The Theater Center’s Making It Happen Festival - Call for 10-Minute Plays

Website

Deadline: Marcy 24, 2023 at 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

THE THEATER CENTER, located in the heart of Times Square, is seeking submissions for a 10-minute play festival happening Spring 2026. Plays of all genres, performance types, and subject matter. There is no submission fee and no participation fee.

How the Festival Works:
15 new plays will be presented over three Wednesday evenings at 7pm, with 5 plays performed each night. 

• April 8th
• April 15th
• April 22nd

At the end of each evening, the audience will vote for their favorite plays. The top two plays from each night (6 total) will advance to the Final Showcase on Wednesday, April 29 at 7pm where they will be performed again and the audience will vote to select our Festival Winner. The evening will conclude with an Emerging Artist Collective Celebration, where all participating playwrights and creative teams are invited to return and celebrate together.

All plays will take place at the Jerry Orbach Theater, a 199-seat Black Box theater fully equipped with lights, and built-in mic sound system. See space details here.

Submission Deadline:
All plays MUST be submitted by Tuesday, March 24th @ 11:59 PM

All Participants Receive:

• An Off-Broadway credit for their play
• An invitation to The Theater Center’s Emerging Artist Collective

Finalists Receive:

• A free 30-minute consultation with The Theater Center’s General Manager, Catherine Russell, covering marketing, budgeting, and general management for your show.

Festival Winner Receives:

• The winning playwright will receive an opportunity to discuss further development of their work with The Theater Center, including potential pathways for future production and artistic collaboration.

Requirements:

• The play must be 10 minutes in length (approx. 10 pages). If you would like to submit a monologue/one person play, it should come in under 10 pages.
• Playwrights MUST provide their own actors, director, and stage manager. 
• At least one member of the production team must be a resident of one of New York City’s five boroughs.
• Please ensure you and your team are available for all relevant festival dates.

Production Guidelines:
Each production will have 15 minutes total to set up, perform, and strike their piece.

Productions should be minimalist in design. All specific props or set dressing for your production must be supplied by you.

Each piece will receive a 1 hour tech slot on the day of their performance, beginning at 12:00 PM.

Basic lighting cues will be available. A tech supervisor will operate lighting, and productions may choose from pre-set lighting cues.

Sound cues may be played via amp and AUX connection if needed.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to reach out to: makingithappenfestival@gmail.com

If you require any additional help or assistance with this, please feel free to reach out.
THE THEATER CENTER (located at 50th & Broadway) is an Off-Broadway theater complex in the heart of New York's Theater District offering two intimate theaters, productions, acting classes, and event spaces. 

Playwrights on Park Reading Series 2026/2027 seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: March 14, 2026

Submit plays through this Google Form

Playwrights on Park Reading Series at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford, CT is currently accepting submissions for the 2026/2027 season.

No late submissions will be accepted.

IMPORTANT INFO:

Playwrights must be able to attend the staged reading and the audience discussion that follows in West Hartford (Connecticut.)  There will be a rehearsal on the day of the reading, in which attendance by the playwright is optional but strongly encouraged. Transportation may be provided from NYC or New England locations by the Playhouse. Readings will be on select Sunday nights throughout the season at 7:00 pm.

Playreading dates TBD

We will select five plays for readings in the 2026/27 season. Final selections will be made by July 1st, 2026

Submission Guidelines:

BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, womxn, Latinx, and differently-abled artists are strongly encouraged to submit

We are seeking FULL-LENGTH plays. No musicals or One-Acts at this time

We are only seeking plays with small casts (4 or fewer actors), particularly 2 or 3-character casts. Plays that cannot be accomplished with 4 actors or fewer will not be considered.

Include any production or workshop history, as well as biographies of the playwright and any collaborators. Please let us know if this play has had an equity reading within the past 6 months.

Playwrights may self-submit or go through a literary agent.

Connecticut-based and NYC playwrights are strongly encouraged to submit

Please do not submit any plays that have already been submitted to Playwrights on Park in the past.

Any submission that goes against the above guidelines will be automatically disqualified.

Playwrights on Park webpage: https://www.playhouseonpark.org/web2/newworksseries.html

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.

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.

HystericalFest: Women+ Act Out seeks short scripts and monologues

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Deadline: April 5, 2026 at 11:59 CDT

OR when they receive 250 submissions 

SUBMISSION FORM

We are seeking short scripts and monologues centering around women (and those of traditionally marginalized genders) and invisible disability to be a part of our first-ever "HystericalFest: Women+ Act Out" on August 28-30, 2026 at the Piven Theatre in Evanston, IL (just north of Chicago).

Producers of this short comedy festival are Violet Surprise Theatre (queer-feminist theatre company); actress/advocate/3Arts awardee Terri Lynn Hudson; and playwright Paula Kamen/aka Hysterical Productions.

Whether your play has been produced before or you've just finished writing it, we'd love to read it!

Length guidelines:

• Scripts of up to 10 pages
• Monologues of up to 3 pages

Eligibility: 

• Submissions may be made by anyone but must be about the experience of women, non-binary people, and those of traditionally marginalized genders.
• Plays & monologues will address the absurdities of living with invisible disabilities, which we very broadly define.
• Plays can be straightforward, absurd, or even experimental.
• Plays do NOT have to be new or unproduced.  
• Each person can make up to two different submissions.
• Those from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit.
• We especially encourage submissions from those experiencing both visible and invisible disabilities at the same time, queer people, people of color, and older playwrights.

We offer a small stipend to all artists involved to make participation more accessible. (Funded by a generous grant by the Evanston Arts Council.)

Our philosophy: For centuries, a way to diagnose a woman (or woman-adjacent person) for hysteria was if they were dramatic and seeking attention about their otherwise invisible illness. In this short comedy festival, we are turning the tables, embracing the forbidden, literally "acting out." Comedy reflects the absurdity of our experiences, and theatre provides a way to relieve isolation, build community, and confront stigma.

***Violet Surprise Theatre values artists and takes the ethics and integrity of the work we produce very seriously. We will NOT accept any scripts where generative AI was used in any capacity, nor will we accept any work that promotes or encourages usage of generative AI. No exceptions.***


For any questions, email Pearlie at violetsurprisetheatre@gmail.com.
For more about Violet Surprise, visit https://linktr.ee/violetsurprisetheatrechicago.

Arkana Magazine seeks short plays for its Micro issue

Website

Deadline: March 16, 2026 at 1AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

For our Micro Issue, please submit scripts for the stage or screen that would last, if performed, five minutes or less.

We publish work by established and emerging writers unaffiliated with the University of Central Arkansas. We accept previously unpublished fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, scripts for the stage or screen, translation, artwork, and illustrated narrative through our Submittable submission manager.

Simultaneous submissions are always welcome. We only ask that you withdraw your piece as soon as you accept another opportunity.

As a compendium of the rare, intriguing, and unheard, we’re looking for quality writing that is thought-provoking and literary. 

We are especially interested in work that explores the identities and experiences of writers from the Delta region, BIPOC, immigrant, LGBTQ+, women, disabled, and neurodivergent writers, the resource-poor, writers over 50, those who have experienced or been impacted by incarceration, or anyone whose voices have traditionally been silenced.

MICRO ISSUE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Up to 500 words of prose (fiction or nonfiction), double-spaced
• Limit 1 submission per genre until you’ve received a response
• Up to three poems per submission, up to 10 lines per poem
• Up to 5 photographs or pieces of art. For illustrated narrative, one page or panel.
• Cover letter with a brief biographical statement
• Up to 5 minutes of script for the stage or screen
• Up to 1 minute for a video essay

Vineyard Arts Project 2026 Open Call Artist Residency | Request for Proposals

Website

Deadline: April 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Location: Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

Vineyard Arts Project (VAP) invites applications from small budget organizations (under $1 million), collectives, or individual artists for its 2026/27 Artist Residency Program. VAP is a performing-arts residency and creative incubator dedicated to supporting the development of innovative new work in dance and theatre by emerging and established artists from around the world. The program provides dedicated time, housing, and studio resources in a collaborative environment designed to foster experimentation, artistic dialogue, and meaningful engagement with audiences.

Residents are hosted on VAP’s Edgartown campus, which includes multiple rehearsal studios and shared living facilities, enabling artists to focus intensively on the creative process while in residence.

Selected artists/teams will receive:

• Exclusive use of VAP residential and studio facilities for one residency week
• On-site housing accommodations for project participants
• Access to shared kitchen, living, and gathering spaces
• Administrative and logistical support from VAP staff
• Opportunity for an informal public sharing or presentation (format determined by project needs and conditions)

VAP is committed to accessibility and will work with selected residents to accommodate reasonable housing or caregiving needs where possible.

Please note that selected organizations and artists will be responsible for their own travel to and from Martha's Vineyard for their residency period.

Residency Structure

Residencies are typically one week in duration, though this can be flexible depending on the needs of accepted applicants.

Proposed 2026 Residency Periods:Summer Sessions: Limited availability June–August 2026
Fall Sessions: September–November 2026
Spring Sessions: April–May 2027

Applicants will indicate availability and preferred session windows.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be developing a new or in-progress work in dance, theatre, musical theatre, or multidisciplinary performance
• Demonstrate a clear artistic process and contextual grounding of their work
• Show interest in collaboration and artistic exchange
• Be able to commit fully to selected residency dates
• Show a high level of artistic excellence in their proposed work

Priority considerations:

Collaborative teams (solo artists welcome but may receive secondary priority)
Projects engaging diverse audiences or perspectives
Organizations that do not have their own space

Equity Statement

Vineyard Arts Project does not discriminate in program access or participation on the basis of identity, background, or protected status. Applications are welcomed from artists of all perspectives and experiences.

Timeline (Proposed 2026 Cycle)

Application Opens: March 1st 2026
Application Deadline: April 1st 2026
Notification of Decisions: Late May 2026

For any questions about this application, please contact:

Sam Hood Adrain

Associate Producer & General Manager

sam@vineyardarts.org

Vineyard Arts Project

Vocal Bodies: Monologues of Disabled Experience seeks monologues for publication

Website

Deadline: April 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Smith & Kraus seeks monologues that speak to the experience of disability in some way.

 

Please note that scripts with disabled characters do not necessarily need to focus on disability as the main topic. Additionally, the featured character does not need to be disabled, so long as disability is meaningfully explored in some way. 

We are particularly interested in informed works that highlight the complexities (good, bad, or otherwise) of the disabled experience. 

Disability is diverse, and we are looking for monologues that reflect that diversity in content, tone, and form. Special consideration will be given to monologues that are audition-ready. Pieces that “other” disabled people or rely on stereotypes will not be considered. 

Multiple submissions are fine. 

Work cannot have received previous publication. 

Payment for contributing playwrights will be a split of the net income from sales of that book with the publishers and editors. 

Questions may be directed to: mpoblete@tamu.edu and krothman@tamu.edu

The Manifestival seeks one-act & full-length plays

Website

Deadline: March 15, 2026

Submission Form

Festival Theme: "What does it mean to be human as could only be told by you?"

We invite digital submissions of new 60–75 minute plays designed for intimate production to be performed during our festival from July 16th - Aug 9th. 

Scripts should feature a cast of no more than five actors and be adaptable to minimal technical and design elements, including simple lighting and sound cues and a sparse set (one table and two chairs). One Night Series Productions will be for one night only during the course of the festival. 

One Night Series productions slots cost $500 each made payable to Diamond Mesh Inc. upon acceptance into the festival. In exchange, Artists will receive a performance slot for their piece as well as 90 minutes of rehearsal time in venue (Paradise Factory) and an additional 2 hours of rehearsal time at a Manhattan based studio in the weekends leading up to the festival. Diamond Mesh will additionally provide front of house, concessions, and a board op for each production. 

All remaining production will be handled by the artist, and the artist will, in exchange keep 100% of the gross from their 1 night run. We will also have a few pieces selected for our 'Signature Series' these shows will be offered a 3 performance slot for an increased performance fee and increased rehearsal time.

In an age of global interconnectivity and hyperpersonalized algorithms, it has never been easier or more convenient to discover what it is that truly engages and inspires each of us as individuals. And yet, this collective immersion into to the digital realm has simultaneously made the rough edges of the physical world cut deeper against our skin with each interaction. As the age of AI begins to emerge, humanity stands on the precipice of taking an even further leap into the depths of digital dependency; and at the crossroads of mending the divide between those around us, and embracing it. The question, therefore, of what it means to be a human being has never been more important to reexamine and to discuss. Since live theater is the one artform which, itself, cannot entirely be divorced from the human element; which still demands both a sustained duration of concentration and a communal gathering in a physical space, we, as theatre-makers, are presented with a unique opportunity to tap into our hyper-personalized experiences and transform them into bold and original art that strives to build bridges of understanding between people and communities.

29th Annual Festival of Originals

Website

Deadline: April 1, 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 1st, 2026.

Overseas entries must be emailed before 11:59pm April 1st, 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

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.

Germ Magazine open for submissions

Website

Deadline: none given

Send to germ@germmagazine.com.

Send us your self-contained play excerpts or short films (original movies, documentaries, public service announcements, student films, etc). Attach your work to the body of your email. Include a short note and your bio in the body of your email, including your preferred pronouns. Plays should not exceed 2,000 words.

Films should not exceed 10 mins. in play time. You may submit up to three projects at one time.


Please attach all pieces of work to one email. Do not send multiple emails.

OUR MISSION

Germ’s goal is to provide young people—high school age and beyond—an inclusive space to share their experiences on a wide variety of topics: love, life, health, home, the world, school, career, the future, all things safety, the lighter issues—and the harder ones.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Please write us at germ@germmagazine.com if you’d like to:Say hi, propose a topic, or ask a question.
Submit your writing. See our Literary Submission Guidelines for all the details.
Submit your own works (music albums, books) to be considered for review.
Pitch us a piece for one of our categories, including the Daily Germ, which can be an inspiring/funny/memorable quote or word of the day.
Add some of your Bucket List items to our Before I Die page. Please send no more than five (5) items.
Send a suggestion for our How To…, Be Lovely, or Truth About… categories.

Other submission options:Write a Dear Me letter to your high school or future self.
Show us where you’re Wandering.

Whether you’re wandering in your hometown or traveling, if the place is big or small, we want to see it. You can record your journey via video, pictures, drawings, or words. Please use Google Drive and share your file(s) with germ@germmagazine.com.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

While we value your work very highly, we are unable to offer payment except publication at this time.

Although you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram, please do not pitch us ideas or send submissions there. Contact germ@germmagazine.com.

If you are pitching ideas, please know that we’ll respond as soon as we’re able. Unless it bounces back to you, we’ve gotten your email and will be in touch.

What to include in your email:Your nameYour hometownYour preferred pronounsA short (fewer than 100 words) description of your pitch/idea
The name of the category/subcategory/column where you think your piece belongs

We do not accept attachments. Please cut and paste your written work into the body of the email, directly following your short description of the work.

Word CountLove, Life, and Daily Germs category submissions: 10–250 words.Other article submissions: between 500–800 words.

We can’t wait to hear from you! ♥

Love,

The Germ Staff

***We will never promote bullying, racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, or transphobia, and we reserve the right to block users’ comments or submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines. We will not promote or produce mindlessly graphic or explicit content (violent, sexual, or otherwise), but we will be real when it comes to sex, relationships, and sexuality.***

The annual McLaren Memorial Comedy 2026 Festival

Website

Deadline: March 12, 2026

Please send submissions to AChris@mctmidland.org

Midland Community Theatre (Midland,TX) invites playwrights to submit a 30 to 40-minute one-act, or a cutting by the playwright of the same length for the McLaren Memorial Comedy Festival 2026. Submissionsshould gravitate toward the inherently comedic.  

Our selection committee will choose three finalists to be performed at the festival in a reader-style performance in our main proscenium theater.

With permission, each play will be filmed for archival purposes for the playwrights' portfolio. Each play will receive a 15-minute moderated talk back following the performance, in which playwrights are welcome to submit questions for actors and audience, and the audience is encouraged to ask questions of the actors/directors/present playwrights.

All submissions should be sent to: achris@mctmidland.org

Submission requirements:

• Seeking plays that are mostly comedic in nature
• Seeking works that have yet to be published
• Script length –
• Approximately 40 minutes
• Scripts that exceed 50-minutes will be disqualified
• Playwrights may send a 40-minute excerpt of a
• longer play, if desired

TYPE! Open for short plays

Website

Deadline: none given

SUBMISSION FORM

Thank you for considering sharing your work. TYPE! is free to read — we cannot pay for submissions or chosen work, but we will work with authors to promote the piece and their other writing. We also require written confirmation that submissions are original work.

Please note – due to the high number of submissions we receive we will only respond to those we wish to publish, however we do read EVERY submission. Submission also carries no guarantee of inclusion or feedback. Read this to find out what happens when you submit.

Seeking  Micro-plays - 1-2 pages long

Please send in your writing via the submission form.

BLACK WOMAN GENIUS ~ GENIUS by Kenndall Wallace video excerpt

GENIUS by Kenndall Wallace was chosen as the winning selection for the NYCPlaywrights BLACK WOMAN GENIUS project. 

You can learn more about Kenndall Wallace and her work at New Play Exchange and on her Instagram.

The selected excerpt, performed by Linda Obasi.

Linda Obasi is an actor born in Nigeria and raised in the United States. Her acting credits include theatre, film and voice over projects such as Waking Kya, Uniform Justice, The Breakpoint, Overseas and The Fufu Diet. She studied acting at The Theatre School at DePaul as well as Western classical music at DePaul and Cornell Universities. Linda appreciates the privilege of collaborating with artists across cultures to bring life to stories that entertain, inspire and enlighten. 

Full credits at LindaObasi.com and IMDb.

Bread & Wine 2nd Annual Christmas Short Play Competition

Website

Deadline: April 10, 2026

Or when 120 scripts have been submitted

Email scripts to breadandwinetheatreco@gmail.com

• Seeking scripts between 1 & 13 pages (3-25min runtime) 
• Can be Performed in the Round with no minimal set & 1 to 5 actors 
• Some relationship to Christmas or Christmas Themes 
• Aligns with Bread & Wine's Mission of promoting the Beauty of a Virtuous Life. We hope our audiences come away from every show having fallen in love with something good 
• Original Plays Only (no previous productions) 

Submissions open Feb 1st close Apr 10th or on the 120th submission
Finalists will be selected for a Zoom table read the weekend of May 16th/17th. They will then have until June 7th to resubmit a revised version to the panelists. 

1-3 winners will be chosen, compensated, and performed as part of Bread & Wine's Christmas Short Play Festival 

1 script limit per playwright. Note finalists may be asked to make certain revisions to make plays suitable for Bread & Wine's audience, 

Babes with Blades Joining Sword & Pen 2026-27 Competition

Website

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

Black Girlz Productions Call for Submissions: Love Letters to Black Women

Website

Deadline: March 15, 2026

Submission Method: Email entries to blackgirlzproductions@gmail.com.

Theme: Love Letters to Black Women

This call celebrates the beauty, strength, resilience, and brilliance of Black women everywhere. Writers, poets, and creatives are invited to submit heartfelt love letters that honor, uplift, and affirm Black women in all their forms—mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, lovers, leaders, and dreamers.

*Letters will be read at our virtual event. Small honorarium for selected writers and readers*

Format: Letters, poems, monologues, short prose (no word count)
Tone: Authentic, loving, and empowering.
Eligibility: Open to everyone.
Submission Limit: 2

Follow us on twitter and Instagram @blkgirlz12
www.blackgirlzproductions.com

Gi60 NYC & Gi60 Houston: Call for Play Submissions 2026

Instagram

Deadline: May 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

• 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!
--Gi60 NYC & Gi60 Houston

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

Website

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.

The Players Theatre – Short Play Festival - NYC

Website

Deadline: March 25, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

New York City is like no other place in the world! We are seeking plays that get to the heart of the Big Apple and explore what makes this town tick. Unique New York – it’s more than a tongue twister – it is a way of life!

All plays submitted must be centered on and revolve around this theme.

ELIGIBILITY: Short Plays and Musicals 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.

Plays run one weekend out of three in June 2026
June 4 – 7
June 11 – 14
June 18 – 21
Thurs – Sat 7pm; Sun 3pm

DATES & LOCATIONS: June 4 – 21, 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, Week 2, or Week 3). 

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: “NYC” Make it all about life in NYC! All plays submitted must be centered on and revolve around this theme. ** Note ** 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 Plays MUST be NO MORE 15 minutes in length, which equals approximately 15 pages of script (not including title page). Submissions open: Feb 11, 2026 Submissions close: March 25, 2026 Play selection announced soon thereafter (it may take a few weeks after the close of the submission window). F

For more festival information visit: www.shortplaynyc.com 

Click Here to download a sample contract for the festival – This is a sample of what you would receive IF your play is accepted – please DO NOT sign & send this sample.

Thank you – we can’t wait to read your work!

Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2026

The Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest invites playwrights to submit original works inspired by, connected to, or thematically centered on the history, architecture, culture, or personal stories associated with the Northern Michigan Asylum (also known as the Traverse City State Hospital). Works may be dramatic, comedic, historical, speculative, or musical in style, but all submissions must honor or explore the site in a meaningful way.

Contest is hosted by Old Town Playhouse (OTP), a community theater serving Traverse City, Michigan, and The Minervini Group LLC (TMG), redevelopers of The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, the original site of the Northern Michigan Asylum.

The contest opens January 19, 2026, and all submissions must be received by December 31, 2026.

Eligibility

• Open to writers of all experience levels.
• Writers must be at least 18 years old at the time of submission.
• Co-authored works are permitted.
• Submissions must be written in English.

Content Requirements

Subject Matter: The play must contain significant themes, settings, characters, or plot elements directly related to the Northern Michigan Asylum/Traverse City State Hospital.

Allowed Formats:

o One-act plays
o Two-act plays
o Musicals

Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest — Submission Guidelines 

Length Guidelines:

o One-act: 20–60 minutes
o Two-act: 60–150 minutes
o Musicals: 45–180 minutes

• Originality: Only original, unpublished, and unproduced works are eligible.

Prohibition on AI-Generated Content

To preserve artistic integrity and honor the spirit of the competition:

• No portion of the script may be generated by artificial intelligence tools (including ChatGPT, other LLMs, AI story generators, or automated scriptwriting tools).

• Writers may not use AI to draft, plot, or produce dialogue or lyrics.

• AI-assisted proofreading (e.g., spelling/grammar checks) is permitted, but no AI content generation may be used at any stage.

• Entrants will be required to attest that all creative content is human-authored.

Submission Requirements

• Format:

o PDF file only
o Standard script formatting preferred (12-point font, standard margins)
o Include a title page with:

▪ Play title
▪ Author’s name
▪ Contact email
▪ Contact phone number
▪ Whether the play is one-act, two-act, or a musical
• Page Header: Include the play title and page numbers on each page.

Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest — Submission Guidelines Page 2• Synopsis: Include a 150–300 word synopsis at the beginning (separate page).

• Character Breakdown: Provide a list of characters, including vocal ranges for musicals.

• Optional: A brief (100-word) playwright biography.

Submission Process

• Submissions open January 19, 2026 at 12:00 AM EST.

• All entries must be submitted by December 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.

• Submissions must be sent by email to contest@oldtownplayhouse.com either as a PDF attachment or unrestricted link to cloud storage.

• Each entrant may submit up to two plays.

Evaluation Criteria & Winning

Entries will be judged on:

• Quality of storytelling and dramatic structure

• Creative integration of Northern Michigan Asylum themes

• Originality and artistic vision

• Character development

• Stage feasibility

• Musical quality (for musicals)

One work will be chosen to be fully workshopped and produced in late 2027 or early 2028 by Old Town Playhouse. The performance will take place at Kirkbride Hall located in one of the original Northern Michigan Asylum buildings. [Note: A staged reading may be presented in lieu of a full production if material warrants such].

Judges panel will be comprised of two representatives from Old Town Playhouse, two representatives from The Minervini Group LLC and one outside representative designated by Old Town Playhouse to serve on the panel.

Winning playwright will be notified no later than February 28, 2027.

Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest — Submission Guidelines 

Rights and Permissions

• Playwrights retain all rights to their work.

• By entering the contest, playwrights grant the organizers permission to excerpt, read publicly, or stage readings for purposes of event promotion from the time the winning script is selected and announced until the closing performance of the OTP production produced in late 2027 or early 2028.

There’s something for everyone at The Playwrights Group!

  

Script Consultations

If have a script you want feedback on — just send a PDF of your script and you’ll get a critique via email and/or video conference. See website for rates.

Richard Caliban has worked with individuals on their scripts from all over the world — Indonesia, China, Greece, Australia, Serbia, as well as right here in New York. A script consultation will provide you with feedback on the structural soundness of your story, the dramatic arc of your protagonist, thematic unity and much more.

Online One-on-One Courses 

If you’re looking for more, check out our One on One Online Playwriting Courses:

• The Art of Playwriting
• Write a Play in 10 Weeks
• 3 Hour Short Course

All are with instructor Richard Caliban, and since it’s One on One, the courses can be adjusted to fit your level of experience.

The Weekly Workshop 

Join our nationwide community of playwrights on Zoom. It’s a great way to stay connected and motivated.

Participating in a weekly workshop can give you the kick you need to see your script through from beginning to end. You can bring in anything you’re working on — a full length script, a musical, a TV pilot, whatever. And when your script is ready — we’ll present it in a Public Reading. We also bring in Guest Speakers, like Pulitzer Prize winner Margaret Edson (Wit).

Sit in on a session and see for yourself!

Thursdays 7 - 9:30pm EST

Please visit our website for further Info and Rates:

www.theplaywrightsgroup.com

Contact us at

scripts@theplaywrightsgroup.com

Think Tank TYA Playwrights Festival 2026

Website

Deadline: March 4, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

In this sixth season of our TYA Playwrights Festival, ThinkTank seeks to provide a platform for forward-thinking and innovative work for Young People and Family Audiences. ThinkTank believes young people and family audience material should reflect the world our young people currently experience and, as such, we do not shy away from mature topics, subject matter, and language. Please feel free to submit plays that might fit this genre. 

Play Content: Plays that represent a variety of human experiences and characters of a younger experience (to be played by actors aged 14-18) will be given special consideration. Alongside our collaboration with the Tampa JCC’s and Federation, special consideration will also be given to plays that represent Jewish life and culture in a modern day setting. We are not currently accepting submissions of musicals at the festival this year.

How to Submit:

Please submit your play via this form to be considered for our 2026 Play Festival by Wednesday, March 4, 2026. This year we're choosing to bypass the NPX tagging system as, in the past, it has recommended TYA works that haven't aligned with the needs of our festival. We recognize the additional step required here to submit and we appreciate you taking the time to share your work with us as a potential component of our TYA PlayFest.

For Round One, please submit the full-length draft of your play as a pdf. .

Plays should have had no prior Florida Professional Productions. (If the play has had a workshop production, please include this information on your form, as well as information about the company, # of performances, and contact information, if applicable.)

Playwrights moved into Round Two for TYA Festival Showcase will be contacted around March 15th . All Playwrights will be contacted by May 1, 2026 regarding their submission.

Dallas College Mountain View Campus Theatre Department seeks 10-minute plays

 Instagram

Deadline: April 5, 2026

Please send all submissions to amyjackson@dcccd.edu

Questions? Email or text/call my 214-908-4082.

The Dallas College Mountain View Campus Theatre Department is looking for ten-minute plays to produce for the tenth annual ROD WILSON 24-HOUR TEN MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL, May 29-30, 2026

Student and/or local actors along with MVC alumni will join professional DFW directors for twenty-four hours to present a Saturday evening, May 30 @ 7 pm performance. Six or seven staged ten-minute plays will be followed by an audience/actor/director/playwright talk back. There is no limit on how many plays you can submit, no theme for the festival-just keep in mind that many of the actors are teens and twenty-somethings!

PlayZoomers Seeks 10-20-minute Scripts for Online Production

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026 

PlayZoomers, a live, online theatre company, seeks short (10-20 min.) scripts for online production in 2026 and 2027. We seek humorous or serious, clever plays on the following themes:

• Imperfect love
• Winter holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve/Day)
• Comedies (any subject)
• Theatre

Scripts should be suitable for online production. No script submission fee is required. If we produce your play, you will receive a small stipend. Scripts can include up to six characters. 

Please email scripts (PDFs only) to playzoomers@gmail.com. In the email’s subject line, put “(Theme) play submission: [title of play] by [playwright].” If you are submitting multiple scripts, send each one in a separate email. Please do not submit a script you have previously submitted to us. 

On the first page of your script, include the title, playwright name, estimated run time (no longer than 20 minutes), and contact information. On the next page, include a logline/synopsis, a detailed character breakdown, production history, and a short playwright bio. At the end of the script, describe production details, such as backgrounds, costumes, props, music, and sound effects. For additional script formatting guidance, go to https://www.dramatistsguild.com/script-formats 

The deadline for this round of submissions is April 30, 2026. As we read through scripts, we will acknowledge your submission and reach out to you only if your script is selected for production. 

With 147+ professionally produced plays since 2020 - involving hundreds of playwrights, directors, designers, and actors - PlayZoomers is a national online theatre company and an international theatre community. 

We feature plays of different genres and lengths, work closely with playwrights to adapt their work to a digital platform, and welcome theatre artists and audience members of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. 

Black Men Talk Festival 2026 seeks 10-minute plays

Website

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. 

Crowname seeks submissions for Issue #8

Website

Deadline: March 1, 2026

Please email crownamestudios@gmail.com to submit.

Please submit writing and art you feel represents a topic, item, people, etc. that is often overlooked, censored, or pushed into the footnotes. 

Examples: disability, LBGTQIA+, homelessness, women’s rights, underserved and neglected communities, etc. If you are part of any of these communities, you are strongly urged to submit!

Guidelines (Please Read)

Please note that at this time we cannot offer payment for publication. We hope this changes in the future, but until then, publication in Crow Name is unpaid. Contributors will always, however, receive a high-quality PDF of our magazine for their own printing/admiring/saving pleasure.

We are committed to a safe and positive environment for our community. This means that we do not tolerate racist, sexist, bigoted, antisemitic, homo/trans/bi/queer/acephobic, Hinduphobic, Islamaphobic, ableist, violent, or otherwise hateful or discriminatory pieces and practices. Please note that we will not tolerate anyone who submits anything of this nature, and our no-tolerance policy extends to any hateful and/or unsafe practices not listed.

We are also committed to making sure people of all different backgrounds and abilities are able to enjoy our site. We encourage people from all different backgrounds to submit.

We will NOT accept anything created with or with help from artificial intelligence such as Chat GPT or any other generative AI model. Any author or artist found to have used AI in the creation of their submitted piece will be rejected and banned from submitting to Crow Name in the future, and your name may be shared with other literary magazines and publications, who may make their own determinations on whether or not to accept submissions from you. Your submission constitutes an unwritten agreement that your piece was not created wholly or in part by any generative AI software.

We are accepting submissions from December 19th to March 1st, and submissions will be considered based upon the current theme listed above. If we have already announced our decisions for the current theme, please re-submit if you would like to be considered for the next one. Please feel free to re-submit and withdraw.

We also accept previously published pieces so long that you, the writer/artist/maker, have full legal rights to the piece. 

Do:

• Submit via Microsoft Word or PDF. 
• Submit funky, fantasy, sci-fi, realistic fiction, poetry, script, comics, podcasts/audio essays, nonfiction, eccentric, playful formatting, art, short film, animation, and anything weird and cool.
• Submit excerpts.
• Submit 1-5 pieces at a time, up to 20 pages total. 
• Submit to other magazines, papers, and journals simultaneously (but tell us if you’ve been accepted elsewhere).
• Submit revisions.
• Submit art in CMYK color mode, in at least 300 dpi, and in TIFF or PNG files.
• Submit audio in the MP3 file format, and video in MP4.

Don’t: 

• Submit racist, sexist, bigoted, antisemitic, homo/trans/bi/queer/acephobic, Hinduphobic, Islamaphobic, ableist, violent, or otherwise hateful or discriminatory pieces not listed. 
• ABSOLUTELY NO AI ART, WRITING, OR OTHERWISE. 
• Try to send something to us via snail-mail (we don’t have an actual address).
• Send us things that don’t follow our “Do’s”
• If You’re Accepted:We will send you confirmation of your acceptance or rejection via email. 
• By accepting our acceptance, you give Crow Name permission to publish your work. 
• You will retain all ownership and copyright to your work.
• We will copy-edit your work, and/or may ask for small revisions. 
• We retain the right to remove any work from our site at any time with or without notification. 

Submit:

Please note that submission constitutes an acceptance of our guidelines.
Please email crownamestudios@gmail.com to submit. Thanks!!

Gene Frankel Theatre Festival seeks short plays & one-acts

Website

Deadline: April 3, 2026

Send all required materials to: GeneFrankelTheatrePlayFestival@gmail.com

Early submissions are encouraged.

Subject line: Gene Frankel Theatre Festival – Title of Play

The Gene Frankel Theatre Festival is accepting submissions for its summer edition running from July 27th through August 16th, 2026.

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

Eligible Work

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

All genres are considered, including drama, comedy, movement-based work, and experimental forms. Submitted work should be New York premieres. (Note: We are committed to showcasing works that have never been produced in New York before Aug. 16, 2026. Participation in festivals counts as a production. Staged readings, private workshops, and brief excerpt presentations do not count as productions.) All work MUST be unpublished.

Each play should have 1 - 5 actors. No more than 5 actors will be permitted. Cast and crew should be non-union and 18 and older.

Selection Criteria

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

playwrights, whose play has been selected, will be contacted by April 10th.

Submission Materials

· Full script in PDF format
· Brief synopsis

· Character breakdown (Each play should have a maximum of 5 actors)
· Indication of category: short play (up to 15 minutes) or one-act (up to 60 minutes)
· Production history, if applicable
· Please confirm this is a New York Premiere (Note: We are committed to showcasing works that have never been produced in New York before Aug. 16th, 2026. Participation in festivals counts as a production. Staged readings, private workshops, and brief excerpt presentations do not count as productions.)

· Limit two submissions per applicant.

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

Participation Details

No submission fee. All participants must be available for all festival dates from July 27th through August 16th.

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

Awards

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

Festival Format
Each selected play will be presented in one of several curated blocks. Each block will run approximately 90 minutes (including intermission) and receive three performances during the three-week performance schedule. The Festival will conclude with a Gala event, on Aug. 16th, featuring guest performances and an awards ceremony.

@genefrankeltehatrefestival