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Sunday, January 22, 2023

A is For Playwriting Contest 2022-2023

Website

Deadline: January 31, 2023 11:59PM EST

At this moment, A is For Action.

Since our founding, A is For has built a beautiful and powerful community of artists and supporters. We create and amplify stigma-busting art and raise money for abortion access. In defiance and with newfound clarity of purpose, we will continue that work.

To that end, we are now accepting submissions for our 2022-23 play contest.

Why a playwriting contest?

It’s not just abortion that is stigmatized in our culture, but the entire lived experiences of people who seek to fulfill their promise as autonomous human beings, realize their own dreams, raise their families in safety and peace, pursue their ambitions, and maintain control over their physical and reproductive lives.

The subject of reproductive justice is one too often simplified by our current dialogues. And too often the voices and perspectives of the people most affected by restrictions, legislative prohibitions, and cultural prejudices are excluded from our artistic institutions.

A is For seeks to change that. We believe that theatre is a powerful platform through which to share stories, debunk myths, and create lasting change. We believe that theatre can transform. We want to challenge the abstract, politicized, and stigmatized ways people think about abortion and reproductive justice. We want to amplify voices which can reframe the conversation. We want to support and promote artists who can dispel myths and misconceptions. We want to hear the stories you want to tell. 

[Check out last year’s festival here]

In that spirit, the stories we hope to bring to the fore will be diverse in perspective as well as imagination. These plays may be personal and realistic, or they may be allegorical. They may be fantastic, sprung from dreams, or they may be grounded in naturalism. From the surrealist, to the literal. From magical realism, to documentarian. Whatever form or shape they may take, we hope to receive a wide range of works from all over the country, reflecting the great variety of experiences that reproductive justice demands we all recognize.

In highlighting these stories, we’re broadening the emotional vocabulary of the American audience, and opening up our theaters to a fuller and more honest exploration of the human experience.
Dates

Submissions will be accepted through January 31, 2023 11:59PM EST.

Winners will be announced May 2023.

All three plays will be presented as staged readings at our 2023 play festival, exact dates and location tbd.
Criteria

Submit one-act plays about reproductive justice, including (but not limited to) the topic of abortion.

You may not edit your entry after submitting.

You may submit as many plays as you wish.

Plays must be no longer than 60 minutes (typically about 60 pages, double-spaced.) Plays longer than 60 minutes will automatically be disqualified.

Plays do not have to be as long as 60 minutes. They can be shorter. They can be as short as a single page if you feel that’s sufficient to tell your story.

Please submit your plays (PDF only) on Award Force. Please do NOT email copies of your play directly to A is For.

Plays in languages other than English will be accepted as long as an accompanying English translation is also provided.

Plays should include a cover page that includes the name of the playwright, and all relevant contact information, including representation, if applicable.
Winners

A qualified Jury of accomplished theatre professionals and experts in reproductive justice will read and assess all entries.

Only the winner and runners up will be contacted directly by A is For once the jury has made its decisions.

Grand Prize will be awarded to one play which will receive $5,000.

The Second Place winner will be awarded $3,000, and the Third Place winner will be awarded $1,500.


All three plays will be presented as rehearsed readings during our festival.
Support

If you have any questions about the contest or the entry process, please email: contest@aisfor.org

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