Red Eagle Souring seeks short plays by Native playwrights

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Deadline: March 8, 2021 11:59 PM PST

Seattle, Washington

Red Eagle Soaring seeks plays between 10 - 30 minutes written by Native playwrights.

These plays will be performed by Native Youth as part of Red Eagle Soaring's inaugural short play festival in June 2021. The playwright of each selected play will be compensated with a licensing fee of $100 per performance.

For this year's play festival we are excited to focus on the question: Who do you want to be?

Plays can explore any facets of this question or answer. Who do you want to become? What challenges or obstacles are you facing to become that person? When do you want to become that person? Are there other expectations or obligations that wish to define you differently?

Please keep in mind in your submissions that the play will be performed by predominantly youth actors via an online platform like Zoom. We are excited for plays that feature multi-generational casts and stories that young actors can relate to.

Plays must be submitted in either Word or PDF format.

The front page of the script must list:

• Title of the play
• Full Name
• Tribal Affiliation
• Date of Birth
• Home Address
• Email
• Phone Number

Submissions are due Monday, March 8 by 11:59 PM PST via email at AD@redeaglesoaring.org

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to AD@redeaglesoaring.org

A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers

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Deadline: June 30, 2021

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

We want to encourage the development of quality plays written specifically by teachers and other educators. Our A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers is open to all teachers employed at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada. 

 All plays submitted through this contest must have been produced within the past two years at the school where the playwright teaches.

Submissions will be accepted on an on-going basis with a June 30 cutoff each year. All qualifying manuscripts accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists. The contest winner, selected from contest finalists and announced September 30, will receive a $500 royalty advance and a one-time $500 donation to the school theatre program where the play was first produced.

Contest Rules

• Only entries submitted in accordance with all rules will be eligible for consideration.
• Playwright must be a current or retired faculty member at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada.
• Only entries submitted with an Official Contest Entry Form will be considered.
• Only entries that have been fully staged at the teacher’s school no more than two years prior to the submission date will be considered. We encourage you to take advantage of this production to revise your script as needed before submitting your manuscript.
• All entries must be accompanied by proof of production in the form of a copy of the program, a newsletter or newspaper article, a review, a photo or a letter from the school principal.
• Contest entries must meet all Pioneer Drama general guidelines and requirements for play submission, which can be found at pioneerdrama.com/playwrights/submit.asp.
• Individuals currently published by Pioneer Drama Service are not eligible for this contest. Pioneer Drama Service employees and their families are also excluded.

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

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

Orchard Project Labs

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Deadline: March 10, 2021

Applications for the 2021 Orchard Project labs are now open — all due March 10, 2021. Programs include the OP Performance Lab, Audio Lab, Episodic Lab, and Greenhouse Program.

The Orchard Project today announced its 2021 lab programs, expanded and shifted in response to the ongoing challenges facing performing artists nationally and worldwide. During a time of industry transformation, reckoning, and instability, the Orchard Project is taking steps to do even more to support the most innovative artists and diverse voices, helping creators to explore, create, and share their work in new ways given the current absence of live collaboration.

This year, more than 30 projects will be selected to participate in the Orchard Project's programs. Each will receive support in flexible, collaborative environments that put faith in artists to create new works. In 2021, our offerings will remain virtual.

In summer 2021, the Orchard Project will offer:

The Orchard Project Performance Lab, for professional makers of live performance, either staged in traditional or digital venues;

The Orchard Project Greenhouse Program, for collaborators generating multiple new works and collaborations in a multitude of forms;

The Orchard Project Episodic Lab, for writers working on the advancement of original TV scripts; and

The Orchard Project Audio Lab, for early development of scripts and ideas in the audio storytelling form.

Learn more about the labs or apply online at https://secure.orchardproject.com by March 10, 2021.

The Orchard Project has updated its application process, so please read carefully — especially if you've applied in the past.

All applications are now submitted via a common, simplified application.

There is no application fee at all to apply to any Orchard Project program.

While applications had historically been evaluated by a small reading panel that centered on OP staff, applications will now be read by a diverse panel of 30+ readers.

A full rubric and explanation of evaluation criteria for our application process has been posted online in order to be as transparent as possible.

ABOUT THE ORCHARD PROJECT
For more than ten years, the Orchard Project has become the go-to new work development workshop for many of America’s boldest companies and artists. Orchard Project’s flexible, form-fitting support has provided countless artists, companies, and productions a much needed kickstart through its programs ranging across forms. To date, the Orchard Project has supported more than 1,200 artists and 250 shows from All the Way and its sequel The Great Society to 33 Variations to Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus to Amelie:The Musical; from work of Savion Glover to Mike Bartlett to Annie Baker to Rachel Chavkin to Taylor Mac to Dave Malloy. Even in a performance world stunted by COVID, new shows created at the Orchard Project have been keeping digital audiences engaged at theatres like the Center Theatre Group and American Repertory Theatre, and others, ranging from letter writing plays to immersive outdoor experiences, have been born out of recent labs. Since the launch of its labs, the OP has also played a significant role in the development of new works produced on and off Broadway and at theaters including St. Ann's Warehouse, The Geffen Playhouse, MCC Theatre, BAM, Arena Stage, Philly Live Arts, PS122, The Public Theatre, Atlantic Theater Company, the Edinburgh Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville, La Jolla Playhouse, Yale Rep, the Royal Court, and more. Work created at the Orchard Project has also been turned into films distributed through HBO Films (All The Way), Universal (The Riot Club), and optioned into television projects at HBO, Netflix, and AMC Networks.

Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre: The Ladies of Castile

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Deadline: March 12, 2021

Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre is seeking to commission a playwright to adapt a verse play by a forgotten woman writer from history. The commissioning award is $1,000; more details below.

Company Mission:
Founded in 2012, Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre elevates the voices of women (cis, trans, non-binary) by reimagining the classics. (www.hedgepigensemble.org)

As part of Hedgepig’s Expand the Canon (www.expandthecanon.com) effort, we are commissioning an adaptation loosely based on Mercy Otis Warren’s verse drama, The Ladies of Castile. This play grapples with revolution, women’s roles in the status quo, and a country divided.

We are especially interested in proposals from playwrights that identify as Global Majority (does not identify as "white") women or non-binary playwrights. Playwrights must be 18+ and based in the New York City Metro Area. The ideal candidate has experience working from historical source material, comfort in a devising setting, and interest in both prose and verse writing.

This project is part of an effort to increase the visibility of classics by women, champion contemporary women writers, and increase the number of producible plays by women based on the classics.

Details:
You can visit this site for a sample of the source material play: http://bit.ly/LadiesofCastile

The playwright will be supported in a brief devising process with Hedgepig’s ensemble of actors, a director and a dramaturg. The process will culminate in a work-in-progress public reading in the fall of 2021 with the hopes of moving to full production in 2022 (with additional stipend).

Timeline:
The project would span March - September 2021, including research, development, and devising work. A public reading of the script will be part of the Expand the Canon Festival in September.

Submit:
To submit, please send a resume, 10-page writing sample, and a cover letter addressing your interest in adaptation and experience in a devising setting to info@hedgepigensemble.org with the subject line: Playwright Submission / Ladies of Castile. Submissions accepted until March 12, 2021.

The Alpine Fellowship Theatre Prize 2021

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Deadline: April 1, 2021

APPLICATION FORM

Awarded for the best playwriting response theme of the Alpine Fellowship 2021 - Untamed: On Wilderness and Civilization.

The prize will be £3,000 plus a rehearsed reading at the Fellowship’s annual Symposium to which the winner will be invited to attend. Runners up will be invited to attend the Fjällnäs symposium to exhibit their work, all food and accommodation covered. Travel expenses will be reimbursed up to a total of £500.

Rules:

• The final piece must be no more than 45 minutes in length.
• The final piece must require no more than four actors. 
• The winning play will be performed as a rehearsed reading so simplicity in staging is preferred. 
• This prize is open to anyone above 18 years of age. 
• All entries must be written in English.
• Plays must not have previously been performed, including as a reading or workshop production.
• Playwrights at any stage of their career are eligible to apply.
• Submissions will be judged anonymously so please ensure your name does not appear anywhere on your submission materials.

Submission: To apply you will be asked to submit the following:
A treatment of your idea in response to the theme. No more than 500 words.
A sample of previous work of at least 10 pages.
A 3-4 sample pages of your proposed script or a 1-2 detailed page synopsis of your story.

KEY DATES*:

Applications open: 1st January 2021
Applications close: 1st April 2021
Shortlist announced: Coming soon
Winners announced: Coming soon

Please follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with latest news.

*Please note: we reserve the right to change the date of the shortlist and winners announcement if required for any reason.

Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest 2021

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Deadline: June 1, 2021

To encourage the development of quality theatrical materials for the educational, community and children’s theatre markets, Pioneer Drama Service is proud to sponsor the annual Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest.

This is an ongoing contest, with a winner selected by June 1 each year from all eligible submissions received the previous year.  All eligible plays accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists, from which the winner will be selected.  The contest winner will receive a $1,000 royalty advance in addition to publication.

Contest entries must meet all general guidelines and submission requirements.

Individuals currently published by Pioneer Drama Service are not eligible for this contest.  Pioneer Drama Service employees and their families are also excluded.

We accept unsolicited manuscripts that meet the parameters defined in these guidelines. However, we prefer for you to send us a query letter if you are not submitting through one of our playwriting contests. You can also start the submission process by contacting us here.

• We will only consider manuscripts with a running time between 20 and 90 minutes.
• Submissions must be family friendly in both subject and language. NO cursing. NO explicitly adult content.
• We prefer casts that are either balanced or favoring females. The more gender neutral roles, the better.
• We favor plays and musicals with ensemble casts, where more than just a few have a chance to shine.
• Plays with elaborate set, costume or technical requirements are not appealing because of the limited resources of many of our customers. Pictures, sketches or descriptions of your vision are always helpful.
• We recommend your submissions have had at least one production or reading, hopefully staged. We feel this fundamental field test is necessary before a play can be considered for publication since plays are created for the purpose of performance.
• Manuscripts must be computer-printed in dark ink. We do not require specific formatting. However, your efforts to ensure your script is free of misspellings and typos will help the submissions editor.
• We hope that Pioneer Drama is your first choice as a publisher, and we encourage you to submit to us exclusively. However, we do accept simultaneous submissions with the understanding that you will accept the first contract you’re offered and not use the situation to seek multiple offers from which to choose. If you receive another offer, please notify us immediately so we may rescind your submission.

NOTE: If you are not already published by Pioneer Drama Service and your submission meets all other requirements including having had at least one production or staged reading, your play will automatically be entered in the Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest. If you are a faculty member at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada, you may also qualify for our A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers.

Check out our list of past contest winners for examples of desirable submissions.
Submission Requirements

Please be patient. Queries will be answered within approximately one week. Submissions may take up to three months or longer.

The following information must accompany your submission or query:

• 100-200 word synopsis.
• Cast list that indicates the number of female roles, the number of male roles and the number of roles that can be performed by either gender. We do not accept one-person shows.
• Running time.
• CD and/or score for musicals. We appreciate the opportunity to hear the music, if possible.
• Set design(s). Please feel free to provide diagrams and/or pictures.
• Proof of production or staged reading (i.e., review, program, etc.) A DVD of your performance is ideal, though not required.
• Age of intended audience.
• A self-addressed envelope of sufficient size with appropriate postage for the return of your materials. We will NOT return manuscripts or accompanying material if this is not included.
• Cover letter and/or resume.

Please send your query or manuscript and accompanying information to:

Pioneer Drama Service, Inc.
Attn: Submissions Editor
PO Box 4267
Englewood, CO 80155-4267

You may also email us your .txt, .doc or .pdf files after you contact us here.

Equity Library Theater of New York Winter 2021 Virtual Play Festival

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Deadline: April 15, 2021

Submissions are now being accepted for the Equity Library Theater of New York Winter 2021 Virtual Play Festival. Seeking short plays (no more than 15 pp/minutes), from playwrights from across the globe. Also seeking monologues (no more than 4pp/minutes). Musicals welcome! 

We post your YouTube link of the performance to the free festival site for voting by viewers. One submission per playwright. No submission fee. 

Please include name, address, telephone number and email address on your submission. We do not produce your work, we provide a venue for you to present actors performing your play. 

There are no costs involved for anyone. Seeking actors and directors, too! Deadline: April 15. 2021. Email: equitylibrarytheater@gmail.com.

The Misfits Break the Ritual Commission

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Deadline: March 1, 2021 12:00 PM EST

Submission form

Calling all creators: writers, directors, designers, songwriters, technicians, developers, instructors, magicians, chefs, sound engineers, etc. If you create something, you’re who we’re looking for.

About the series: BREAK THE RITUAL was developed out of a challenge we set for ourselves: “In light of current circumstances: how might we bring our mission to life?” (with a main principle of creating community within an experience). The intent of the series is to collectively process the moment we’re living in through our relationship with daily rituals culminating in an experience designed around (or for) that ritual.

About the submission process: this is a PAID opportunity ($500 for each creative lead, per cycle). This is for three different cycles to be produced over the course of 2021 (with the first cycle being produced in mid-April). Applicants must be no younger than 18. You do not have to be a writer (just a creator in some form). If your concept is virtual, you do not have to be located in NYC. You can submit as an individual or with up to one collaborator (note that if you’re submitting as an individual we may explore commissioning you with another individual applicant). We’ll be closing submissions by 12:00 pm ET on March 1st, and conducting interviews in the weeks following (the earlier you submit, the better). We’re looking for starter ideas, not a fully fleshed out concept as we’ll be collaborating with you on refining the final concept (and developing and shaping it along the process).

More about BREAK THE RITUAL: We’re not creating Zoom readings, rather experiences that creatively engage audiences in processing the moment we’re in. We’ve designed this as a rapid-generation commission, time-boxed with limited drafts and limited rehearsal. We’re not going for polish—we’re producing in a spirit of prototype and experimentation. Here are some design principles (and how they showed up in our beta cycle at the end of 2020):

1/ Break into a ritual and consider the audience experience as a build on that ritual
[for our beta test cycle: we created an experience around cooking dinner]

2/ Explore a central question/theme
[for our beta test cycle: our creative leads set out to explore the question of “what does it mean to be alone in quarantine?”]

2/ Co-build the process with the creative leads
[for our beta test cycle: we created a process and a timeline in collaboration with the creative leads]

3/ Engage a community in the development process
[for our beta test cycle: we hosted three “listening sessions” (a hybrid between a focus group and a brainstorm with 3-4 participants) which the creative leads used as inspiration and fodder for the content of the experience]

4/ Create an experience no longer than 60 minutes and no shorter than 5 minutes
[for our beta test cycle: we commissioned a “cookalong experience” that was 60-minutes end-to-end (the time it took to cook the recipe) that had (1) a host introducing the experience, (2) a 20-minute scripted “Zoom date” with recipe preparation built into the script so the audience could follow along, (3) a facilitated discussion coming out of the zoom date where audiences got to connect with one another while their recipe cooked on the stove - by the time the experience came to a close, audience members had a prepared dinner]

6/ Learn and listen; prototype and iterate
[for our beta test cycle: we led with a spirit of experimentation, willing to try different approaches at each test performance]

7/ Build rapidly
[for our beta test cycle: our playwright submitted only two drafts and our creative leads collectively delivered a completed experience within a month, hosting 4 60-90 minute rehearsals (table work, refinement, dry tech, full tech) and 2 performances]

8/ Bring our audience engagement thinking to life
[for our beta test cycle: we worked closely with a playwright and director to build a full experience around the script they created guided by our methodology and principles for audience engagement]

9/ Do it live
[for our beta test cycle: our playwright created a script that explored many realities that came up for the participants of our listening sessions (e.g. race in America, bigotry, online Zoom dating, Tiger King, binge-watching TV shows, unemployment, quarantine, etc.)]

10/ The experience should be live
[for our beta test cycle: we did every performance live, cooking and all]

About The Misfits: The Misfits is dedicated to creating bold theatrical events that push the boundaries of what audiences have come to expect from traditional theatre—experiences that invite social connection and provoke deeper conversation. NYC-based. 501c3 nonprofit. Reimagining the audience and artist experience. Past development work: Bro Lyfe by Justin Kuritzkes (2016, reading), House Plant by Sarah Einspanier (2018, workshop). U.S. Presenter of Oh Heroine How I Love You (2019) at NYPL at Jefferson Market and Consulting Producer of the world-premiere of Sarah Einspanier’s House Plant (2020) at NYTW Next Door. www.themisfitstheatre.org

Drama in the Time of Covid—An Anthology

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Deadline: August 1, 2021

We seek an anthology to showcase works by playwrights examining Covid-19 in all its permutations. We are looking for short plays and monologues from diverse playwrights worldwide who have something to say about the current pandemic. The anthology will be published by FlowerSong Press in Spring 2022.

To submit, send new and un-produced scripts as attachments of no more than 25 pages to covidanthology@gmail.com by August 1, 2021.

 

Include a 50-75 word 3rd-person bio in the body of your email. 

Plays that have had readings or workshops are acceptable. 

Format scripts as Microsoft Word or PDF documents only, and include a title page with contact information. 

Simultaneous submissions are okay but please notify us asap if accepted elsewhere. All accepted playwrights will receive a copy of the anthology upon publication.

Close to 8 million people worldwide have contracted Covid-19. 1 million have died. In the United States alone, over 200,000 have succumbed to this deadly virus, and counting. With no end to the pandemic in sight, the "new normal" involves lockdowns, social distancing, face masks, fear, and political strife.

More than any other creative genre, drama has suffered the hardest during the Covid-19 pandemic. With the closure of theaters worldwide as in plagues of the past, playhouses have been forced to find new ways to reproduce the magic of live theater by going virtual. For smaller venues lacking the resources, many have closed temporarily or permanently shuttered. For playwrights, this reality translates to fewer opportunities to showcase their work, and the virus places in peril the future of live theater and new works.

Shawnee Playhouse /Worthington Players seeks plays

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Deadline: March 31, 2021

***Submission fee will be waived if playwright submits hard copies of play, with a copy for each reader/character and the Host/Director.***

Playwrights are encouraged to submit their original works!

Each year, Worthington Players will produce and perform the original work(s) of a playwright(s), chosen by our Executive Committee from among submissions received in our open contest and read before a live audience.

Beginning with the 2017 season, works produced previously at any theatrical venue are no longer eligible for consideration.

Original Play Submission Requirements

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2022 productions. Plays will be read over the summer of 2021 and the winners will be produced in 2022.
Deadline for submission is March 31, 2021.

Short Plays Should Include:

• Page Numbers
• Brief plot summary & setting description
• Title on every page (footer)
• List of all characters with description (M/F, age, etc)
• # # # or END to assure that all the pages are included

Full Length Plays Should Include:

• The Full Play 
• A 30 Minute selection. This a something that could be presented as a representation of your work to our voting committee.
• Stage directions
• Synopsis
• Anything additional you would like the audience to be aware of
• Page Numbers
• Brief plot summary & setting description
• Title on every page (footer)
• List of all characters with description (M/F, age, etc)
• # # # or END to assure that all the pages are included

Submissions must be accompanied by a submission fee and the Shawnee Playwrights Series Form available below

Submission Fees are as follows

$25 for Full Length
$15 for One Act/Short Play

***Submission fee will be waived if playwright submits hard copies of play, with a copy for each reader/character and the Host/Director.***


Click Here For Submission Form

Payment info:
Pay by check

Shawnee Playhouse
PO Box 159
Shawnee on Delaware PA 18356
Pay with credit card
submission form
or by calling 570-421-5093 during regular business hours.
Electronic files may be submitted to:

shawneeplayhouseexecdir@gmail.com
Electronic files must be submitted in one of the following formats:
.doc, .txt, .rtf, .pdf
Conversion into one of these formats is the responsibility of the playwright.
Other formats will not be accepted.
Paper submissions may be mailed to:

Shawnee Original Playwrights Series
The Shawnee Playhouse
PO Box 159
Shawnee on Delaware, PA 18356

Shawnee places no limits on the genre, style, or length of plays submitted.
Production of Winning Play

Responsibility for final production of the play lies solely with Worthington Players. The director will be chosen by the Executive staff of the Shawnee Playhouse. No monetary prize or compensation is paid.

Each year, Worthington Players produces original submitted works of local and surrounding area playwrights.

L Smith New Play Festival

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Deadline: March 12, 2021 12 noon 

SUBMISSION FORM

Both 10-minute and full length plays can be submitted by Friday, March 12th at noon and five 10-minute plays and one full-length play will be selected for virtual performance; with playwrights being notified by April 1st if their script has been chosen. The festival will take place via Zoom on Thursday, May 6th and Friday, May 7th and in addition to performances, playwright Charly Evon Simpson will give a keynote on Thursday night. Cash prizes will be awarded for the audience favorite 10-minute play and to the playwright of the chosen full-length script.

All scripts should follow standard play formatting and should be submitted as PDFs with contact information on the front page (including email, phone and snail mail address) and only play title and page numbers on the following pages. 10-minute scripts cannot be longer than 10 pages and the full-length play should be between 70-90 pages.

Due to a focus on accessibility, there is no entry fee for the contest. Once the cap of 100 scripts has been reached, submissions will be closed; therefore, no more than 2 submissions per playwright will be read.

Canthius seeks play excerpts

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Deadline: March 1, 2021

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

* Canthius is committed to publishing diverse perspectives and experiences and strongly encourages women of colour, including Indigenous and Black women, to submit. We welcome submissions in Indigenous languages.

GUIDELINES

We consider unpublished work of poetry and prose (both fiction and creative non-fiction – we welcome experimental works and play excerpts). Please limit prose submissions to 3500 words and poetry submissions to five poems. We accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if another publication accepts work you've submitted to Canthius.

Along with your submission, please include a cover letter with your name, home address, email address, phone number, the date, and the name(s) of the piece(s) you're submitting. If you are comfortable disclosing your racial background and/or gender identity in your cover letter, we encourage you to do so. This information will be held in confidence and will be used solely to help us uphold our mandate to publish diverse work. For prose submissions, please include a word and page count in your cover letter. Finally, your cover letter should include a short bio that tells us a bit about yourself and lists your previous publications, if any. Please include a header on each page of your submission with your name.

We respond to all submissions by email. Our average response time is 12 to 15 weeks. Please be sure to designate Canthius as an approved sender to prevent our response from being caught in your email spam filters.

Writers accepted for publication will receive $50 for one page, $75 for two pages, $100 for three, $125 for four pages, and $150 for five pages or more, regardless of genre. Contributors will also receive a complimentary a copy of the issue and a discounted price on any further copies of the issue in which their work appears.

Thanks for sharing your writing with us – we can't wait to read it!

Stochastic Labs Residencies

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Application form

Stochastic Labs awards fully sponsored residencies to exceptional engineers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs from around the world. Residencies are of variable length and include a private apartment at the mansion, co-working and/or dedicated work space, shop access (laser cutter, 3D printer etc), a $1k monthly stipend and a budget for materials. Residents become part of Stochastic’s creative community, participating in weekly dinners and invitation events. Residents may apply as individuals or as teams. While applicants may be at any stage in their career, the selection is highly competitive.

Jakespeare Virtual Theatre Company's Summer Shorts Ten-minute Play Festival

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Deadline: March 1, 2021

PLEASE NOTE: They apparently had an unmentioned 100 play cap and submitters are being told their work cannot be accepted because the 100 play maximum has been reached.

Before submitting your work(s), please make sure they adhere to the following requirements:

​Please do not submit any plays longer than what would translate to approximately 10 minutes when performed.

While music within a play is possible, we will not consider any musicals.

Your play cannot have been performed virtually before.

You may submit more than one work.

Please submit your play in PDF format only.

Plays must be conducive to the virtual theatre format. The simpler the sets (or not sets at all!) and costumes/effects, the better!

Plays with 3-5 actors is preferred.

Gender and racial flexibility for characters will give your play a better chance of being selected.

We will consider plays from any genre and of any content matter.

Your work will be read by at least 3 panelists.

Once all plays are read, the panel will select --at most -- the top 10 selections.

The selections will be posted on our Facebook page no later than 5/1/21.

The show is scheduled for two performances in July 2021.

To submit your work, please CLICK HERE.

Broadway Book Club seeks plays for livestream/podcast

Facebook page

The Broadway Book Club is a livestream / podcast event that has a community of over 120 members that engage with and correspond about all things theatrical.

We are looking for play submissions to be read by our ensemble of actors as a way to celebrate theatre digitally and engage with community. We are only seeking full play submissions and will coordinate with the dramatist concerning the use and representation of their work. After conversations, your play (when selected) will be featured as one of our Plays of the Month, and a portion of the play will be live streamed for our followers to see and experience your work.

This is not yet a paid gig, but as we grow our followers and account, we plan on paying writers as early as next year for their selected plays. Should you know anyone who would want to invest and financially help our artists, please send them our way!! We look forward to your play submissions. If you have any questions email us at hello@ryco.org.

SUBMISSION FORM

Fosters' Spring Residency

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Deadline: February 28, 2021 9PM EST

ZOOM FORM

Fosters is thrilled to announce our inaugural FREE Spring Residency! This virtual week will provide space for exploration of new theatrical work that is yearning for a deeper dive into development and artists that are yearning to find their creative voice within new work.

The Spring Residency will support one playwright and their existing theatrical work, one director, and up to six actors.

Each participant will be mailed a “Creative Context” box filled with tools to give dramaturgical grounding to the specific playwrights work as well as other unique items geared for the care of each individual artist. As with every Fosters event, daily meditation will also be provided.
Fosters Spring Residency strives to:

• Create a space where artistic process is given priority over any product.
• Remove judgement and focus on communication.
• Empower every artist participating to contribute from their own unique artistic POV. 
• Care for the artists by providing an empowering, uplifting, safe space to create.
• Provide Playwrights space to explore every avenue their theatrical piece can go down
• Provide Directors creative space to explore new work and new ways of working
• Provide Actors space to reconnect with their artistic voice and unique POV

How to Apply:

All applicants must be over the age of 18 and have flexible availability the week of April 18th-24th.

All applicants must fill out the Google form by Feb 28th, 2021 9pm EST. The selection committee, comprised of four Fosters Board Members will review all the applicants and make selections who will move onto Zoom interview March 3rd -12th

Playwrights: After filling out the application, please make sure to email the proposed piece you would wish to work on in the residency, as well as any other sample material you find would give the selection committee a clearer idea of who you are as an artist to jasonasparks@fostersresidency.org

National Arts Diversity Integration Association (NADIA) is accepting script submissions for a new play or musical

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Deadline: March 5, 2021 12 PM EST

National Arts Diversity Integration Association (NADIA) is accepting script submissions for a new play or musical to be recorded and presented as a staged reading in their Spring 2021 Amplified Currents Festival of the Arts, which will be held online, April 17th-25th, 2021. Deadline to submit is Friday, March 5th, 2021.

Length: One-Act
Genre: Any
Playwright Location: United States
Deadline: Friday, March 5th, 2021 12PM EST

• Piece should be no longer than 75 minutes long
• Have a cast no larger than 10
• Should be actor/story forward
• Should incorporate music in some way 
• Should be unpublished and have limited or no production history 
• Should include a character breakdown as well as a brief synopsis

NADIA is committed to investing in the work of and supporting artists who have been historically excluded in the arts, especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. BIPOC writers and creatives are particularly encouraged to submit. 

Please note: There are no submission fees, nor is there a fee to be a part of the festival. This is a paid opportunity, and all artists involved will receive a stipend for their time and talent. 

Playwrights will be responsible for travel expenses should they choose to join us for any part of the in-person recording process, which will take place in New York, NY in the beginning of April.

NADIA is a non-profit organization based in New York City dedicated to coordinating the research, development, and implementation of industry-wide anti-discriminatory practices. NADIA supports a diverse group of project leaders and artists who are looking to think critically and discover new ways to produce culturally conscious art in order to develop practices that are equitable, inclusive, and sustainable.

For more information about NADIA, submissions, or our past work, visit www.nadiaconnects.org or reach out to nadiaconnectsinfo@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

NEW WORKS FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS 2021

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Deadline: March 31, 2021

Cincinnati LAB Theatre’s 2021 New Works Festival Play Submissions are now open! Cincinnati LAB Theatre is planning its eighth producing season and is now accepting submissions to fill staged reading slots for its New Works Festival in the summer of 2021. It is our hope that we will be able to produce theatre in-person in July of 2021, but if we are still unable to do so due to COVID-19 we will hold our New Works Festival completely remote again to protect the health and safety of our artists as well as our patrons.

To be considered for a staged reading a playwright must submit an original, unpublished, fully realized script of at least 30 minutes in length. 

Only plays with no more than 6 characters will be accepted. 

Playwrights must be available to be present for at least 50% of the workshop/rehearsal process and during at least one performance. 

Submissions will be accepted December 11, 2020 through March 31st, 2021. 

Submissions will be accepted by emailing a script to cincinnatilabtheatre@gmail.com. 

Please attach the script to the email as a portable document file (.pdf) or as a Microsoft Word file (.doc). In the body of the email, please include the playwright’s full contact information and a short synopsis of the play being submitted. Furthermore, if the play has been previously workshopped and/or had a staged reading, please provide all the pertinent details of the workshop and/or reading. 

Please feel free to contact one of the artistic directors directly by emailing us at cincinnatilabtheatre@gmail.comif you have any questions for concerns. 

We are looking forward to reading your pieces!

NYCP DISCOUNT! Writing for Zoom & Fundamentals of Playwriting

March is almost here and so is the start of some exciting online classes at Primary Stages ESPA! Whether you want to get back to the basics with Fundamentals of Playwriting or delve into the new art form that is Writing for Zoom, take $100 off each of these classes using the code NYCP at checkout as our gift to you!

Writing for Zoom - STARTS MARCH 1! 

USE CODE NYCP TO TAKE $100 OFF THE RETURNING STUDENT RATE FOR A TOTAL OF $300 ENROLLMENT

Instructor: Lia Romeo (Writer, The Forest at O'Neill Playwrights Conference/NNPN Rolling World Premiere; 4-time Kilroy's List writer)

With theaters around the world closed due to COVID, many companies are turning to digital streaming for readings and productions - and even when we’re able to perform in person, this virtual form is here to stay. But plays that are written for the stage do not always translate when they're done on Zoom. Playwriting for Zoom is a brand new art form, with its own rules, limitations, and (yes!) advantages. It isn't the first art form that's arisen in response to the constraints of a particular moment, and it won't be the last. In this 5-week class, learn how to write for this new virtual and socially distant platform.

 

Fundamentals of Playwriting - STARTS MARCH 3!

USE CODE NYCP TO TAKE $100 OFF THE RETURNING STUDENT RATE FOR A TOTAL OF $380 ENROLLMENT

Instructor: Dennis A. Allen II (Writer and Director, Atlantic Theater Co, National Black Theatre, The Lark)

If you're just stepping into the world of playwriting, welcome! In this 8-week class, you will build a toolbox of the fundamentals, so your first play (and each play you write after that!) can be built on a strong foundation.

To receive the NYCP discount, click the Enroll button on the websites above. In your shopping cart, use the code NYCP in the Add Promo Code box and click Apply. Then check out as normal!

Spring classes begin in February. Start and end dates vary. Click here for the full list of writing classes.

Our award-winning faculty, comprised of working professionals in the field, provides practical skills and expert guidance in a collaborative community atmosphere. 

Primary Stages ESPA provides students easy and convenient payment plans to break up tuition. For more information, call 212.840.9705 x215 or email espa@primarystages.org.

Studio Players Annual 10-Minute Play Festival

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Deadline: March 2, 2021

or until 300 entries are received

Studio Players, Kentucky’s Oldest Community-Involved Theater, located in Lexington, is proud to announce their Annual 10-Minute Play Festival, to be performed in July 2021. This event is growing yearly, with vibrant public response and Donor/Sponsor support.

We are looking for 7 strong plays to feature so, once again, we are holding a competition. This competition is for 10-minute plays only; it is open to any playwright. There is NO submission fee. The judges will be members of the Studio Players theater community: board members, directors and patrons. The rules are simple and are as follows:

1. Any playwright may enter; only one script per playwright.

2. The play must be a 10-minute play (meaning it will be approximately 10 pages long (dialogue). If it’s a monologue/one-person piece, it should come in under 10 pages).

3. All plays should be emailed, with a separate cover page, with: play's title, author's name, email address, mailing address and phone number. The play itself should only have the title; no identifying information contained in or on the 10-page script.

4. To be considered, each script must be received by March 2, 2021. 

5. The contest is open to the first 300 entries received.

6. Winning entrants agree to a full production of their scripts and video recording and presentation of their scripts. (Given the ongoing and fluid situation with covid-19, we are planning to offer the Play Fest as a virtual/livestream production. However, this doesn’t change what we’re looking for in terms of script submissions)

That's it! The top 7 scripts (as determined by the judges) will be performed by active members of the Bluegrass theater community. Each play will be a fully realized, virtual production; each performance showing all winning scripts. The 7 Selected playwrights will each receive $200 in prize money.

All entries should be sent to: sweftdart@yahoo.com with "10-min play fest" in the header.

Mixing It Up Productions Spring 2021 Full-length Playwriting Contest

web site

DEADLINE: Friday, May 21, 2021

Mixing It Up Productions encourages playwrights to take this opportunity to introduce their scripts to our judges’ panel of theatre professionals and receive recognition for their work.
Please carefully read and follow our submission requirements and guidelines below.

Note: Plays that do not meet these requirements will not be eligible for consideration.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• This contest is limited to the first 100 qualifying full length play submissions.
• Plays must be between 70-115 pages.
• No notifications will be sent to playwrights whose scripts arrive after the first 100 play submissions have been received or the deadline for submission has passed.
• Scripts must be original and in English.
• Adaptations are ineligible.
• Submissions are limited to one script per playwright.
• No musicals will be accepted.
• Scripts that have been produced by Equity or professional companies or published are ineligible.
• Scripts that have had a workshop or reading are acceptable.
• Plays may be in any genre i.e. drama, comedy, youth.
• Plays that have been previously submitted to this company’s contests are ineligible.
• Entries received after the May 21st deadline will not be considered.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Please use MIU Contest 2021 in your email’s subject line.

Your email should include two attachments:

1. The submission must begin with a separate attachment of a cover page that includes the work’s title and the playwright’s name, address, telephone number, and email.

2. A separate attachment for the script must also include a title page with the title, genre, and number of pages of dialogue. (Please omit your personal information from the title page of the script and throughout the script to preserve anonymity).

• All submissions will be judged with the playwright’s name withheld.
• Scripts must be standard sized in PDF format.
• Standard Dramatists Guild format is preferred with pages numbered.
• No changes or resubmissions may be made once a script has been submitted.
• Any extraneous information such as the play’s history or the playwright’s bio should not be included in your submission.

SELECTION PROCESS:
The first 100 qualifying submissions will receive a confirmation email.
A panel of judges will consist of writers, directors, producers, and theater enthusiasts.
Contest winners will be posted on our Mixing It Up Productions’ website.
Playwrights will not receive written or oral critiques on scripts submitted.

PRIZES:

First Prize: A 30 Minute Virtual Meeting with a Broadway or Off-Broadway Playwright or Producer

Second Prize: A year’s membership to the Dramatists’ Guild

Third Prize: A year’s subscription to Broadway HD

Please send the requested materials via email to mixingitupprod@gmail.com with the subject line MIU Contest 2021 by Friday, May 21st.

JETFEST 2021

web site

Deadline: April 30, 2021 at 11:59 PM

Members of the Dramatists Guild do not have to pay a fee with a membership card and hard copy.

JET encourages all playwrights 18 and over to submit their work. JET's main stage programming is wide-ranging, including comedies, dramas, and plays that often reflect issues of family, community, and humanity. Use our past productions as a guide and if you have questions, contact us at 248-788-2900.

Entry must be a full-length original work or adaptation with a minimum running time of 85 minutes that has not been produced prior to the festival in 2022. Maximum cast size of 10. Staged readings/workshop productions are not disqualifying factors.

Submissions will be accepted January 1, 2021 - April 30, 2021 at 11:59 PM, verified by postmark or time stamp.

SCRIPTS

Hard Copy: Submit a copy of your script, securely bound, typed in standard play format, with pages numbered. Include a list of characters/descriptions, scene breakdown, and a brief synopsis of your play. Your script should be accompanied by a cover letter, including playwright contact information (name, address, phone number, e-mail address) and playwright biography. Musicals must include a demo CD. If applicable, also submit a photocopy of your Dramatists Guild membership card.

Email: Attach a PDF file of your script, and a second PDF file that includes character list/descriptions, scene breakdown, brief synopsis, playwright bio, and contact information. Email to: by 11:59 pm, April 30, 2021. A mandatory $15 printing fee is payable by phone at 248-788-2900. No email submission will be considered without payment of this fee.

Please note that entries that do not comply with our guidelines will not be accepted. If you would like acknowledgement of receipt, please attach a self-addressed stamped postcard.

CONSENT
The playwright gives the JET Theatre permission to photocopy scripts for reading/production purposes. Should your script be selected as one of the finalists, you are encouraged to attend the readings and talk backs. Finalists must acknowledge JET if the script is published.

AWARDS
Each of the four finalists will receive a $250 honorarium. No other expenses will be paid.

SELECTION PROCESS
Each entry is guaranteed a minimum of 2 evaluations. The committee narrows down the entries to 15 – 20, which are read by the entire committee who then select the finalists.

NOTIFICATION
Finalists will be notified no later than December 31, 2021.


SUBMIT TO

Mail:

JET Theatre
JETFest
1124 E. West Maple Road
Walled Lake, MI 48390

Email: c.bremer@jettheatre.org

QUESTIONS?
248.788.2900

INDEMNIFICATION
The Playwright/Submitter agrees (by submission) to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the JET Theatre, its Adjudicators, Board of Directors and volunteers from any and all damages, liability, and claims, arising from the submission, production or elimination/disqualification of their submitted work.

Call for Original Audio Scripts

Visit The Arlington Players website here: https://www.thearlingtonplayers.org/
Visit the Little Theatre of Alexandria here: http://thelittletheatre.com/

Deadline: March 8, 2021

In a joint project between the Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA) New Voices Series and The Arlington Players (TAP), we are looking for your original 40-60 minute Audio scripts. Our call is open until March 8, 2021. It is free to submit and no pay is provided. We will select one show to be performed in May. We are hoping to broadcast a recorded performance on a local radio station, but if not possible, we will air via Zoom.

THEME
We do not have a specific theme other than the play must be an audio script. Any genre is welcome. 

Questions? Email newtheatervoices@gmail.com

Submit here: https://forms.gle/EcPbq5yZzB6fBnCt6

SCRIPT REQUIREMENTS

• Must be an original work, although it can have been performed in other places.
• Must have a run time of between 40-60 minutes, no intermission. Scripts with run times outside of this will not be considered.
• As we are attempting to have this broadcast on a local radio station, scripts can not contain strong language, or authors must be open to the exclusion of any strong language in the script. 
• No musicals/scripts with music/movement pieces will be accepted at this time--no exceptions. Anything else is fair game.

BEFORE YOU SUBMIT

• We accept scripts from writers of any age. In the event that two scripts are of otherwise equal quality, we will give priority to any writer under 40. You may choose not to identify if you are under or over 40, but will not be given the under-40 preference as a tie-breaker in that case. 
• Up to 3 scripts may be submitted per playwright.
• 10 pages of the winning script will be posted online during the audition call in a google doc so that actors may familiarize themselves with the material. The author may select these pages or may ask us to select for them.

THE PROCESS

• Scripts must be submitted in blind PDF format by March 8, 2021. No late or incomplete entries will be considered.
• All scripts will receive a notification if they are finalists or not by April. The top five scripts will move on to an in-person reading of the selection committee.
• One script will be selected. The winner will be notified in April 2021. 

The winner agrees that no rights of any kind will be paid for this performance and that New Voices/TAP will bear the sole responsibility of selecting the director and any/all cast and crew. New Voices/TAP will also be responsible for paying all expenses for the mounting of this show. New Voices/TAP will not pay for the playwright to travel to DC, but will provide the playwright with performance time/station if on the radio or access to the zoom performance if done by that medium. The winner also agrees that no other theater in DC, MD or VA will be allowed to perform the play from the time of selection through June 2021.

To submit a show: https://forms.gle/czhy1w5cHEjfiJQm6
Any questions, please contact newtheatervoices@gmail.com.

ABOUT US
This is a collaboration between The Arlington Players and New Voices, which is is a project of NextGenLTA who represents those under 40 who act, tech, direct and enjoy theater at the Little Theatre of Alexandria. New Voices puts on performances of original works with directors under 40. The Arlington Players produces artistically challenging theater in the grand style, cultivating an environment of artistic excellence and education for artists, audiences and the community of Arlington County, Virginia, by providing opportunities to advance knowledge, skills and participation in the theater arts.

NEW VISIONS FELLOWSHIP - A YEARLONG RESIDENCY FOR BLACK TRANS AND GENDER NONCONFORMING PLAYWRIGHTS

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Deadline: March 5, 2021 6pm EST

This Spring, National Queer Theater and the Dramatists Guild are launching the New Visions Fellowship, an innovative new program for Black trans and gender nonconforming playwrights. The New Visions Fellowship will select two playwrights for a rigorous year-long professional development initiative aimed at celebrating the brilliance of and uplifting Black TGNC writers in the face of the systemic exclusion that Black TGNC writers have endured within American theater.

We believe the New Visions Fellowship is essential because of its opportunity to create space for the Black and queer imagination, a perspective long and consistently forced to take a backseat to “safer” LGBT stories in American culture, and even American queer culture.

The curriculum of traditional artistic conservatory programs is heavily influenced by a white, cisgender male patriarchal perspective, particularly centering on male-identifying writers from both the classical and modern eras. Our program seeks to help remedy the exclusionary bias that riddles traditional channels of training and mentorship.


ABOUT THIS PROGRAM

The fellows will be paired with a primary mentor and supplemental mentor figures who will guide writers through the development of a play, musical, or performance experience of their design and choosing. Roger Q. Mason, pictured above, will serve as one of the primary mentors. In addition, writers will have the opportunity to participate in professional development sessions covering a wide range of artistic topics. The fellows will also receive access to Dramatists Guild contracts, business advice and career services for the purpose of aiding fellows in protecting both the artistic and economic integrity of their work. These workshops will help writers broker relationships with Off-Broadway or regional theaters. A theater will host a professionally cast and directed reading of their play at the end of the program. Selected fellows will receive $5,000 and a three-year complimentary Guild membership.

APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM

Applications are due on March 5th at 6pm EST. 

Please click this link to apply. 

This program is specifically for Black playwrights who identify as trans or gender nonconforming.

Call for Pirandellian Dramaturgies

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Deadline: March 15, 2021

PSA, the Journal of the Pirandello Society of America (https://www.pirandellosociety.org), seeks submissions of short dramatic pieces (5 to 30 minutes of expected performance time) inspired by the theatre and literary works of Luigi Pirandello, for publication in the next or future issues and potential production. Scripts should be previously unpublished and unproduced.

An essential requirement is that proposed contributions both reinterpret and clearly reference a specific work or more by Pirandello, be it a play, short story, novel, or essay. The connection could take several forms: development or updating of an existing scene/play by Pirandello, background on a character demonstrated through monologue or dialogue, theatre within the theatre, transformation for different media or site-specific performance, dramatization of a prose piece, dialogue between characters from different works, alternative endings, alternative casting, engagement with a contemporary issue, etc.

Accepted scripts will be considered for actual production, either digitally or as staged reading/full performance in the context of a post-pandemic Pirandello festival.

Proposals related to Six Characters in Search of An Author should be e-mailed by March 15, 2021 to psa2017conference@gmail.com and, if accepted, will be published on the next thematic issue (XXXIII, 2020); all others will be scheduled for publication in the following issue (XIV, 2021).

Central Kentucky Community Theater 10 Minute Play Festival Script Submissions

web site

Deadline: April 1, 2021 12PM

THEY HAVE MET THEIR SCRIPT CUT-OFF OF 100 - DO NOT SEND

Submission for scripts should adhere to the following guidelines

- Have a run time of 10 minutes

- No more than 3 characters

- Appropriate language and subject matter for all audiences
​
Submissions need to be submitted no later than

12:00pm April 1st

Submission for scripts should adhere to the following guidelines 

- Have a run time of 10 minutes

- No more than 3 characters 

- Appropriate language and subject matter for all audiences

The top seven submissions will be produced in a readers theatre style. Being recorded and presented virtually throughout the week of May 22-29.

Submissions will be scored in the following areas.

-Originality of concept and story

-Lasting impression and how memorable it is

-Does it make its audience feel some strong emotion

The top seven will then be ranked based on audience response with the top three recieving cash prizes in the following amounts.

First place $100

Second Place $75

Third Place $50

Fourth through seventh will be awarded non monetary prizes. 

All submissions must be sent to  in a .pdf format. Please include "10 minute play" in the subject line of the email.


Good Luck!

The FRESH FRUIT FESTIVAL of New LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, and QUEER ARTS and CULTURE

web site

Deadline: March 8, 2021

A CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS – NEW YORK CITY* Playwrights

The FRESH FRUIT FESTIVAL of New LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, and QUEER ARTS and CULTURE

ALL OUT ARTS is now accepting submissions for the DEVELOPMENTAL PLAY READINGS, an “OUTwrite” Series, a part of the 2020-2021 Fresh Fruit Festival. Application deadline is Monday, March 8, 2021. 3 to 4 plays will be selected for presentation in Spring 2021. Authors are encouraged to submit early; we understand these are drafts, and expect revisions. Jump-To-Submission-Form

Readings will be widely advertised, and hosted on a wide-band virtual Webinar with an audience Q&A following. Authors will receive a $100 stipend toward their expenses.

*New York City regional artists who have temporarily relocated due to the Coronavirus epidemic, or for workshops, jobs, etc., please submit a note of explanation with your submission.

This program is supported in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs & the New York City Council.

WE WILL PROVIDE:

• Stipends, adjusted accordingly if you also incur Union performing-artist expense.
• Limited Virtual rehearsal space if you do not have a paid account.
• Dramaturgical advice upon request for specific problems.
• Technical Advice and Training on the Webinar format, including free Sound & Video consultations based on your early virtual rehearsals. We expect technical rules to be followed to provide a consistent quality for attendees.
• A full-color program, both printed and in a free PDF-file format, made available online.
• Area-wide advertising, with an option for National advertising upon request.

AUTHORS WILL PROVIDE:

1. A fully-cast, fully rehearsed, “virtual” reading of NEW work in development, dealing with some aspects of LGBTQ life
2. A Director AND a Stage Manager (important for the high degree of technical awareness needed in the Virtual format).
3. All Out Arts is a non-discriminatory, equal opportunity presenter. For 20 years we have presented works by artists from all the performing and graphic arts from every known (and a few unknown) corners of the LGBTQ world, regardless of race, ethnicity, or faith. We advise diverse and inclusive casting, and sensitivity to BIPOC origins and cultures.

Please submit a recent draft of the work in progress with a synopsis & full cast breakdown; a basic bio; and if you like, a description of your goals and concerns with this current work.

SUBMISSION FORM

Capital Theatre seeks submissions from new and established Black playwrights

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SUBMISSION FORM

Capital Theatre in Frankfort, Kentucky is now accepting submissions from new and established Black playwrights and musical writers/composers for the 2021-2022 season and future seasons. Visit www.capitaltheatre.net for more information about submissions. Submissions are open year round.

Capital Theatre is a Black-owned theatre company located in the heart of Downtown Frankfort, Kentucky. Our goal is to tell the stories of the Black experience through live theatre. Our shows will not only feature works of prominent Black playwrights, but of up and coming writers as well. We strive to create a space in which anybody can come and enjoy live theatre.

All Submissions are treated as confidential. Due to the number of submissions we are not able to respond to every submission and will only respond to ones that we are interested in.

Main Street Players New Play Competition

Facebook page

Deadline: March 1, 2021 at 12 AM EST

MSP's Annual New Play Competition has begun! We are accepting submissions now through March 1.
The winner of the competition will be given a staged reading by MSP at the Main Street Playhouse as part of the South Florida Theatre League's Summer Theatre Fest

Play Submission Requirements:

• We are accepting One Act or Full Length plays, with one submission per playwright.
• The competition has an overall 100 play submission cap. 
• To submit your play for the competition please send a PDF of your play via email to: angelinaesposito3@gmail.com

Christopher Hewitt Award 2021

web site

Deadline: June 15, 2021

Magazine is currently accepting entries for the eighth annual Christopher Hewitt Award. Named in honor of A&U’s first literary editor, the award showcases outstanding responses to the AIDS pandemic and the realities of individuals living with or affected by HIV/AIDS in the genres of fiction, poetry, drama, and creative nonfiction.

Prize: $75
Entry fee: None
Submission deadline: June 15, 2021
Judges: Winners will be selected by the following judges, by category.
Poetry: Philip F. Clark
Fiction: Raymond Luczak
Creative Nonfiction: Jay Vithalani
Drama: Bruce Ward

Publication: Winners and named runners-up will be published in upcoming issues of A&U.

How to Submit: Email Word (.doc or .docx files) of your work to Managing Editor Chael Needle by emailing chaelneedle [at] mac [dot] com. Please indicate in the subject line that your submission is for the Christopher Hewitt Award; include your name and genre in the subject line as well. Your name or any other personal identifying information should not appear on your manuscript. Multiple submissions are accepted, but please submit each separately.
Guidelines: All submissions must be HIV/AIDS-related and previously unpublished. All styles are welcomed. Writers may submit more than one work.

Fiction and creative nonfiction should be 1,200 words or fewer, double-spaced. Reasonable exceptions will be considered.

Drama may be an excerpt from a longer work or a ten-minute play (1,400-1,600 words, no more than ten pages, Dramatists Guild format). For drama excerpts, include, on a separate page, a synopsis and a full cast of characters.

We reserve the right to excerpt longer pieces for print, in consultation with the author; works in their entirety will be printed on the web.

Rights: We secure first North American serial rights and electronic archival rights (posting on the Web and in digital issues).

If any genre lacks a clear winner, fewer than four awards may be given. All entries will be considered for publication.

Geneva Theatre Guild is now accepting submissions of original one-act play scripts

web site

Deadline: February 14, 2021

The Geneva Theatre Guild is now accepting submissions of original one-act play scripts with a running time of 30 minutes or less for the annual Playwrights Play Readings event. Last year over 3,000 patrons watched the plays presented over zoom via Facebook LIVE. This year the Play Readings will again be held live online for a series of Thursday evenings beginning April 22nd.

All selected playwrights will be invited to participate in a talk-back session after each performance with the cast and director of each play, giving writers of all ages the chance to not only experience the actors' interpretations of their work but to receive audience feedback in real time.

The deadline for submissions is February 14th. All submissions will be given a blind review by a play selection committee who will choose the works to be presented this season. All playwrights will be notified of the selections by March 17th. This year there is a separate category for college age submissions. One play will be selected from this category.

The guidelines for all submissions are as follows:

Plays should be submitted electronically in PDF format to Geneva Theatre Guild seasonplanninggtg@gmail.com. 

 If you are unable to submit electronically, mail four copies of your script, unbound in a folder. If you want your scripts returned, please include a self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage. Plays can be mailed to the Geneva Theatre Guild, P.O. Box 424, Geneva, NY 14456

Limit - one play, which cannot have been published and has not previously been submitted to the Geneva Theatre Guild’s Playwrights Play Readings.

The number of submissions accepted will be cut off after the first 150 have been received.

Title page should include the title of the play playwrights name, address, phone number, email address and approximate running time of the play.

Include a brief synopsis of the plot, setting, and a list of characters before the first page of dialogue.

All pages must be numbered starting with the first page of dialogue on page one.

Auditions for Playwrights Play Readings will be held via Zoom on March 31st. Further information about auditions will be released in March. Please contact us at genevatheatreguild.org with any questions.

Carl Annoni Prize 2021

web site

Deadline: APRIL 30 2021


The prize is promoted by Radovan Corrado Spanger, Associazione Premio Carlo Annoni and sponsored by Comune di Milano, ELFO Puccini di Milano, C.I.G. ARCIGAY Milano, Festival MIX Milano, Teatro Filodrammatici Milano, Rassegna teatrale Lecite Visioni, Outis Centro Nazionale di drammaturgia contemporanea, Teatro della Cooperativa, Teatri di Vita, Agedo.

Art. 2 PARTICIPANTS

It is opened to any individual interested in the topic, with no age restrictions.

Art. 3 REGISTRATION FEE

We don’t require a registration fee.

Art. 4 PLAYS

There is no length or character numbers limitation. Plays can be submitted in Italian and English . An award will be assigned to one play in each language.

ART. 5 THEME OF THE COMPETITION

Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize accepts plays on topics affecting the LGBTQ+ community, and the promotion of diversity in love, society, politics and culture.

Art. 6 PARTICIPATION RULES

When submitting your play, please state clearly the author’s name, their email address and a phone number for any further communication.

Submission must be sent by email only to:

info@premiocarloannoni.eu.

Art. 7 DEADLINE

Deadline for submissions is 30st APRIL 2021. The award ceremony will be in September 2021.

Art. 8 EVALUATION

The plays will be assessed by a jury selected by the organisers. Plays will be assessed for their creative contents, their form, their pertinence with the topics, and their social impact. The results will be unanimous and unappealable. The winners will be notified with a phone call and/or an email.

The competition is valid if at least five texts in each language are received.

Art. 9 AWARD CEREMONY

Winners will be proclaimed in a public ceremony. The results will also be proclaimed through the press and other social media. More information about dates and location will be provided in due course.

Art. 10 PRICE

The prize is € 1000. A prize will be assigned for each language.

Special Mentions:
SHORT PLAY: a special mention will be given to a short play of a maximum of 10 minutes length.
COMEDY: a special mention will be offered to a comedy play on relationship life.
ASYLUM SEEKERS: a special mention will be given to a play on the topic of asylum-seeking for those persecuted for their sexual orientation.


Art. 11 COPYRIGHT

The author will maintain the rights over the play.

Art. 12 FULL ACCEPTANCE OF THE RULES

The artists submitting their plays must abide fully to the rules.

Joining Sword & Pen Seeking Playwrights of Marginalized Genders

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Deadline: February 18, 2021

Chicago

Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s Joining Sword & Pen (JS&P) competition is live and underway! Since 2005, JS&P has challenged playwrights to write a full-length play based on the story they see in our contest image. The winner receives a full production and the Margaret Woolley Martin Award, which carries a cash prize of $1000.

This year’s image and competition rules may be found here:
babeswithblades.org/jsp-how-to-submit/

We’re seeking 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.

What We’re Looking For

1. The moment depicted in the inspirational image at the bottom of this page must be physically dramatized/incorporated into the play. We want to (literally) perform that moment on stage. Include the page number of your script where the contest’s image is depicted in your submission email.

2. Scripts must be inclusive of the BIPOC community. Whether the script 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.

3. Submissions are due NO LATER than midnight February 18, 2021.

4. All JS&P submissions must be 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 and we will not contact you. Please do not insert the contest image into an existing script.

5. Please email your JS&P submission in a PDF file to swordandpen@babeswithblades.org. The filename must start with the title of the play (ex. “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. “Last Daughter of Oedipus, The.pdf”).


IMPORTANT: This will be a BLIND SUBMISSION PROCESS.

Script submissions for JS&P accepted between August 5, 2020 and February 18, 2021. Want more info? Contact swordandpen@babeswithblades.org.

Joining Sword & Pen winners receive full productions with the Babes.

Check out the full list of Joining Sword & Pen winners.

Your email submission should contain two separate attachments:

 a) Your cover page. INCLUDE:

• The play’s title
• Playwright’s name and full contact information (phone numbers, email, mailing address).

 b) Your script. INCLUDE:

• The page number on which the contest’s image is incorporated.
• A synopsis.
• A character list specifying the gender of each character. “Open gender” is an option. If it’s important that a character is cisgender or transgender, please specify this.
• If it’s important that a character is of a particular racial/ethnic background (including white), please specify this. Characters of unspecified racial/ethnic background will not be automatically assumed to be white.

DO NOT INCLUDE ANY contact information, of any kind, in the body of your script. An author’s identity will only be revealed to the ensemble once a selection has been made.


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 Spring 2023 (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

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 look forward to hearing your stories!!

PLEASE NOTE: The image for the competition can be found on our website. Please do not select your own prompts.

11th Annual Short Play Festival, Native Voices 2021-2022

web site

Deadline: June 7, 2021

*Please note that we only accept submissions written for the stage or theatre by American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and First Nations artists.

For the 11th Annual Short Play Festival, Native Voices wants to know What is Home? For so many around the world this past year, “Home” – literal or metaphorical – has become the centerpiece of many of our lives.

What is Home? Is it a structure? Is it where you are? Or where you come from? Is it the communities in which you surround yourself, or the communities that shaped you?

At Native Voices, we understand and appreciate all the complexities that make up your “home”. Is “home” your ancestral lands? Does it live in the hearts and minds of your communities? Does it live with your Aunties and cousins? Or maybe, is “home” your studio apartment or your suitcase? Has your notion of ‘home” changed in the past year? We want to know: What’s your story? What is your home?

We want to hear from you! Share with us a glimpse of home. The only limitation is that your play must be no longer than 10-minutes. For ten minutes, you can take the audience on any journey you want. We cannot wait to see what you bring to life!

Plays chosen to participate in the 11th Annual Short Play Festival will also be entered to win the Von Marie Atchley Excellence in Playwriting award – a $1,000 cash prize!!

Scripts longer than 15 pages or read aloud at longer than 10 minutes will not be accepted. Fresh, surprising perspectives are welcome, and unique theatricality is a must.

Some ideas to spark the imagination are:

• Sovereignty
• Traditional Homelands
• Language Keepers
• Passing On Traditions 
• Family
• Friends 
• Diaspora/ Removals
• Urban/ Rural/ Reservation/ Village
• Coming Home/ Leaving Home
• Homesickness
• Boarding schools and assimilation
• Protecting Home/ Environment

Full-Length Plays

Deadline: August 2, 2021

Native Voices is currently accepting submissions of full-length plays (60+ pages) by American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and First Nations playwrights addressing all themes and topics.
2022 Playwrights Retreat and 28th Festival of New Plays

The Retreat and Festival bring artists to Los Angeles to work on 3–4 plays through a rigorous directorial and dramaturgical commitment for 8–10 days in May/June. The Retreat culminates in public staged readings of the plays at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles and La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. Selected playwrights receive artistic support as well as an honorarium; out-of-town artists receive roundtrip airfare plus lodging in Southern California.

Selection Process: Full-length plays (60+ pages) received by August 2, 2021 will be read and evaluated. A select number of playwrights will be invited to submit formal proposals detailing their developmental goals should their play be chosen for the short list. Scripts will then be sent to a committee of nationally recognized theatre artists for further evaluation. With their help, Native Voices selects up to four plays for the Playwrights Retreat and Festival of New Plays. Playwrights will be notified in February 2022.
A Note About the Native Voices Distance Dramaturgy Process

Months prior to residencies, selected playwrights participate in dramaturgical conversations with an assigned director and dramaturg. Workshops with these creative teams and a cast of professional actors commence once the playwright arrives on-site. It is important to note that these conversations and workshops are playwright driven, allowing the writer to shape their own developmental path. Selected playwrights should be prepared to dedicate adequate time to this process prior to arriving on-site.
2022 OPEN Submission for Production Consideration

We accept scripts all year long. Do you have a full-length script that has been developed and produced that you’d like us to consider for a future Native Voices production in Los Angeles? Please follow the Checklist for All Submissions below and in the Native Voices Script Submission form check the box for 2022 General Production Consideration.
Checklist for All Submissions

Please label script attachment as follows: PlayTitle_Author’s Last Name, First Initial (Example: MyNewPlay_Doe, J.doc).

All submissions must conform to a standard play-script format (one-inch margins, #12 Times or Courier font, all pages numbered).

Include a title page with full contact information (mailing address, phone numbers, e-mail address) and a draft or revision date.

Include a character breakdown at the beginning of your script.

Provide a biography of 75–100 words. Please label attachment as follows: Bio_Author’s Last Name, First Initial (Example: Bio_Doe, J.doc).

Provide a press ready photo of at least 300dpi. Please label attachment as follows: Photo_Author’s Last Name, First Initial (Example: Photo_Doe, J.doc).

Provide development history for the play. Label attachment as follows: DevHistory_PlayTitle_Author’s Last Name, First Initial (Example: DevHistory_MyNewPlay_Doe, J.doc).

To submit, fill out our online form and upload your submission materials here: Native Voices Script Submission Form

Please do not send treatments or outlines. Previously submitted plays should only be resubmitted if the play has undergone significant dramatic changes. Previously produced plays should be submitted under the 2022 General Submission for Production Consideration. Plays that are not selected are kept on file for consideration for future opportunities. Playwrights are encouraged to make multiple submissions (up to three per event), but selection will be limited to only one play per playwright, per event.
Where to Send Submissions

We now only accept electronic submission (preferably PDF format).

To submit, fill out our online form and upload your materials here: Native Voices Script Submission Form

For More Information:

NVLiterary@theautry.org
Facebook.com/NativeVoices
Twitter.com/NativeVoices