2018 NATIONAL CALL FOR SCRIPTS Environ Justice

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INNER VOICES Social Issues Theatre at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (“University”) is now accepting submissions for its Spring 2018 National Call for Scripts.

INNER VOICES Social Issues Theatre is sponsored by the Counseling Center and co-sponsored by Illinois Theatre at the University of Illinois.

INNER VOICES Social Issues Theatre addresses complex, timely and often difficult social issues that connect deeply to the university communities and beyond, through performances followed by post-performance audience dialogues. Recognizing the event of live theatre as a rare and non-trivial dynamic juncture in a social space occupied not only by people but also by possibility, INNER VOICES Social Issues Theatre commits itself to the cultivation of this social space for rich civic dialogue vital to the wellness of community. With an eye on civic engagement and social justice, INNER VOICES concerns itself with where and how change might be made.

The 2018 Call for Script will explicitly focus on the theme of Social Justice as Environmental Justice. The possible topics might include such things as food deserts, environmental hazards, recycling, sustainable architecture, water and energy issues, and the impact of these on mental health and well being, etc. (hereafter, “Theme”)

This call for script is initiated by INNER VOICES Social Issues Theatre, and supported by Student Sustainability Committee at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

An award will be given to those playwrights whose scripts comply with the guidelines and are selected. Decisions of the panelists shall be final.


We are looking for scripts in two categories:

A. Ten-Minute play: up to six will be selected, $700.00 will be awarded per selected winning script

B. Forty-Minute play: up to three will be selected, $1,500.00 will be awarded per selected winning script


Playwrights (hereafter, “Entrant(s)”) must be 18 years or older and residents of the United States.

Scripts must be submitted by no later than 11:59 pm on March 15, 2018. No late submissions will be accepted.

Script Submission Requirements.

A.  Entrants must complete the attached application along with his/her/their submission.  If there is more than one playwright for one submission, each playwright will need to complete the application.

B.  Each script must be original, unproduced, and not an adaptation or translation of an existing work and the submitted script must address the Theme. Addressing an issue does not necessarily mean bringing the issue to resolution. We value work that brings up the conditions of a social issue in a unique, complete and complex way.

C. Entrants must specify in the application whether the submission is for the Ten-Minute play or the Forty-Minute play. Ten-Minute plays should have 1 to 5 characters. Forty-Minute plays should have 3 to 8 characters.

D. For each Entrant, only one Forty-Minute play or two Ten-Minute plays or one of each is permitted.

E. While not a requirement, humor is welcome as is non-traditional utilization of theatrical form.

F. Each submission must be in Adobe Acrobat PDF form and hard copies will not be accepted.

G. Each submission must include the Entrant’s contact information, including, name title of the play, address, phone number, and email address. If there is more than one playwright as an Entrant for one submission, please identify all of the playwrights but designate one person person as the Entrant representative for purposes of contact information and any questions concerning the script.

Judging.  Submissions shall be judged by three to five University students and staff who have an interest and expertise in theatre and/or the Theme on the following criteria: meeting all of the administrative requirements in the submission guidelines, the feasibility of producing the script by INNER VOICES, the originality and compelling use of the theatrical form and structure of the script, and the capacity for original and compelling theatrical execution. By submitting your script, you give INNER VOICES the right to evaluate and compare your scripts against other scripts in order to choose the winning scripts. Up to six scripts will be selected as winning scripts for the Ten-Minute play and up to three scripts will be selected as winning scripts for the Forty-Minute play. The panelists decision on the winning scripts for each category shall be in their sole discretion and final.

Winning Script.   The winning script(s) for each category (the Ten-Minute play and the Forty-Minute play) will be used by INNER VOICES for the production and public performance of a play. However, the selection of a script does not guaranty its production by INNER VOICES Social Issues Theatre. Should the play be brought to production, a best efforts attempt will be made to inform the winning Entrant of its performance dates. The winners shall be announced on May 1st, 2017.  The scripts that are not selected shall be destroyed by the University.

Note: All scripts will be read, however, we are unable to provide individual feedback on scripts.

Guidelines and Submission Form

Email entries and application to: ivsitcall2018@mx.uillinois.edu