Deadline: September 15, 2025
SUBMISSION FORM
Dedicated to the discovery, development and publicizing of worthy new plays and playwrights.
NOTE: some of their online documentation might still say submissions are only open to SETC members, but that is no longer correct.
The awardee receives:
Dedicated to the discovery, development and publicizing of worthy new plays and playwrights.
NOTE: some of their online documentation might still say submissions are only open to SETC members, but that is no longer correct.
The awardee receives:
- $1,000 honorarium
- Certificate at Recognition
- Acknowledgement at the Saturday evening Gala
- Staged Play Reading at the annual SETC Convention
- Travel and hotel accommodations.
- Acknowledgement in an SETC publication
The Charles M. Getchell New Play Contest considers only plays that meet the following requirements:
1. Submitted work must be by one playwright only. No collaborations or adaptations will be considered.
Submitting a jointly written play under the name of only one author, or a play that was developed in
collaboration with other artists such as a collaboratively produced devised work, adaptation of
another writer's work, or in conjunction with librettists and/or composers will not be considered.
2. Submitted work must be either a full-length play or thematically related one acts which constitute a
full-length play when performed together. No musicals or children's plays will be considered.
3. Plays must be unproduced (no professional productions) and unpublished. Readings and workshops
are acceptable. Any play which has had more than one consecutive performance by a non-college or
university theatre which charged admission and/or had a review will not be considered.
4. Plays submitted in prior years may not be resubmitted.
Submission Guidelines
1. Only one play submission is allowed per playwright.
2. Plays must be submitted via our online application in Microsoft Word or PDF format under the
following guidelines:
- Scripts should be in a standard format, such as Dramatists Guild Modern Stage Play.
- Text should be in 12 pt type and in a standard font such as Times New Roman.
- Script must include page numbers at the bottom of each page.
- The author's name MUST NOT appear anywhere in the script.
- DO NOT include resumes, playwright biographies or a history of the play.
Winning Playwright:
1. The winner, selected by a panel of readers, will be announced in November of each year.
2. The playwright will retain all copyright to the submitted material.
3. The playwright will be expected to attend the SETC convention (Chattanooga, Tennessee March 3–7, 2026) at the expense of SETC, attend the response session, and receive the cash award at the annual banquet.
4. The winning play will be considered for publication online via the SETC website*. Promotional
information will be published in an issue of Southern Theatre magazine, including:
- Profile of the playwright/winner
- Short abstract of the play
- A powerful “snippet” from the play to gather attention and interest
- A sidebar noting that the whole play can found on the SETC website, with a link to the play.