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Deadline: April 26, 2020
In his cartoons for The New Yorker, James Stevenson told stories about the human comedy with energy and economy. Returning for its third consecutive year, Playing on Air’s Stevenson Prize will honor three original comedies that perpetuate Mr. Stevenson's spirit and wit, bringing the finest new American short plays to a national audience.
The Prize is made possible through the generosity and vision of Josie Merck, James Stevenson's wife. For submission details, read on below.
FIRST PRIZE
$6,000 award, plus a Playing on Air recording of the winning play for radio and podcast distribution
In his cartoons for The New Yorker, James Stevenson told stories about the human comedy with energy and economy. Returning for its third consecutive year, Playing on Air’s Stevenson Prize will honor three original comedies that perpetuate Mr. Stevenson's spirit and wit, bringing the finest new American short plays to a national audience.
The Prize is made possible through the generosity and vision of Josie Merck, James Stevenson's wife. For submission details, read on below.
FIRST PRIZE
$6,000 award, plus a Playing on Air recording of the winning play for radio and podcast distribution
SECOND PRIZE
$3,000 award
$3,000 award
THIRD PRIZE
$1,000 award
Playing on Air invites writers to submit a short comedic play of 10-25 pages (not counting title page).
One submission will be accepted per entrant. Additional entries will disqualify the writer.
All entries must be original, unpublished, and unproduced plays. For more information about our working definition of “unproduced,” scroll down to our STEVENSON FAQs section.
Even in revised form, plays that have been previously submitted to the Stevenson Prize competition or to Playing on Air are ineligible.
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS
Please submit your script as a PDF with title page (with no author information), 12pt font, 1 inch margins on every side, and numbered pages.
All submissions will be judged "blind." Uploaded scripts should not include the author's name, representation, or any identifying information. All author information should be provided via submission form, linked below.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
Submissions will be judged for literary merit, originality, and humor. 2020 Guest Judges will be announced after submissions have closed.
We’re particularly excited about plays that embrace the creative possibilities of storytelling through sound and language. Your play may include brief moments of music, but it shouldn’t be a musical. We’re unable to accept any supplementary tracks or audio files.
Special consideration will be given to the script’s suitability for audio recording and public radio broadcast.
Single-character monologues and plays that rely on the extensive use of a chorus, stage directions, or visual elements are discouraged.
Please do not include sound design cues or instructions beyond standard stage directions.
We strongly encourage you to listen to recent Playing on Air episodes by subscribing to the Playing on Air podcast on your favorite app. Two of 2019’s winning plays, HUMAN RESOURCES by Jason Gray Platt and THE CLAM by Amanda Quaid, will premiere as part of the Spring 2020 podcast season.
Submissions will only be accepted through the digital form below, which opens on February 27, 2020.
The Preliminary Submission Period will run from February 27, 2020 - April 26, 2020 at 11:59pm EST. During this period, there is no submission fee. We strongly encourage playwrights to submit their work well ahead of April 26 to avoid the extended deadline fee.
The Extended Submission Period will run from April 27, 2020 - May 15, 2020 at 11:59pm EST. During this period, a $5 fee will be applied to every submission. No exceptions will be made to this deadline.
*Why this new system? As the Stevenson Prize competition grows, we’re committed to keeping this opportunity accessible to all playwrights. We’re also committed to paying every reader, judge, staff member, and intern involved, as we have in previous years. $5 submission fees in the Extended Period will cover a small part of that fair compensation for the artists who make the Stevenson Prize possible.
Entrants must be at least 21 years of age by May 15, 2020. By entering, playwrights consent to Playing on Air’s recording and distribution of any winning plays.
Past winners may not submit.
Due to number of entries, Playing on Air cannot provide feedback on any individual script.
2020 SUBMISSIONS Are now open: SUBMIT YOUR SHORT PLAY HERE
$1,000 award
Playing on Air invites writers to submit a short comedic play of 10-25 pages (not counting title page).
One submission will be accepted per entrant. Additional entries will disqualify the writer.
All entries must be original, unpublished, and unproduced plays. For more information about our working definition of “unproduced,” scroll down to our STEVENSON FAQs section.
Even in revised form, plays that have been previously submitted to the Stevenson Prize competition or to Playing on Air are ineligible.
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS
Please submit your script as a PDF with title page (with no author information), 12pt font, 1 inch margins on every side, and numbered pages.
All submissions will be judged "blind." Uploaded scripts should not include the author's name, representation, or any identifying information. All author information should be provided via submission form, linked below.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
Submissions will be judged for literary merit, originality, and humor. 2020 Guest Judges will be announced after submissions have closed.
We’re particularly excited about plays that embrace the creative possibilities of storytelling through sound and language. Your play may include brief moments of music, but it shouldn’t be a musical. We’re unable to accept any supplementary tracks or audio files.
Special consideration will be given to the script’s suitability for audio recording and public radio broadcast.
Single-character monologues and plays that rely on the extensive use of a chorus, stage directions, or visual elements are discouraged.
Please do not include sound design cues or instructions beyond standard stage directions.
We strongly encourage you to listen to recent Playing on Air episodes by subscribing to the Playing on Air podcast on your favorite app. Two of 2019’s winning plays, HUMAN RESOURCES by Jason Gray Platt and THE CLAM by Amanda Quaid, will premiere as part of the Spring 2020 podcast season.
Submissions will only be accepted through the digital form below, which opens on February 27, 2020.
The Preliminary Submission Period will run from February 27, 2020 - April 26, 2020 at 11:59pm EST. During this period, there is no submission fee. We strongly encourage playwrights to submit their work well ahead of April 26 to avoid the extended deadline fee.
The Extended Submission Period will run from April 27, 2020 - May 15, 2020 at 11:59pm EST. During this period, a $5 fee will be applied to every submission. No exceptions will be made to this deadline.
*Why this new system? As the Stevenson Prize competition grows, we’re committed to keeping this opportunity accessible to all playwrights. We’re also committed to paying every reader, judge, staff member, and intern involved, as we have in previous years. $5 submission fees in the Extended Period will cover a small part of that fair compensation for the artists who make the Stevenson Prize possible.
Entrants must be at least 21 years of age by May 15, 2020. By entering, playwrights consent to Playing on Air’s recording and distribution of any winning plays.
Past winners may not submit.
Due to number of entries, Playing on Air cannot provide feedback on any individual script.
2020 SUBMISSIONS Are now open: SUBMIT YOUR SHORT PLAY HERE