Wicked Cat Productions is seeking short plays for a new evening of work exploring kink, fetish, and/or desire

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Deadline: Monday, August 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

SUBMISSION FORM

We are looking for plays that are bold, curious, theatrical, and respectful of the communities they engage with. The hope is to build an evening that surprises the audience, subverts expectations, and treats desire as something complex, funny, strange, tender, powerful, awkward, joyful, dangerous, sacred, unserious, deeply serious, or all of the above.

Plays may be any genre: comedy, drama, horror, romance, fantasy, or something harder to name. We are especially interested in work that moves beyond cliché and refuses easy assumptions about kink, fetish, fantasy, and the people who participate in them.

Come for the fantasy. Stay for the humanity inside it.

We are seeking:

• Short plays between 10 and 15 minutes
• Plays up to 20 minutes may be considered, but longer pieces may affect how many plays we are able to accept
• Plays with 1 to 4 characters
• Plays centered on or meaningfully engaging with kink, fetish, and/or desire
• Any genre or tone
• Newly written work
• Work that can be staged with minimal technical needs

Content and Representation

Because this evening centers kink, fetish, intimacy, and desire, we ask that submitted plays engage with their subject matter thoughtfully and respectfully.

We are not looking for work that treats abusive relationships as healthy BDSM, presents consent violations as romantic, or uses kink/fetish communities only as a punchline or shock device. Conflict, discomfort, danger, bad behavior, and complicated power dynamics can absolutely exist in the work, but the writing should understand the difference between consensual kink and abuse.

In short: no Fifty Shades of Grey. No Joker/Harley Quinn dynamics presented as aspirational kink. We are more interested in work that approaches kink with curiosity, specificity, humor, care, and complexity, closer in spirit to pieces like Secretary or Bonding, where kink can open the door to character and vulnerability.

Nudity and intimacy are welcome, but anything staged must be something that can be rehearsed and performed safely with appropriate coordination. This will be a consent-forward rehearsal process.

No performer will be asked to do anything intimate or physically exposing that has not been clearly discussed, choreographed, and agreed upon.

Due to venue restrictions, submitted plays should not require:

• Glitter
• Confetti
• Fire
• Haze/fog
• Smoke
• Sand
• Open flame
• Any unsafe or difficult-to-clean materials

If your play includes a restricted element that could be adapted or suggested theatrically, please feel free to note that in your submission.

Production Details

Selected plays will be produced as part of a three-performance short play evening at The Tank in New York City.

Performance dates:
Thursday, December 10, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 11, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.

The evening will likely include four to six plays.

There is no submission fee and no participation fee.

Wicked Cat Productions is committed to paying artists whenever possible. Selected playwrights will receive a guaranteed $50 stipend, with the hope of increasing stipends depending on the production budget and fundraising.

Scripts will be read without playwright names attached during the first round. Please remove your name, email address, bio, and any other identifying information from the script PDF and file name. You will still provide your contact information through the submission form, but that information will be kept separate from the script during the first round of review.

Uncharted Series seeks full-length plays

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Deadline: August 10, 2026 at 12:59 PM

UNCHARTED SERIES SUBMISSION FORM

The East Carolina University School of Theatre & Dance is seeking submissions for its Uncharted Series of new plays with dynamic roles for college-aged actors.

Seeking full-length plays that have at least five characters, with no more than one of those characters outside the age range of 15-25.

We are seeking plays that center the experience of late adolescence/early adulthood – where it is important that the characters are in that specific age range, rather than plays with characters that could be played by actors of any age.

Plays must be unpublished and unproduced (i.e., not performed in front of a paying audience). Readings and workshop productions are fine.

Selected plays will receive a staged reading as part of the ECU/Loessin Playhouse’s 2026-2027 season, with possible full production in future seasons. Playwrights will receive a $100 royalty for the reading along with travel support if they wish to participate in the rehearsals and/or reading in person.

If you have any questions, please contact ECU/Loessin Playhouse Artistic Director Kitt Lavoie at lavoiec25@ecu.edu.

Princeton Arts Fellowship 2026

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Deadline: September 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT

Apply for the Princeton Arts Fellowship

The Princeton Arts Fellowship, funded in part by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will be awarded to artists whose achievements have been recognized as demonstrating extraordinary promise in any area of artistic practice and teaching.

Eligible applicants are early career composers, conductors, musicians, choreographers, playwrights, designers, directors, and performance artists. We are only accepting applications for the Program in Dance, Program in Theater and Music Theater, and the Department of Music for this cycle.

Successful candidates would find it beneficial to spend two years teaching and working in an artistically vibrant university community. The department is committed to fostering an academic environment that acknowledges and encourages community. The successful candidate will pursue academic excellence in University settings.

Non-US citizens are welcome to apply.

There is no age limit to apply.

Those who hold a Ph.D. degree from Princeton University are not eligible. This fellowship cannot be used to fund work leading to an MFA, Ph.D., or any other advanced degree.

Past recipients of the Hodder Fellowship and individuals who have had a sustained and continuous relationship with Princeton University are not eligible to apply. Those who have had an occasional and sporadic relationship with Princeton may apply.

Princeton Arts Fellows may not hold concurrent teaching positions at other institutions for the duration of the fellowship.

MORE INFORMATION

Vidalia Theatre Company seeks 10-minute plays

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Deadline: July 31, 2026

Vidalia Theatre Company of Atlanta, Georgia is accepting submissions for its Winter Yield collection of 10-minute plays to be produced in January 2027.

The setting for this show is planes, trains & automobiles. We’re looking for plays that take place in the vessel itself. It can be while in motion or during boarding/unboarding. We are only seeking plays that take place in this setting at this time.

Submissions should contain a maximum of 6 characters, minimal prop requirements, and provide opportunity for diverse casting. 

Adult language and content are permitted, but it should be relevant to the story and not gratuitous.
Submissions cannot have been previously produced in the Atlanta Metro Area.

Limit TWO (2) submissions per playwright.
(Any playwright caught violating this will be disqualified)

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

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

If submitting two plays, send each submission in a separate email
Email submissions to: vidaliatheatre@gmail.com
In the subject line type: Playwright Name - Title of Play - WY27
Be sure to include the following information in the body of the email:

1. your email and telephone

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

3. Number of characters

4. Comedy or Drama

5. A brief synopsis

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

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

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

OPEN TO ALL NORTH AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHTS
(with special consideration for those who reside in Georgia)

Fall 2026 EAT SPARK Musical Theatre Festival NYC

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Deadline: July 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The Emerging Artists Theatre (EAT) Spark Musical Theatre Festival NYC and Spark Theatre Festival NYC are three-week festivals of self-produced work for the stage.

Many pieces selected for the festival will have never been performed before an audience, while some selections have been performed previously but feature new material. We are not interested in presenting established pieces of theatre. We want to see something brand-spanking-new hit the stage for the first or nearly the first time. This festival is an opportunity to present work for a paying audience for the first, or newly the first, time.

There is no submission charge and no obligation to participate if chosen. Plus, participants receive 50% of the box office. Artists are held to an audience guarantee equal to one ticket buyer per minute of your show. Successful Fringe, NYMF, and Off-Broadway shows have been born out of this series, and Emerging Artists is excited to present a new round of opportunities to local artists for yet another year.

The Spark Musical Theatre Festival NYC is now accepting submissions for the following new works:

Short and Full-Length Musicals

HOW TO APPLY

PART ONE: Read the FAQs. Please pay special attention to the audience guarantee section to ensure you are ready to gather an audience for your work.

PART TWO: Fill out the application form. You will be asked to provide information on the following:

• How you heard about Emerging Artists Theatre’s Spark Festival
• Why your show would be a good fit
• Show title, running time, and production history (if applicable)
• Description of your production
• Support materials, including a script, video, or other means of sharing
• Contact information, website, social media handles, and professional bio(s)

Hit SUBMIT to submit your application

GETTING ACCEPTED

If you are accepted into one of EAT’s Spark Festivals, there will be a required information session/meet-and-greet on a date to be determined.

PGE’s 8th Annual Faces of America Monologue Festival

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Deadline: August 17, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

On November 21, 2026, we will host the 8th Annual Faces of America Monologue Festival at The Marjorie S. Deane Theater in NYC.

We created the Faces of America Monologue Festival in 2019 in response to the inequality of opportunities available to marginalized communities.

Each year we celebrate the diverse stories that make up America by inviting writers to submit two minute monologues that showcase the broad spectrum of what it is to live, work and play in America. Our aim is to collect unique, captivating and beautiful stories and share them so that we learn, grow and hear each other.

We can’t wait to hear the incredible stories that will be submitted for this year’s festival.

To submit your monologue for consideration there are 4 few simple rules:

Your monologue must fit in the theme Faces of America.

Your monologue should represent America's incredible diversity. (BIPOC, AAPI, Latine, and LGBTQIA+ artists are all strongly encouraged to apply). Monologues can be historical or futuristic, cultural or political, comedic or tragic, spoken or signed!

Your monologue must be less than two minutes in length.
We can't stress this one enough. If your monologue is longer it will not be considered.

Include the word "REACTION” somewhere in your monologue.
If this word does not appear in the monologue it will not be considered.

Send your submission to us between July 6th - August 17th, 2026.
Late entries will not be considered. Submissions are limited to two per writer.

How Selection Works:

Our selection committee is made up of past alumni of our festival, they will read all submitted monologues that meet the above requirements in multiple rounds until we reach the final 25.

Submitted monologues remain anonymous to our readers throughout the selection process.

All submissions will be contacted by early October as to your status.

What do I get if selected?

Selected writers will receive a small honorarium.

Your monologue will be be performed by a brilliant actor from The PGE casting pool at the eighth festival November 21, 2026 in NYC.

You will receive a ticket to the Festival and Roundtable Panel.

We will published your monologue in The PGE Faces of America Monologue Festival Anthology #8. (All monologue copyrights are retained by the author)

A Copy of The PGE Faces of America Monologue Festival Anthology #8.

The 2026 Short Play Showcase looking for plays

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Deadline: August 31, 2026

Email submissions to shortplayshowcase@gmail.com

Seeking NYCPlaywrights for the 2026 Short Play Showcase - looking for plays of 12 minute run time or less, with 2 characters max dealing with the themes of unrequited love, roommates, or addiction. 

The chosen plays will be performed early December at The Attic and a winning production will be chosen by audience votes.

Swan Dive Theater Collective seeks submissions of 10-minute plays by women, non-binary, and trans playwrights

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Deadline: September 1, 2026

The NJ-based Swan Dive Theater Collective seeks submissions of 10-minute plays by women, non-binary, and trans playwrights from New Jersey and the New York City metropolitan area for its Third Annual Short Play Festival, to be held on March 7, 2027.

Past festivals have sold out and featured two performances in the event space of a lively Montclair Tavern, offering food, drinks, and an intimate, festive atmosphere. Selected playwrights will receive a dinner stipend.

Swan Dive is a Montclair theater collective dedicated to advancing the stories of women and other marginalized gender identities by introducing new works and fostering community.

• Plays must be 10 minutes or less.
• Cast size must be between 2 and 4 actors.
• All plays should follow the Samuel French Standard Playwriting Format.
• Page One should include a cover sheet with title, name, contact info and pronouns. 
• Eligible playwrights must identify as women, non-binary, or trans and reside in New Jersey or the New York City metropolitan area.
• Submissions will be accepted through September 1, 2026 and be capped at the first 100 entries received.
• Submit PDF files only to swandivesubmissions@gmail.com.
• The subject line must read: Short Play Submission 2026–2027.
• Previously produced or published plays are welcome.
• Plays should require minimal set, technical, and production elements.
• Limit one submission per playwright.
• Accepted playwrights will work collaboratively with the director and cast throughout the rehearsal process.
• Plays that do not meet the submission requirements will not be considered.
• Plays written with AI assistance will not be considered.

2027 Lamoise New Works - MOXIE Theatre seeks plays by women

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Deadline: August 25, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

San Diego, California

Seeking 

- Four (4) ten-minute plays

- Two (2) full-length plays that will receive a workshop and undergo a short development process with the actors and creative teams.

- And one (1) full-length play that will be performed as-is, will be selected for a staged reading.

- All playwrights of full-length works will be provided travel and housing for the duration of the festival weekend (not including the workshop process).

Play must be written by women+ playwright(s).

Works submitted must be unpublished, unproduced, and available for production.

Only one (1) submission is allowed per playwright.

Character/Casting Limit:

Festival selections are limited to works that can be performed by a maximum of six actors total: five actors covering principal roles and one actor covering stage directions and/or minor cameo roles. Plays with larger character lists are still eligible, provided the material can reasonably be performed within this casting structure through doubling or multi-role casting. If you are considering multiple works for submission, we encourage you to keep this limitation in mind. Writers are still welcome to submit works that exceed this structure if they feel strongly the piece should be considered.

Every playwright who submits to the festival will receive a response by email, regardless of the outcome.

We anticipate notifying playwrights of their semi-finalist status by September 2026, with final festival selections informed in November 2026.

Submitting is free and playwrights are not required to self-produce. Production of selected works happens in-house with MOXIE, and there are no participation fees for festival selections.

See the FAQ for more information.

Woodward/Newman Award 2027/28

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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.

ASTORIA NEW PLAY FESTIVAL READING SERIES seeks full-length plays

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Deadline: August 1, 2026 by 1:59pm

or until we hit 60 submissions

If you’re ready to submit, please email astorianewplayfest@gmail.com with Full-Length Submission in the subject line. Please attach blind copies in PDF form (no contact info anywhere on the document) to the email, and include in the body of the email your contact info and a short playwright bio (and if you are not available for either performance night, if applicable).

The Astoria New Play Festival will present readings of up to 2 full-length plays and up to 6 short plays for the 2026 staged reading series by local playwrights.

PLEASE READ OVERALL GUIDELINES in addition to the guidelines for whichever length of play you’re interested in submitting for!

All playwrights should be current or former residents of Astoria! We will not require proof of residency at this time, but trust all submitting playwrights to respect the festival mission to give a platform to local playwrights.

There is no restriction language or adult content for submissions. We do want you to be aware that if there is potentially triggering material, ANPF may list a content warning on performance nights as well as director and performer submission notices. ANPF will not produce material that promotes hate speech or violence.

Scripts written with any usage of AI are not permitted!

Playwrights may submit to both opportunities

Playwrights from the 2025 reading series are welcome to submit for the ten-minute play reading series; we ask that you refrain from submitting for the full-length play reading series at this time

All submitted plays should be blind copies with no contact information anywhere on the document.

We are not accepting musicals at this time. Hopefully one day soon!

We aim to update everyone on their submission status by the second weekend of August.

If you have any questions before submitting, please email astorianewplayfest@gmail.com or DM us on instagram @astorianewplayfest

FULL-LENGTH PLAY READING SERIES - Friday, November 6th, and Saturday, November 7th, 7:30pm, at Q.E.D., 27-16 23rd Ave, Astoria, NY 11105

Full-length play submissions should be new, meaning no prior publications or full productions. Prior readings or developmental workshops are permitted. You will not be requested to credit Astoria New Play Festival as a premiere in future materials, publicity, announcements, etc.

Full-length playwrights will receive a stipend of $75 on performance night

Playwrights must be available in person for at least one night of the reading series, which will run November 6-7 at Q.E.D. in Astoria. Please indicate in your submission email if either performance night does not work for you.

Playwrights must be available for a talkback with the audience after the show with the audience, moderated by ANPF.

We are seeking plays that read for an estimated run time between 1-2 hours. We understand that since these are new works, a best guess is fine! 

Somerset Community College seeks short plays

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Deadline: August 31, 2026

Email submissions to: scctheatre@kctcs.edu 

Script CANNOT exceed ten pages

Plays can be any genre or setting, but must implement fairytale or medieval fantasy elements

ASTORIA NEW PLAY FESTIVAL READING SERIES seeks 10-minute plays and monologues

Website

Deadline: August 1, 2026  by 11:59pm

or until they hit 75 submission

If you’re ready to submit, please email astorianewplayfest@gmail.com with Short Play Submission in the subject line. Please attach blind copies in PDF form (no contact info anywhere on the document) to the email, and include in the body of the email your contact info and a short playwright bio.

The Astoria New Play Festival will present readings of up to 2 full-length plays and up to 6 short plays for the 2026 staged reading series by local playwrights.

PLEASE READ OVERALL GUIDELINES in addition to the guidelines for whichever length of play you’re interested in submitting for!

All playwrights should be current or former residents of Astoria (Queens)! We will not require proof of residency at this time, but trust all submitting playwrights to respect the festival mission to give a platform to local playwrights.

There is no restriction language or adult content for submissions. We do want you to be aware that if there is potentially triggering material, ANPF may list a content warning on performance nights as well as director and performer submission notices. ANPF will not produce material that promotes hate speech or violence.

Scripts written with any usage of AI are not permitted!

Playwrights may submit to both opportunities

Playwrights from the 2025 reading series are welcome to submit for the ten-minute play reading series; we ask that you refrain from submitting for the full-length play reading series at this time

All submitted plays should be blind copies with no contact information anywhere on the document.

We are not accepting musicals at this time. Hopefully one day soon!

We aim to update everyone on their submission status by the second weekend of August.

If you have any questions before submitting, please email astorianewplayfest@gmail.com or DM us on instagram @astorianewplayfest

THEMED SHORT PLAY READING SERIES - Thursday October 8th, 7:30pm, and Saturday, October 10th, 7:30pm at Our House Queens, 23-71 31st St, Astoria, NY 11106

All submitted works must somehow involve this one word theme: NEIGHBORS. How you follow this theme is entirely up to you!

There is no restriction on previous productions or publications; we welcome brand new scripts, ones performed multiple times, and everything in between.

Up to 6 playwrights will be presented in one night of performances. ANPF reserves the right to select fewer than 6 for the presentation!

Playwrights will receive a stipend of $50 on the first performance night

Submitted plays must be no longer than an estimated 15 minutes (or about 15 pages) and no shorter than an estimated 5 minutes

Monologues are welcome for submission

Playwrights are not required to be present in person for performance or tech rehearsal, but will be asked to be available via email for any questions from the creative team, and are welcome to participate more as they wish!

Theatre Now - Verse into Cabaret

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Deadline: July 24, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Verse Intro Cabaret is a monthly basement bash of bold new musical theatre! Held at the historic SoHo Playhouse, our series showcases fresh work by emerging musical theatre writers in a fun, low-pressure, and ultra-supportive environment.

Theatre Now is a non-profit theatre company dedicated to supporting musical theatre writers. We launched this cabaret series with a simple goal: give new voices a space to be heard without drink minimums or stuffy vibes. Each month we feature two musical theatre teams. Each team will be guaranteed a stipend of $75 rather than being reliant on the box office. That amount may increase as we build the program and grow a larger audience.

Whether you're testing a few new songs or trying something riskier, Verse Intro is a space to experiment, connect, and be celebrated.

Things to Know:We strongly recommend attending a Verse Intro show before performing. Get a feel for the space and community!
Each act is limited to four performers max (including instrumentalists).

To Submit, Please Provide:Your Name(s)
A Headshot or Professional Photo
A Short Bio (200 words max)
Social Media Handles
Your Availability for 2026 Performance Dates Sep 13, Oct 4, Nov 1, Dec 6 and in 2027 Jan 10, Feb 7, Mar 7, Apr 4 and May 2

Performance Materials:One Required Link or File Upload (video or audio) to a song from a musical you’ve written (music and/or lyrics).
One Optional Link or File Upload for a second piece.
For each, please include a short description of the song’s context and the names of any co-writers (if they are not part of the team you are applying with).

You’ll also be asked to review and acknowledge our F.A.Q. sheet with event info and artist agreements before submitting. CLICK HERE to read our F.A.Q. sheet.

We can’t wait to hear your work. Thank you for sharing your voice with us!

Neukom Literary Arts Award for Playwriting 2026

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Deadline: July 31, 2026 at 5PM

The Neukom Institute for Computational Science at Dartmouth College – in collaboration with Northern Stage – is excited to announce the 2026 Neukom Institute Literary Arts Awards for Playwriting, for full-length plays and other full-length works for the theater addressing the question “What does it mean to be a human in a computerized world?”. The award comes with a $5,000 honorarium as well as a weeklong workshop and public reading produced by Northern Stage (https://northernstage.org/) in early 2027. Note that works that have received a full production are NOT eligible for the competition.
Details are as follows:

Questions? Email Sarah Wansley at swansley@northernstage.org.

The submission form will be accepted until 5PM, July 31, 2026.

Submissions must include

• An anonymized (blinded) sample of 15 pages of the play.
• Playwright resume/bio
• A short summary of the full play.

We will contact the playwrights of pieces that are a fit for the award for a full draft of the play in early August.

Masque & Spectacle seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: July 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.

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.

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 September Issue is harvest.

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.

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.

South Street Players seeks original, short plays

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Deadline: August 2, 2026, 11:59pm

Call for original, short plays by playwrights CURRENTLY living in the Tri-State area only (NJ, NY, PA).

South Street Players (southstreetplayers.org) is seeking original, short (10 mins preferred, 15 mins maximum) plays for its 16th Annual Tri-State Theatre Festival. The event will take place November 6-8, 2026 in Spring Lake, NJ.

The festival, which receives more than 300 scripts annually, is committed to presenting the finest and most unique original, short plays written by local playwrights from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The event also serves as an artistic fundraiser, with all proceeds going to SSP to help maintain its commitment to producing high-quality, extremely engaging theatrical experiences for our audiences.

Submission Rules and Process:

Plays must be 15 pages or less. Submissions of longer than 15 pages will not be considered.

Plays should include no more than 4 characters and be in standard playscript format.

Playwrights may submit more than one play, but please be sure your name and email address is on the title page of each script.

SSP is a family theatre – no excessive swearing, no nudity.

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

Plays will only be accepted via email: southstreetoneacts@gmail.com

Ghostlight Ensemble seeks short plays set in a bar

Website

Deadline: July 31, 2026

Electronic submissions only, please. Please submit a brief synopsis of script in the body of your email, along with contact information, and attach a copy of the full script to Maria Burnham at scripts@ghostlightensemble.com. Please use the following format in the email’s subject line: Happy Hour Script Submission: [play name] - [playwright name]

Chicago's Ghostlight Ensemble is gearing up for its third installment of the immensely popular Happy Hour series. We are seeking short scripts (under 30 minutes) for a staged reading series in the back room at My Buddy’s.

The only requirement is that the scripts are set at a bar. (Please do not send in scripts set in living rooms, high schools, an office, etc. They will not be considered and will show that you didn’t bother to read the requirements.)

This is open to playwrights in any geographic area, though writers in the greater Chicago area will receive priority. There is no payment for selection, but there is also no fee to submit.

Selected plays will be presented in a series of staged readings during late August/early September (exact date TBD). Pieces can be previously produced, and playwrights may submit more than one play.

The deadline for submissions is July 31, but we will be begin selecting scripts as they come in, as this is not a competition. Depending on length, we expect to choose six to eight scripts.

Ohio Valley Theater Group is seeking original theatrical works

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Deadline: August 5, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Questions? Contact: kat.fowler.arts@gmail.com

The Ohio Valley Theater Group is seeking original theatrical works to be presented during our November festival. We welcome works at a variety of stages of development, including monologues, scenes, ten-minute plays, one-act plays, and excerpts from larger works.

Selected playwrights may participate in the OVTG Playwright Development Series, which may include workshops, table reads, facilitated feedback, revision support, and festival performances.

Quannapowitt Players seeking short plays for Suburban Holidays

Website

Deadline: July 31, 2026

Any questions, and all PDF submissions, should be directed to producer Nick Gould at qpsuburbanholidays@gmail.com. 

The Quannapowitt Players (qptheater.com) are seeking new plays for Suburban Holidays, our annual holiday-themed play festival and fundraiser. We are proud to be presenting our fifteenth year of this holiday tradition in 2026!

Play submissions should be between 10 and 20 minutes in length and focus on a holiday. All holidays are welcome! Past plays have focused on everything from Christmas to Arbor Day, and everything in between. We even recently did International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Casts of varying sizes are welcome, as are shows that feature children. Please keep in mind that the festival is family friendly, so plays with excessive profanity or other inappropriate material will not be selected.

We will be selecting six shows for production. All submissions will be kept on record and consulted for future years. Our selected playwrights will receive a 100 dollar stipend and will be produced as part of Suburban Holidays 15 in November 2026, with full production support (lights, sound, costumes, and minimalist set).

The deadline for submissions is July 31, 2026. Playwrights will be contacted by August 31, 2026, regardless of whether their play has been selected or not. If you have submitted a play in the past, please do not resubmit the same play unless there have been significant revisions. We also request no more than three submissions per playwright.

We look forward to reading your work!

Apricity Magazine open for short play submissions

Website

Deadline: January 4, 2027 at 1AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

We accept submissions from the performing arts, including but not limited to original music, short film, short play, and dance. Scores, scripts, and screenplays count although live versions are encouraged. Please upload or include a link (of a Youtube video, a webpage, or a Google Drive file) to your submission as well as a brief description of your piece and how you arranged your performance. The maximum time allotted for videos is 15 minutes each. Simultaneous submissions are permitted. 

We welcome comprehensive use of English and other languages. If your piece contains non-English languages, please include an English translation. Though we are an international magazine, our staff’s common language is English.

Before you submit, please note the following:

NOTIFICATION: You may expect notification of your acceptance or rejection within three months of submitting your piece. As our staff is composed entirely of university students, however, we do not operate from the end of May through the end of August. Any pieces submitted in April and May may not receive a response until August. 

 NON-PROFIT: We are a non-profit student organization. We intend to direct all net proceeds towards publication improvement and charitable donations focused on education.

FEES: There is no submissions fee, nor is there any payment for publishing your work (currently). However, should you be published in the print publication, you will receive a free contributor’s copy. If you are published online and would like to receive a print edition, you will receive a 60% discount.

Our Productions Theatre Co. is currently accepting submissions for consideration for our 2026-2027 Play Readers Club

Website

Deadline: none given

Whether you are a writer OR a patron of the arts, this program is a great way to be involved in the creative process! To submit, simply email (Subject Line - PRC: Script Title, Playwright's Name) a PDF version of your script, along with a short synopsis and your bio to info@ourproductions.org

Instagram

The Soliloquist Journal seeks soliloquies

Website

Deadline: October 20, 2026

Where to send: Email your work as a single Word or PDF document to thesoliloquistmag@gmail.com. 
Subject Line: Fall 2026 Submission – [Your Name] 

"Share Your Soliloquy"

For our Fall 2026 Issue, The Soliloquist Journal invites poets and writers to dissect the mechanics of memory loss— chosen and unchosen. What do you let go of on purpose? What slips away against your will? What do you misremember, and why does the misremembering feel like its own kind of truth?

We are looking for raw, vulnerable, and authentic poetry and soliloquies that trace the edges of what has been lost, blurred, or deliberately buried.

SUBTHEMES:

Selective Erasure — The things we choose to forget on purpose: a face, a
betrayal, a version of ourselves we've outgrown.

Phantom Memory — The ache of a memory that lingers after the thing
itself is gone—like sensation in a missing limb.

The Unreliable Archive — Misremembering as its own act of creation: when
the story we tell replaces the thing that actually happened.

Inherited Forgetting — Family silences, generational gaps, and the things
left unspoken until they simply cease to exist.

The Slow Fade — The involuntary kind of forgetting: aging, illness,
distance, and the quiet grief of watching a memory dissolve in real time.

Ten-Minute Musicals Project 2026

Website

Deadline: August 31, 2026

Since the inception of The Ten-Minute Musicals Project, over eighteen hundred submissions have been received in the annual competition, from librettists, lyricists and composers in seventeen nations: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South Africa, Ukraine, the United States and Uruguay.

Stories 1.0 is a continually evolving full-length musical comprised of works selected in the first many rounds. Several works in Stories 1.0 were collectively workshopped in San Francisco, New York, Miami, and Nashville over the years. Individual segments have been independently workshopped or produced in Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, London, New York, Los Angeles and Boston.

SEEKING: Complete original stage musicals which play between seven and twenty minutes. Works which have been previously produced are acceptable, as are excerpts from full-length shows, if they can stand on their own.

MUSICAL STYLE AND THEATRICAL FORMAT: Any musical style: pop, rock, show, opera, C&W, etc; or theatrical format: comedy, mystery, drama, etc. (Note: with original music only—so no parody songs.)

CAST SIZE: Maximum of ten performers—five women and five men.

SUBMISSIONS SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

1. A printed script. (Note: printed on paper; not sent as a computer file on disk.) And please make sure your POSTAL ADDRESS appears on it.

2. A CD or DVD of either the entire piece or just the musical material. (Please don’t send a USB flash drive.)

3. A stamped self-addressed large envelope if you want the work returned.

4. More than one work can be submitted at a time, in the same envelope or separately.

CONCERNING THE ABOVE, PLEASE NOTE: NO ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS — HARD COPIES ONLY

DEADLINE: Simply postmarked by August 31st. (Do not waste money on overnight express, registered, or certified mail. All that’s requested is that the package be postmarked by August 31—but even if you’re just a day or two late, don’t worry. This is not some officious arts bureaucracy.) Responses will be mailed by November 30th to every creator or creative team whose work was recieved.

FINANCIAL REMUNERATION: $250/US royalty advance for each piece selected, with an equal share of licensing royalties when produced.

SEND TO:

The Ten-Minute Musicals Project
Michael Koppy, Producer
P.O. Box 461194
West Hollywood, CA 90046 USA

Qutub Minar seeks one-minute plays

Website

Deadline: September 20, 2026

We publish poetry, short stories (maximum 500 words for each story), one minute plays, interviews, book reviews, memoires and travelogues. 

You can submit up to 3 one minute plays at a time.

1 All submissions must carry a cover letter and a short literary bio-data (about 70 words) of the author.

2. We accept submissions only by email. All submissions must be sent to editorqutubminarreview@gmail.com

3. All submissions must carry:

Full legal name of the author:

Pen name (if any):

Postal address:

By submitting your work you accept that you hold the copyright of the work and there is no need to get permission of any third party to publish your work. After publication the copyright of the work will revert back to the author.

We notify the authors regarding acceptance of their works.

Unfortunately, there is no pay at this time.

Troy Foundry Theatre 2026 Half-Baked Festival of Emerging Work: Becoming

Website

Deadline: August 17, 2026 at 5PM

Please submit as many of the materials listed below possible in a SINGLE PDF to  tftsubmissions@gmail.com. 

Your PDF should include:

1. Contact Information

• Name
• Email
• Phone number
• Location (city/state or region)

2. Artist Statement
Brief introduction to your artistic practice and creative mission

3. Project Information

• Project description: What is your piece? What world does it inhabit?
• Themes, questions, or artistic investigations driving the work
• Current stage of development
• Working title
• Any Script excerpts, images, video, audio, or other supporting materials (if available)
• Brief synopsis
• Number of performers
• Current runtime
• Creative team roles and needs (casting, directing, collaborators, etc.)
• Technical requirements beyond basic festival lighting and sound capabilities

4. Development History

Troy Foundry Theatre, a nonprofit theatre based in Troy, New York, is seeking submissions for the 2026 Half-Baked Festival of Emerging Work—a celebration of bold, unfinished, and in-development performance projects.

Now in its fourth year, The TFT Half-Baked Festival of Emerging Work celebrates the unfinished, the audacious, and the revolutionary in theatre-making. We believe some of the most exciting artistic discoveries happen during development—when work is still breathing, evolving, and finding its voice. Half-Baked exists to support projects that are searching, questioning, transforming, and taking creative risks. If your work is strange, ambitious, unsettling, genre-defying, impossible to categorize, or beautifully unfinished, we want to see it.

For this year's festival, we are particularly interested in:

Projects inspired directly or indirectly by genres and themes like:
Horror, body horror, cosmic terror, folk horror, gothic horror, romantic horror, psychological thriller, dystopia, speculative fiction, monsters, hauntings, transformation, sex and death, the uncanny, apocalypse, grief, obsession, desire, and the grotesque.

Or creators and writers like:
Angela Carter, Ari Aster, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Carmen Maria Machado, Caryl Churchill, Curry Barker, David Cronenberg, Guillermo del Toro, Han Kang, Helen Oyeyemi, H.P. Lovecraft, Jackie Sibblies Drury, Jane Schoenbrun, Jennifer Kent, Jeremy O. Harris, Jordan Peele, Julia Ducournau, Karyn Kusama, Kelly Link, Margaret Atwood, Mariana Enríquez, María Irene Fornés, Mary Shelley, Nia DaCosta, N.K. Jemisin, Octavia Butler, Osgood Perkins, Sarah Kane, Shirley Jackson, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Suzan-Lori Parks, Tananarive Due, Toni Morrison, Young Jean Lee, and Quiara Alegría Hudes.

We welcome and accept:
Projects that engage with these influences literally, loosely, or in spirit. We are interested in work that explores fear, transformation, power, desire, the body, the supernatural, memory, myth, and the strange possibilities of being human. Projects must be in development and may not have received a full professional production. Selected artists will work with the festival team to determine a performance schedule; projects will not perform every day of the festival.

In the form of:

• New plays and devised works-in-progress that challenge theatrical form
• Lecture-performances and research-based artistic investigations
• Experimental, interdisciplinary, and short-form performance projects
• Provocations, works-in-process, and other emerging theatrical experiments
• Other forms not dreamed up or imaged yet

UMBRELLAS FOR FISH seeks one-act plays, monologues and dramatic scenes for the September issue

Website

Deadline: August 25, 2026

We are now accepting submissions for our September 2026 Issue.
Website: https://ufjournal.wixsite.com/umbrellas-for-fish/submissions

Email: ufjournal@aol.com

Umbrellas for Fish is an international literary journal devoted exclusively to absurd and existential drama. We publish work that wrestles with the irrational, the unexplainable, and the darkly comic—plays, monologues, and dramatic scenes that invite audiences to sit with uncertainty rather than resolve it neatly.

We believe theatre is a space where logic can be bent, time can fold back on itself, and a fish might, against all reason, carry an umbrella. We welcome voices from around the world and across all career stages, from debut playwrights to established dramatists.

We seek dramatic work that is bold, strange, and alive—pieces that take risks with form, voice, and theatrical logic.

We are particularly interested in work featuring:

• Absurdity, existential tension, or cosmic indifference
• Innovative dramatic structures and theatrical experimentation
• Strong, stageable writing and memorable dialogue
• Meaningful ambiguity rather than simple confusion
• Themes exploring meaning, identity, freedom, mortality, and the human condition

We are not seeking conventional realism without a twist, shock value without purpose, or work that resolves its contradictions too neatly.
Accepted Categories

• Absurd Plays
• Existential Drama

• Experimental Theatre
• Playwriting Essays

Length:

• One-Act Plays (up to 10 pages)
• Flash Drama (up to 2 pages)
• Monologues (up to 2 pages)

• Dramatic Scenes (up to 10 pages)
. Playwriting Essays (up to 5 pages)

Submission Guidelines

• Submit manuscripts in DOC or DOCX format only
• Use a readable 12-point font
• Number all pages
• Include a title page with the title and author's name
• Include a third-person author bio (50–100 words) at the end of the manuscript
• Scripts should follow standard dramatic formatting
• Simultaneous submissions are welcome; please notify us if accepted elsewhere

Prepare your manuscript according to the guidelines above.

• Include a 50–100 word third-person bio.
• In the body of your email, include:Your name
• Title of the work
• Genre category
• A brief 1–3 sentence description of the piece
• Attach your manuscript as a DOC or DOCX file.
• Name your file: TITLE_LASTNAME.docx
• Send your submission to ufjournal@aol.com

Subject Line Format:
SUBMISSION — [Title] — [Genre]
Key Dates

Submissions Open: Now Open
Submission Deadline: August 25, 2026
Response Time: 4–6 Weeks

Issue Publication: September 2026

Fee:
There is no reading, submission or publication fee.


Rights
If a work is selected for publication, the playwright retains all intellectual property, copyright, and performance rights to the work. By accepting publication in Umbrellas for Fish, the author grants the journal non-exclusive permission to publish the work as part of the September 2026 issue. All rights revert to the author upon publication, and the author remains free to reproduce, perform, or republish the work elsewhere, provided that first publication in Umbrellas for Fish is acknowledged where appropriate.

Payment

Umbrellas for Fish is a non-paying market. As an independent journal operating without grants, institutional funding, or regular donations, we are currently unable to offer royalties, honoraria, or other forms of monetary compensation to contributors.

Authors whose work is selected for publication will receive publication credit and worldwide exposure through the journal.Editorial Vision

Umbrellas for Fish takes its name from the absurdist spirit that animates the work we publish: the belief that theatre can illuminate issue. the mysteries of existence through contradiction, imagination, humor, and uncertainty.

We welcome playwrights from all countries, backgrounds, and career stages and are especially interested in amplifying voices that have been underrepresented in the dramatic canon.

We look forward to reading your work.

Warm regards,

Editorial Team
Umbrellas for Fish: An International Journal of Absurd & Existential Drama
Email: ufjournal@aol.com

Discount tickets - Measure for Measure

In Progress––a new theatre company based in NYC––announces the opening night of their inaugural production of Measure for Measure.

Measure for Measure asks us to bear witness to a world where morality cannot sustain itself – it flows, flies, and falls like sand. In it, the line between the state and the individual is blurred beyond recognition, and justice turns out to be more akin to bargain than mercy. And then there’s uncleanliness. Tons of it. 

Here, righteousness is like a rubber band: stretch it enough and you’ll permanently deform it into a kind of perversion. Measure for Measure revolves around that elasticity, its focus is on this exercise of clinging to humanity in a world that renders the moral absurd. I mean, really ask yourself: is being good possible when you’re teetering on the razor’s edge between someone else’s destruction and your survival?

From July 28th to August 1st in The Makers’ Space, 281 N 7th St, Brooklyn, NY.

Discount code is "RECKONING" which users can use for 10% off at this ticket link.

The WinterWorks New Play Festival February 2027

Website

Deadline: none given

SUBMISSION FORM

The WinterWorks New Play Festival supports the presentation and development of engaging, intimate plays that serve as a catalyst for conversation within our community. As a theatre operating outside of a major metropolitan hub, we believe the American narrative is vast, and varied. We are seeking plays that explore the true multiplicity of the American experience; stories that reflect the diverse textures, complex histories, and distinct voices of communities across the country.

We ask our script readers to look for plays they cannot wait to talk about; stories that demand to be heard and refuse to leave you after the lights go down.

Cast Size & Scale: We are seeking intimate, small-cast scripts (ideally 6 actors or fewer) that prioritize character-driven storytelling. We welcome creative doubling and lean, imaginative production demands that maximize emotional impact.

Genre and Style: There are no aesthetic boundaries here. We welcome plays of any genre, style, or structure—from hyper-realism and sharp-witted comedy to non-linear narratives, magical realism, and experimental forms. If it excites your imagination, we want to read it.

Community Engagement: Most importantly, we are looking for work that actively bridges the gap between the stage and the public. We are deeply interested in plays that speak directly to people who may not consider themselves “theatre-goers” yet.

Submissions Should Be

• Full length plays that stand alone as a full evening of theater. 
• Complete drafts – not incomplete or treatments.
• Plays that have never had a professional AEA production; readings and workshops are fine.
• And most importantly: plays you are interested in actively advancing in a developmental environment.

Submissions Should NOT Be

• Incomplete drafts or treatments
• A play that has received a professional AEA production
• A play that you consider “done” or “finished”
• A play that you “just want to hear read out loud”

How To Submit Your Play

What you will need to complete your submission:

Artistic Statement (PDF format) 

Please detail:

• What development has the script undergone thus far? What are the elements of the script you’re still exploring? (Suggested word count: at least 250 words).
• Please provide a short synopsis of your current draft (Suggested word count: at least 100 words)
• Artistic Résume (PDF format)
• Complete Draft of the Play or project that you wish to develop (PDF format), with your name and the play title on the cover page.

Please note:

Please format your PDF submissions in the following format: [Lastname, Firstname-Title of Play.pdf], etc. Please use the same format for artistic statement, and resume as well. 

This is not a blind submission process: please be sure your name is on your play.

We can ONLY accept plays and resumes in PDF format. Using any other format will only delay the processing of your script.

Once you have uploaded and submitted your materials, you will not be able to make changes.

Please do not include additional materials.

Door is a Jar literary magazine seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: none listed

SUBMISSION FORM 

Following the Standard American Format 

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

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

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

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

Submit all work in Times New Roman font size 11

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


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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

We do not publish translations.

We do not publish craft essays.
​


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

'Metamorphosis' Seeks Play Submissions

Instagram

Deadline: August 6, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

This is a trans, queer play festival independently produced by Eli Riederich. The goal with this project is to uplift the stories of trans and queer individuals. The festival will take place on Mill Mountain Theatre's Waldron Stage in Roanoke, Virginia during the weekend of November 20-22nd.

We are looking for unpublished/unproduced 10 minute plays and 1 acts (75 page max). Submissions will close August 6th, 2026.

If you have any questions, please email: eli.riederich@gmail.com! 

You can also check out @metamorphosis.playfest on insta for updates.

Origins New Works Program at CVRep 2026-2027

Website

Deadline: July 25, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Established in 2023, the Origins New Works Program at CVRep is a safe, creative, and collaborative environment for writers, directors, and composers to hear their work out loud and see their work reach its full potential.

Each season, four new, undiscovered works will be invited to participate in a 29-hour staged reading in the Coachella Valley, fully funded and produced by CVRep. One of these four projects will be selected to be produced the following theatrical season on our Main Stage. It is a true ‘page to stage’ program that is committed to seeing the full development of the next Broadway Show.

GUIDELINES

- The Origins Program is open to any original, unpublished and unproduced FULL-LENGTH play or musical which is in line with our artistic vision and mission. The goal of the program is to help writers develop unfinished work in a collaborative environment.

- CVRep is in pursuit of thought-provoking, innovative theater of substance and storytelling which highlights the diverse voices and experiences of the American culture.

- We are unable to consider plays and musicals which require more than 15 cast members.

- Playwrights must reside in the United States and be able to attend rehearsals.

Please be prepared to submit a synopsis and bio in addition to:

- 20 page sample of your script in PDF form (title page/cast breakdown do not count toward page count)

- Up to three demo tracks (if your project is a musical)

If we would like to request a full copy of your script we will contact you within 8-12 weeks. Due to the volume of submissions we receive, we are only able to respond to work that is in line with our artistic vision and goals. 

We appreciate your patience as we give each submission ample time and careful consideration.
For additional information please email kgilligan@cvrep.org

The script doctor is in the house! 🩷

Sarah Congress is an award-winning playwright and script doctor for film, TV series, theatre, and fiction here to help YOU take your script to the next level. She provides a fun, nurturing, therapeutic, environment to best suit your individual writing needs. 

Script Services:

• Help clients fine-tune their scripts
• Offer rewrite suggestions to help tighten and polish your story
• Improve dialogue
• Punch up jokes and suggest opportunities for humor 
• Help you learn how to HOOK a reader's interest 
• Assist in finding submission, production, and publication opportunities 

More about Sarah:

Sarah has taught group writing classes for the Hoboken Historical Museum, Project Write Now, The Knowledge Project, and the Hudson Valley Writers Center. This year, her vampire satire Not Gucci was named a Top 30 play by Centre Stage's 24th Annual New Play Festival, her full-length horror/comedy Delulu was read at AWP Baltimore 2026, and her period piece Last Sunrise was performed at Under Saint Marks Place, NYC in June. She is represented by Anthony Tall and works part-time for the Dean's Office at Columbia University, School of the Arts.

Visit Sarah's website to learn more and connect.

New Works Play Lab seeks full-length and one-act plays

Website

Deadline: August 21, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The New Works Play Lab (NWPL) gives our MFA Acting candidates experience with new play development, starting with the workshop process and ending in a staged reading. NWPL gives playwrights a laboratory to experiment with their work in a supportive, educational setting, while also teaching developing actors how to serve the text.

Submissions will be accepted through Friday, August 21, 2026. A committee of students and faculty will select three plays to be workshopped from December 7 - 10, 2026, and presented in a staged reading December 11 & 12, 2026.

Guidelines:

• Playwright must be over the age of 18
• Full-length plays ranging from 75 – 100 minutes
• Maximum number of performers needed to produce the play is 10. Playwrights are asked to delineate if there are multiple roles that can be doubled
• Scripts must be submitted digitally via Google Forms
• No evaluations will be rendered for entries not selected
• Play must not have had prior production, although those workshopped before non-paying audiences are acceptable.
• Published plays are not eligible
• Musicals are not acceptedWhat we provide:
• A $1,000 stipend for playwrights
• Roundtrip transportation & lodging
• A director from the FSU MFA Directing program
• Exposure to industry professionals in Central and South Florida
• Consideration for a full production in an upcoming season
• Please contact info@conservatory.fsu.edu for more information.

Chicano Playwrights Showcase 2026

Facebook page

Deadline: July 19, 2026

*All interested parties should contact me here on Facebook or my email address: Xgeo@aol.com
*All questions should contact me here on Facebook or my email address : Xgeo@aol.com

* The Chicano Playwrights Showcase 2026 is intended to celebrate All Latin, Hispanic, and Chicano voices, our stories, and our culture by presenting Engaging Live Theatre.*

*Rehearsal schedule is pending the works that are selected.

* I believe that Rehearsals should begin in the last weeks of July 2026.
They will continue through the month of August 2026.

* Performances will be in Fort Worth from September 3 through September 6, 2026. With load in, spacing, and tech beginning Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

My contract with the venue should be finalized by the end of this month.

* This is A Community Theatre Production.

Playwrights' Round Table of Orlando, Florida seeks an original musical for the 2027 season

Website

Deadline: July 15, 2026 at midnight

We are seeking original musical submissions for our 2026-2027 season. Run time can be anywhere from 90-140 minutes. The original musical must be unproduced and unpublished and written/composed without the use of AI. No jukebox musicals please.

• Please email all scripts and recordings to submissionsprt@gmail.com

• Please send TWO (2) PDF or Word copies of your script – one with full name and contact info, optional personal info (gender/pronouns, ethnicity, etc.), and an acknowledgement that the play is new and unproduced; the other “blind” – this copy will go to the readers.
• Music must already be composed and a proof of concept demo attached to any submission emails. For the music, you may send us a Google Drive, OneNote, WeTransfer or Dropbox link
• There is no submission fee; however, the selected creator(s) must join PRT for a one-year membership term. The base level is free, with priced tiers with member benefits above that. You may only submit 1 show per writer.
• Please keep your set minimal, preferably a unit set – we perform in a small black box. Please also limit the number of characters – no more than 6.

The creator(s) will receive a stipend of $250 and a full production in Summer 2027.

We look forward to seeing your submissions!

Seeking Ten-Minute Science Fiction Plays

Website

Deadline: July 15, 2026

In one document, please send:

• A PDF or Word document of your play with a logline, short summary, and production history 

• A brief playwright bio (no more than 100 words)

• Playwright contact information

• Email submissions to: futureworksplays@gmail.com

• Subject Line: Future Works Submission – [Playwright Last Name]

With the rising popularity of science fiction in popular media and theatre, submissions are now open for Future Works: Ten-Minute Science Fiction Plays, a new anthology of short science fiction plays. The anthology is slated for publication by Bloomsbury Publishing in 2027.

This collection will gather 20-25 of the best performance-ready ten-minute plays exploring the possibilities of science fiction for the stage. With the success of plays like The Nether by Jennifer Haley, Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play by Anne Washburn and Marjorie Prime by Jordan Harrison, science fiction has proved it can be a rich landscape for theatrical exploration. From intelligence and climate collapse to alien contact and time travel, this anthology seeks to highlight the ways science fiction playwrights engage with contemporary questions through speculative storytelling and theatrical invention.

Possible Themes and Subgenres:

• Artificial Intelligence / Robots

• Time Travel

• Alien Life / First Contact

• Space Exploration / Space Adventure

• Space Opera

• Climate Futures / Environmental Collapse

• Virtual Reality / Simulations

• Dystopian or Utopian Societies

• Cybernetics / Human Enhancement

• Genetic Engineering / Cloning

• Post-Apocalyptic Survival

• Futurism / Speculative Technologies

• Alternate Histories

• And beyond

A wide variety of writing styles are welcome, including dramas, comedies, absurdist plays, and experimental works.

Please Note - What we are NOT Looking For:
This anthology is specifically seeking science fiction plays. We welcome a wide range of theatrical styles and approaches; however, submissions should engage meaningfully with science fiction concepts generally based in imagined science, technology, or societies.

Please do NOT submit:
• Fantasy plays centered on systems of magic, wizards, mythical creatures, or supernatural occurrences/quests
• Horror plays without a clear science fiction framework (i.e.: hauntings, demonic possession, purge-like scenarios)
• Fan-fiction or fandom-culture inspired works
• Medieval fantasy, high fantasy, or fairy tale adaptations
• Supernatural stories that do not meaningfully engage with speculative science or futurism

If you have any questions, or need further clarification, please don't hesitate to email futureworksplays@gmail.com

• Plays should be approximately 10 minutes in length (no longer than 11 pages).
• Plays should be submitted in standard play format. Other formats will be rejected.
• Submissions must be original plays (no adaptations of classic science fiction stories, please).
• Submissions CAN have received previous productions. Please include a production history with your submission.
• Playwrights may submit up to 2 plays for consideration.

Go Try Play Write July 2026

Website

Deadline: July 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The prompt for July 2026 is a morning-after prompt:

Write a 10-page maximum scene about a hook-up between a couple. It’s the morning after and either one of them or both of them feel it was a horrible mistake. What makes it a mistake? Anything goes. Let your imagination flow and most importantly, HAVE FUN! We are excited to see where your creativity leads you.

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

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

Ominous Thrill seeks feminist radio plays

Website

Deadline: July 15, 2026

Submit to: ominousthrill@gmail.com

Use the NAME of your story in ALL CAPS in the subject line.
Include the WORD COUNT in the body text.
If the story is written in THIRD PERSON, indicate WHY the story is best told that way.

Attach the story as a Microsoft Word (.doc) file; or other universally editable format. No PDFs.

• Use Calibri 14 or similar consistent font.
• Do not paste the story into the email body.
• Make sure your story is ATTACHED before sending.
• Proofread thoroughly; excessive errors or poorly formatted submissions may be rejected.
• Include the phrase “devious audio delight” in the body of your email.
• Personal notes about why this story matters to you are not necessary - but always welcome.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Preference for Dramatized Audio Plays.

NARRATED STORIES:
First person is best for audio - we want to be as close to her/them and their experience as possible.
Third person can be considered ONLY if it's genuinely the best way to tell that story. If nothing is lost by transitioning a third person story to first person, it should be in first person for our production.
Second person... oh, you wanna go there? Wow us.
Present tense!

FEMINIST & INTERSECTIONAL HORROR AND DARK FICTION

CHARACTER-DRIVEN:
Thrillers·Horror · Suspense
· Feminine Rage & Fury· FemGore · Erotic Horror·Weird Girl·Surrealist & Transgressive·
· Queer / LGBTQAI+·Under-Represented Voices·Good For Her / Them

Stories from authors with lived experience where the horror, thrills and suspense
ride or die with social / political critique.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION:
stories passing the RAE WILDE TEST
(any story where men have no meaningful impact on the plot)

WORD LENGTH:

2,000 – 8,000 OUR SWEET SPOT
Up to 10,000 words will be considered if the story earns its length.

PAY:
.05/wordACCEPTED ORIGINAL WORK

Original, unpublished stories appearing nowhere else in any form.
.02/wordACCEPTED PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

Stories that have appeared elsewhere in any form - print, digital, podcast, or otherwise.

RIGHTS:

YOU RETAIN FULL RIGHTS

YOU KEEP FULL RIGHTS TO YOUR STORY.
WE ASK FOR A 3-MONTH AUDIO EXCLUSIVE PERIOD FOR THE OMINOUS THRILL PODCAST ONLY.

OUR AUDIO PRODUCTION

OMINOUS THRILL RETAINS EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO OUR AUDIO PRODUCTION OF THE STORY - NOT THE STORY ITSELF.

AUDIO-FIRST STORIES

PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO STORIES NOT PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED FOR AUDIO, BUT ALL STORIES ARE WELCOME.

YOUR CREDIT

YOU WILL BE CREDITED IN THE AUDIO AND SHOW NOTES AS WRITTEN BY…
IN THE CASE OF HEAVY ADAPTATION BY US, THE CREDIT WILL BE STORY BY…
EITHER WAY, SHOW NOTES WILL INCLUDE A LINK TO WHEREVER YOU'D LIKE LISTENERS TO FIND YOU.

You will be notified as soon as possible if your story is selected.

BRING US YOUR STORIES OF
FEMININE RAGE AND RECLAIMATION.

We want to give them a vivid sonic voice.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters seeks drama submisisons

Website

Deadline: December 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

 Submissions must be made in PDF file format only.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider fee-free submissions of drama whose effects can be experienced either on the page or in production.

Submit a file with up to 5000 lines, including title, byline, dramatis personae, and stage direction.

O:JA&L will consider several formatting options for drama: 1) conventions of formatting published by Gordon State College, 2) suggestions for formatting published by The Dramatists Guild, or 3) play formats in specialized software programs for writers like Final Draft or Movie Magic. Submissions which deviate by degrees of magnitude from these conventions of form will be declined.

Submitters should include a cover letter. This cover letter should contain, in the manner of a screenplay, a HEADER for the work, a LOGLINE of up to 30 words, and a SYNOPSIS of the work (without spoilers) of up to 150 words. This cover letter should also include a third-person professional biography of the playwright in 100 words, more or less.

OTHER THAN YOUR NAME, DO NOT INCLUDE PERSONAL INFORMATION ON THE SUBMITTED PDF. IT IS THIS PDF THAT WILL BE LINKED TO THE PUBLISHED POST.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will only consider plays that have never before been produced or published. Submissions must be made in PDF file format only.

Theatre Three's 28th Annual Festival of One-Act Plays (2027)

Website

Deadline: September 1, 2026

Submissions should be sent to Jeffrey@theatrethree.com

Since its inception in 1998, The Festival has received over 13,000 submissions from across the world and produced over 140 world premieres by more than 100 different playwrights. The Festival presents between five and eight plays each season.

Guidelines:

• Playwrights may only submit one play per Festival.
• Only unproduced works will be accepted. 
• Please do not submit works that have been submitted for previous Festivals.
• Plays that have had staged readings or on-line productions are eligible.
• No adaptations, children’s plays, or musicals.

• Cast size maximum: 12
• Length maximum: 30 minutes (no minimum)
• Settings: Simple or suggested.
• All submissions should be emailed as PDFs with the title in caps followed by the playwright’s name.
• Example: THE BASKET WEAVERS Jamie Martin
• Play’s cover sheet must include the author’s information (name, address, telephone, email).
• A short synopsis is encouraged
• Any stage play format is acceptable.

Selected plays will be presented for ten performances (in winter-spring 2027; dates to be determined), at the Ronald F. Peierls Theatre, on THEATRE THREE’s Second Stage.

Playwrights will receive a $150 stipend.

Playwrights will receive a standard Dramatists Guild-approved contract and will receive four complimentary tickets to be used at any performances. Playwrights are welcome to attend any rehearsals or performances. Playwrights will receive copies of playbills, postcards, articles, and reviews, as well as a link to all publicity and production photos. THEATRE THREE is responsible for all elements of production; playwrights incur no expenses. THEATRE THREE retains no future production rights.

Playwrights of selected plays will be contacted by early December 2026.

Molecule open for (very) short plays and monologues

Website

Deadline: July 15, 2026 by 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

What can I submit to Molecule?

Molecule accepts submissions of poetry, prose (fiction & non-fiction) plays, reviews and interviews in 50 words or less (including titles and interview questions). Visual artwork of tiny things like tea bags and toothpicks, or tiny paintings, also wanted: no skyscrapers please!

We have a strict word count. Don’t try and trick us we have tiny minds. All submissions should be previously unpublished work.

How should I send my work?

Send submissions via submittable, along with a 3rd person bio of no more than 24 words (including name). Please send no more than 5 pieces.

24 words or less for a whole bio, seems random, where did you come up with that?

There are 24 atoms in a molecule of caffeine. What more do you want from us?

When are you open for submissions and when will I hear back?

We are open for submissions for our fall issues from June 1st to July 15th. Replies sent by August 15th. We are open for our spring issues from December 1st to January 15th. Replies sent by February 15th.

What rights do I give you to use my work if it is accepted?

If your work is accepted we ask for first rights (to publish in our print and online issue) and non-exclusive electronic and archival rights (so we can keep using it). All rights revert to the author upon publication.

Does Molecule charge any fees to submit or pay for publication?

No! There is no fee to submit your work to Molecule, and the magazine is always available for free to download or view to contributors and the public. There is an optional tip jar submission, to help us offset our costs. Whether or not a contributor makes a tip does not factor in to our decision process. Recently, we have launch a print issue. You can purchase issue 8 and issue 9 online. We are not able to provide free print copies to contributors.

Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2026

Website

Deadline: September 15, 2026

-Please send two hard copies, bound or stapled, blind submission (removable cover page with title, author and all contact information) with page numbers and the name of the play on each page to:
Sundog Theatre, “Scenes 2026”, PO Box 10183, Staten Island, NY 10301.

-Submissions should include a brief play synopsis (2-3 sentences at most), a 70-word bio, and a full resume of the writer.

Sundog Theatre in NYC is seeking one-act plays for “Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2026”

This is Sundog Theatre’s 25th presentation of new and original, one-act plays about our favorite boats.
This year’s theme: Anniversary!

Plays can be comedies or dramas. However, humor is always appreciated.

Writing Guidelines:

-Original plays not previously produced or published, with a signed note affirming that.

-10-25 minutes in length and set on the Staten Island Ferry.

-Set in a contemporary time period. Strong priority will be given to plays with 2 characters, however, 3-character plays will be considered. No special set pieces other than benches or railings found on the Ferry, as well as limited and easily accessible props/costumes, and no unusual sound or lighting effects.

-Avoid overt and unnecessary sexual/violence situations and language since we cater to a broad audience.

-No musicals, long monologues, poetry, rants or verse.

Theme: Anniversary!

Submission Guidelines:

-We are not accepting plays electronically. Reasons: hard copies are easier to pass around/make notes on; protects your work; can’t get lost in email chains; and…easier on reading eyes. We will let you know by email that we have received it.

-NO SUBMISSION FEE

-6 plays are chosen by a reading team; writers each receive $200 and plays are produced in five November 2026 performances in Staten Island, NY. Plays are cast in NYC, rehearsed, and performed on stage.

-Playwrights of selected plays will be contacted in September and their names/play titles listed on Sundog Theatre’s website in Fall 2026.

Please direct questions to: info@sundogtheatre.org/Susan Fenley, Producer.

Obsidian seeks short work for publication

Website

Deadline: Oct 16, 2026 1:00 AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Submit one act or a collection of short scenes no longer than twenty (20) pages in the Samuel French format. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained.

Obsidian cultivates, through publication and critical inquiry, Black imagination, innovation, and excellence—supporting Black, African, and African Diaspora creatives globally.
Obsidian celebrates over fifty years of continuous publication and is dedicated to publishing contemporary poetry, fiction, drama/performance, visual and media art biannually in print and year-round online.

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.***