative, compelling and challenging new works for the Los Angeles theatre-going audience, will once again present a selection of original one-act plays this Winter. Playwrights are invited to submit works based on the theme “It’s The Holiday Season”.

The holiday season is a busy, festive, often emotional time of tradition, family gatherings, and gift giving across many cultures. It can be joyful and nostalgic as well as hectic or stressful. Whether with friends and family or alone, this time of year brings up many emotions both positive and negative. Comedic or Dramatic. Playwrights are asked to submit one-acts based on any December holiday.

• Length – 25 minutes maximum
• 6-8 characters maximum (no children)
• Original, never produced material only, no adaptations
• No musicals 
• Minimal location and set pieces/props 

Submission fee is $10 (Through PayPal or Venmo: SkyPilotSubmissions@gmail.com) (Fee waived for members of the Dramatist Guild with proof of membership)

Once again this year, there will be two awards given out to playwrights. The Audience Award and the Producers Award will include a cash prize of $50 each and will be voted on and awarded to two of the overall plays selected for the festival at the end of the run.

Please submit plays with “One Act Festival” in the subject line to SkyPilotSubmissions@gmail.com by May 20th. In your submission, please include a synopsis, how it fits the theme, and any performance history. For more information on SkyPilot and its upcoming productions, visit www.skypilottheatre.com.

The Peoples Improv Theater seeks productions for Spring/Summer 2026

Website

Deadline: none given

SUBMIT VIA GOOGLE FORM

The PIT is holding an open call for scripts to program in one of its four spaces. Available for readings, workshops, or fully staged plays/musicals!

The length of plays wanted: 10 minutes to 90 minutes

Access to venue, tech time marketing, front of house team, and ticketing. Space to present your latest work and invite your community

We also recommend you include the following: 

The playwright may submit more than one play.

Instagram

The Boost Commission 2026

Website

Deadline: April 13, 2026

or until 150 applications are received

SUBMISSION FORM  you will have to create a free account at  Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley.

The Boost - submissions for the second cycle are now open.

An eligible applicant for The Boost is a woman, trans, and/or non-binary playwright age 40 or over who has had at least one production performed in front of a paying audience OR a script published by an established/known publishing/licensing house.

Application Opens: February 16, 2026

Application Deadline: April 13, 2026, or until 150 applications are received.

Winner announced: June 1, 2026

First draft delivered: June 1, 2027

Reading of the commissioned play: Fall 2027

Application materials:
-A two-page project summary in which the writer describes the play they intend to write, and answers the question: what about Leah’s play Debt inspired your idea for this play?

– CV / production history

– Fifteen pages of a work that best represents the writer’s voice. (This does not need to be the first fifteen pages of the work, just the pages you feel are the strongest).

– One reference – someone who can speak to your work as a playwright and theater maker (no letter is needed.)

The winner will receive:

—$10,000 to be received $6K at time of commission, $4K on completion

—A reading in Fall 2027

About Leah’s play Debt
Debt is a one act comedy about unpaid bills, endorphins, band practice, Marvin Gaye, and even more unpaid bills . . . something for everyone.

Hardscrabble Theater seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: April 15, 2026

Send your script as a PDF or Word document to Linda@hardscrabbletheater.com 

Hardscrabble Theater is seeking original one act plays for our Fall 2026 One-Act Play Festival!

The festival will take place Friday, October 16th through Sunday, October 18th.

We invite playwrights from all backgrounds to submit their work for consideration. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or making your first submission to a festival, we want to hear your voice!

Plays must meet the following criteria for consideration:

• Running time of no less than 5 minutes and no more than 15 minutes
• Single set with no special effects
• Simple lighting and sound/music cues only – all sound must be rights free.
• Maximum of five characters
• All scripts must be royalty-free
• Previously unpublished and unproduced in the NY tristate area

What We’re Looking For

Hardscrabble Theater celebrates stories that are raw, honest, and human. We welcome plays across all genres — drama, comedy, dark comedy, slice-of-life, and everything in between. We are especially drawn to work that is character-driven, emotionally resonant, and stageable within our production constraints.

How to Submit

Send your script as a PDF or Word document to Linda@hardscrabbletheater.com by April 15, 2026. Please include your name, contact information, and a brief synopsis of your play in the body of your email. Scripts should have a title page with name, address, phone, and email.

Questions? Reach out to us at the submission email above.

Hardscrabble Theater is committed to inclusive storytelling and encourages submissions from writers of all backgrounds.

Jersey Central Theatre Company seeks plays involving New Jersey history

Website

Deadline: May 29, 2026

Please email scripts along with a short cover note by May 29th to jerseycentraltc@gmail.com

Jersey Central Theatre Company seeks new scripts of plays or screenplays (finished or in progress) involving New Jersey history for consideration for a staged reading, to be presented in celebration of the country’s Semiquincentennial, on Sunday afternoon, August 2nd at the Patricia M. Kuran Cultural Arts Center in Fanwood, NJ. 

The reading will be produced with professional actors under the AEA 29-Hour Reading Agreement. Ideally, scripts should be full-length or long one-acts (approximately 30 – 60 minutes) with a cast of 5 or less. 

We are especially seeking new works by regional area writers, as we prefer to have authors in attendance to participate in a talk-back/Q&A with the audience following the performance. 

There will be a $50 stipend paid to the selected author. 

Applications for the 2026-27 PlayGround-NY Writers Pool are being accepted

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026

– 25 early-career playwrights as well as 3 alternates will be competitively selected from applications to form the Writers Pool.

– Members of the Writers Pool may submit scripts to be considered as part of the Monday Night PlayGround-NY staged reading series. Four times each season, September through March (see tentative schedule below), PlayGround-NY will announce a prompt and Writers Pool members have just four-and-a-half days to generate an original short script (max. 10 pages) inspired by the prompt. The top six scripts each round will be staged publicly with leading local directors and actors. Those not selected may submit their scripts to Recess for cold readings via zoom (see below).

– From the plays staged throughout the season, up to six will be selected for Best of PlayGround-NY (produced in April 2027).

– Writers Pool members can gain peer feedback on their work by participating in Recess cold readings (one week after each Monday Night PlayGround-NY and generally via Zoom) as well as through a staff one-on-one session (available upon request). New this year, Writers Pool Alternates will have full access to Recess.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
– Writers must reside within the five boroughs of New York City
– Writers Pool members must commit to submitting for ALL FOUR Monday Night PlayGround-NY events in a given season (see below for schedule, subject to change). Writers failing to meet the eligibility requirements must sit out the remainder of the season and one additional full season. Alternates are asked to submit each round and may be admitted to the Pool should there be an opening during the season.
– The submission of a script to Monday Night PlayGround-NY grants PlayGround-NY the exclusive option to stage the play as part of the Monday Night PlayGround-NY and, should it be so selected, to present the world premiere as part of Best of PlayGround-NY and non-exclusive option to publish the script in a “Best of PlayGround” anthology.
– Current members of the Writers Pool must reapply in order to be considered for the following season.


WHAT TO SUBMIT
– Playwrights must submit a 10-page max, properly formatted script as PDF attachment. Both previously produced and unproduced scripts are eligible. See below for formatting examples.
– The script must have the playwright’s name, address, email and phone number at the top of the first page and include a detailed cast breakdown, and all pages must be numbered.
– The script title must be labeled by Lastname, Firstname_Title (e.g., Shakespeare, William_The Tempest).
– Excerpts from longer works are not accepted but short plays that meet the above requirements and are derived from a longer work are accepted.
– BIPOC, trans/gender-non-conforming & playwrights with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
– Applications must be received by 11:59pm PT on Thursday, April 30, 2026.

To view sample script formats, click the link(s) below.
Submission Format #1
Submission Format #2

WRITERS POOL ANNOUNCEMENT
– Applicants will be notified of selections on or before August 1, 2026.
– Selected writers must attend a mandatory company meeting on Sunday, August 16 (time tbd).

2026-27 SCHEDULE (subject to change)
MNP1 Topic Announced: September 18, 2026
MNP1 Scripts Due: September 22, 2026
MNP2 Topic Announced: October 30, 2026
MNP2 Scripts Due: November 3, 2026
MNP3 Topic Announced: December 18, 2026
MNP3 Scripts Due: December 22, 2026
MNP4 Topic Announced: January 29, 2027
MNP 4 Scripts Due: February 2, 2027

SHANGRI-LA-LA ~ new comedy musical inspired by the true story of Siegfried & Roy

Shangri-La-La is a funny and unconventional new comedy musical inspired by the true story of Siegfried & Roy and the transformation of Las Vegas into a spectacle-driven family destination. 

Blending original music, magic, comedy, and a boldly theatrical visual world, the piece examines the delusion, ambition, and excess behind that cultural reinvention. Beneath its sequins and absurdity, the musical tells a real American story about illusion, image-making, and the business of fantasy.

The show will appear in New York City in April as part of the Back Door to Broadway Festival:

Shangri-La-La
Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 3:00 PM
American Theatre of Actors, Sargent Theatre
314 W. 54th Street, New York, NY 10019

https://hangingcowproductions.com/index.php/2025-one-act-festival/