13th Annual New Play Festival PLAYWRIGHTS’ REVOLUTION 2026 seeks full-length plays

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Deadline: March 6, 2026

Or when the 350 maximum submission limit is reached

SUBMISSION FORM

As a part of our mission to develop new plays and playwrights, Capital Stage presents its 13th Annual New Play Festival PLAYWRIGHTS’ REVOLUTION in July 2026. Up to 350 new play submissions will be accepted from January 6 – March 6, 2026. 

By May 2026 Capital Stage will choose the 4-6 finalists for this year’s festival. One-night-only staged readings will be presented during the last week of July 2026. Q&A sessions between the audience and artists immediately to follow each staged reading.

Only submissions that follow these guidelines are acceptable:

• Play submissions that are full-length.
• Plays that have not had a full-scale, professional production prior to submission. (Workshop, reading, or non-professional production acceptable.)
• Only one submission per playwright is allowed each year.
• Do not submit a musical.

Preference will be given to those plays that are aligned with Capital Stage’s mission to create transformative, thought-provoking theater experiences that challenge, inspire, and connect. 

Visit the Production History page to see the kind of work that Capital Stage produces.

The Selection Process

Capital Stage’s competitive selection process consists of two rounds. During the first round, up to 350 10-page play excerpts submitted are reviewed. After which, only selected playwrights will be contacted and asked to provide a full manuscript of their play. Finally, Capital Stage invites the final 4 to 6 playwrights to have their work presented in the Playwrights’ Revolution staged readings in July of 2026.

How to Apply

Complete the online submission form to provide Capital Stage with information about the playwright and the play, and to upload the submission application.

In order to be accepted, your application must be submitted as a single PDF file that includes the following:

• File name must be “Author Last Name_Title of Play” (ex: Miller_Death of a Salesman)
• The first page(s) of the file must include: Title of play, character breakdown and descriptions, and a synopsis of the play (these pages do not count as your 10-page sample)
• A 10-page sample of the play
• DO NOT include the name of the author on any pages
• DO NOT send full scripts until requested

Only submissions that follow these instructions will be considered.

Some Recommendations

Make sure that your synopsis sets the reader up to understand what is going on in your sample. Remember that the reader only has this synopsis and the 10 pages that you provide to get to know your work, and that is difficult to do if they are confused about the plot. Also, make sure you are submitting the best 10 pages of your work! The sample does not need to be the first 10 pages of the play; you should select whichever 10-page section you think presents the best argument for why we should want to read the whole thing.

2026 Deadline

Submissions will be accepted only from January 6 – March 6, 2026. Or until the 350 maximum submission limit is reached. Local, national, and international playwrights are encouraged to submit. Only the first 350 submissions will be accepted.

Reunion: The Dallas Review open for submissions for 2026

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Deadline: February 1, 2026 1AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

For over three decades, Reunion: The Dallas Review has been dedicated to finding and publishing exceptional examples of short fiction, drama, visual art, poetry, translation work, and creative nonfiction. Our mission is to cultivate the arts community in Dallas, and promote the work of talented writers and artists both locally and across the globe.

Thank you for considering Reunion: The Dallas Review for your Drama piece! We look forward to reading your work.

At this time, we can read only one submission per person per reading window. Show us your best work. If you do choose to withdraw, please do not upload a new submission until the next reading window.

For Drama: We accept plays, screenplays, one acts, etc. that are formatted to industry standards.

• General Submission Guidelines:All submitted work must be previously unpublished. We consider anything found on personal blogs, online archives, other websites, social media accounts, online journals, or print magazines as previously published. If you have questions regarding this requirement, please email the editor prior to submitting.
• A brief cover letter and a biographical statement of no more than 100 words is appreciated.
• Do not include your name on the submission attachment unless it is part of the work itself. Instead, your name and contact information should be included in the body of your cover letter.
• All texts should be Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, and double spaced (with the exception of poetry.) We accept text submissions in the following formats: .doc, .docx, .rtf, or .pdf.
• We do not accept any work above 5,000 words. Any submissions with a word count above this will not be read.
• Submissions may be multilingual, with English as the main language, but may not be translations. Any translations should be submitted to Reunion's translation portal. Translations will not be accepted in drama submissions.
• We do not accept any works made with the use of AI. 

Black Men Talk Festival 2026 seeks 10-minute plays

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Deadline: March 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT

SUBMISSION FORM

The 10-minute play festival will be a celebration of the voices, stories, and perspectives of Black male playwrights and showcase the works of new and emerging Black male playwrights telling authentic stories of the Black experience.

The Black Men Talk Play Festival, the first of its kind, aims to honor the contributions of Black male playwrights - initiated by a Chicago-based Black playwright. The event will host three performances in Chicago in July 2026.

• Script submitted must be the final version in proper play format.
• Playwrights must submit plays that run from 8-10 minutes or 8-10 pages. Your cover page should have: title of play, your name, email address, and phone number.
• Plays should feature two to four actors.
• Scripts should be written with minimal set and costume requirements.
• One entry per person (if more than one play is submitted, we will review the first play submitted).
• Plays must be unpublished and must not have had a professional. production.
• Plays must be submitted electronically in PDF format.
• No musicals, screenplays, or monologues will be selected for this festival.
• Your submission should be your own work. 

Liminal Space Productions seeks short plays for one-night showcase

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Deadline: January 15, 2026

Liminal Space Productions, the new theatre wing of Laughpack Productions, is curating a one-night short play showcase at the East Village Basement on Sunday February 15th. 

We're seeking submissions of 6-30 minute casted plays. This is a great opportunity for playwrights to see their work staged in front of a live audience and connect with fellow theater makers.

There is no submission fee and no cost to participate. We welcome plays from creators of all identities, cultures, and backgrounds. A small performance stipend is available for selected acts. There will be a tech and dress rehearsal space provided at an East Village venue the week before. The deadline for submissions is January 15th, 2026.

To submit for booking consideration, please use the following form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFsV-SJvFUPcOc5717zfFKL-9ec_j9_iZ7CIqe9pajeAdxdw/viewform

Curtain Rising: Staged Readings of New Works seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: January 12th, 2026

To submit your play, follow this link. 

Playwrights may submit more than one play.

Plays will be announced in early February 2026. 

The 2nd Stage at Burlington County Footlighters Theatre in Cinnaminson NJ is producing our fourth annual Curtain Rising: Staged Readings of New Works as part of our 2025-2026 season. 

This thought-provoking event will showcase short one-act plays which explore the underlying theme of If Not Now, Then When?

We are currently accepting script submissions (previously unproduced) and will select plays for minimally staged readings to be performed on Friday February 27th & Saturday February 28th, 2026. The 2nd Stage is our black box performance space, seating about 30 people. Playwrights agree to have their work be presented with no monetary compensation. Playwrights will receive production stills and two (2) comp tickets (one for the playwright and one guest) for Saturday night’s performance.

Playwrights must be present at the Saturday evening performance to see their work and participate in our audience talkback session. Playwrights should be aware that our 2nd Stage is not ADA accessible. There is a staircase that attendees need to climb to access the space. If you cannot access the space, please let us know when you submit. We do have an alternative plan to accommodate playwrights with mobility challenges.

In order to be considered:

Plays need to fit within the theme, have no more than five characters, be performed in 10-15 minutes, and have minimal staging/technical requirements. Plays should not have been formally produced.

Questions? Contact Heidi at curtainrising@bcfootlighters.com

https://www.facebook.com/2ndStageAtBCF

Live & In Color’s June Bingham New Playwright Commission 2026

Website

Deadline: January 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST

SUBMISSION FORM

Thank you for your interest in Live & In Color’s June Bingham New Playwright Commission. This commission opportunity provides resources and support toward the creation and development of a new play by early-career women/femme and/or non-binary storytellers. 

This opportunity will culminate in a 60-90 min 2 person play that will be workshopped and presented as a reading for an audience. This workshop is anticipated for one week in mid-September 2026.

The commission, named after the late artist and playwright June Bingham, seeks to honor her creative legacy by empowering femme artists to create poignant, evocative, and timely new plays that push boundaries and reflect the nuance of the times we are living in. Previous recipients and projects have included Erlina Ortiz’s award-winning play, La Egoista (2021) which received it's world premiere at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, AriDy Nox’s The Wetlands (2022) which had a presentation on site at the Giacomi Wetlands, Raquel Almazan's Goddesses Return to the Temple (2023), Esmé Ng's I Know Why Iris Chang Died (2024), and Vaibu Mohan's Bound to You (2025) which will have it's NYC presentation in 2026.

This application is designed as the first of a three-round selection process that will be conducted virtually. Please fill out the form below to the best of your ability. Please note that this opportunity is open to all early-career writers who identify as cis-femme, trans-femme, and/or non-binary.

The total fee for this commission will be $3,000; housing, meals, and travel for the retreat are also provided. Unfortunately, at this time, we are unable to consider international applicants. To be selected for this opportunity you must be a U.S. resident with ability to work in the U.S.

This submission form will close on 1/15/2026 at 11:59 pm EST. You will be notified by 2/15/2025 if you are selected as a Semi-Finalist.

We define “early-career” as artists who have written pieces previously, or have engaged in writing via books, film, TV, etc. but have not had theatrical work that has been extensively professionally produced by commercial or non-profit organizations and have less than two full-length plays that have been published in print.

If you have questions about your eligibility or any portion of the application, please email Junebinghamcommission@liveandincolor.org.

Glass Ceiling Breakers: 2026 A Festival of Short Plays by Women Artists

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Deadline: January 17, 2026 at 11:59pm

Plays must be submitted here: https://forms.gle/nm27B6khACXkT6YbA

Theatre Revolution is proud to announce submissions are open for  Glass Ceiling Breakers: 2026 A Festival of Short Plays and Films by Women Artists

GCB 2026 is scheduled for June 5, 6 and 7, 2026 at the Philipstown Depot Theatre in Garrison NY.

Plays must be written by female or female identifying playwrights.

They can be produced or unproduced plays. Feel free to send us plays that were produced years ago that you'd like to revisit! Plays that are currently being workshopped are also welcome.

Plays should be no more than 10 minutes (we mean it!) 12 pages max (excluding the title page) in standard play format. Type size (12) with 1” margins.

If the play is 12 pages but longer than 10 minutes (lots of text) playwright may be asked for revisions if selected.

Save File as follows in PDF only: LAST NAME_TITLE OF PLAY_GCB26

Monologues are accepted but we prefer plays. Monologues should not be more than 3 pages.

BIPOC playwrights are strongly encouraged to submit.

Theatre and/or Playwrights will be informed in Early March.

If selected, playwrights and/or theatre companies are responsible for producing their play. There is no compensation for plays. Theatre Revolution may provide some production assistance (not financial) by connecting producers to possible actors, directors, and props. 

Only non-union actors may be cast in plays.

In all cases, Theatre Revolution will provide limited set pieces, lighting and sound equipment, and production staff. There will be a mandatory pre-production meeting via ZOOM for all playwrights or their representatives in March 2026. 

Questions? Email us. theatrerevolution1@gmail.com We are looking forward to reading your work!

Scenes from a Coffee Shop Festival seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: February 18, 2026 12AM PST

SUBMISSION FORM

Dreamscape Theater Company (dreamscapetheater.com) in Corvallis, Oregon, is seeking original plays to be considered for production at Imagine Coffee in April 2026.

PLEASE USE THESE GUIDELINES WHEN SUBMITTING. Plays that do not adhere to the following will not be considered.

Submissions will be accepted January 1-February 18, 2026. Deadline for submissions is midnight, Pacific Time, February 18, 2026. Winners will be notified no later than February 22, 2026.

Winning plays will be produced at Imagine Coffee Co., Corvallis, Oregon, (imaginecoffee.online) April 11 (7 pm) and April 12 (2 pm), 2026. 

The setting for your play should be a coffee shop.

Please ensure that your play can be performed in 15 minutes or less. Plays longer than 15 minutes will not be accepted.

We prefer plays with at least two characters but no more than five that can be staged with a simple set (black boxes/chairs/stools) and minimal light/sound/prop requirements – in a coffee shop.

There is no residence requirement but preference will be given to playwrights from Oregon.

We are looking for NEW plays. Do not submit anything that has previously been produced.

Only one entry will be accepted from each playwright.

Please do not include your name or contact information anywhere in the script you submit. Please read and consider the Judging Criteria.

Your play must be written in English. We recommend using standard play formatting. 

By submitting to this contest, you agree to accept the decision of the judges as final.

There is no fee to submit to the Dreamscape Play Festival–Caffeine Dreams. 

No royalties or payment will be provided to playwrights should their play be chosen.

Winning playwrights will be asked to submit a headshot and short bio for publicity purposes.

If you have any questions, please email admin@dreamscapetheater.com. 

Working Theater submission guidelines

Website

Deadline: none given

If you think this is your play, please complete this short form. If you have any questions, reach out to literary@theworkingtheater.org.

Working Theater is a new American play incubator for work by playwrights which centers the lives of working people, by telling their stories in new and unexpected ways. How do we define “working people”? At Working Theater, we’re a broad church. Is your humanity impacted, affected or transformed by your work? You’re a working person, congratulations! Welcome to Team WT.


WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Stories for, about or made with working people, and/or the issues which affect them, in mind.
• We invite plays which disrupt traditions of “working-class theater.”
• We want your play to make us laugh, make us cry, and make us feel a little dangerous.
• Does your play deal with themes of work, labors visible and invisible, labor history? Is your play pro-worker, pro-union or anti-capitalist? It’s probably a play for us.
• Does your play come at these themes in unexpected and novel ways? It’s probably a play for us.
• Full-length plays and musicals.

WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR:

• We are not interested in stories in which working people are passive victims of an oppressive system.
• “Issue plays,” issue plays is our least favorite oxymoron – all plays have issues, but we are interested in plays which center people.
• We are not interested in agit-prop (until you show us an agit-prop play that blows our minds!)
• We are not interested in clichés about the working class – show us something we’ve never seen before, baby!

Live & In Color Musical Theatre Development Program

Website

Deadline: February 15, 2026 by 11:59 PM EST

SUBMISSION FORM

For any questions, email musicalsubmissions@liveandincolor.org

Live & In Color is looking for playwrights, composers, and lyricists of color and/or other underrepresented communities interested in developing their new musical. 

The selected musical submission will have a one-week workshop in the fall at The Bingham Camp in Salem, Connecticut, culminating in a staged presentation to an invited audience.

Writers receive a $1,000 stipend plus housing, meals, and travel. We provide support, including a several-month development period based on the needs of the composer/writers, leading up to the retreat. Live & In Color staff will continue to support the development of your piece beyond the retreat, including a reading for industry and Broadway Alums.

MUSICAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The musical must be performed with 4 actors (or less)

All submissions should include:

• Resumes + CVs (a one-page PDF document for each team member's resume and CV)
• Artistic Statement (can be authored by individual team members, or as a joint statement)
• Single page synopsis*
• Single page character breakdown*
• Demo of score (2-3 songs)*
• Sample of dialogue (~15 pages)*
• Brief production/development history (properties with prior full productions not accepted)*
• Optional: a PDF of the full script (please note, if you move forward to the Semi-Finalist round, a full script and score will be required) *Submission Materials must be in a single PDF document of all

Ivo Review 10-minute monologue contest

Website

Deadline: January 30, 2026

Send submissions to editorivoreview@gmail.com. 

The subject line should be the THEME of the issue for which you are submitting work and the CATEGORY of the submission. (Example: LOST - POETRY) Please include a short cover letter with a short 3rd person author's bio in the body of the e-mail and attach submissions in a single .docx attachment.

For this contest we are looking for ten minute monologues for stage performance.

Please do not send us previously published works for this contest, as we are looking for new pieces.
These monologues can be on any theme - Winners and Honorable Mentions will be published in Issue Three of the review.


The deadline for the contest is January 30, 2026. There is no monetary cost for the contest and our general rights statement applies (see our Submission Guidelines for more details!) Any questions about the contest can be sent to editorivoreview@gmail.com.


Token payment prizes subject to our budget in January will be provided to winners and honorable mentions.


What We Look For

We are looking for prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, hybrid works, and dramatic works from emerging and established writers from around the world, particularly writers from historically underrepresented communities. We love the concept of narrative - we want to read storytellers telling stories in whatever form that takes for you.

Works should be primarily in English.

We consider simultaneous submissions but if a work is accepted elsewhere please let us know. We will be thrilled for you! We consider reprints but please indicate the original publication so that it can be credited - with a link to the work if possible so that we can also link to that publication.

We love visual art submissions and are always looking for cover art.

We will not consider AI generated work. At this time we are also not considering translations.



How to Submit

For art, please submit one piece that you would like considered for our cover art.

For poetry and flash or micro-fiction, please submit up to five (5) pieces of up to 100 lines for poetry. We consider micro-fiction to be up to 350 words, and flash to be 351 - 1000 words.

For longer works of fiction, non-fiction, or dramatic works please send up to two (2) pieces of up to 3000 words.

For dramatic works, we consider works that would be able to be produced as a 10 minute play or shorter. We love long dramatic monologues, but will also consider ensemble pieces.

Send submissions to editorivoreview@gmail.com. The subject line should be the THEME of the issue for which you are submitting work and the CATEGORY of the submission. (Example: LOST - POETRY) Please include a short cover letter with a short 3rd person author's bio in the body of the e-mail and attach submissions in a single .docx attachment.

Submissions that do not follow these simple guidelines will not be read.

James Madison University New Works Laboratory

Website

Deadline: January 10, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Seeking: Full-length plays to be workshopped with a community of artists including JMU faculty and students at James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, VA. Submissions should respond to contemporary questions/issues in our world. Diverse perspectives and/or theatrical approaches welcome. First 200 submissions will be accepted or until 1/16/26. Selected plays will be announced by 4/15/26.

Please note, though we do work on musicals in our development process, the 2026 season is looking for plays and not accepting musicals.

What is Madison New Works Laboratory?

Madison New Works Laboratory (MNWL) is an incubator for the development of new plays and musicals. Each selected artist is provided an opportunity to develop their work with a community of artists through conversations, rehearsals, and a festival of public readings. MNWL aspires to the following goals:Develop new works by and for various ages, cultures, and populations
Foster theatrical innovation in the development process in an artist-friendly environment
Identify new work for eventual production in the JMU Mainstage and Studio Season
Support professional playwrights in the development of their work
Provide opportunities for JMU student-artists to work with professional artists on new work

Description of Residency:

• $1250 honorarium for each playwright selected
• Round-trip transportation and housing for the playwright
• Access to student performers selected through an audition process. (Maximum of 6 actors, may include double casting.)
• Available resources include director, stage manager, and supportive artistic staff. 
• Development and rehearsals will be held 8/20 – 8/26
• Public readings will be held for the JMU and Harrisonburg community the weekend of 8/27-8/29

Play Selection: 

• Preference will be given to unpublished plays/works that are seeking development and accomplish the following Address contemporary issues, stories and questions
• Include characters that are suitable for college-age actors for both the development process and potential production in our mainstage season
• Include no more than 6 characters (If your work has more than 6 characters and can be accomplished with character doubling, the character doubling must be articulated in the script.)

The School of Theatre and Dance at James Madison University believes that equity, access, and inclusion are moral imperatives and artistic obligations. Diversity—in the stories we represent, the students we serve, and the audiences we engage—is vital for the health and relevance of contemporary performing arts practice. The School of Theatre and Dance, therefore, welcomes diversity of perspective, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ability.

Any questions email lngrid De Sanctis desancie@jmu.edu

Brave New Work, a short play development series seeks 10-15 minute plays

Website

Deadline: January 16, 2026

APPLICATION FORM

New York Shakespeare Exchange and The CRY HAVOC Company are thrilled to debut our collaborative project Brave New Work, a short play development series that invites NYC playwrights to create original work inspired by, expanding, reflecting upon, remixing, and critiquing the plays of William Shakespeare.

Across several weeks, four writers will craft short plays responding to a Shakespearean prompt through development workshops facilitated by NYSX and CRY HAVOC, culminating in a public reading of all four plays. Applicants need to be local to the NYC area to participate and we are especially seeking artists from underrepresented communities for this project. No fee to apply or participate; writers are paid a stipend for the use of their work in the public presentation.

In year one of this project—Shakespeare as Prologue—we are looking for playwrights interested in exploring the aftermath of Shakespeare’s plays. Apply with an idea for a new short two-character play that takes place after the end of a Shakespeare play (the moment after the play ends, five years later, 50 years later, 500 years later…)
The Guidelines

• You do not have to be a “Shakespeare Nerd” to participate in this project (but if you are, you are also welcome!)
• Select a single Shakespeare play as your starting point.
• We are looking for a proposal for a 10-15 minute play with two characters.
• One character must be from your chosen Shakespeare play; the other can be invented.
• Writers will be developing their plays in a workshop feedback process; we are looking for playwrights that are interested in discussing their work and supporting the work of others!

How does the collaboration work?
Each writer is paired with a facilitator—a CRY HAVOC or NYSX artist—to confer with before and after each feedback session. Facilitators moderate each session in support of the playwrights and their goals. The feedback sessions will include a combined roster of artists from the NYSX and CRY HAVOC communities, the Brave New Work writers, and their invited guests and colleagues.

The Schedule (all sessions will be in the evening)

Sun. 3/1: welcome meeting with playwrights and staff

Tue. 3/10 and Thu. 3/12: 1st draft feedback workshops

Tue. 3/17 and Thu. 3/19: 2nd draft feedback workshops

Tue. 3/24 and Thu. 3/26: 3rd draft feedback workshops

Tue. 3/31 and Thu. 4/2: rehearsal draft feedback workshops VIA ZOOM

Thu. 4/16: public reading of the play collection

ABOUT US

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.

New York Shakespeare Exchange uses Shakespeare's body of work as a starting point and toolkit for building stronger, more empathetic communities. We invite our fellow New Yorkers to form a relationship of “exchange” with Shakespeare’s legacy, creating new opportunities for artistic expression, social connection, and mutual learning. This active exchange between centuries-old works and contemporary points of view honors an essential quality of Shakespeare’s creative spirit - to search the world around us for inspiration, and our own imaginations for innovation.

2026 Annual One-Act Jamboree seeks short plays

Website

Deadline:  February 28, 2026

Submission fee waived for members of Dramatists' Guild must include proof of current membership                                                                                    

StageWorks Theatre Group

Show Dates: July 24th, 25th, 26th 2026

Writers must submit their one-act plays (with a running time of 20 minutes or less)

Entries will be judged on plot, character development, dialogue, and overall quality.

Please send manuscripts and enclose your $20 reading fee (waived for members of Dramatists' Guild)

to:

StageWorks Theatre Group, INC.
237 Hamburg Turnpike
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
Attention: One Act Jamboree

Alternatively, you may submit your play via our website. Click "Submit Your Play" to send your manuscript via Google Form. Then, click "Pay Reading Fee" button above to pay your reading fee (online payment convenience fees apply). Manuscripts will NOT be considered until the reading fee has been submitted. (Fee waived for members of Dramatists' Guild).

Between 6 and 10 winners will receive the prize of a staged production of their play at the StageWorks One Act Jamboree, which will be held during the Summer of 2026 at StageWorks Studio 237.

The production will have auditioned actors, directors chosen by committee, producers, stage managers, ushers, ticket takers, and tech crew.

2026 Annual One-Act Jamboree Terms and Conditions

Writers are encouraged to submit their one-act plays (with a running time of 20 minutes or less) by Saturday, February 28, 2026. Entries will be judged on plot, character development, dialogue and overall quality by a committee of three to five. Directors will be chosen by the committee.

Between 6 and 10 winners will receive the prize of a staged production of his or her play at the StageWorks One Act Jamboree, which will be held during the summer of 2026 at StageWorks Studio 237.

Plays will be judged on the following criteria:

• Plot
• Character Development
• Dialogue
• Overall writing quality

Playwrights are limited to three (3) submissions.

Please read and follow our submission guidelines. Submissions that are incomplete or do not follow these guidelines will be disqualified. To enter your play, you must submit the following:

(1) Three (3) hard copies of your play (or Google Form submission in advance for electronic submissions/Paypal payment).i

Plays should run 20 minutes or less and be written in the proper playwriting format (when in the proper format, running time is approximately one minute per page):

A list of characters with a brief physical description of each should also be included.

Plays should contain 12 or fewer actors.

One person plays are accepted.

No musicals, unless you are providing accompaniment.

Plays should have simple staging and technical needs.

(2) A cover letter with the following information:

The name of your play

Your name full address, full contact information (including your e-mail and phone number)

A brief synopsis of your play (for publicity purposes if your play is selected)

A brief biography


(3) A check in the amount of $20 (US dollars) for each play submitted, made payable to:

StageWorks Theatre Group, INC. *Fee waived for members of Dramatist Guild (must include proof of current membership)

Please write "One-Act Jamboree" in the check's memo line.


The submission package must be sent to:

StageWorks Theatre Group, INC
237 Hamburg Turnpike
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442

Attn: One-Act Jamboree

Additional Information:

Submissions must be postmarked on or before February 28, 2026

Plays will NOT be returned and will be recycled.

The entry fee is non-refundable.

As the playwright, you are invited to auditions and will have input regarding casting and production presentation. However, Executive Director may choose to exercise her authority regarding questionable content and/or presentation of the show with consideration and protection of the reputation of the company in its entirety.

Prizes:

At the conclusion of the jamboree, one winner will receive a $250 cash prize based on audience vote.

Strongbox Theater second annual short play festival.

Website

Deadline: January 8, 2026

Submit a PDF via email to info@strongboxtheater.com

Seeking 10-minute plays

Strongbox Theater is now accepting submissions for its second annual short play festival. 

Only comedies will be considered for this year’s show. 

All plays will be fully produced. Playwrights will be paid a $100 fee for accepted plays. 

Please submit only one of your best comedies. This is your opportunity to be a big part of Strongbox history as we produce our first production in our long-awaited theater. 

We are expecting sold-out nights. 

Almost Adults Productions seeks plays under 12-minutes

 Facebook page

Deadline: January 21, 2026

Or until they receive 200 submissions

DO NOT SEND - THEY HAVE REACHED THEIR SUBMISSION LIMIT.

Almost Adults Productions (https://www.facebook.com/almostadultstheatre/) seeks plays under 12-minutes for a fully staged short play program called People Have the Power 2.0, inspired by the Patti Smith/Fred 'Sonic' Smith song. 

 An article about our sold-out production in 2025 can be found Here.

This will be performed at Teatro Paraguas in Santa Fe, NM April 11th and 18th at 7:30 pm and April 12th and 19th at 2 pm. The plays in some way should be about social activists making a difference in their communities and therefore the world at large. They can be based on true stories/people or can be works of fiction. We're especially interested in works that address issues such as reproductive justice, LGBTQIA rights, immigration, aging discrimination, and disability justice. 

Please send to January 21st with the play as a PDF attachment to aarontheatresantafe@gmail.com. Submitting ASAP is recommended since there is a cut-off of 200 submissions.

One play submission per playwright. 

There are no restrictions on previously produced or published plays. 

 No fee to submit.

Masque & Spectacle seeks short plays for its March 2026 issue

Website

Deadline: January 31, 2026

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. We generally avoid publishing authors in consecutive issues.

The theme for our March Issue is storms.

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.

BLACK WOMAN GENIUS ~ SEMI-FINALISTS

Congratulations to the playwrights who were chosen as semi-finalists for the BLACK WOMAN GENIUS project.

Thanks to everybody who shared their work with us.

The award-winner will be announced Sunday, January 18, 2026.

We will begin posting excerpts daily (with permission) from the semi-finalist scripts and award-winning script  beginning Sunday January 18.

Listed in alphabetical order:

• AUNT KATHY by Rex McGregor
• CRY ALOUD! by Paula Ralph Birkett
• GENIUS by Kendall Wallace
• HARRIET POWERS by Grace Cavalieri 
• I AM FIRE by Elizabeth Nafula
• INTELLIGENCE by Stacy Nathaniel Jackson
• JOY by Shaneisha Dodson
• LONELY by J. Lois Diamond
• MY NAME IS CATHAY WILLIAMS: THE RIGHT AND TRUTHFUL GENIUS NARRATIVE OF CATHAY WILLIAMS (1844 - 1892) by Cornelia Weiss
• NO (SOME) WAYS TIRED by chandra thomas
• POSTURES OF RETURN by Catherine Ashley 
• THE PAUSE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING by Robert Csoma
• YOUNG, GIFTED AND GENIUS by Niki Gee

One Night Stand seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: January 6, 2026

Writers may submit up to three short plays to Tickets@OneNightStandTheater.org

One Night Stand Theater is now accepting submissions for “Stages of Love,” our February 22 evening of staged readings celebrating the many moods, messes, mysteries, and magic of love. We’re seeking short plays, stories, and poems that explore love in all its phases—first sparks, infatuation, conflict, reconciliation, devotion, heartbreak, recovery, commitment, or anything in between. Make us laugh, make us ache, make us nod in recognition. Love may be timeless, but your take on it should be unmistakably yours.

Selected pieces receive a small honorarium and two complimentary tickets to the performance at Vintage Theatre in Aurora, Colorado. Works may be new or previously produced.

A is For seeks one-act plays on reproductive justice

Website

Deadline: January 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST

SUBMISSION FORM

A is For is currently accepting submissions for one-act plays about reproductive justice.

The A is For Playwriting Contest and the all it takes is ONE ACT Play Festival engages playwrights who are passionate about abortion rights and reproductive justice, and offers audiences the opportunity to see those stories performed by theatre professionals in live staged readings. Since the inauguration of our Playwriting Contest in 2020, we have received over 1,000 one-act plays about reproductive justice from all around the world, and have brought 12 of them to the stage!

A is For amplifies art and artists working to eradicate stigma against abortion. We believe that theatre deepens our relationship with the world around us by inviting us to empathize, and recognize our own belonging. We are looking for plays that challenge stigma against abortion. We want to hear the stories you want to tell.

Three winners will be announced in late spring 2026, and will receive the following prizes:

1st Place - $5,000
2nd Place - $3,000
3rd Place - $1,500

The winning plays will be presented as staged readings during our ONE-ACT Play Festival in 2026 at a New York City theatre tbd. See what the 2025 winners had to say about their experience here:

The Spotlight New Works Fest

Website

Deadline: February 3, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

We provide the venue, festival staff, and the opportunity to present your work;
participating companies are responsible for producing and staging their own readings.

The Spotlight New Works Fest is a curated festival dedicated to showcasing exceptional new plays written for the secondary theatre market—including high schools, colleges, and community theatres.

Each year, educational and community stages produce hundreds of thousands of performances. The Spotlight New Works Fest exists to help new work find a place within that ecosystem by highlighting plays that balance strong craft, theatrical vitality, and real-world production potential for these stages.

This is not a competition. Instead, the festival brings together a selected group of plays that demonstrate both artistic excellence and a clear understanding of how theatre is made and shared in educational and community settings.

Please carefully review the information below before submitting.

Eligibility

We are seeking complete, original scripts that feel ready to be produced and shared.

Previously produced works are welcome, provided they are not currently licensed by another publisher.

Full-length plays (60-100 pages)

Full-length plays with music (60-100 pages)

Full-length musicals (60-90 minutes)

10-20 minute musicals

No fewer than six / no more than eight performers required, except for short musicals (doubling is encouraged)

Musical either needs only one keyboard or will include tracks.

Our readers consider:

• Dramatic structure and momentum
• Character development and ensemble potential
• Dialogue and theatrical voice
• Staging feasibility for educational and community theatres
• Overall clarity, craft, and production readiness

Who Should Submit

The Spotlight New Works Fest is for playwrights who are intentionally writing for educational and community production.

You may be a good fit if your work:

• Is designed to be produced by high schools, colleges, or community theatres
• Offers meaningful opportunities for student or community performers
• Demonstrates strong dramatic structure, clear storytelling, and theatrical imagination
• Balances artistic ambition with practical staging considerations
• Previously produced works are welcome, provided you hold the rights to submit the script.

Review & Selection Process

Submissions to Spotlight New Works Fest are evaluated by a committee of readers using a shared scoring framework developed specifically for the festival.

Each script is read and assessed across multiple criteria, including suitability for educational and community stages, dramatic structure, ensemble value, theatrical imagination, and audience resonance. Scores help ensure consistency across readers while supporting thoughtful editorial judgment.

Spotlight New Works Fest is a curated festival, not a developmental workshop. While we are unable to provide individualized feedback or critiques on submissions, every play receives careful consideration through the committee review process. Final selections reflect both cumulative scoring and the overall balance of the festival lineup.

Finalists will be notified around March 15, 2026. All selection decisions are final.

A Note on Rights and Future Productions

Spotlight New Works Fest does not claim ownership, royalties, or future participation rights in submitted works. We do not require acknowledgments, producer points, or revenue participation for future productions. Playwrights retain full rights to their work.


How to Submit

Submissions must be original works. If a piece is based on previously copyrighted material, writers must provide proof of rights ownership or documentation confirming the work is in the public domain.

Before beginning the submission form, please be prepared to provide one complete PDF that includes a cover page, artistic statement, play synopsis, production and casting information, and the full script—formatted using standard script conventions.

For musical submissions, you’ll also be asked to share a single link to demo materials, including at least three song demos reflecting the style of the show, along with either a representative musical track or a piano/vocal score.

Before you submit, please read all of the information in our FAQ Page.

Accepted Scripts

Accepted participants are responsible for casting and rehearsing their reading and covering any presentation-related costs.

Participants will be provided with a list of local suggested directors and rehearsal spaces.

Participants will also receive direct, hands-on mentorship in self-producing their work—valuable professional development at no cost.

If selected, participants will be required to sign a participation agreement. You may review the agreement here.

Selected participants will be asked to submit a fully refundable $100 commitment deposit to confirm participation.

Submissions are open January 3–February 3, 2026 for the Spotlight New Works Fest. Please review the submission guidelines before beginning the form.

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

Facebook page

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.

Feels Blind Literary welcomes plays for Issue #13

Website

Deadline: January 31, 2026

NOTE: send on Monday to avoid submission fee

Submissions for Issue #13 should be sent to feelsblindliterary@gmail.com. Please include a short bio written in the third person. 

Feels Blind Literary welcomes submissions of short fiction, creative nonfiction, plays, and art from new and emerging creatives who are women, nonbinary, trans, genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, etc. 

The submission fee is always waived on Mondays.

​​We are adamant about not creating a barrier in terms of who can submit and how often, which is why every Monday is a free submission day during opening reading periods. On other days, we have decided to start collecting fees. Here's why—we've noticed many literary magazines and organizations expressing solidarity with social justice movements and we've been considering how to do the same. Feels Blind Literary is committed to speaking out against social and environmental injustice, police brutality, and unconstitutional attacks on our bodies and the free press. With that being said, we didn't feel just saying we're committed to these causes was enough. Rather, we knew we needed to demonstrate that commitment in tangible ways, both by continuing to elevate marginalized voices in the work that we publish and by raising money for causes we believe will help directly combat the -isms in this country.

​As such, all non-Monday submissions must include a $3 submission fee through the donation tab below. A portion of the fees for this reading period will go directly to a nonprofit addressing these issues in a tangible way. For this cycle, submission fees for Issue #11 with go to Aid Access, one of the largest suppliers of abortion pills in the country. The site enables women to pay on a sliding scale based on need and other women can donate to help offset costs for those in need. They also ship abortion pills discreetly to all 50 states. They reported receiving 10,000 requests for the medication in the first 24 hours after the election was called, so they could use all of the help they can get. We also are launching a special issue to coincide with AWP and all submission fees will go to ECDC, an organization based in Silver Spring, Maryland and Arlington, Virginia providing crucial services for refugees.

If you include a $10 donation, we will guarantee a 10-day or less response time to your work. If you include a $20 donation, we will guarantee a 72-hour or less response time to your work.

Woodward/Newman Award 2027/28

Website

Deadline: August 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The Woodward/Newman Award is an exclusive honor offered by Constellation Stage & Screen, started through the support of Joanne Woodward, Newman’s Own Foundation, and the Newman family, celebrating Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward’s tremendous history of work on stage and screen. It presents the best unpublished play of the year with a cash prize of $3,000 and a full production as part of Constellation’s Mainstage season.

Please note that there are significant changes to our submission and selection process from previous years. In order to make the Woodward/Newman Award accessible to all, we have eliminated submission fees as well as the contest format. The Woodward/Newman Award will continue to be awarded to an unpublished new play once per year and come with a $3,000 cash prize and a full production. 

Submissions will be accepted and reviewed by our literary team on an ongoing basis, and will be considered for the award as well as for all 7 production slots in our season. So a play that is not selected for the Woodward/Newman slot in our season, may still be considered and selected for production. 

This will allow us to now accept open submissions for all types of plays (including TYA shows). Plays submitted by midnight, August 31st, 2026 will be considered for the 2027-28 season, while plays submitted beyond that date will be considered for the 2028-29 Season. All submissions will be kept on file for 2 years after submission.

If you have questions regarding submissions to the Constellation Stage & Screen, please contact the Literary Manager at literary@seeconstellation.org.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS

We are currently accepting submissions for the 2027-28 Woodward/Newman Award. The award recipient will be announced by May 15, 2027. 

The winner will be awarded $3,000 and a full production.“Full-length” plays should have a complete running time of between 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes) to 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes). TYA shows should have a complete running time of over 40 minutes.

Plays submitted must be unpublished at the time of submission (independently published is acceptable).
Each play should be individually submitted at the following link: CONSTELLATION STAGE & SCREEN PLAY SUBMISSION.

You will be asked to submit your play as an attachment and all other information (bio, history, synopsis, character breakdown) will be entered into a form. Musical submissions may upload demos as an attachment or include a link to a shared folder.

Limit of 2 play submissions per year.

$3,000 cash prize is in lieu of royalties for the full production. Housing & transportation will also be provided.

Any unpublished play submitted to Constellation regardless of method (e.g. online form, agent submission, direct contact) may be considered for the Woodward/Newman Award.

Please note that we are moving away from a “finalists” model in lieu of keeping all plays under consideration for extended periods (2yrs). We will only announce a winner.

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

Glass Ceiling Breakers: 2026 A Festival of Short Plays and Films by Women Artists

Website

Deadline: January 17, 2026 at 11:59pm

Plays must be submitted here: https://forms.gle/nm27B6khACXkT6YbA

Theatre Revolution is proud to announce submissions are open for GCB 2026 is scheduled for June 5, 6 and 7, 2026 at the  Philipstown Depot Theatre in Garrison NY.

Plays must be written by female or female identifying playwrights.

They can be produced or unproduced plays. Feel free to send us plays that were produced years ago that you'd like to revisit! Plays that are currently being workshopped are also welcome.

Plays should be no more than 10 minutes (we mean it!) 12 pages max (excluding the title page) in standard play format. Type size (12) with 1” margins.

If the play is 12 pages but longer than 10 minutes (lots of text) playwright may be asked for revisions if selected.

Save File as follows in PDF only: LAST NAME_TITLE OF PLAY_GCB26

All plays must be received by 11:59pm on January 17, 2026.

Monologues are accepted but we prefer plays. Monologues should not be more than 3 pages.

BIPOC playwrights are strongly encouraged to submit.

Theatre and/or Playwrights will be informed in Early March.

If selected, playwrights and/or theatre companies are responsible for producing their play. There is no compensation for plays. Theatre Revolution may provide some production assistance (not financial) by connecting producers to possible actors, directors, and props. Only non-union actors may be cast in plays.

In all cases, Theatre Revolution will provide limited set pieces, lighting and sound equipment, and production staff. There will be a mandatory pre-production meeting via ZOOM for all playwrights or their representatives in March 2026. Questions? Email us. theatrerevolution1@gmail.com We are looking forward to reading your work!

Queens Short Play Festival Winter 2026

 Website

Deadline: January 31, 2026

PLEASE NOTE: PLAYS ARE ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS. WAITING UNTIL THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT IS NOT ADVISED.

Apply HERE: https://form.jotform.com/253154851790158

Following our successful Feastival at our new location we are pleased to announce that Queens Short Play Festival is now accepting plays for its Winter 2026 festival. The Secret Theatre seeks to promotenew work and emerging playwrights through our biannual One Act Festival. Last year's festivals were a success, and this year we are excited for more!

No fee to submit or produce.

• $250 Cash Prize for Best Play
• $100 Cash Prize for Best Director
• $75 Cash Prize for Best Actor
• $75 Cash Prize for Best Actor

• Each Play is guaranteed multiple performances [the exact number is decided once our final selection is made. Factors include the length of plays but is not usually less than 4 performances.

Guidelines:

• Plays must be between 10 and 15 minutes in length. Preference given to plays that havenot been produced before. Timings must be accurate; please overestimate if not sure. We will reject any play longer than 15 minutes. A rule of thumb is one minute per page if using 12pt Courier/Times Roman

• Playwrights are responsible for selecting the director and cast.

(We can help you if you do not have a director but preference will be given to playwrights who can provide their own directors and actors.)

• Easy to produce. (If you have a play that, for instance, includes a swimming pool, a large amount of sets and props, or anything else too elaborate or is impossible to cast, we may reject it.)

• Excerpts limited to 15 mins are acceptable

• Please submit plays in PDF or Word format only.

• We will divide selected plays into more programs, and selected Playwrights will be informed on a rolling basis.

• We offer discounted rates for rehearsals from $10 per hour for participants

 

QR:

The Secret Theatre
1010 44th Ave, LIC, NY 11101

HAPPY NEW YEARS 2026 FROM NYCPLAYWRIGHTS!

 

Hannah Arendt Special IHRAF Festival seeks short play productions

Website

Deadline: February 15, 2026 at midnight

Celebrating the life and ideas of Hannah Arendt
(1906-1975)

New York and Tri-state area based artists 

Work may not have been produced within the last year in NYC, or be scheduled in the next six months of June 7th, 2026.

Please note:
The performances must be fully produced by you; IHRAF is a presenting platform.
Considering performances 10-20 minutes long!

We accept just one proposal for each application.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Please email our Festival Assistant Producer Costanza Bugiani at costanza@humanrightsartmovement.org with the following, and any questions:

A brief description of your piece, including approximate running time - we’re accepting 10-20 mins works.

A cover letter, including details about how your piece aligns with the ideas or life of Hannah Arendt (see below for more information about Hannah), information about the piece’s discipline, and a brief summary of your artistic goals

Your bios or resumes and the names of any collaborators already on board

A sample of the work (scripts, pics, videos, songs, any other links or file that could help us to know more about your project)

As email subject, please type IHRAF Festival: Arendt, then add Association-Company-your name (i.e. IHRAF Hannah Arendt, Joan Doe)

All accepted performers will receive:

Performance stipends of $500 total (per accepted project)

PR and marketing support

30-minute tech rehearsal

Festival TD and SM

Free photographic documentation of the performance

…and bragging rights as participants in the largest and coolest human rights/art festival in NYC!

June 5-7, 2026
Urban Stages
259 West 30th Street
(btw 7th and 8th Avenues)
New York, NY 10001

Theatre Write Now seeks playwrights

Website

Deadline: January 5, 2025 11:59 PM EST

SUBMISSION FORM

To apply for the FREE cohort, please fill out this form fully. Space is limited, and applications are due no later than 11:59 PM EST January 5th.

Applicants will be notified of involvement by January 19th.

About the Program:

Theatre Write Now seeks to support early-career playwrights in New York City by creating a space where writers can generate new theatrical works, building a community of peers through cohort-based collaboration and feedback. 

Cohort 3 Details:

THEATRE WRITE NOW IS A GENERATIVE WRITING PROGRAM! You will be pitching a new script concept to the cohort if selected as a participant. Theatre Write Now does not allow previously written work. Cohort Playwrights are NOT allowed to direct or act in their own projects.

Cohort Writing Sessions:

Monday nights, 7 pm-10 pm IN PERSON

Starting on January 26th, ending April 13th

Staged Reading Series:

1 show per week, starting the week of April 20th

Each reading process will rehearse 7-10 pm Monday through Friday of their assigned week, with a 7 pm performance the following Saturday.

Staged readings will be a nonunion, week-long process, each consisting of volunteer performers and production-paired directors, with rehearsals in the evenings, Monday to Friday, and the performance on Saturday. There will be one reading process per week, starting on April 20th, with the last performance being on June 26th. Attending the full rehearsal process is encouraged but not required. 

Where:

All cohort meetings, reading rehearsals, and performances will be in Manhattan, New York. This is not a remote/virtual program

Organized by Alex Kopnick and KOPCORP LLC

www.kopcorp.art

The Alcazar Theatre Ensemble in Carpinteria, California seeks one-act plays

Website

Facebook

Deadline: January 6, 2026

Please include the play, a short synopsis, if this is a world premiere and your contact info.
Send your submissions to:  AlcazarEnsemble@gmail.com

We call it “Spring Break Theater” and traditionally it incorporates Fairytales reimagined and/or a mash up. We do the show for kids during the day, and for families in the evening. Six performances total.

Ideally it includes multiple characters that can be played by a cast of 6-8.

Ideally it has a message of empowerment.

Ideally it is geared towards kids, but it has some humor that adults will enjoy.

Ideally it includes fairytale characters from lots of different stories all thrown together in one funny story.

Have you written a short (25-40 min) Fairytale play that would appeal to both kids and adults?

We are a small nonprofit community theater, we are all volunteers, so there’s no pay, but there will be a lot of local tv/press coverage. Great publicity opportunity for an emerging writer. 

Feel free to PM me with any questions.

Gitelman & Good Publishers Playwrights Contest

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

Send your submission to submit@gitelmangoodpublishers.com

Please consider submitting your full-length play for high schoolers on the theme of "A Better World." Three winners will be selected for an opportunity to have their submitted play published in the Gitelman & Good Publishers catalog.

As a contest participant, your play will be reviewed ahead of general submissions.

Theme: "A Better World"

If you have a great full-length play for high schoolers that explores this theme, please read the submission guidelines below and send your submission to submit@gitelmangoodpublishers.com.

Artistic Guidelines. Please consider the following contest guidelines before submitting. We seek plays that...

• Explore the theme "A Better World." 
• Are challenging, beautiful, and fun. 
• Explore the lived experiences of adolescents. 
• Are appropriate for high-school actors and audiences. 
• Are full-length (greater than 60 minutes). 
• Have been produced, with production photos. 

Prize: $1,000

Author Information. Please provide a submissions packet that includes:

• Name 
• Email address 
• Preferred gender pronouns (optional) 
• Artistic statement, endeavors, and/or goals 

Script Information. Please provide:

• The entire script 
• Production history 
• Production photos 
• Other relevant information (optional) 

p.s. If you have a great play that you'd like to submit that does not explore this theme, we'd still love to read it! Please visit this page for general submission guidelines.

The CCT Writers Project seeks one-act and full-length plays

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

Submissions should be emailed to cctwritersproject@gmail.com.

The CCT Writers Project is a venture by the Chickasaw Civic Theatre (Chickasaw Alabama) whose purpose is to solicit original non-musical works from playwrights to premiere on the CCT stage.

• Must be an original non-musical play not previously presented at any other venue.
• May consist of one or more acts.
• Must be suitable in both subject matter and language for the CCT audience (in the judgment of the Play Committee). Some specific areas to avoid include, but are not limited to, profane language, graphic sexual content, and nudity.
• All submissions are reviewed by the Play Committee the following January or February.
• The identity of the playwright is hidden from the reviewers. As such, we ask writers not to post publicly or to share with anyone that they have submitted a work for review until after the Play Committee completes the review process.

Play Selection

• If a work is accepted for production, the playwright is notified by April 1 of that same year.
• Only one play is accepted for performance during each season cycle.
• The Play Committee reserves the right not to choose a play to present from the project during a season cycle.
• If a play is not accepted and it is not produced elsewhere in the interim, it may be submitted again in a future cycle.
• If a play is accepted for production, all rights and control of the play revert to the playwright after the full run of the premiere production. CCT will retain no control or ownership of the play once the premiere run closes. CCT will retain only the rights to play-related photos, videos, or other media used on the website or in lobby displays around the time of the production.
• The sets, costumes, props, and other production-specific materials created for the play will remain the property of CCT.

Play Performance

• If a play is selected for performance, the Play Committee will offer a specific schedule slot in the upcoming season.
• If the playwright agrees to have the play produced, the Play Committee will decide on the number of performances on the CCT stage.
• The director for the new play will be chosen by the Play Committee, which may solicit input from the playwright.
• The sets, costumes, props, and other production-specific materials created for the play will remain the property of CCT.

Play Compensation and Production Costs

• If a play is accepted, CCT will NOT compensate the playwright for the right to present the work.
• Rather, CCT will bear all costs of producing the play. Those costs include the use of the theatre for the performance, for the weeks of rehearsal required, and for whatever set and costume needs there may be.
• The production expense is currently set by CCT at $1,000. CCT will be reimbursed for this cost from the proceeds of the ticket sales for the production. After that $1,000 has been recovered, any remaining income from ticket sales will be divided equally between CCT and the playwright. In other words, the playwright will earn one half of the profit from the show after production costs; the other half of the profit will remain with CCT.

Questions

For submissions or for questions, contact CCT at cctwritersproject@gmail.com

Theatre Southwest is accepting short play submissions

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM

Please email scripts to: heaton_it_up@hotmail.com

Please mail scripts to:
Theatre Southwest
3939 Hillcroft 
Suite 160
Houston, TX 77057
Attn: TSW-RTM
Postmarked by: December 31, 2025

Theatre Southwest is accepting short play submissions starting November 1st, 2025 thru December 31st, 2025 for its Annual Readers' Theatre Matinee!

This year the TSW-RTM will happen on Sunday, January 18th, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. and our event producer Brian Heaton will be accepting 5-10 minute scripts till the end of 2025.

Selected plays will be read and voted on by the audience in attendance and the Audience Favorite will receive a $100 cash prize!

Guidelines for this this year's event are as follows:

Scripts will be accepted via snail-mail and email.

Scripts entered should be in PDF format for email. Printed entries should be in standard play format and bound in a 3-hole punch folder or with brads.

Limit of 1 entry per playwright of an original work that is unpublished, and unproduced.

There is NO ENTRY FEE.

ALL scripts should be numbered with title, list of characters, brief synopsis of play and playwright's contact info on title page.

No Monologues or one man/woman plays will be accepted.

ALL genres of plays will be accepted.

ALL plays should be able to be read within 5 to 10 minutes, no longer, no exceptions. If using standard play format a good gauge would be if the play's text is 4 to 11 pages long (excluding title page).

Please make sure the play you are submitting is conducive to Readers' Theatre, simple stage directions, story mostly expressed through dialogue, not action.

Approximately 8-12 plays will be selected to be given a performance level read, and the playwrights selected will be informed prior to the event.

BRIDGE: The Bluffton University Literary Journal seeks short plays from writers 14-24

Website

Deadline: January 1, 2026 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Bridge only publishes original work by writers age 14-24. Drama submissions are limited to 5000 words (roughly 10-12 formatted pages). Submissions that have enjoyed full or partial production (stage plays, films, staged readings) are eligible for publication; submissions that have been previously published online or in print are not.

Bridge: The Bluffton University Literary Journal is a magazine of arts and letters compiled by Bluffton University's Department of English and Writing Program. Our current publication schedule includes fall and Spring online issues. Bridge only publishes artists and writers age 14-24.

We are now operating as rolling submissions.

To see the kind of work we are engaging with, please check out our previous issues:

SPRING 2021 Edition online: https://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/Spring2021/

FALL 2020 Edition online: https://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/fall2020/index.aspx

FALL 2019 Edition online: https://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/fall2019/index.aspx

FALL 2018 Edition online: http://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/fall2018/

and FALL 2017 EDITION online: http://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/fall2017/

Visit our website at https://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/


SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Bridge publishes original work by writers and artists age 14-24. We look for work that demonstrates virtuosity and wonder, work that interrogates norms and assumptions, and delights us all along the way. Bridge ONLY publishes writers and artists age 14-24. 
• Bridge accepts work from young writers in the following genres: short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics, art, graphic novels and short plays for stage and screen. Please, no fan-fiction or excerpts from novels. 
• Contributors can submit only ONCE per genre, per submission period. 
• There are no restrictions on content or theme. 
• Work submitted to Bridge must not be previously published online or print. We cannot consider work you posted on WattPad, your blog, website, or social media. 
• Bridge welcomes international submissions; however, all work submitted must be composed primarily in English. 
• Bridge does not accept anonymous submissions. 
• Bridge cannot accept third-party submissions. Writers and artists must submit their own work and correspond directly with our staff. Parents/teachers/mentors cannot submit work for you or on your behalf. If your work is collaborative and includes artists over the age of 24, it is not eligible for publication in Bridge. 
• If selected for publication, Bridge retains First North American Serial Rights to your work. However, all rights revert to the author upon publication. 
• Bridge is unable to pay contributors. 
• Current or former Bluffton University students, and the household family members of Bluffton University faculty, staff, and administrators are not eligible to submit work to Bridge.

Bridge's Top Tips for Getting Accepted

• We love working with our authors. We feel mentorship is part of our mission. So please read carefully through our tips. Given that we receive submissions per reading period, we want your work to show at its very best. These are helpful for submitting anywhere!We appreciate fresh, unique perspectives and imagery on issues. We have found that means strong language and word choice. The more specific you can be in detail, the less a reader will be wondering what was going on or how that character was reacting to a certain situation. 
• We are open to what our authors submit from genre to form to style to topic. We love discovering new ways of seeing the world, but we also value work that shows the writer has thoroughly done their homework. If this is a topic or character outside of your own experience or background, do in-depth research on that topic and its histories! Nothing hurts a piece more than discussing an important issue, yet using stereotypes or cliches or incorrect information.
• Check your Submittable account regularly, and update your email address if it changes! We have accepted authors that never got back to us. Then, too, we have accepted authors, signed contracts, and then never heard back about revisions sent out.
• List all of your contact information in a proper cover letter. This helps us get in touch with you if need be. Here is a link to a good cover letter example: How to Write a Cover Letter... https://theadroitjournal.org/2019/08/09/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-for-a-literary-journal-magazine-or-publication/ . Here is a link to good advice on submissions. We recommend following the above for cover letters, however, rather than this one's: https://electricliterature.com/lit-mag-submissions-101-how-when-and-where-to-send-your-work/
• Be sure to copy edit the piece very carefully before submitting. Look for typos and sentence errors. Remove any comments from readers or notations that this was submitted for a class. Don't put in your cover letter another journal's address and information. In other words, be professional.
• Submit within your proper genre.
• If your piece is accepted elsewhere, please immediately withdraw it from Bridge and anywhere else you submitted it. Editors spend a lot of time considering pieces. If you withdraw, they can then give their time to other pieces.

RELENTLESS AWARD

Website

Deadline: January 1, 2026  at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

The Relentless Award, established in honor of Philip Seymour Hoffman and his pursuit of truth in the theater, is the largest annual cash prize in American theater awarded to a playwright in recognition of a new play. 

Eligibility/Criteria for Submission: 

•  Play must be unproduced, with no production commitment.
• Author(s) must have either United States citizenship, possess a green card, or currently reside in the United States and have lived here for at least four years.
• Plays with a producer, producing organization, or theater attached for future production are not eligible.
• Plays that have received more than $10,000 in commission, author fee, or other award prize money (cumulatively) are not eligible.
• One-act plays, musicals, and plays for children are not eligible.
• The author(s) must be at least 21 years old at time of submission. 

*Please note: the Relentless Award uses a blind submissions process(the names and identifying details about the authors are hidden from the judges.) It is imperative that all submitting writers create a draft of their submission with all identifying information (name, contact information, representation information if applicable, development history, any identity-describing author's note/dedication) redacted.

Failure to do so may disqualify your script and render it ineligible for consideration. **Please note: our submission window will close automatically at 11:59pm EST on January 1st, 2026 and no late submissions will be accepted. Due to Submittable's 48 hour turn around time for user inquiries, we strongly urge you to allow yourself ample time before the deadline, in case of any technological or other difficulties.

***Please see our FAQ here for more information. We highly recommend reading the FAQ before submitting, as some of the details provided are relevant to the eligibility of your submission.