Liminal Space Productions seeks short plays for one-night showcase

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Deadline: January 15, 2026

Liminal Space Productions, the new theatre wing of Laughpack Productions, is curating a one-night short play showcase at the East Village Basement on Sunday February 15th. 

We're seeking submissions of 6-30 minute casted plays. This is a great opportunity for playwrights to see their work staged in front of a live audience and connect with fellow theater makers.

There is no submission fee and no cost to participate. We welcome plays from creators of all identities, cultures, and backgrounds. A small performance stipend is available for selected acts. There will be a tech and dress rehearsal space provided at an East Village venue the week before. The deadline for submissions is January 15th, 2026.

To submit for booking consideration, please use the following form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFsV-SJvFUPcOc5717zfFKL-9ec_j9_iZ7CIqe9pajeAdxdw/viewform

Working Theater submission guidelines

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Deadline: none given

If you think this is your play, please complete this short form. If you have any questions, reach out to literary@theworkingtheater.org.

Working Theater is a new American play incubator for work by playwrights which centers the lives of working people, by telling their stories in new and unexpected ways. How do we define “working people”? At Working Theater, we’re a broad church. Is your humanity impacted, affected or transformed by your work? You’re a working person, congratulations! Welcome to Team WT.


WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Stories for, about or made with working people, and/or the issues which affect them, in mind.
• We invite plays which disrupt traditions of “working-class theater.”
• We want your play to make us laugh, make us cry, and make us feel a little dangerous.
• Does your play deal with themes of work, labors visible and invisible, labor history? Is your play pro-worker, pro-union or anti-capitalist? It’s probably a play for us.
• Does your play come at these themes in unexpected and novel ways? It’s probably a play for us.
• Full-length plays and musicals.

WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR:

• We are not interested in stories in which working people are passive victims of an oppressive system.
• “Issue plays,” issue plays is our least favorite oxymoron – all plays have issues, but we are interested in plays which center people.
• We are not interested in agit-prop (until you show us an agit-prop play that blows our minds!)
• We are not interested in clichés about the working class – show us something we’ve never seen before, baby!

The Solidarity Project: a Celebration of Historical Nonviolent Resistance

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Deadline: December 31, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Atlanta Dramatists is producing The Solidarity Project: a Celebration of Historical Nonviolent Resistance. They seek plays ranging from 10 minutes to 30 minutes which illustrate nonviolent resistance throughout history and all over the world. For the purposes of this project, scripts should be inspired by events that occurred prior to 2015. The focus of this festival is history, and the overall themes will be hope and empowerment. Scripts may be historically accurate, historical fiction, historical fantasy, etc. provided they are inspired by actual events.

The resistance depicted must be non-violent, but the play may contain violence in other aspects, such as if there were a violent reaction to a non-violent protest. Atlanta Dramatists is open to the use of music, puppetry, and dance as well as traditional “straight plays.” No projections or elaborate sets; this is a festival of plays that will all share the same set, though chairs, benches, blocks, and tables may be added or removed between pieces.

Each script may utilize up to 5 actors. Unless ethnic specificity is vital to the plot, please allow for flexible yet diverse casting.

Playwrights will receive royalties for the scripts selected. Performances will be at The Academy Theatre in Hapeville, GA, in 2026. (There is a chance the show will tour to other venues, as well.) Playwrights will receive 2 comp tickets. Playwrights may submit up to two scripts each.

Some examples to inspire your research (but you’re not limited to these!):

• Haiti 1946
• Indian Independence Movement
• Women of Liberia Mass Action For Peace
• South Africa: Anti-apartheid movement
• Scotland: 
• Anti-nuclear power protests 
• Holy Loch protests 1960-61
• Ireland: 
• Irish Non-cooperation Movement
• 1879 Boycott (Irish Land League)
• France:
• Coup of 18 Bromaire
• Jewish Refuge (le chambon-sur-lignon)
• America:
• Declaration of Independence
• Civil Rights Movement
• Children's Crusade
• Trail of Broken Treaties
• Kaho’olowe
• Montgomery Bus Boycotts 
• Women's Suffrage parade 1913
• Poland:
• Solidarity 
• Orange Alternative
• White Rose Resistance
• Arab Spring 
• Singing Revolution (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
• Korea: March 1st Movement

And many more!

The Leah Prize 2026

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Deadline: This year submissions will be capped at 400. 

APPLICATION FORM

All women, trans and non-binary playwrights who consider themselves emerging (as distinct from fledgling or mid-career playwrights) are eligible to apply for The Leah.

Playwrights from all over the world are encouraged to apply, but the play must be written in English. Eligibility does not require that a submitted work adhere to the traditional three-act structure—the only absolute requirement is that the submitted text be a completed full-length work for theater. (We cannot accept musical submissions at this time)

The winner will be chosen by readers selected by the board members of the Leah Ryan Fund and will receive a cash prize of $5,000 and a public reading/summer workshop as part of the Powerhouse Theater Program at Vassar College in 2026.

Finalists will be contacted in March 2026 and will have one week within which to submit their full play. There is no fee to apply. 

If you have any questions, please contact Dev Bondarin at dev@leahryanfund.org

Brave New Work, a short play development series seeks 10-15 minute plays

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Deadline: January 16, 2026

APPLICATION FORM

New York Shakespeare Exchange and The CRY HAVOC Company are thrilled to debut our collaborative project Brave New Work, a short play development series that invites NYC playwrights to create original work inspired by, expanding, reflecting upon, remixing, and critiquing the plays of William Shakespeare.

Across several weeks, four writers will craft short plays responding to a Shakespearean prompt through development workshops facilitated by NYSX and CRY HAVOC, culminating in a public reading of all four plays. Applicants need to be local to the NYC area to participate and we are especially seeking artists from underrepresented communities for this project. No fee to apply or participate; writers are paid a stipend for the use of their work in the public presentation.

In year one of this project—Shakespeare as Prologue—we are looking for playwrights interested in exploring the aftermath of Shakespeare’s plays. Apply with an idea for a new short two-character play that takes place after the end of a Shakespeare play (the moment after the play ends, five years later, 50 years later, 500 years later…)
The Guidelines

• You do not have to be a “Shakespeare Nerd” to participate in this project (but if you are, you are also welcome!)
• Select a single Shakespeare play as your starting point.
• We are looking for a proposal for a 10-15 minute play with two characters.
• One character must be from your chosen Shakespeare play; the other can be invented.
• Writers will be developing their plays in a workshop feedback process; we are looking for playwrights that are interested in discussing their work and supporting the work of others!

How does the collaboration work?
Each writer is paired with a facilitator—a CRY HAVOC or NYSX artist—to confer with before and after each feedback session. Facilitators moderate each session in support of the playwrights and their goals. The feedback sessions will include a combined roster of artists from the NYSX and CRY HAVOC communities, the Brave New Work writers, and their invited guests and colleagues.

The Schedule (all sessions will be in the evening)

Sun. 3/1: welcome meeting with playwrights and staff

Tue. 3/10 and Thu. 3/12: 1st draft feedback workshops

Tue. 3/17 and Thu. 3/19: 2nd draft feedback workshops

Tue. 3/24 and Thu. 3/26: 3rd draft feedback workshops

Tue. 3/31 and Thu. 4/2: rehearsal draft feedback workshops VIA ZOOM

Thu. 4/16: public reading of the play collection

ABOUT US

The CRY HAVOC Company believes that writing a script doesn’t have to be a solitary experience. Feedback at key points in the writing process can bring you closer to your goals. Our approach to script development places your writing goals at the center of the workshop discussion, ensuring that collaborators are offering feedback in service of the play you are trying to write.

New York Shakespeare Exchange uses Shakespeare's body of work as a starting point and toolkit for building stronger, more empathetic communities. We invite our fellow New Yorkers to form a relationship of “exchange” with Shakespeare’s legacy, creating new opportunities for artistic expression, social connection, and mutual learning. This active exchange between centuries-old works and contemporary points of view honors an essential quality of Shakespeare’s creative spirit - to search the world around us for inspiration, and our own imaginations for innovation.

Ivo Review 10-minute monologue contest

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Deadline: January 30, 2026

Send submissions to editorivoreview@gmail.com. 

The subject line should be the THEME of the issue for which you are submitting work and the CATEGORY of the submission. (Example: LOST - POETRY) Please include a short cover letter with a short 3rd person author's bio in the body of the e-mail and attach submissions in a single .docx attachment.

For this contest we are looking for ten minute monologues for stage performance.

Please do not send us previously published works for this contest, as we are looking for new pieces.
These monologues can be on any theme - Winners and Honorable Mentions will be published in Issue Three of the review.


The deadline for the contest is January 30, 2026. There is no monetary cost for the contest and our general rights statement applies (see our Submission Guidelines for more details!) Any questions about the contest can be sent to editorivoreview@gmail.com.


Token payment prizes subject to our budget in January will be provided to winners and honorable mentions.


What We Look For

We are looking for prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, hybrid works, and dramatic works from emerging and established writers from around the world, particularly writers from historically underrepresented communities. We love the concept of narrative - we want to read storytellers telling stories in whatever form that takes for you.

Works should be primarily in English.

We consider simultaneous submissions but if a work is accepted elsewhere please let us know. We will be thrilled for you! We consider reprints but please indicate the original publication so that it can be credited - with a link to the work if possible so that we can also link to that publication.

We love visual art submissions and are always looking for cover art.

We will not consider AI generated work. At this time we are also not considering translations.



How to Submit

For art, please submit one piece that you would like considered for our cover art.

For poetry and flash or micro-fiction, please submit up to five (5) pieces of up to 100 lines for poetry. We consider micro-fiction to be up to 350 words, and flash to be 351 - 1000 words.

For longer works of fiction, non-fiction, or dramatic works please send up to two (2) pieces of up to 3000 words.

For dramatic works, we consider works that would be able to be produced as a 10 minute play or shorter. We love long dramatic monologues, but will also consider ensemble pieces.

Send submissions to editorivoreview@gmail.com. The subject line should be the THEME of the issue for which you are submitting work and the CATEGORY of the submission. (Example: LOST - POETRY) Please include a short cover letter with a short 3rd person author's bio in the body of the e-mail and attach submissions in a single .docx attachment.

Submissions that do not follow these simple guidelines will not be read.

The Westchester Review seeks 10-minute plays

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Deadline: Dec 31, 2025 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

The Westchester Review considers previously unpublished stories, creative nonfiction, and poems by established and emerging writers wherever they reside. We are an exclusively online journal, publishing quarterly issues.

We welcome submissions from a diverse range of writers, including voices and perspectives that have historically been underrepresented in the literary sphere. Past contributors are welcome to submit again. All submissions must come through Submittable.

We receive thousands of submissions every year and do our best to respond within five months. Please do not query the status of your submission until at least six months have elapsed.

FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS

Thank you for considering The Westchester Review as a possible home for your work. General submissions are free. We consider simultaneous submissions, but kindly notify us as soon as possible if a piece has been accepted elsewhere. Please include a cover letter that lists word count (for fiction and creative nonfiction) along with your name, address, phone number, and email address. If you have a connection to Westchester County, please note it in the applicable field in Submittable. Westchester authors are acknowledged, but a connection to Westchester is not required in order to submit, and will not affect submissions status.

Please be sure to submit your work through the appropriate portal. Submissions sent through the wrong portal cannot be read. Please submit work only once during a submission period. Multiple submissions cannot be read.

The Westchester Review is not currently a paying market. Our editors and readers are all volunteers. We do our best to promote the work of our contributors via social media.

We do not accept submissions of AI-generated work. We reserve the right to withdraw acceptances of any work found to be AI-generated, even after publication.

Do not send work in PDF format.

We do not accept translations in any of our categories.

Please do not submit revisions of previously declined work unless specifically requested to do so.

PLAYS

We consider 10-minute previously unpublished plays which must be double-spaced and sent as word documents. Anything longer will not be considered. Please do not send work in PDF formats

The New Works Initiative is seeking unpublished full-length plays

Website

Deadline: January 15, 2026 

OR after we have received 150 submissions. Whichever comes first.

Please send submissions to sandra@renolittletheater.org

ACCEPTING PLAY SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2026-2027 NEW WORKS INITIATIVE
Now accepting submissions for our 2026-27 Season!
​
The New Works Initiative is seeking unpublished Full-length plays, of any genre, to receive a mainstage production at Good Luck Macbeth Theatre in the 2026-27 season. One play will be selected for full production and two plays will be selected to receive staged readings.

One submission per playwright. We understand that each play will be in a different stage of the developmental process so please indicate whether or not you are interested in a staged reading of your play if you are not selected for the mainstage production.

SUBMISSION CRITERIA:

• We can only accept scripts as PDF.
• We do not accept submissions by mail. 
• We only accept full-length plays.
• All submissions must contain full contact information and cast requirements. 
• All submissions must contain a synopsis of the play.
• All submissions must contain a Character breakdown.
• Only plays with no more than 6 characters will be accepted.
• All submissions must contain a brief description of the play’s developmental and production history.

Reno Little Theatre/GLM’s New Works Initiative will not provide feedback for every submission but we do commit to communicating the status of your submission.

The submission deadline is January 15, 2026 OR after we have received 150 submissions. Whichever comes first.

Apricity Magazine seeks short plays for the 2026 issue

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Deadline: January 4, 2026 1AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

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

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

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

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

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

We also welcome works previously published elsewhere. If a piece you submit has been accepted by another publication, we will credit the other publication.

If we accept your piece before it has been accepted by another publication, we request that the other publication credits Apricity Magazine upon publication of the piece.

If a piece you submit is accepted by a publication that claims sole publishing rights, please let us know so that we may remove it from consideration. (Do note, however, that most publications allow re-prints as long as the original publisher is credited.)

Works are considered on a rolling basis. All pieces submitted will be considered for online publication. After the deadline for print publication passes, we will consider all pieces submitted before the deadline that were accepted for online publication for print publication.

Kindly keep author bios to under 50 words.

Please note that Apricity Magazine is not active during the summer (from late May to late August). Any pieces submitted during this time will not be evaluated until the fall.

We will not tolerate any form of plagiarism.

46 Minutes Collective Spring 2026 Writer's Group Application

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Deadline:  January 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST

SUBMISSION FORM

The 46 Minutes Writers Group is a seasonal cohort of playwrights helping develop each other’s new work. Led by Gabby Kimbrough and Cha Mangan, our playwrights can receive feedback on their new work, get to hear their new work said out loud, and be held accountable for getting new pages and edits out. The Spring 2025 cohort program will be 10 weeks long, with each writer presenting their work every other week. We'll be meeting in-person at the Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch from 11am-2pm every Sunday morning, February 22nd to April 26th.

Writer's Group Meeting Sessions (11am-2pm on Sundays at the Brooklyn Public Library)

Feb 22: 11-2pm
Mar 1: 11-2pm
Mar 8: 11-2pm
Mar 15: 11-2pm
Mar 22: 11-2pm
Mar 29: 11-2pm
Apr 5: 11-2pm
Apr 12: 11-2pm
Apr 19: 11-2pm
Apr 26: 11-2pm

Location: Brooklyn Public Library - 10 Grand Army Plz 1st floor, Brooklyn, NY 11238

About Us: THE 46 MINUTES COLLECTIVE is a non-hierarchical performance collective founded by artists committed to nurturing and producing boldly original, interdisciplinary time-based work. We aim to bolster emerging artists in their pursuit to push the limits of form, challenge the purity of medium, and foster collaborative processes. Our works exist in the in-between and the surreal; they tap on the fourth wall in a quest to make art that is accessible and creatively adventurous. See more about our work, mission, and ongoing programs at www.46mincollective.com.

If you have any questions, need help filling out this application, or are having trouble uploading documents, please reach out to us at 46mincollective@gmail.com

ENCORE Theatre Playwriting Competition 2025

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Deadline: December 30, 2025

Submit your entry by email to arinvanjari@yahoo.com

ONEJARI Arts Crafts & Music (Plainfield NJ) is happy to announce their third ENCORE Theatre playwriting competition.

We encourage creativity and to continue the activity started by Ashok Vanjari, we are inviting talented playwriters to submit their work. We will be accepting applications in two categories:

• Ten-minute plays

• Thirty minute plays

Plays may be written on any subject in English, Hindi or Marathi.

• Winning plays will be staged during an evening of Encore Theater Festival in April 2026

Please Note - Our last competition's selected playwrights plays were staged during our 2024 & 2025 Encore Theater festival.

• Winning Ten minute and Thirty minutes plays will be produced by ONEJARI Arts Crafts & Music or by invited Theater Institutes, to be staged during an Encore Theater Festival.

Prizes will be made possible through the generosity of ONEJARI Arts Crafts & Music

If any individual or Institute wants to be a part of this project please contact: Dolly Vanjari at arinvanjari@yahoo.com

**Both categories will be awarded cash prizes! **

Submission details:

• Entries containing all content are welcome, but please note that preference will be given to those that would be appropriate for most audiences and can be staged. 
• Entries must be received by the deadline to be considered. 
• All entries are final, but playwrights will have the opportunity for feedback and revision if selected as winners. 
• Entries will be judged by a panel of judges. 
• The winners will be notified by email and announced publicly. 

• Please be sure to submit with followings....
• Your Name
• Your Email
• The title of your work
• Duration of your play
• Only original work that has not been previously staged will be permitted to participate

• IMPORTANT - Please make sure that your name is not on any part of the play except the Cover Page as we submit our shows to a panel, blind. for selection...

Masque & Spectacle seeks short plays for its March 2026 issue

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Deadline: January 31, 2026

Send drama submissions to masqueandspectacle@gmail.com. Attach written submissions in a single Word doc or docx file, and include the word “DRAMA” in the email subject line.

Masque & Spectacle reads submissions for its bi-annual issues November 1 – January 31 and May 1 – July 31. Submissions received outside of this time period will be automatically deleted. Responses can be expected within a month. Acceptance rate is around 10%. Submissions not titled/tagged or formatted or properly under the Submissions Guidelines will not be considered for publication. We only consider one submission per author/format during any given reading period. We generally avoid publishing authors in consecutive issues.

The theme for our March Issue is storms.

We do not accept previously published work, and we ask for First Electronic Rights and Non-Exclusive Archival Rights upon acceptance. Unfortunately, we are unable to pay contributors at this time.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere. Additionally, we do not typically publish the same authors in back-to-back issues.

For any queries, please contact us at masqueandspectacle@gmail.com.

Drama
We welcome 10-minute plays (up to approximately 10 pages in length). No full-length plays will be considered at this time. Shorter plays are also welcome.

While traditional plays are welcome, we are particularly interested in innovative and/or interdisciplinary texts that break new ground, either in relation to their subject matter, or in how the text itself is performed/written/represented on stage.

Playwrights may submit one previously unpublished 10-minute play for consideration. The script should be accompanied by a cover letter, which includes your name, address, phone number, and email address. Proper playwriting format should be used. If you are uncertain about this format, several examples can be found online.

Las Vegas Little Theater’s 2026 ANNUAL NEW WORKS COMPETITION

Website 

Deadline: December 31, 2025

APPLICATION FORM

1. All plays must be full length (90 minutes or more). No musicals please.

2. Plays must have no more than 8 actors – doubling characters is allowed.

3. The set must be simple or representational.

4. Ideally looking for subject matter that will appeal to an age range of 18 – 30.

5. Seeking new plays that have not been professionally produced or published.

6. Plays will be screened by the competition committee. The top 5 will be submitted to the judges.

7. Prizes – 

1st prize = Production of the play in the Fischer Black box in May plus $150

2nd prize = $75

3rd prize = $50

8. Contestants must sign a release form(application) to authorize production

9. Scripts cannot be returned

10. Materials that are adapted from or otherwise derived from copyrighted source material must also submit permission to use the material at the time of submission.

11. The winning author agrees to the production of his/her play with no royalty payment. The author also agrees to allow LVLT to videotape the production. LVLT cannot provide transportation, lodging or other compensation for the author to travel to Las Vegas for the production.

12. Members of LVLT’s board of directors may not submit for this competition

13. Submissions will be accepted through Dec 31, 2025. The winner will be announced no later than March 30, 2026.

14. Decision of the judges is final. Any disputes will be decided by the LVLT board of directors.

15. Only 2 submissions per person please. If more than 2 submissions are received from an individual, only the first 2 received will be considered.

16. Each submission will be assigned a number and author’s names will not be provided on judge’s copies of the script to prevent any bias.


3920 Schiff Dr. Las Vegas, Nevada 89103
(702) 362-7996

Spring Shorts: Savannah Country Day School Upper School Ten-Minute Play Festival

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Deadline: December 19, 2025

Performance Dates: April 23–25, 2026

The Upper School of Savannah Country Day School is seeking submissions of original ten-minute plays for our upcoming festival, Spring Shorts! Selected plays will be fully staged and performed by Upper School students in April 2026.

We are committed to the best-practice standards set forth by the Dramatists Guild for contests and festivals, including open, fair, and transparent procedures. Submissions will be accepted without reference to the author’s identity (judging is blind), and every playwright will receive notice of their submission status. We are seeking unpublished plays (previous productions are welcome), and all selected scripts will be performed by high school actors, so content and casting requirements should reflect that. Because this is a festival setting, technical simplicity is preferred. By following these principles, we aim to provide an equitable, professional, and artistically supportive opportunity for all participants.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION

• Eligibility: Open to all playwrights. Plays must be suitable for performance by high school students.
• Length: Running time should be between 9–11 minutes.
• Format: Please submit scripts in standard play format, as a PDF. Your name should appear only on the title page. Submissions will be read and judged blind.
• Number of Submissions: Playwrights may submit up to two plays for consideration.
• Compensation: A royalty of $25 per performance will be paid for each play selected.

SELECTION PROCESS
A panel of students and faculty will review all eligible submissions. All playwrights will be notified of their submission status by January 30, 2026.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Email submissions to: playsubmissions@savcds.org

• Subject line: Spring Shorts Submission – [Play Title]
• Attach your play as a PDF file. Ensure your name does not appear anywhere in the document except the title page.

Questions may be directed through Facebook or emailed to playsubmissions@savcds.org.

B Street Theatre’s Seventh Annual New Comedies Festival

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Deadline for Pre-Registration Window: December 23, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST

SUBMISSION FORM

Festival Dates: July 12–19, 2026

Location: The Sofia, Home of B Street Theatre, Sacramento, CA

Applications Open: December 30, 2025

Pre-Registration Window: December 5–23, 2025 (guaranteed submission slot)

B Street Theatre will open applications for the seventh annual New Comedies Festival (NCF) on December 30, 2025. Artists who pre-register between December 5 and December 23, 2024 will be guaranteed the opportunity to submit one script. 

The pre-registration process helps us gauge interest in the opportunity and assess the number of readers needed. After the pre-registration window closes, any remaining submission slots will be released to the public on a first-come basis.

In an ever-evolving American theatrical landscape, B Street proudly invites playwrights to submit full- length comedic plays of all styles—romance, farce, satire, dark comedy, physical comedy, commedia dell’arte, improv-based work, audience participation, stand-up-infused forms, music-inflected pieces, and more. We welcome local, national, and international playwrights whose work expands the boundaries of what contemporary comedy can be.

Following the submission and reading process, four finalist plays will be selected for staged readings during the festival. Audience members who attend all four readings will be invited to share feedback, which will be reviewed by B Street’s Artistic Staff. At least one finalist script will receive a full production on the B Street Theatre Mainstage within one year of the festival’s conclusion.

We strongly encourage submissions from historically marginalized voices and invite feedback on how to make our process more accessible and inclusive.

QUALIFICATIONS & ELIGIBILITY

Play Requirements

• Playwright must be 18 or older and legally able to work in the United States.

• Scripts must be unproduced professionally and not scheduled for a professional production before December 31, 2027. (“Professional” means paid artists and a fully realized live production.)

• Scripts must be full-length (minimum 70 minutes). Solo pieces and Theatre for Young Audiences pieces are welcome.

• Scripts must require 6 or fewer actors (unlimited doubling permitted).

• Both original and adapted works are eligible, provided rights for any non-public-domain material are secured. Written permission must be included with the submission.

• “Plays with music” are eligible; original musicals are not. If the script contains songs requiring separate licensing, list titles and writers on the script’s title page.

• Playwrights must be available in Sacramento for the full festival week (July 12–19, 2026). B Street will provide round-trip travel, housing, and a stipend for the four playwrights selected.

• Scripts must meet B Street’s formatting requirements (below).

Submission Formatting Requirements

• Scripts must be submitted as blind PDFs with the playwright’s name and contact information removed.

• Playwrights must retain an editable version (Word, Final Draft, etc.) for festival revisions.

• Only one submission per playwright.

• Playwrights may resubmit a script that was previously submitted to NCF, provided it was not previously selected as a finalist.

• Submissions not meeting the above criteria will not be accepted.

SELECTION PROCESS

• Scripts will be evaluated by a diverse pool of readers, including B Street Artistic Staff, Company Members, playwrights, dramaturgs, and other industry professionals.

• There will be two rounds of external reading; each script will be read by at least two readers per round.

• A third and final round will be conducted by B Street’s Artistic Staff to determine the four festival finalists.

• Reading occurs over approximately two months, with finalists announced no later than June 5,

2026.

ABOUT B STREET THEATRE & THE FESTIVAL

• B Street Theatre is an AEA ITC/SPT-10 professional theatre in Sacramento, CA

• Each finalist play receives:

• Multi-day rehearsal period
• professional creative team (director, dramaturg, stage manager)
• A cast of compensated professional and non-professional actors
• Two public staged readings between Thursday (7/16) and Sunday (7/19)

• Playwrights may revise their scripts during the rehearsal process and between readings.

HOW TO APPLY

Playwrights wishing to submit must pre-register using the provided LINK.

There is no fee to pre-register or submit.

After the pre-registration window closes, all registered playwrights will receive a link to submit their application and blind script. The application includes:

• Artist Bio

• Artist Statement (500 words or fewer) addressing:

o Your approach to comedic writing

o Why this play fits the New Comedies Festival

o How you/your work would benefit from participating

• Character Breakdown

• Time/Place Description

• Brief Synopsis

• A blind PDF of the full script

A is For seeks one-act plays on reproductive justice

Website

Deadline: January 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST

SUBMISSION FORM

A is For is currently accepting submissions for one-act plays about reproductive justice.

The A is For Playwriting Contest and the all it takes is ONE ACT Play Festival engages playwrights who are passionate about abortion rights and reproductive justice, and offers audiences the opportunity to see those stories performed by theatre professionals in live staged readings. Since the inauguration of our Playwriting Contest in 2020, we have received over 1,000 one-act plays about reproductive justice from all around the world, and have brought 12 of them to the stage!

A is For amplifies art and artists working to eradicate stigma against abortion. We believe that theatre deepens our relationship with the world around us by inviting us to empathize, and recognize our own belonging. We are looking for plays that challenge stigma against abortion. We want to hear the stories you want to tell.

Three winners will be announced in late spring 2026, and will receive the following prizes:

1st Place - $5,000
2nd Place - $3,000
3rd Place - $1,500

The winning plays will be presented as staged readings during our ONE-ACT Play Festival in 2026 at a New York City theatre tbd. See what the 2025 winners had to say about their experience here:

Go Try PlayWrite - December 2025

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

Submission form

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

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

The prompt for December 2025 is:

A social media prompt. Write a ten-page maximum scene or an eight-page maximum monologue of a historical figure living well before the internet making a social media post now on one of the various platforms. Stay away from fictional characters; real people from history. Have fun.

Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest 2026

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

INFO ABOUT SCRIPT SUBMISSIONS

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.

Submissions will be accepted on an on-going basis with a December 31 cutoff each year. All eligible plays accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists, from which the winner will be selected by April 30 of the year following submission. 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.

Strongbox Theater second annual short play festival.

Website

Deadline: January 8, 2026

Submit a PDF via email to info@strongboxtheater.com

Seeking 10-minute plays

Strongbox Theater is now accepting submissions for its second annual short play festival. 

Only comedies will be considered for this year’s show. 

All plays will be fully produced. Playwrights will be paid a $100 fee for accepted plays. 

Please submit only one of your best comedies. This is your opportunity to be a big part of Strongbox history as we produce our first production in our long-awaited theater. 

We are expecting sold-out nights. 

Labute Festival seeks one-act plays

Website

Deadline: January 21, 2026

Submissions should be sent to:
LaBute New Theater Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio, 360 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108

Created and staged exclusively each summer by STLAS, at The Gaslight Theatre in St. Louis and 59E59 Street and Davenport Theaters in New York.

Submissions will be accepted October 1, 2025 through January 31, 2026(Postmarked).

​PROFESSIONAL SUBMISSIONS

Successful entries will have no more than four characters and be crafted specifically to exploit our intimate performance space. (18′ x 18′ stage) Changes in scenery or setting should be achievable quickly and with few major set moves. Our focus is on fundamental dramaturgy: plot, character and theme.

Professional, new and previously unproduced one-act play submissions should include a letter of inquiry, a synopsis and a 10-page sample from the script. Running time for each performance should not exceed 45 minutes. Up to Eight plays will be chosen. In addition, a new piece from Mr. LaBute will be performed every night for the run of the festival.


For more information: 314-458-2978 or help@stlas.org

2026 Call for Plays by US-Based Latine Playwrights

Website

Deadline: December 19, 2025 at 11:59 AM CST

 or when 100 plays are received

DO NOT SEND - they have reached their 100 play limit.

Amphibian Stage, a non-profit professional theatre based in Fort Worth, TX is pleased to accept plays from professional playwrights from all across the nation to be considered for our New Works portion of SparkFest.

We're currently accepting plays for SparkFest’26 (June 5-14, 2026). In 2026, SparkFest, Amphibian Stage's annual performing arts festival, will celebrate Latine artists and the Latine community.

SUBMISSIONS OPEN: December 8th, 2025 at 9:00AM CST Link to Submission Form

We are seeking plays specifically by US-based Latine playwrights. Playwrights – inclusive of those belonging to or descending from the regions of North America, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America that self-identify as Latine – that currently live in and are authorized to work in the U.S. are invited to apply.

What this opportunity is:

Three selected playwrights will receive a 20 hour development workshop followed by 2 staged readings at Amphibian Stage. Rehearsal and readings of the three selected plays will take place between June 7-14, 2026 (exact schedule is TBD). Playwrights will receive a professional stipend of $500. Playwrights located outside of the DFW metroplex will receive airfare and housing during the development time in Fort Worth. Playwrights chosen for development will be involved in director and cast selection.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. You are a playwright who identifies as Latine. Plays by writers belonging to or descending from the regions of North America, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America that self-identify as Latine that are based in and authorized to work in the U.S. will be considered.

2. You must still be developing and working on the script. Published works will not be accepted.

3. You must be available to join us for SparkFest 2026 during the development week between June 7-14 (exact schedule is TBD).

4. The play may not have had a professional World Premiere.

5. Your work is a full-length play. We are not accepting musicals at this time.

6. Only one script per playwright.

7. The playwright must be currently based in and legally permitted to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor international visas at this time.

No agent submissions, please. Only 100 submissions will be accepted. The application window will close once the cap is reached or on December 19, 2025 – whichever occurs first.

Required Materials (all in PDF format):

a cover letter letting us know why you would like to be part of SparkFest, what you hope to achieve through the development process and anything else we need to know outside of the script itself.

playwright resume and 150 word or less biography

the development and/or production history of your play

the full script

NOTE: The play you choose to send does not need to be about any specific topic – please feel free to submit what you are most artistically interested in working on in 2026. We have additionally chosen the gender-neutral “Latine” specifically to be as inclusive to as many artists that identify within the diverse communities of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean that may identify with the focus of this year’s festival.

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: February 25, 2026

3 SELECTED PLAYWRIGHTS ANNOUNCED: March 9, 2026

How are plays selected?

Initial rounds are screened by a committee of Latine industry professionals from across the country. Scoring of these plays will reveal finalists. Top 3 are selected by SparkFest’26 Leadership.

If you have questions, please email ally@amphibianstage.com (SparkFest '26 New Works Producing Coordinator).

You can learn more about Amphibian Stage at our website (https://amphibianstage.com/) and SparkFest at its own website (https://sparkfestfwtx.com/).

VILLAGE PLAYWRIGHTS ANNOUNCES OPEN SUBMISSIONS "LOVE IS QUEER" TEN MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL

Website

Deadline: January 3, 2026

Submit to : villageplaywrights@gmail.com

The festival will be held at The Center 208 W13th NYC

in February 2026. 

Playwrights must be able to attend the festival in NYC

Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC will award a Performance Grant 2026

Website

Deadline: February 2, 2026 at 9AM EST

or if we reach our limit of 40 applications

Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC will award a Performance Grant to individuals focused on the production of theatre, dance and performance art (all of which can be accompanied by music).

Submissions: To ensure that each submission receives the attention it deserves we will be only accepting 40 applications for each of our categories.

Deadlines: Our Winter 2026 Grant cycle is now open and will close on February 2nd, 2026 at 9:00 am EDT or if we reach our limit of 40 applications, which ever comes first.

Amounts: Up to $10,000.00 

Eligibility: 

• Performer(s) of theatre, dance and performance art (all of which can be accompanied by music).
• Grants awarded in this category do not fund costs associated with the creating/composition of new work.
• Performer(s) applying must be a United States Citizen or Resident Alien and a resident of New York City and have lived in New York City for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.
• If your performance is a play, it must be a full production. Readings will not qualify.
• We would prefer that the performance of your project take place in New York City’s five boroughs, or in a location in close proximity to New York City that has been discussed and approved by Café Royal Cultural Foundation. Email caferoyaldigital@gmail.com for inquiries.
• Applicants can only apply with the same project twice.
• Applicants can only apply to only one category during a grant cycle.

Application Requirements:

Up to and no more than 5 videos links of works/performances for the Café Royal Cultural Foundation Selection and Executive Committees to view or download. Please make sure your links are correct and not password protected. If they are not correct or have password protection your application will be declined and not reviewed by the Selection Committee.

If available, letter of intent from the venue with a date of planned performance. Please note that you do not have to have a commitment from a venue to receive a grant.

A short description of the performance / project.

A short artistic biography of the person(s) involved.

Budget must not exceed the amount of $10,000.00.

List of costs of how you plan to use the grant funds.
(Please review our lists of Approved and Ineligible Budget Items for Performance Grant Funds, located on their website)

You cannot apply for a group or an organization. We want you to be aware that Café Royal Cultural Foundation’s grant-making procedures are to individual grant recipients, referred to as an expenditure responsibility grant. The Funds disbursed to grantees must comply as "direct grants to individuals" and "payments made directly to individuals." You, as an individual, will be responsible for all payments requested in your budget.

If a previously awarded grantee is an actor/director/producer you wish to hire they cannot receive additional funds.

• You cannot include any fees related to you, the applicant, in the list of costs.
• You cannot pay yourself artist fees. 
• If you are an actor, you cannot include an Actor Fee for yourself. 
• If you are the producer, you cannot include Producer Fees. 
• If you are a director, you cannot pay yourself a director fee, etc.

We ask that the start date of your performance is no sooner than 90 days after this application's due date (no sooner than May 3, 2026) and no later than 12 months after your grant’s award date (no later than March 24, 2027).

Applicants can only apply with the same project twice.

You may apply in a later cycle with a different project.

We would prefer that the performance of your project take place in New York City’s five boroughs, or at a location within proximity to New York City that has been discussed and approved by Café Royal Cultural Foundation before you apply, please email caferoyaldigital@gmail.com for inquiries.

11th Annual Pyro PlayFest 2026 Call for Plays Theme: "Spark of Creation: Humanity, Invention, and Expression"

Facebook page

Deadline: January 12, 2026

 SUBMISSION FORM

Paris Junior College Department of Drama's 11th Annual Pyro PlayFest is now accepting submissions!

In a season celebrating new voices, we are looking for bold, original short plays that explore the heart of creativity — the human spirit, invention, imagination, and the drive to express. Whether you tackle these ideas literally, abstractly, or metaphorically, we want to experience the spark that fuels your storytelling!

The chosen submissions will receive a full production on our 3/4 thrust stage space performed by students and community members in late April 2026, right here in Paris, Texas, on the Duane Allen Stage in the Ray E. Karrer Theater.

Please note: This is a non-paying opportunity. While we are unable to offer financial compensation at this time, selected playwrights will have the opportunity to have their work brought to life in front of a live audience by a dedicated team of emerging artists and community members.

Submission Guidelines

• Unpublished, minimally produced plays (readings okay; no full productions).
• Length: 10 minutes or less.
• Page Limit: 10 pages max (standard format, 12-pt font, with page numbers).
• Cast: No more than 6 characters.
• Technical Requirements: Keep it simple — minimal sets, basic lighting, and modest props.
• Theme Connection: Must explore creation, humanity, invention, or expression in some form.

Content Note: Please keep language and themes suitable for a general adult audience.

Important Dates:
• Submission Deadline: January 12, 2026
• Festival Dates: April 22-26, 2026

How to Submit:
Please submit your scripts (Up to three) in PDF format through this Google Form: New Works Submissions

Include a cover page with the following information:
• Play title
• Playwright's name
• Contact email
• Short synopsis (2-3 sentences)
• Character breakdown

Please make sure that your name is not on any part of the play except the Cover Page as we submit our shows to a panel, blind.

Queens Short Play Festival Winter 2026

 Website

Deadline: January 31, 2026

PLEASE NOTE: PLAYS ARE ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS. WAITING UNTIL THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT IS NOT ADVISED.

Apply HERE: https://form.jotform.com/253154851790158

Following our successful Feastival at our new location we are pleased to announce that Queens Short Play Festival is now accepting plays for its Winter 2026 festival. The Secret Theatre seeks to promotenew work and emerging playwrights through our biannual One Act Festival. Last year's festivals were a success, and this year we are excited for more!

No fee to submit or produce.

• $250 Cash Prize for Best Play
• $100 Cash Prize for Best Director
• $75 Cash Prize for Best Actor
• $75 Cash Prize for Best Actor

• Each Play is guaranteed multiple performances [the exact number is decided once our final selection is made. Factors include the length of plays but is not usually less than 4 performances.

Guidelines:

• Plays must be between 10 and 15 minutes in length. Preference given to plays that havenot been produced before. Timings must be accurate; please overestimate if not sure. We will reject any play longer than 15 minutes. A rule of thumb is one minute per page if using 12pt Courier/Times Roman

• Playwrights are responsible for selecting the director and cast.

(We can help you if you do not have a director but preference will be given to playwrights who can provide their own directors and actors.)

• Easy to produce. (If you have a play that, for instance, includes a swimming pool, a large amount of sets and props, or anything else too elaborate or is impossible to cast, we may reject it.)

• Excerpts limited to 15 mins are acceptable

• Please submit plays in PDF or Word format only.

• We will divide selected plays into more programs, and selected Playwrights will be informed on a rolling basis.

• We offer discounted rates for rehearsals from $10 per hour for participants

 

QR:

The Secret Theatre
1010 44th Ave, LIC, NY 11101

RELENTLESS AWARD

Website

Deadline: January 1, 2026  at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

The Relentless Award, established in honor of Philip Seymour Hoffman and his pursuit of truth in the theater, is the largest annual cash prize in American theater awarded to a playwright in recognition of a new play. 

Eligibility/Criteria for Submission: 

•  Play must be unproduced, with no production commitment.
• Author(s) must have either United States citizenship, possess a green card, or currently reside in the United States and have lived here for at least four years.
• Plays with a producer, producing organization, or theater attached for future production are not eligible.
• Plays that have received more than $10,000 in commission, author fee, or other award prize money (cumulatively) are not eligible.
• One-act plays, musicals, and plays for children are not eligible.
• The author(s) must be at least 21 years old at time of submission. 

*Please note: the Relentless Award uses a blind submissions process(the names and identifying details about the authors are hidden from the judges.) It is imperative that all submitting writers create a draft of their submission with all identifying information (name, contact information, representation information if applicable, development history, any identity-describing author's note/dedication) redacted.

Failure to do so may disqualify your script and render it ineligible for consideration. **Please note: our submission window will close automatically at 11:59pm EST on January 1st, 2026 and no late submissions will be accepted. Due to Submittable's 48 hour turn around time for user inquiries, we strongly urge you to allow yourself ample time before the deadline, in case of any technological or other difficulties.

***Please see our FAQ here for more information. We highly recommend reading the FAQ before submitting, as some of the details provided are relevant to the eligibility of your submission.

The Ephemeral Players is accepting submissions for new works to produce

Website

Deadline: December 15, 2025

The Ephemeral Players are a new Nonprofit Theater Company based in NYC whose mission is to create accessible immersive theater that empowers emerging artists and supports causes illuminated by plays we produce.

We are currently accepting submissions for new works to produce as part of our upcoming 2026 season. For consideration in our 2026 season, please submit by December 15th, 2025. Any submissions received after this date will be reviewed but will likely be considered for future seasons.

We are interested in collaborating with emerging writers and producing their plays as readings, staged readings, and fully staged productions. We are prioritizing plays with immersive elements/audience interaction that have a social message in their theme. Plays can be of any range of length, from 10-minute to full-length


SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Format & File Types:
PDF or .docx only. Please name your file: LastName_Title.pdf

Submission Limit:
Up to 2 pieces per artist.


What to expect:
Our artistic team reviews submissions on a rolling basis. If we feel your piece aligns with an upcoming production, reading, or fundraising event, we’ll be in touch.

If you’re interested, you can submit directly on our website at www.ephemeralplayers.org/work-with-us at the submission form towards the bottom half of the page.

Theatre Write Now seeks playwrights

Website

Deadline: January 5, 2025 11:59 PM EST

SUBMISSION FORM

To apply for the FREE cohort, please fill out this form fully. Space is limited, and applications are due no later than 11:59 PM EST January 5th.

Applicants will be notified of involvement by January 19th.

About the Program:

Theatre Write Now seeks to support early-career playwrights in New York City by creating a space where writers can generate new theatrical works, building a community of peers through cohort-based collaboration and feedback. 

Cohort 3 Details:

THEATRE WRITE NOW IS A GENERATIVE WRITING PROGRAM! You will be pitching a new script concept to the cohort if selected as a participant. Theatre Write Now does not allow previously written work. Cohort Playwrights are NOT allowed to direct or act in their own projects.

Cohort Writing Sessions:

Monday nights, 7 pm-10 pm IN PERSON

Starting on January 26th, ending April 13th

Staged Reading Series:

1 show per week, starting the week of April 20th

Each reading process will rehearse 7-10 pm Monday through Friday of their assigned week, with a 7 pm performance the following Saturday.

Staged readings will be a nonunion, week-long process, each consisting of volunteer performers and production-paired directors, with rehearsals in the evenings, Monday to Friday, and the performance on Saturday. There will be one reading process per week, starting on April 20th, with the last performance being on June 26th. Attending the full rehearsal process is encouraged but not required. 

Where:

All cohort meetings, reading rehearsals, and performances will be in Manhattan, New York. This is not a remote/virtual program

Organized by Alex Kopnick and KOPCORP LLC

www.kopcorp.art

Seeking Decolonization Stories seeks one-act plays

Website

Deadline: December 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST

SUBMISSION FORM

Submissions in Spanish and Portuguese also accepted.

The prompt

We seek to commission non-musical one-act plays that focus on the underexplored relationships between our communities and climate change. We call on playwrights with the desire to share stories of resistance, celebration, and truth.

We are looking for playwrights who write in Spanish, Portuguese, native languages, English, or any combination of these to send a sample of playwriting that they consider representative of their work in light of this prompt. We will accept applications from November 1st to December 10th. From the applications we receive, our selection panel will choose 3 to 5 playwrights to be part of the resident cohort of Decolonization Stories: Climate Change Edition. This commission includes a playwriting residency, workshop, and public reading as part of the Decolonization

• Selected playwrights will have eight (8) weekly meetings between April and May 2026, followed by four (4) bi-weekly meetings between June and July 2026 with playwright Diana Burbano. All meetings will be on Zoom.

• Each playwright will write a one-act play responding to the prompt.

• Each playwright will receive $50 after signing the agreement and attending the first day of the

four-month residency.

• Each playwright will receive $950 compensation upon delivering their completed script.

• Commissioned works will be workshopped during the summer of 2026.

• Commissioned works will be presented as staged, directed readings in the fall of 2026.

To apply:

Please submit application materials here:

- At least one sample of theatrical writing in Spanish, English, or Portuguese*

- A one-paragraph statement of professional goals and aspirations

- A one-paragraph statement of why you were drawn to this call

- A one-paragraph statement about your community ties to Climate Change that motivates you to tell this story.

We are commissioning three to five plays centered on Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, and queer voices. We are seeking stories in Spanish, Portuguese, native languages, English, or any combination thereof that focus on the relationship between colonization and climate change.

These works will be developed and presented as staged readings at La Lengua's Fall 2026 festival in San Francisco, CA.

What are the Decolonization Stories?

Our residency and festival, Histories of Decolonization, is a platform for disseminating information about the ongoing legacy of colonization, specifically in the Americas. The project works to combat misinformation by centering narratives that shed light on the real impact and consequences of colonization that still exist today. We aim to create a space for playwrights with personal experiences and nuanced perspectives on this topic, providing an opportunity for knowledge sharing and mutual growth. You can check out our first edition's festival here.

What is Climate Change?

Climate Change describes the measurable shifts in the Earth’s temperature and weather patterns over a long period of time. Since the 1800s, the biggest catalyst for these shifts has been human activity. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, industrial processes, and agriculture are all contributors to the ongoing Climate Change crisis.

Why focus on Climate Change?

While Climate Change remains a salient aspect of public discourse, we rarely see conversations centered around the impact of Colonization on Climate Change. The increasingly boundless pushes for land acquisition (“legal” and otherwise) and the prioritization of new construction over conservation and preservation are examples of modern colonial practices.

By investigating these human activities and uncovering their roots in the colonial practices of resource exploitation, the establishment of settlements, and the displacement of native populations, we can better understand how Colonization exacerbates the Climate Change crisis.

We are living in a time where these realities are being denied and change-makers are often silenced, cast out, or criminalized. As art-makers in an increasingly digital world, we believe in the power of theatre to inject humanity back into the conversation. We also understand our role in bringing light to overlooked perspectives and giving space to the voices of our most vulnerable.

Our past Decolonization Histories Festival featured the play ‘The Arid Silence of Water’ by Viviana Calderón (a playwright and member of our second cohort), which offered insight into how colonization and the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources connect and impact the daily lives of our communities. This piece played a key role in determining the direction of our Decolonization Histories project in this third edition.

Downtown Urban Arts Festival/DUAF 2026 is Open for Submissions

Website

Deadline: December 8, 2025

Please submit to https://www.duafnyc.com/submit

Downtown Urban Arts Festival (DUAF) is seeking theatrical works (plays, musicals, and solo performances) for its 24th Annual season to be held in June 2026 in downtown New York City.

DUAF supports diverse, new, and emerging voices from America’s burgeoning multicultural landscape. Over 200 playwrights have participated in DUAF and some have gone on to greater success on Broadway and have claimed top prizes such as the Pulitzer, Tony and Obie awards and nominations.

Submission Categories:

Short-length play (under 45 minutes)

Full-length play (up to 70 minutes)

Eligible Projects: 

• Plays do not exceed 70 minutes
• Plays should be new or existing work with minimal exposure 
• Plays should not have any other production in New York City during the 30-day period before and after the 2026 festival 

Playwright’s Supports: 

• No submission or participation fees 
• $800 (short) and $1,200 (full) playwright stipends
• Actor and director stipends
• Casting support 
• Technical design and operation 
• Reimbursed rehearsal space rentals
• Actor’s Equity Showcase Code application administration
• $1,000 awards for best full, short and audience

Submission Checklist: 

• Playwright's bio with contact info including name, address, phone # and email
• Photo of playwright
• Synopsis of theatrical work
• Complete script of theatrical work
• Estimated running time of work

Please submit all attachments as .pdf. Photos must be in either .jpg or .jpeg.

For more info about DUAF, visit: duafnyc.com.

GreenMan Theatre Troupe's sixth annual 8 to the Bar 10-minute play festival

Website

Deadline: January 6, 2026 at 11:59pm CST
Or the first 120 plays received.

As of 12:55 p.m. central time, December 6, submissions for 2026 are now closed.  We have received our reading quota.  In addition to the U.S., five plays were submitted from Canada, and one each from Australia, Mexico, Italy, Japan, Hungary and Belgium.  Thank you so much for your interest!

GreenMan will be presenting Eight to the Bar, an evening of eight 10 minute plays. The prompt is “Lights! Camera! Action!” The show will be performed in July 2026 in Villa Park, Illinois. Eight plays will be selected. Cash prizes for the selected plays will be determined by the audience voting on their favorites during the run of the show:
1st Place - $200.00
2nd Place - $100.00
3rd Place - $50.00

PLAY SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

1. Playwrights may submit one play at forms.gle/hAL5nG7sqQgXqTjA7 from 9:00 a.m. (central time) December 6, 2025 through 9:00 a.m. (central time) January 6, 2026 or until the quota of 120 plays is received. NOTE: for the 2025 production, the quota was reached within the first eight hours. Selected plays will be announced on June 1, 2026. Regional restriction: None. Playwrights must be currently residing on the planet Earth. Scripts with previous performances are permitted, but must be unpublished.

2. Do not include playwright name or contact information anywhere except the cover page.

3. Prompt – “Lights! Camera! Action!” Actions speak louder than words. It’s a small space, so a three-person-swordfight is a bad idea. Think outside the box.

4. Content – Anything rated G to R. No nudity or excessive violence, but other than that – go for it.

5. Restrictions – No more than six actors per script will be cast. Doubling of parts will be permitted. Keep the set and props simple. A table or two and some chairs. Easily obtainable props. If your script requires six foot tall carnivorous pigs, we will be unlikely to do it justice. But you can go the Second City route: chairs can become car seats, couches or six foot tall carnivorous pigs.

6. Format – Limit: eight pages. Plays must be written in English and must be submitted electronically as PDF files. The playwright’s name must not appear anywhere but the title page; the judging is to be completely blind. Stick to standard play format: one inch margins, 12 point Courier or Times font. Title page (containing playwright’s name, address and e-mail), cast list page with brief descriptions of characters, followed by no more than eight pages of script. The judges will read the finalists out loud to get a timing; anything longer than ten minutes will be disqualified. 

A sample format is found here - don’t stray too far from this.

7. Genre – Comedy, drama, mystery, tragedy, farce… pretty much anything except monologues, musicals or children’s shows. Also, we’re looking for original works. Adaptations are permitted, but the original source must either be in the public domain, or have adaptation rights secured in writing by the playwright.

8. Quota – We will read up to 120 plays. No more than 120 will be accepted.

9. Entry Fee – There isn’t one.

10. Royalties – None; prizes only. Comps – the playwright and one friend will be admitted free, as many times as they want to come.

11. Rights – GreenMan Theatre Troupe will have the right to perform your play for this production only. Photographs will be taken, and unless requested not to by the playwright, plays may be video recorded for online viewing on YouTube, Facebook, etc. All other rights are retained by the playwright.

12. Directing – Director submissions will be open on April 1, 2026. Playwrights may submit to direct.

13. Selection – Sixteen plays will be chosen for the final list. Eight directors will be selected, who will read all the scripts and choose three plays he/she would like to direct. In most cases, directors get their first or second choice. So you might get to direct your own play, but don’t bet the ranch on it.

If you have any questions, please direct them to GM10MP@comcast.net.

Denver Quarterly seeking short plays & monologues

Website

Deadline: February 16, 2026 2:00 AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Denver Quarterly is interested in texts intended to be performed in some capacity-- including one-act plays, flash mobs, performance art, monologues, scripted choreography-- or work that is meant to be performed solely on the page but bears in mind certain conventions of the theater/stage. Poems and short stories are not accepted under this category.

Policies:

Performance submissions should generally consist of no more than 4,000 words, but may be much shorter as the project requires.

Excerpts from longer works are permissible.

If you are submitting performance texts with particular formatting, we recommend saving your file as a PDF.

Please submit only one piece to one category for our consideration, and please wait until you have heard back from us before submitting again.

Simultaneous submissions are permitted, and please notify us promptly if your work has been accepted elsewhere by adding a note withdrawing your piece in Submittable. We do not read previously published work.

Once Upon a Crocodile open for short plays

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2026

Send your play pasted into the body of an e-mail with “Submission” in the Subject line, to: onceuponacrocodile@gmail.com

Seeks short plays:  2000 words maximum.

Black, 12pt Times New Roman font, please. Make sure to proofread your work before flapping it at us.

Once Upon A Crocodile publishes fiction to 6,000 words and poetry to 45 lines. “Once Upon A Crocodile is an e-zine that wants to bring a mile-wide grin to its readers (snaggle-toothed or not) with humorous stories and poetry.” Read the complete guidelines here.

Verbal abuse won’t be tolerated from writers or would-be writers. If you send insulting, angry messages at any point in the process (even after your piece is published) then the Crocodile won’t be reading anything else from you and your piece will be retracted. Thanks for your understanding.

The Crocodile aims to respond within one month, and you will be asked for a short biographical doohickey on acceptance. If you’ve heard nothing after a month, send a message to the same email address above but put “Query” in the subject line.

While acerbic or sarcastic humour is excellent, we draw a definite line at sexism, racism, or derogatory works about the LGBTQ community, including non-binary people.

The Crocodile can’t pay writers now, though that may change in the future. He will promote your work on social media, because he has opposable thumbs.

Nomad Theatre seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: January 1, 2026 at midnight

SUBMISSION FORM

Nomad Theatre seeks 6-10 short plays to be a part of our upcoming show, Down on Honey Dew Acres in May 2026. Submissions will open on August 11th and close on January 1st, 2026 at midnight. 

Selected playwrights will receive notification by April 7th, 2026. If you have not received notification from us by that date, we did not choose you for the production.

Down on Honey DEW Acres will blend immersive storytelling with the laid-back spirit of farm life.

Selected plays must take place in a cedar barn on a real Central Illinois farm: Honey DEW Acres. We encourage you to use the space creatively. They must be unpublished and unproduced at the time of submission.

Submission Guidelines:

• 1 submission per playwright.
• 8-15 pages long (or about ten minutes in length) 
• Formatted using the Dramatist Guild Guidelines: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/sites/default/files/2020-01/General-SFI-Formatting-Guidelines-Complete.pdf
• Cover page should include title, playwright’s name, contact information, brief synopsis, and character descriptions.
• Playwright’s name MUST NOT appear on any other pages.
• Pages should be numbered.
• Minimum of 1, maximum of 4 actors (characters may be double cast)
• Must take place in a barn.
• No musicals.

If you have questions or need any accommodations for submission, please email nomadtheatre@gmail.com

Nomad's mission is to provide an immersive theatre experience by exposing audience members to eclectic and moving stories, taking theatre outside of a traditional theatre space and into site-specific locations.

Van Lier New Voices Fellowship 2026 Application

Website

Deadline: December 18, 2025 at 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FORM

With the support of The New York Community Trust and the Jerome Foundation, the Van Lier New Voices Fellowship provides substantial support to two BIPOC playwrights under the age of 30. You can read more about what the Van Lier New Voices Fellowship provides here.

About the Application Process

Applications open October 23rd, 2025 at 10:00am EST.

Applications close December 18th, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.

Applicants may only apply once per application year.

There are two rounds of review. Each application is thoughtfully reviewed by a broad reader pool of industry professionals, Van Lier Fellowship alumni, and Rattlestick staff. Each application is reviewed in the first round by at least two different readers. A semi-finalist pool will be identified and moved on to the second round. These applications will be reviewed by at least two different readers, as well. Applicants advancing to the finalist round will be notified in February/March 2026.

Finalists are selected through two rounds of consideration and are required to reconfirm their eligibility (see eligabilty requirements below). Six finalists are granted an interview with a selection panel, including representatives from Rattlestick Theater.

Two playwrights will be awarded the Van Lier Fellowship in May 2026.

Eligibility

An Eligible Van Lier Fellow:

Is between the ages of 18 - 30 in May 2026. Why? The New York Community Trust, which carries out Edward and Sally Van Lier’s legacy of arts appreciation, specifically benefits arts groups and training programs to provide education, training, or other support to young artists under 30. The Van Lier New Voices Playwriting Fellowship falls under the umbrella of these predetermined age parameters and is legally obligated to fulfill this goal.

Identifies as a BIPOC individual.

Resides in, or within a 30 mile radius of, New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, or Staten Island), or Minneapolis, MN. Or, plans to relocate to the NYC or Minneapolis area permanently by May 2026.

Is not enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in any degree-granting program from May 2026 to May 2027.

Demonstrates exceptional talent in playwriting and theater-making, with a deep appreciation for the collaborative nature of the creative process.

Expresses why this is a particularly timely opportunity for their participation in the Van Lier New Voices Fellowship.

Note: Current Rattlestick Theater staff, board members, and review panelists are not eligible to apply.Questions? Email vanlier@rattlestick.org! No phone calls please.

Palace Theatre Short Play Festival

Website

Deadline: January 9, 2026

 SUBMISSION FORM

At The Rex Theatre, Manchester, New Hampshire 

To be eligible for the Palace Theatre Short-Play Festival you must be a United States Resident.

The 2026 Festival is seeking Short- Plays.

Each writer may submit no more than ONE Short Play.

All plays submitted for the festival must be between 8 and 15 Minutes.

Entries must be submitted in a PDF Document format.

Submitted plays should not have had a previous professional production (readings and workshops are OK).

Playwrights will be responsible for casting + Directing their own Plays.

Please note if you require casting assistance from local theatre partners, please indicate so on the casting questions on the submission form.

-Plays may not be written using any generative artificial intelligence (AI).

-Plays must be written primarily in English (the use of non-English words or phrases within the context of the play are allowed).

Playwrights will be responsible for the accommodation of their cast during the festival – The Palace Theatre will work with you to acquire discount rates with our Hotel Partners.

Accepted Short Plays will be notified: Monday February 2nd 2026

Chosen Playwrights are asked to pay a one-time $100 Pre-Production Fee.

There is No-Fee for the following: Theatre Rental, Audio Visual, Sound Technician, Lighting Technician, Rehearsal Space.

Plays will have access to a Video Wall upstage Center. The Video Wall is 25’ Wide and 13’ Tall. 1080i resolution and can run MOV and JPEG files.

Performances will be:

• Friday April 10th 2026 @ 7:30pm
• Saturday April 11th 2026 @ 7:30pm

All Performances at The Rex Theatre, Manchester New Hampshire 03104

Cash Awards for Best Play

Each ticketholder to the festival will have a chance to vote in Audience Choice.

Awards for the following:

Audience Award for Best Play 2026

Judges Award for Best Play 2026

14th Annual Columbus Black Theatre Festival seeks monologues and one-act plays

Website

Deadline: February 28, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Mine 4 God Productions is accepting monologues and one-act plays that have diversity, inclusion, and equity of people of color characters for our 14th Annual Columbus Black Theatre Festival (CBTF) that will be held July 2nd, 3rd & 5th, 2026 at The Columbus Performing Arts Center Van Fleet Theatre, located in downtown Columbus, Ohio.

The theme for 2026 is Still Going Strong: Voices of Triumph! Our Founder/Artistic Director, Julie Whitney Scott, was given this theme, as usual, through prayer. It’s a theme that inspires hope and resilience in the face of trouble. The theme represents those that have continued to stay strong before, during, through and after personal storms have invaded their lives, and how they were victorious in the end. It must be a story that is a story and not a lecture to push your views on others. It must be about everyday people and their everyday lives and their voices of triumph.

The entries need to meet the following criteria:

1) No more than 6 characters (Actors can play double-roles if more needed.)

2) No derogatory, hate based, sexually explicit work will be reviewed or accepted.

3) Have minimal set/light requirements.

4) 15 to 20 minutes long for one-act plays. 5 to 10 minutes long for monologues.

5) Written blocking notes of the play can be rearranged by the director to meet venue space.

6) Submit in play format a titled script and a blind script without any identifying information, other than the title, in Time New Roman 12 font, normal spacing and Word Doc or PDF format.

7) Only one play submission per playwright.

8) Complete the submission entry form at www.mine4godproductions.com

Submissions are accepted December 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026. Submissions are free so don’t miss the deadline.

*Due to the number of plays received each year, you will not be notified unless your play is accepted. However, you can email us after March 15th, 2026, and we will be happy to give you feedback on your submission at mine4godproductionsllc@aol.com