48th Annual One-Act Playwriting Competition at the Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA)

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Deadline: September 1, 2025

LTA One Acts Submission Form

For a play to be considered for this competition, the submission(s) must be an original, unpublished, and un-produced (not staged for a paying audience, including festivals with paid tickets, as of the date of entry) play.

LTA intends to provide some form of staged reading or production for the winning plays. At this time, a schedule for this has not been confirmed.

LTA shall have the right to produce winning scripts without payment of royalties in 2026. Shows that receive a paid production during the submission period must be withdrawn, with another play allowed for substitution through September 1. All production and publication rights remain the property of the playwright.

To participate in the 48th Annual One-Act Playwriting competition, you must follow all of the guidelines on the following pages. Any questions can be directed to the One Act Chairs at oneactslta@gmail.com.

Deadline:

You must submit your entry no later than September 1, 2025. If your play is not submitted by this deadline, your play will not be considered for the competition.

How to Submit Your Show:

Please use the link below to fill out our submission form. You will be asked for some information about yourself and to upload your shows directly to the form. If you have any issues submitting your show, please email us at oneactslta@gmail.com. Please note that the form will only allow you to upload a file if you are using a gmail account. If you do not have one, please email us for additional instructions.



Submission Fee:

LTA does not charge a submission fee for the One Act Playwriting Competition.

Script Guidelines

Script Formatting All plays must be sent as a PDF file. Any other electronic format will not be accepted.
Script must be in blind copy formatting (meaning, no identifying information about the author should appear in the script, including name, address or contact information).
Script must include a list of characters with descriptions, a brief synopsis of the show, and numbered pages.

Scripts that do not meet the above guidelines may not be scored.

Script Content The approximate run time of the show must be 20 to 50 minutes.
Shows cannot include nudity. However, strong themes and language are welcome.
The submission must be a stage play. Film, TV or other scripts will not be accepted.
The show cannot be a musical or a play with live instrumentation.
The show cannot be the same submission from the year prior unless significant

re-writes have been made to the script. For more information, email the chairs at oneactslta@gmail.com.

Technical Requirements Given that the winners will be staged, the show must be written to meet technical specifications for the theater. A limited budget (amount yet to be confirmed) will be made available to the production team. Examples from previous years are provided below, but if you have questions on whether your show would meet technical specifications, you can email oneactslta@gmail.com.Set: One large set piece (e.g., a rooftop) or a few smaller/medium-sized pieces (e.g., a bus seat, sand dunes)
Props and costumes: Should be readily available or easily made
Light and sound: Show should be accommodated with basic lighting instruments and minimal sound effects.
Special effects: Some special effects can be accommodated (e.g., fog) ○ Combat and/or intimacy choreography: Must be minimal
Music: Shows with live music cannot be accommodated.


Judging

Scripts will be judged on the following categories:Concept
Production Elements
Dramatic Action
Characterization
Dialogue
Ability to be performed within technical requirements

Prizes

Prizes of $350 for 1st place, $250 for 2nd place and $150 for 3rd place will be awarded. Winning scripts will also be offered an opportunity to have their script workshopped before going to production.

Notification of Outcome

Finalists will be notified in mid-November 2025, and final winners will be selected by the end of 2025. All playwrights will be notified of their final status by the end of 2025. LTA is proud to offer feedback to authors who request it. Feedback will be provided to all authors who request it by the end of January 2026.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the submission process, please email oneactslta@gmail.com.

The Dramatic Question - American Woman 2025-26

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Deadline: September 2, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

American Woman (AW) is a solo show development and public engagement program for Female-identifying writers living in the United States.

AW is conducted online and uses an instructor-led curated classroom format to advance each matriculant’s vision of their solo show.

Since public engagement is an equally important component of both the AW experience and the DQT mission, up to three excerpts of pieces developed in AW are chosen by the artistic and executive directors for presentation in an online showcase.

To be eligible for AW, you must be Female-identifying, have an early draft of a solo piece, and submit the required materials by the deadline. Additionally, participants must be able to attend all 8 sessions in their entirety.

Up to 12 matriculants will be selected based on early drafts of their solo pieces, interviews, and other submission materials (i.e., artistic statements, resumes, etc.).

American Woman will be conducted via Zoom for 8-consecutive weeks 12:00-2:30pm EST, Sundays, October 12 - November 30.

DQT is proud to announce this season's PT instructor will once again be Raquel Almazan.

Like all our programs, American Woman is free of charge.

The Shrew Series seeks short works by women

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Deadline: August 31, 2025

Have something you’d like to submit? Send a email totogetherweareuninhibited@gmail.com

We focus on the themes of womanhood & gender roles. Be that an emotive spoken word piece, witty & hilarious monologue or incredibly relatable poetry piece. The focus is on self expression and highlighting themes or experiences.

Needs to be between 3-5 minutes in length.

Monologues, poems, spoken word, comedy sketches (to name a few for inspo!)

Send in your preference of medium - for writers send in your written submissions or if submitting as a writer/performer, feel free to send a performative example (audio or video submissions)

Unpublished work only - sorry!

Ideally 1 person focused for performance reasons.

We will endeavour to get back to all who submitted with an update by late September.

The series will be then be recorded over Autumn for a release ahead of 2026.

Due to the beginnings of this journey, all collaborations (writers & actors) are voluntary however you will have a professional recording of your piece/performance and the opportunity to work with a team of wonderful women and be part of an ongoing community!

Stonecoast Review open for submissions for the Fall 2025 Issue #24

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Deadline: September 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Our theme is FREEDOM. We are looking for works that explore this theme.

We uphold the Stonecoast community's goal to promote inclusivity, equity, and social justice through writing.

What do you think of when you hear the word "freedom"? What does it mean to have freedom? How does it feel when it's taken away? What is freedom when it infringes on someone else's?

The word connotes different definitions and bears different weights for each of us. It manifests itself in unexpected ways and settings, and remains absent or suppressed in so many others.

We want to read literature and take in media that explore, challenge, reconsider, or explode that concept for you.

Submission Guidelines 

• Send submissions via Submittable only.
• Please include a short cover letter and bio (50- and 100-word max., respectively).
• We accept one prose submission, one poetry submission (of up to three poems), or fivepieces of visual art per author, per submission cycle. Submissions that do not abide by these rules will not be considered for publication. 
• Your work must be previously unpublished. (Stonecoast alumni may submit already published work for consideration as reprints.)
• We encourage simultaneous submissions. However, please withdraw your submission immediately if it's accepted elsewhere. If you submit multiple poems and one is accepted at another publication, please attach a note on Submittable identifying which poem is no longer available. 
• Please adhere to standard manuscript format: Double spaced, 12 pt., Times New Roman font. Poetry may be single spaced. (If you tell us that diverging from these rules is integral to your piece, we will consider it.)
• While we love to represent stories with raw, emotional truth, we ask that you refrain from submitting pieces featuring excessive sex, violence, assaults, or suicide. We also ask that you include trigger warnings when needed.
• We will reject pieces determined to be written by the use of AI software.

Genre Guidelines

Dramatic Works. We are seeking short dramatic works of all types. Plays, screenplays, and hybrid works including monologues, one-minute scripts, ten-minute scripts, and experimental works are all welcome. 

Excerpts from longer dramatic works are welcome if they stand on their own. 

We are interested in pieces that represent diverse voices and creatively explore the many facets of freedom, including the presence and absence of it. 

For consideration for Hybrid Publication: limit submissions to 5 or fewer pages. 

For consideration for Online-Only Publication: limit submissions to 12 or fewer pages. One submission per author, per submission cycle.

The Bite Sized Theatrical Spooktacular 2025

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Deadline: September 7, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

We are looking for original short plays (or other theatrical pieces) that are 10 minutes or less. 

This production is on Halloween, and we encourage any submissions that may resonate thematically, whether they directly relate to Halloween or not.

While we will consider anything and everything, we especially want to see submissions that are comedic or spooky, as this fits best with the tone of the evening!

Have something that isn’t quite a play, but you think fits? Send us a video link!

Because we are small and have limited tech, easy-to-produce pieces are more likely to be selected. We also recommend submitting plays with a smaller cast size.

You may submit up to three plays, but please note we will only accept one play from each playwright for the event, and we may only be able read one script in your submission.

Scripts that have not been been accepted in previous years will only be reconsidered if they have undergone revisions. Please note this in your submission!


About the event:

The event will take place the evening of October 31st, in New York City. Exact time and location TBA.

Playwrights are encouraged to submit from anywhere, and local playwrights may be as involved in the process as they would like!

We work to match plays that need them with directors and actors, and help to coordinate rehearsal space.

This is an unpaid event, as we are not profiting from it.

To submit, please send your script and/or any supporting materials by September 7th via the form on the submission page!

Woodward/Newman Award 2026-27

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Deadline: August 31, 2025

Each play should be individually submitted at the following link: CONSTELLATION STAGE & SCREEN PLAY SUBMISSION.

We are currently accepting submissions for the 2026-27 Woodward/Newman Award. The award recipient will be announced by May 15, 2026. The winner will be awarded $3,000 and a full production.“Full-length” plays should have a complete running time of between 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes) to 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes). 

TYA shows should have a complete running time of over 40 minutes.

Plays submitted must be unpublished at the time of submission (independently published is acceptable).

You will be asked to submit your play as an attachment and all other information (bio, history, synopsis, character breakdown) will be entered into a form. 

• Musical submissions may upload demos as an attachment or include a link to a shared folder.
• Limit of 2 play submissions per year.
• $3,000 cash prize is in lieu of royalties for the full production. Housing & transportation will also be provided.
• Any unpublished play submitted to Constellation regardless of method (e.g. online form, agent submission, direct contact) may be considered for the Woodward/Newman Award.

Please note that we are moving away from a “finalists” model in lieu of keeping all plays under consideration for extended periods (2yrs). We will only announce a winner.

If you have any questions, please email literary@seeconstellation.org.

Bread & Wine Theatre Company CHRISTMAS SHORT-PLAY COMPETITION

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Deadline: August 28, 2025

Email Scripts to breadandwinetheatreco@gmail.com

• Between 2 & 12 pages
• Can be Performed in the Round 
• 1 to 5 actors 
• Some relation to Christmas or Christmas Themes 
• Aligns with Bread & Wine's Mission to Promote the Beauty of a Virtuous Life 

Submission & Judging Parameters:

• Initial Deadline: AUGUST 28th 
• Five plays will be selected for a Zoom Table Read on Saturday, September 6th from 4:30pm to 6:30pm CT 
• Revised Versions due by September 20th 
• Final Winner may be offered production as part of Short-Play Shows this December with payment for rights* 

*Payment for winner only will be given if it is included in our Christmas production. For details on amount of payment, include a query with your script submission

Call for Submissions: Mini Plays Review – “Fleeting Connections” (September 2025 Issue)

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Deadline: September 15, 2025

Theme: Fleeting Connections
Format: 1-Minute Plays and Monologues
Length: Maximum one page (A4 size).
Submission Email: miniplaysmag@gmail.com

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/the-mini-plays-magazine/submit

Mini Plays Review is seeking bold, inventive, and emotionally resonant one-minute plays and monologues for our September 2025 issue themed “Fleeting Connections.” We are looking for one-minute plays and monologues that capture the brief yet powerful moments of human interaction—those sparks of connection that may be gone in an instant but leave a lasting impression.

We invite playwrights, poets, and storytellers from all backgrounds to submit original, unpublished works that explore the theme through a variety of lenses. Whether humorous, haunting, romantic, or raw, we want your most compelling short-form writing.

Suggested Subtopics Include:

A chance meeting on public transportation

An overheard conversation that changes everything

The last words between two people before parting forever

A confession whispered in the dark

An awkward but revealing moment of misunderstanding

A digital connection that never becomes real

The bond between strangers during a shared crisis

A fleeting friendship formed during travel

A missed opportunity for connection

A brief but life-altering encounter with a stranger

The emotional aftermath of a moment too short to last

An accidental reunion that ends just as quickly

A single moment of honesty in a world of pretense

Guidelines:

Submissions must be original and previously unpublished (including personal blogs and social media). Previous stage/online performance are ok and do not come under this term.

Each writer may submit up to three pieces (in a single email).

Please include a brief bio (50 words max) in third person narrative with your submission.

All submissions should fit within approximately 1 page keeping in mind they should be performable within one minute.

Both comedic and dramatic pieces are welcome.

Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.

There is no submission or reading fee.

If selected, after the publication of anthology the authors will hold the copyright, intellectual property right and performance rights of the work.

Mini Plays Review is dedicated to showcasing concise, impactful storytelling. This call is open to emerging and established writers alike.

Don’t miss your chance to capture a moment that lasts a lifetime—in just sixty seconds.

Submit today and let your voice be heard in the space between hello and goodbye.

The Anti-Play Workshop seeks playwrights, theater-makers, performance artists and the generally curious

Website

Deadline: September 13, 2025

APPLICATION FORM

In this workshop, participants will dismantle the conventions of drama to investigate what emerges in their absence. Across 12 weeks, we will create and experiment with theatrical form. Participants are invited to work on shorter experiments, fragments and scores or build toward a longer anti-play project over the course of the workshop. Both approaches will be fully supported.

Sessions combine guided provocations, generative exercises and group discussions. We will read and look at examples from avant-garde theatre, experimental literature, and performance art, while also making our own impossible texts: plays that collapse under their own weight, scripts that resist staging, and scores that lead nowhere. Each week, participants will have the opportunity to share work with the group.

This process is open to playwrights, theater-makers, performance artists and the generally curious. No prior experience required, just a willingness to experiment.

Note on Work Samples: Your work sample can be in any medium (writing, video, performance, etc). Pick something that highlights who you are as an artist. 

(You can upload or leave a link to your work, either works)

Notification by: September 16th

Dates: Wednesday Nights, 7:00pm-9:00pm Central Time, October 1st-December 17th 2025

Location: Remote meeting digitally through Google Meet.

Submission Fee: None

Cost of Workshop: Pay-What-You-Can. No one turned away for lack of funds.

About the Facilitator: Ramona Rotten is a multidisciplinary artist and writer based in Chicago, Il, where she serves as the artistic director of Meat Machine Theatre. Her work spans experimental theatre and performance art, exploring themes of voyeurism, embodiment and the fluid roles of spectator and participant. Fascinated by the obscure, obscene and strange, Rotten's art pushes the boundaries of what performance can be. To view previous projects, please visit www.ramonarotten.com and @rottenreligieuse on Instagram

Questions? Email Ramona at rottenreligieuse@gmail.com

Ferrell Studios announces its 4th Annual One Act Play Festival

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Deadline: August 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

Ferrell Studios announces its 4th Annual One Act Play Festival, "Our Time" at the mignolo Arts Center. We are looking for playwrights to submit their one-act plays to be produced in our intimate 40-seat black box space for this event. 

We invite playwrights to submit original one-act plays that explore themes of identity and community, and that speak meaningful dialogue. Submitted plays may follow any genre and be no longer than 30 minutes and should be achievable given our space and technical abilities.

Tech Dates: December 10-12, 2025 (6pm-10pm)

Performance Date: Saturday, December 13, 2025 (2pm and 8pm)

Rehearsal Schedule: There will be a brief workshop rehearsal process for each play. Rehearsals will take place at the mignolo Arts Center and via Zoom (when possible). There will also be one tech rehearsal prior to the event.

Location: mignolo Arts Center (272 Lake Ave Metuchen, NJ)

Open to all -  residents of New Jersey preferred.

Upload your play, along with other required information below as a PDF

Up to TWO submissions per playwright

Plays must be ONE-ACT with a run-time no longer than 30 minutes

Limit 1-5 characters

Scripts must be original and unpublished

Scripts should adhere to standard professional play format. The name of the play and page number should appear on all pages. Include a synopsis and cast/character breakdown

Content and technical requirements should be consistent with our intimate 40-seat black box space, where it will be produced

Ferrell Studios is a local community theatre with volunteer personnel. No one involved in this project will receive monetary compensation.

UNTITLED Musical Project Fall 2025 UNTITLED Writers' Group

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Deadline: August 30, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

UNTITLED Musical Project is now accepting applications for the the Fall 2025 UNTITLED Writers' Group! UNTITLED Musical Project is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting musical theatre writers of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and their intersecting identities by fostering their work from inception. Through writers’ groups, developmental readings, dramaturgical support, and resources aimed to further artists’ professional careers in the creation of new musical theatre, UNTITLED creates a space and community where BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ writers can create bold, new, and challenging works.

The UNTITLED Musical Writers Group is a space for marginalized musical theatre writers of BIPOC/Global Majority, LGBTQIA+/Queer, and their intersecting identities to develop new musical theatre in community and engage in supporting and critiquing their colleague's work.

This Fall, we will be accepting one writers group meeting on Zoom for 12 Sunday evenings (7pm-9pm Eastern Time) on the following dates:

September 21st
September 28th
October 5th
October 12th
October 19th
October 26th
November 2nd
November 9th
November 16th
November 23rd
December 7th
December 14th
(note: no meeting November 30th)

THE PGE’S 7TH ANNUAL FACES OF AMERICA MONOLOGUE FESTIVAL

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Deadline: August 24, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM ON THEIR WEBSITE

On November 22, 2025, we will host the 7th Annual Faces of America Monologue Festival at The Marjorie S. Deane Theater in NYC.

We created the Faces of America Monologue Festival in 2019 in response to the inequality of opportunities available to marginalized communities.

Each year we celebrate the diverse stories that make up America by inviting writers to submit two minute monologues that showcase the broad spectrum of what it is to live, work and play in America. Our aim is to collect unique, captivating and beautiful stories and share them so that we learn, grow and hear each other.

We can’t wait to hear the incredible stories that will be submitted for this year’s festival.

To submit your monologue for consideration there are 4 few simple rules:

Your monologue must fit in the theme Faces of America.

Your monologue should represent America's incredible diversity. (BIPOC, AAPI, Latine, and LGBTQIA+ artists are all strongly encouraged to apply). Monologues can be historical or futuristic, cultural or political, comedic or tragic, spoken or signed!

Your monologue must be less than two minutes in length. 

We can't stress this one enough. If your monologue is longer it will not be considered.

Include the word "CATALYST" somewhere in your monologue.
If this word does not appear in the monologue it will not be considered.

Send your submission to us between July 5th- August 24th, 2025.
Late entries will not be considered. Submissions are limited to two per writer.

Discount tickets: 4 Daughters Minus One, 2000 A.D.

Upcoming performances for a new stage play called 4 Daughters Minus One, 2000 A.D. will happen at The Producers' Club located at 358 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036. Performances will take place on Saturday (10/4/25), Sunday (10/5/25) and Monday (10/6/25). 

A 30% discount will be given for general admission tickets ($29.50) for the Monday, October 6, 2025, performance at 8pm. 

Use the following Eventbrite link and enter 4 Daughters Minus One, 2000 A.D. Tickets discount code: NYCPLAYWRIGHTS 

 

Doors open at 7:30 PM. 

For more information about the show, visit www.4daughtersminusone.com. 

 

About the play

What would happen if the Literary Committee decided to nominate God as the recipient of the 21st Century Literary Hall of Fame Award? Would he come? Which members of his Royal Family would show up?

4 Daughters Minus 1, 2000 A.D. is a stage play which takes place in Detroit where the 21st Century Literary Hall of Fame Award ceremony is being held. Four of Father Yahweh’s daughters (Queen Bathsheba, Ruth, Elizabeth and the Woman at the Well) are coming to speak on his behalf with Elijah. Everyone is excited that the world has finally recognized his inspired work of 66 books in the Bible. All is well until one uninvited daughter named JEZEBEL shows up who believes the literary work does not portray her fairly and she’s coming to confront the family.

They deal with issues women endure such as being single and caring for an elderly parent, infertility, living when your child has been murdered, having a reputation of being a loose woman and being in the spotlight married to the most powerful man whose heart is shared with other women.

Blue Ink Award 2025 seeks full-length plays

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Deadline: August 31, 2025 11:59 PM CT

SUBMISSION FORM

Each year, American Blues Theater accepts worldwide submissions of original, unpublished full-length plays. 

The winning playwright receives a monetary prize of $3,000.

Cash prizes are awarded to finalists and semi-finalists too.

There is no fee to submit.

Playwrights may only submit one (1) manuscript each year for consideration. 
Please see the next page for full competition rules and guidelines.

Please follow these guidelines in preparing your manuscript:

• There is no fee to submit.
• This contest is restricted to plays written predominantly in English. Worldwide submissions are accepted.
• Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays. Adaptations are accepted with proof of rights held unless source text is in public domain. Translations, musicals, and children’s plays are not accepted.
• Playwrights may submit only one (1) manuscript per year.
• Plays that have been professionally produced or published are not eligible. Plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production will be considered.
• Plays may not be under option or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of award announcement.
• American Blues Theater reserves the Right-of-First-Refusal to produce the world premiere of the winning manuscript for one (1) year beginning on date of the public announcement of the winner.
• Plays must be submitted digitally as a PDF or Word Document via the submission form at AmericanBluesTheater.com.

If you need technological accommodations to submit your play, you may send scripts to American Blues Theater, 5627 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60659. Scripts are ineligible if received after Sunday, August 31.

Questions should be sent to info@AmericanBluesTheater.com.

Go Try Play Write August 2025

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Deadline: August 31, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

We're proud to announce a new monthly playwriting contest in collaboration with Bamboo Ridge Press. 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 August 2025 is:

A Pinocchio prompt. Write a ten-page maximum scene or an eight-page maximum monologue of a public figure who lies and whose body part either grows or shrinks with each lie. This is an ideal world where all lies are obvious to the public. Go big with your scenes… or small.

SCREAM SCENES: A Horror Playfest seeks short plays & monologues

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Deadline: September 8, 2025

They have closed their submission window - do not send.

brooklynONE productions (bkONE) invites twisted minds, dark dreamers, and fearless storytellers to submit their work for SCREAM SCENES: A Horror Playfest — a blood-curdling celebration of theatre that terrifies, shocks, and haunts long after the curtain falls.

Performances October 23 - 26

This festival is dedicated to stories that crawl under the skin, set hearts racing, and make audiences squirm in their seats. Whether it’s supernatural terror, psychological suspense, or gruesome acts of human horror, we want the nightmares only you can create.

What We’re Looking For:

• One-act horror plays (10–15 minutes in length)
• Monologues & written word pieces (poetry, prose, or performance text) that chill to the bone
• Stories that push boundaries, revel in the macabre, and keep audiences on the edge of their seats
• Minimal technical requirements (must be producible in an intimate theatre setting — we supply the shadows, you bring the fear)

Why Submit?

Selected works will be produced and staged at bkONE’s home, The Tom Kane Theatre, inside the eerie corridors of Industry City, Brooklyn.

Writers will collaborate with our creative team to bring their darkest visions to life.

Your work will be part of a festival that turns the stage into a haunted playground of nightmares.

The John DeSotelle Studio Series Short Play Festival 2025

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Deadline: August 25, 2025

They are no longer accepting submissions - do not send.

The John DeSotelle Studio Series Short Play Festival is seeking short plays (no more than 15 minutes), humorous or dramatic, that deal with the subject of commitment and the struggle it may bring; whether through relationships, love, religion, careers, culture, identity, self-growth, etc. Accepted submissions will be fully produced and performed at The NuBox Theatre at 754 9th Ave, NYC.

• Length: 10-15 minutes
• 4 character max
• Minimal set (black box friendly)
• Send in PDF format along with a short bio of the playwright (150 words max) as well as a 2-3 sentence summary of the play.

Selections will be made early September 2025. Submitters will be notified of selection via email by September 12th.

Festival performances – October 10-12, 2025 at The NuBox, New York City.

For Questions or More Information Email: info@desotellestudio.com

Playwrights are encouraged to submit more than one play. 

There is no restriction on plays that have been previously produced or published so long as it meets the theme, length, and set requirements and does not require licensing. There is no participation fee and all production responsibilities will remain with the John DeSotelle Studio.

The Ten-Minute Musicals Project 2025

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Deadline: August 31, 2025

SEEKING: Complete original stage musicals which play between seven and twenty minutes. Works which have been previously produced are acceptable, as are excerpts from full-length shows, if they can stand up on their own.

MUSICAL STYLE AND THEATRICAL FORMAT: Any musical style: pop, rock, show, opera, C&W, etc; or theatrical format: comedy, mystery, drama, etc.

CAST SIZE: Maximum of ten performers—five women and five men.

SUBMISSIONS SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

1. A printed script. (Note: printed on paper; not sent as a computer file on disk.) And please make sure your POSTAL ADDRESS appears on it.

2. A CD or DVD of either the entire piece or just the musical material. (Please don’t send a USB flash drive.)

3. A stamped self-addressed large envelope if you want the work returned.

4. More than one work can be submitted at a time, in the same envelope or separately.

CONCERNING THE ABOVE, PLEASE NOTE: NO ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS — HARD COPIES ONLY

DEADLINE: Simply postmarked by August 31st. (Do not waste money on overnight express, registered, or certified mail. All that’s requested is that the package be postmarked by August 31—but even if you’re just a day or two late, don’t worry. This is not an officious arts bureaucracy.) Responses will be mailed out by November 30th.

FINANCIAL REMUNERATION: $250/US royalty advance for each piece selected, with an equal share of licensing royalties when produced.

SEND TO:

The Ten-Minute Musicals Project
Michael Koppy, Producer
P.O. Box 461194
West Hollywood, CA 90046 USA

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS“The more restrictions you have, the easier something is to write.” — Stephen Sondheim

“The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.” — Orson Welles

The single most important piece of advice we can offer is to caution that it will surely take much time and effort to create a quality work. (Occasionally a clearly talented and capable writer and/or composer seem to have almost dashed something off, under the misperception that inspiration can carry the day in this format. However, all the works selected in previous rounds clearly evince that considerable deliberation, craft, and time were invested.)

We’re seeking short contemporary musical theater material, in the style of what might be found on Broadway, off-Broadway or the West End. Think of shows like Candide or Little Shop of Horrors, pop operas like Sweeney Todd or Chess, or chamber musicals like Once on this Island or Falsettos. Even small accessible operas like The Telephone or Trouble in Tahiti are possible models. All have solid plots, and all rely on sung material to advance them.

Of primary importance is to start with a solid, complete story, even if it means postponing work on music and lyrics until that dramatic foundation is complete. This is one reason it is suggested (no; strongly, strongly recommended!) that musicals be based on a short story, play, film, poem or teleplay—either in the public domain (usually meaning it was originally published more than seventy-five years ago) or for which adaptation rights have been obtained. (While we’d love to have pieces based on works by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Rod Serling, James Baldwin, Raymond Carver, William Faulkner, Chinua Achebe or Stephen King, getting the rights to adapt a work still in copyright can often be quite difficult. Stories or narrative poems by writers from previous eras, like Jack London, Katherine Mansfield, Anton Chekhov, Ambrose Bierce, Mary Shelley, Robert Service, Franz Kafka, Geoffrey Chaucer, Anna Laetitia Barbauld, Banjo Paterson, Aesop of Samos, Louisa May Alcott, Jonathan Swift, Giovanni Boccaccio and Guy de Maupassant—among so many, many others—are in the public domain and can be freely adapted.)

We prefer works using larger casts. If from six to the maximum of ten voices are used it’s a plus, even if most are secondary or ‘chorus’ roles.

Fast-paced comedy material has an advantage.

If adapting a story, you might consider setting it in another time or place, adding or subtracting (or combining) characters, or even changing the character genders. Yet be wary of doing so on whim, sans firm rationale.

It seems from experience here that fairy tales may easily end up being too cute, trite.

A narrator often slows things down. Trust audiences to get the story through what characters say, sing and do. And it’s better for a character to share his or her reactions to what is happening than to simply describe events—we can see them unfolding with our own eyes.

Be wary of writing only introspective musical ‘moments’, as they usually stop the progression of the plot. Solo ballads should be thought of as icing on the cake, as you’ll surely still need other sung material—much of it uptempo—which advances the plot in duets, trios, and production numbers.

Don’t worry if an idea seems ‘unstageable’. That’s what directors, designers, choreographers—and rehearsals—are for.

Finally, please understand that NONE OF THESE OBSERVATIONS ARE GOSPEL. They’re simply recommendations based on what’s been learned from seeing works submitted previously. Given that, please take them seriously. However, nearly every one of these recommendations has been ignored by at least one of the works so far selected.

In the end what matters most will be the idea and aim of your piece and how economically, effectively, elegantly they are realized.

Distillery2026 Distillery New Works Festival seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: September 5, 2025
Unless cap of 600 scripts has been reached.

SUBMISSION FORM

The Distillery New Works Festival is a celebration of emerging theater and an opportunity for playwrights to gain valuable feedback on new work. Each play in the festival receives a live reading by a cast of professional actors, allowing it to live and breathe off the page. The readings conclude with a discussion of the play with the playwright, giving writers the chance to receive feedback from Seattle audiences and providing a platform for audiences to help shape new works in process.

Before submitting, please make sure your play meets the following criteria:

• Full-length plays. We are currently only accepting submissions for full-length scripts of any genre. Shorts and one-acts will not be considered. 
• One play per playwright. We will only consider one script per playwright for this year's Distillery Festival. 
• New works, development mindset. The Distillery Festival is intended to promote new works and help playwrights who want to actively update and improve their scripts. Selected playwrights are expected to approach the festival with a development mindset, and to attend/participate in the festival to the best of their ability. If you are completely finished with your script, the Distillery process is not for you. 

Festival attendance. Festival attendance is an important part of Distillery and is required for all playwrights. If you are from out of the area a travel stipend will be provided.

Feminism - your play passes the Macha Test. This year Distillery is being produced by Seattle Public Theater in association with Macha Theatre Works, and we are excited to use the festival to help lift up feminist works. Please review the Macha Test and make sure your play passes before submitting. We will not consider plays that do not pass the Macha Test.

Selection Process

We will review the first 600 scripts submitted to Distillery this year. Submissions will close when we reach the 600 play cap, or on September 5th, whichever comes first. We will then review these scripts and select a group to move on to the next round. This first review can take some time, so we thank you in advance for your patience. As we narrow down our play selection, we will announce which plays have made it to the next round both via email and publicly on our social media. Here is a rough timeline. While we may diverge this year, it will hopefully give you a framework for setting expectations about this process for 2025-2026:

September-December: Submission Review/Reading Period
December: Release of the LONG LIST (last year, 51 plays)
End of December: Release of the SHORT LIST (last year, 23 plays)

January: Playwright Interviews: Short-listed playwrights are expected to participate in a virtual interview with members of the Seattle Public Distillery team. After interviews, release of the SEMI-FINALISTS (last year, 13 plays)

February: Final review/director matching process. Release of the OFFICIAL SELECTIONS.

In the end, we expect to choose 6 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS from the process to participate in Distillery, along with one play from a Seattle Public Theater resident playwright. Last year we received ~750 Distillery submissions and included 7 plays in the final festival. We will be looking for an eclectic group of feminist plays to round out this exciting new works festival. We will prioritize playwrights local to the Pacific Northwest and those from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in theater.

Distillery Goals

Traditionally, the distillery process involves heating a liquid, then allowing it to condense into a new product. Here at the New Works Distillery, we do the same thing with stories, allowing them to rise, change, and settle into something new. This is part of how we cultivate new plays that feature strong feminist themes. Whether playwrights are interested in testing out bold new ideas or putting the final touches on a nearly-finished script, the Distillery is here to help.

Other ways to get involved

After our script selection process, we enjoy connecting with talented directors and actors to help bring these new scripts to life. If you're interested in getting involved, feel free to contact us at literary@seattlepublictheater.org to learn what openings are available this year.

Support Distillery

The Distillery series makes it possible for writers to take risks and discover their voices. Donate here to support the development of new work!

DQT PlayTime 2025-26 Application

Website

Deadline: September 2, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM


Tuesdays 10/21/25 -- 12/9/25, from 6pm - 9pm EST, via Zoom.

PLAYTIME is a new play development and presentation program that centralizes Female-identifying or BIPoC playwrights with early drafts of plays. This program is for playwrights who already have a full draft of a play.

PT is conducted online and uses an instructor-led curated classroom format with the goal of working constructively toward advancing each matriculant’s vision for their play.

Since public engagement is an equally important component of both the PT experience and the DQT mission, up to three excerpts of pieces developed in PT are chosen by the artistic and executive directors for presentation in an online showcase.

To be eligible for PT, you must be BIPoC or Female-identifying, have an early draft of a play, and submit the required materials by deadline. Additionally, participants must be able to attend all 8 sessions in their entirety

Up to 12 matriculants will be selected based on early drafts of their plays, interviews, and other submission materials (i.e., artistic statements, resumes, etc.)

PlayTime will be conducted via Zoom from 6-9:00pm (EST) on 8-consecutive Tuesdays between October 21 – December 9.

DQT is proud to announce this season's PT instructor will once again be OBIE Award winner Carmen Rivera Tirado. 

Actors Theatre Playhouse Seeking Original Scripts for Ten-Minute Play Festival

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2025

All scripts will be accepted ONLY thru email at tenplays19@gmail.com

TWO SUBMISSIONS ONLY PLEASE.

The Actors Theatre Playhouse of West Chesterfield, New Hampshire, and Brattleboro, Vermont, is accepting ten-minute play submissions for its festival in June of 2026.

Email is best for us to get your manuscript to our review committee as quickly as possible. Please include a title page with your contact information attached to the script. Ten-minute plays should play in one scene, have minimal scenic requirements, not exceed ten-twelve pages in length and have two to six characters. Upon acceptable receipt, a return email will confirm your delivery to us.

The number of scripts we can process for this year’s festival is limited, so submit soon if you want to be considered for production this year. 

We will keep excess scripts for consideration next year. Approximately 12 finalists will be selected and notified, with eight winners announced following auditions and casting in Jan 2026.

We regret that we cannot offer any financial prizes at this time. The winners will receive production of their play as part of our next Ten-Minute Play Festival and multiple tickets should the authors be able to attend.

The goal of the festival is both to encourage the production of new works, while exposing our actors and directors to the techniques and practices of working with playwrights and producing new plays.

For information about the theatre, go to www.atplayhouse.org

FALL 2025 Online Class in Writing the Ten-Minute Play

Fall online classes in Writing the Ten-Minute Play are now open for enrollment.

Award-winning playwright and musical theatre writer Arianna Rose is offering two online sections in Writing The Ten-Minute Play.

Arianna has taught this course for the Dramatists Guild Institute, Delray Beach Playhouse, and other playwriting venues both online and in-person in NY and FL.

"Writing for the Stage: The Ten-Minute Play"

Six Sessions, 3 hours each, September 4 – October 16 (no class 9/11) : choose one section

1. Thursdays, 1:00 – 4:00 pm EST
2. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm EST 

Newcomers Tuition: $299 early bird through September 1st; $329 after

Course Repeaters Tuition: $150 early bird through September 1st; $165 after

Discount: $15 discount for newcomers who are current Dramatists Guild or South Florida Theatre League members.

Minimum 3 participants per section; maximum 10.

Course Description:

Ten-minute play festivals continue to grow in popularity around the world, with readings, productions, and publications at every level of theatre. While short-form plays share some similarities with full-length storytelling, the dramatists who excel in this form have learned how to write into the differences. I can help you join their ranks and give you the tools to write to the highest level of craft.

This eight-session course is a combination of lecture, reading, discussion, and most importantly, in-class sharing of your work for feedback. Whether you’re a new or seasoned dramatist, Writing The Ten-Minute Play will assist you in your craft. Topics include the elements of a successful 10-minute play, dramatic structure, generating ideas, character development, giving and receiving constructive feedback, effective rewrites, formatting your play, submissions, and log-keeping.

Please contact Arianna Rose at rockawayrose@gmail.com, or via her website where there is more course information:

https://ariannarose.net/playwriting-classes-and-other-workshops

Arianna Rose is the Dramatists Guild Ambassador for South Florida, a Dramatists Guild Institute Instructor and Pip Mentor, professional dramaturg, Theatre Professor, and an award-winning playwright and musical theatre writer. Recipient of the MAC Song of the Year Award, the York Theatre NEO, and numerous best short play awards. Her work has been produced in 37 states and ten countries. Published: Smith & Kraus, Applause Books, Theatre Odyssey, Ghostlight Publications & Gemco Australia. 2019-2021 Miami-Dade County Playwright Development Program, moderated by Kia Corthron. She created and moderates the weekly Plays on Purpose/Miami New Musicals stage writers group, in its sixth year. M.F.A., NYU Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing; B.A. Theatre, Bucknell University; BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop. Memberships: ASCAP, LMDA, MAESTRA, Musicians Union, New Play Exchange, South Florida Theatre League, Dramatists Guild of America http://www.ariannarose.net

Interested but not available?

If you are interested but don't have availability for that day and times, please email me at rockawayrose@gmail.com and I'll compile a list for another section or future course.

One-on-One Private Dramaturgy

If you prefer one-on-one coaching, I am a member of the Dramaturg and Literary Managers Association of the Americas (LMDA) and the Dramatists Guild Plays-in-Progress Mentor Program. More information here:

http://ariannarose.net/dramaturg-for-hire

Theater production seek playwrights interested in collaborating

Website

Deadline: August 24, 2025

(the sooner the better)

Send a sample of your work to Alex Baker at a@creativeimmigrant.com

Secrets, a new interactive play seeks playwrights interested in collaborating with us for the next Secrets script and joining our writer's room.

This is a compensated opportunity ($1,500) to rework an existing ~64 page script, with the potential to work on new volumes of Secrets in the future.

Learn more about the project here: https://secretsbar.com/about.

LOCUST part one by Daniel S. Park - free tickets

LOCUST part one staged reading

7PM - Sunday August 17
The Attic @ the Tank Theater

It is the winter slowly turning into spring, and Katharine has been planning to move out of her apartment in New York to escape to a spiritual retreat in the Amazon once her apartment lease is up for the summer. 

However, things get a bit strange when her former roommate curses her for not extending the lease,  while a new subletter for a spare room turns out to not quite be who he seems to be.

Link for free tickets to RSVP. https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/audaciousowl/locust-staged-reading

The Larking House Playwright's Intensive 2025

Website

Deadline: August 17, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Do you have a play that’s ready to get off the page and into the rehearsal room? The Larking House is now accepting unproduced plays for the 2025 installment of our Playwright’s Intensive, a writer-driven program to jumpstart your new play and lead the shape of its development.

This season, we're seeking 6 new scripts by local and remote playwrights to be workshopped and presented over their own weeklong programs. Each play will be cast and directed over a series of playwright-oriented workshop rehearsals, culminating in a staged reading and response session from invited respondents. The intensives will take place between October 26th and December 13th, with one playwright’s work explored and developed each week. This year we will have four remote sessions for playwrights anywhere, and two in-person readings for California-local playwrights in the Orange County area!

Submission Guidelines:

• Unproduced or lightly-produced plays.
• One-acts or full length plays between 30~120 pages. (Unfortunately, no musicals.)
• Casts of 1 to around 15 performers.
• One play per submission, and one submission per playwright (or per writing team).
• Please send your script in .PDF format only.
• Include on your first page: title, author’s name(s), submission email, and relevant contact info.

The Playwrights Group ~ Script Consultations

 Script Consultations

If have a script you want feedback on — just send a PDF of your script and you’ll get a critique via email and/or video conference. See website for rates.

Richard Caliban has worked with individuals on their scripts from all over the world — Indonesia, China, Greece, Australia, Serbia, as well as right here in New York. A script consultation will provide you with feedback on the structural soundness of your story, the dramatic arc of your protagonist, thematic unity and much more.

 

Online One-on-One Courses

If you’re looking for more, check out our One on One Online Playwriting Courses:

• The Art of Playwriting
• Write a Play in 10 Weeks
• 3 Hour Short Course

All are with instructor Richard Caliban, and since it’s One on One, the courses can be adjusted to fit your level of experience.

 

The Weekly Workshop

 

 

Join our nationwide community of playwrights on Zoom. It’s a great way to stay connected and motivated.

Participating in a weekly workshop can give you the kick you need to see your script through from beginning to end. You can bring in anything you’re working on — a full length script, a musical, a TV pilot, whatever. And when your script is ready — we’ll present it in a Public Reading. We also bring in Guest Speakers, like Pulitzer Prize winner Margaret Edson (Wit).

Sit in on a session and see for yourself!

Thursdays 7 - 9:30pm EST

Please visit our website for further Info and Rates: 

www.theplaywrightsgroup.com

Contact us at 

scripts@theplaywrightsgroup.com

RFI Media Productions seeks playwright/dramaturg

Website

Deadline: August 18, 2025

Submissions to scott@rfinyc.com

Please submit a cover letter describing your experience with similar projects.

We are looking for a collaborative playwright/dramaturg to help develop and finalize a new immersive live show inspired by the final, mysterious days of Edgar Allan Poe.

The piece blends site-specific staging, atmospheric projection, and audience interaction, and walks the line between psychological horror and poetic beauty.

Ideal collaborator: Experience in live theatre or immersive experiences

Strong in character-driven storytelling

Bonus: background in horror, Gothic, or historical fiction

This is a paid, passion project (modest budget, pending fundraising) set for Fall 2025 in NYC. Fee based on experience and work on project.

The Yale Drama Series 2026

Website

Deadline: August 15, 2025 EDT 

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Hardcopy submissions are also possible - no staples:

Send the manuscript to Yale Drama Series, P.O. Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040.

The Yale Drama Series is seeking submissions for its 2026 playwriting competition. The winning play will be selected by the series’ current judge, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. The winner of this annual competition will be awarded the David Charles Horn Prize of $10,000, publication of their manuscript by Yale University Press, and a staged reading at the Schwarzman Center at Yale University. The prize and publication are contingent on the playwright’s agreeing to the terms of the publishing agreement.

There is no entry fee. Please follow these guidelines in preparing your manuscript:

1. This contest is restricted to plays written in the English language. Worldwide submissions are accepted.

2. Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays, with a minimum of 65 pages. Plays with less than 65 pages will not be considered.

3. Translations, adaptations, musicals, and children’s plays are not accepted.

4. The Yale Drama Series is intended to support emerging playwrights. Playwrights may win the competition only once.

5. Playwrights may submit only one manuscript per year. Only manuscripts authored by one playwright are eligible.

6. Plays that have been professionally produced or published are not eligible. Plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production or that have been published as an actor’s edition will be considered.

7. Plays may not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission.

8. Plays must be typed/word-processed and page numbered. Plays with images are not accepted.

9. The Yale Drama Series reserves the right to reject any manuscript for any reason.

10. The Yale Drama Series reserves the right of the judge to not choose a winner for any given year of the competition and reserves the right to determine the ineligibility of a winner, in keeping with the spirit of the competition, and based upon the accomplishments of the author.

Before submitting your play, please:

1. Omit your name and contact information from your manuscript and submission file name.

2. Begin your manuscript with a title page that shows the play's title, a 2-3 sentence keynote description of the play, a list of characters, and a list of acts and scenes.

3. Enter the title of your play, your name and contact information (including address, phone number, and email address), and a brief biography where indicated in the electronic submission form.

For more information about the Yale Drama Series, please visit:
yalebooks.com/drama
dchornfoundation.org
or email us at yaledramaseries@yale.edu

The Garden State New Play Festival 2025

Website

Deadline: August 15, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

The Garden State New Play Festival (GSNPF), a partnership between Jersey City Theatre Center and The New Jersey Play Lab, is an innovative new play development festival celebrating the unique way in which art can impact, unite, and inspire.

The mission of the Festival is to marry community engagement around issues relating to social justice with a rigorous dramaturgical process, resulting in the presentation of a slate of new plays by a diverse group of writers that have the clarity of intention necessary to spark rich conversation and an open exchange of ideas and perspectives.

The four pillars of the Festival are:“Community and Advocacy” To engage a broad spectrum of New Jersey artists and arts organizations, audiences, and community advocates around the power of theatre as an agent for change 

“Awareness and Connectivity” To explore how writing about local and personal politics and issues connects to a larger global context

“Artistic Equity and Exchange” To bring together a diverse group of artists of varying career levels under an umbrella of learning, sharing, and artistic expansion

“Craft and Excellence” To champion and execute best practices in new play development and to be a resource for NJ Professional Theaters to identify new plays for production.

The Festival is designed to foster a supportive and responsive environment for each participating playwright through an individualized approach of tailored dramaturgical guidance, community workshops, artistic and advocacy exchange opportunities, and a flexible focus on process versus product. Through this more holistic and welcoming approach to play development, the Garden State New Play Festival aims to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem that values and champions the power of playmaking.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

This Festival is open to playwrights of all career levels residing in the state of New Jersey or the Metropolitan Areas of New York City or Philadelphia.

The Garden State New Play Festival is a play development festival focused around community engagement and social justice. The time commitment spans from November 2025 to May 2026. The Festival presentation itself takes place from May 1st to May 17th, 2026, and will feature readings of all the plays selected for inclusion in the Festival.

Selected playwrights are expected to engage in a rigorous dramaturgical process around their plays, and to offer workshops and classroom visits within New Jersey communities. Selected playwrights are expected to have flexibility within their schedules, and be able to be present in and around the Jersey City area on multiple occasions, both during the festival itself and in the months leading up to it.

Interested playwrights should submit in one of two categories:

“Early Career” (You may have written a play or two, or you may be writing your first play; Perhaps you have had a few readings, but most likely no professional productions; You may be coming from another art form or career, or be right out of University.)

“Emerging or Professional” (You have written several plays; You have had numerous readings and/or professional productions; You have some experience in play development settings; You may or may not have a graduate degree.)

Please note that each selected playwright will be supported based upon their level of experience and the stage of development of the play. Each development process will look different.

Playwrights should submit: 

• The FIRST 20 pages of a full-length play focusing on some element of social justice. This is a very broad subject and we encourage you to think outside of the box of what this can mean and what this means to you personally.
• Plays can be completed or in process, and may be unproduced or previously produced. However, as this is a play development festival, playwrights should only submit work they feel is in need of further development.
• The play must not be currently under development in another long-term development process with another entity that will overlap with the work around the Festival.
• Musical submissions will be considered if they are small musicals (a cast of 4 or less) and can be accompanied by a solo musician.
• There is no limit on cast size for plays, but cast size may be considered within the selection process.
• A brief cover letter.
• Your playwriting resume (Please also include any additional resumes regarding any other work that you feel is pertinent to your artistry or experience.)
• A synopsis of the play (1 page maximum. This is not a marketing blurb or summary. This is a full synopsis of the play.)
• A character breakdown (Please include any doubling so we can assess the number of actors needed to perform the play.)
• A list of the development history of the play

Please upload your PDF documents to this Google form. You will be notified when we have received your submission. Please note submissions open on July 1st, 2025.
The deadline for submissions is August 15th, 2025.
Requests for full scripts will go out by September 15th, 2025.

SOME THOUGHTS ON WHAT KIND OF PLAYS WE ARE LOOKING FOR….

• Art is deeply personal and thus highly subjective. That being said, we believe in the value of trying to be as explicit as we can about what currently guides us in selecting plays for the Festival. This is not a checklist, nor is it a “how-to.” It does not connote empirical quality or intrinsic value judgments of any play. It is merely a collection of attributes that we have identified amongst the plays we have felt pulled towards in the past.We are committed to artistic excellence in craft above all else, recognizing the many traditions and styles that can inhabit and inform craft. 
• We gravitate toward contemplative theatre as opposed to consumptive theatre; plays of substance that instigate thought long after the curtain has fallen. However, we firmly believe that just because a play is about something important doesn’t automatically make it an important, or well-structured play.
• We believe that well-told stories come in all voices, tones, and styles.
• We are drawn to work with the potential to resonate beyond its immediate story and circumstances to illuminate or explore a larger, more expansive idea, and we believe that plays which reside in the gray areas of morality and impulse are the plays poised to have the greatest impact.
• We gravitate toward plays that are ambitious, either in an attempt at something new/challenging/complex or by excelling at an established form, as well as plays that challenge our preconceived notions and pose questions as opposed to providing answers.
• We are attracted to plays that have a textured language that lifts the text off of the page, a theatricality that embraces the medium of the stage (i.e. it couldn’t equally be a film), and a heart that seeks to move us by expressing something specifically or deeply human.

If you have any questions, please email submissions@njplaylab.org.

Thank you for your interest in our Festival.