Theatre Noir Blanc seeks full-length scripts

Website

Deadline: October 5, 2025

Theatre Noir Blanc is a new theatre company based in the city of Dallas, Texas. Our mission is to create, develop, and produce original works that explore the gay interracial experience–pushing boundaries, taking creative risks, and fostering an inclusive community that inspires a future generation of theatre-makers.

We are launching our inaugural season in 2026 and preparing for the 2027 season. Our goal is to produce four original unproduced full-length plays each season that explore our mission statement. The vision of Theatre Noir Blanc is to elevate these bold, untold narratives by national and international playwrights that reflect the richness and complexity of a diverse world.

Guidelines:

Unproduced plays (workshops and readings are fine)

Original full-length plays that are at least 65 pages (no first or second drafts)

Cast of 1 to 8 (7 to 8 with dual roles)

¨ Your play must be in either the Dramatists Guild Modern or Traditional Stage play format; if it is not, your play will not be read

¨ Please send your script in .PDF format only

¨ Only one play can be submitted by the playwright

¨ Playwright’s CV

¨ We accept submissions from September 6 to October 5, 2025

¨ We will respond to all submissions within 6 months

Please fill out the submission form on our website:

¨ www.theatrenoirblanc.org

¨ Work With Us

We are a new theatre company focused on fulfilling our mission statement. We encourage you to reach out to us at literary@theatrenoirblanc.org with any questions you may have about submitting your play and our mission.

Trinity Theater Company New Works Festival

Website

Deadline: October 6, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST

We will accept the first 500 plays 

The New Works Festival is designed to bring living playwrights and their words to the center of conversation. All plays are presented as Staged Readings, as to keep the words first.

Held in sunny San Diego, our annual New Works Festival solicits global submissions for new works, but uses the talents of local actors and directors, which allows for local and international discourse.

In preparation for the weekend of readings, participating playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, actors, and TTC artistic staff gather to read and discuss the plays, supporting the playwrights development of their work. The New Works Festival culminates in a 3-day event of readings, discussions, and social events.

The 2026 New Works Festival will be presented for a public audience April 2026.

Learn more about TTC’s mission and history online at www.trinityttc.org.

2026 Open Submission Guidelines

• TTC’s submission process is open to all playwrights, though priority may be given to those residing in San Diego, CA. Please review carefully:Plays must not have yet had a full professional production, nor be currently contracted for a full professional production.
• TTC will only accept one play by each playwright for consideration
• TTC will only accept plays submitted directly by playwrights. Agents, theatres, and fellow artists are encouraged to share the word with playwrights, but no third party submissions will be accepted.
• TTC will not accept musicals for the 2025 New Works Festival

To Submit Your Play:

Please submit completing this Google form.

We will accept the first 500 plays we receive that meet our guidelines. We are now accepting submissions. The application process will remain open until 11:59pm PST, October 6, 2025.

Each applicant will be notified by the end of January 2026 whether or not their play has been accepted into the evaluation process. By February 15, each playwright whose play has been accepted for consideration will be informed of our final decision.

Award: $100 for full length plays; $50 for shorts.

FAQ

1) What is the theme for this year? Share Your Story

2) Do you provide travel accommodations. No. We can offer a virtual option for out-of-town playwrights to be part of the rehearsal process. Recordings of the performances may be made only with permissions from the playwright.

Are 10-minute plays being accepted? Yes, those will be considered a “short play” for this festival.

Evaluation
Scripts are evaluated based on the following criteria: Theme alignment, Originality, Audience Appeal, Character Development & Casting Options, Playwright Location, Dialogue, Feasibility of Production, Social Impact, Artistic Merit.

We very much appreciate your interest. Please address any questions to vivian@trinityttc.org and we will get back to you as soon as we’re able.

The Gay Players seek original scripts

Facebook page

Deadline: October 10, 2025

The Gay Players are looking for an original script to perform next summer! For our next show, we are looking to highlight 2SLGBTQIA+ voices. We will announce our selection late November or early December.

Please email all scripts and questions to: eyrin.thegayplayers@gmail.com

Gene Frankel Theatre Festival – Winter 2025

Website

Deadline: October 14, 2025
Early submissions are encouraged.

Festival Dates: December 8-22, 2025

The Gene Frankel Theatre Festival is accepting submissions for its winter edition running from December 8th through December 22nd.

The applicants will need to produce the work - director, casting, and all production elements. The Gene Frankel Theatre will help with setting up your technical needs such as lighting, sound, and projections.


Eligible Work

Short plays (maximum 15 minutes)

One-act plays (up to 60 minutes)

All genres are considered, including drama, comedy, movement-based work, and experimental forms. Submitted work should be New York premieres. (Note: We are committed to showcasing works that have never been produced in New York before December 8, 2025. Participation in festivals counts as a production. Staged readings, private workshops, and brief excerpt presentations do notcount as productions.) All work MUST be unpublished.

Each play should have 1 - 5 actors. No more than 5 actors will be permitted. Cast and crew should be non-union and 18 and older.

Selection Criteria

Pieces will be selected based on artistic merit, originality, clarity of vision, and suitability for festival programming. The goal is to present a high-quality, varied lineup. Submission does not guarantee selection.

Playwrights, whose play has been selected, will be contacted by Oct 17.

Submission Materials

• Full script in PDF format
• Brief synopsis
• Character breakdown (Each play should have a maximum of 5 actors)
• Indication of category: short play (up to 15 minutes) or one-act (up to 60 minutes)
• Production history, if applicable 

Please confirm this is a New York Premiere (Note: We are committed to showcasing works that have never been produced in New York before December 8, 2025. Participation in festivals counts as a production. Staged readings, private workshops, and brief excerpt presentations do not count as productions.)

Limit two submissions per applicant.

Optional: Playwright bio, director, cast, brief tech/staging notes, prior production photos or media (if available), and social media or website links may also be included to support your submission.

Participation Details

No submission fee. All participants must be available from December 8th through December 22nd.

A $100 participation fee for short plays and a $150 participation fee for one act plays for selected works will apply.


Awards

Selected productions will be eligible for awards, including Best Play, Best Script, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director. Awards will be given in both short play and one-act categories.

Festival Format
Each selected play will be presented in one of several curated blocks. Each block will run approximately 90 minutes (including intermission) and receive three performances during the two-week performance schedule. The Festival will conclude with a Gala event, on December 22nd, featuring guest performances and an awards ceremony.

How to Submit
Send all required materials to: GeneFrankelTheatrePlayFestival@gmail.com

Subject line: Gene Frankel Theatre Festival – Title of Play

Women’s Work Project open for submissions

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2025

Playwrights should apply by sending the following as email attachments, with the email Subject Line “Women’s Work Application” to SP-APPS@newperspectivestheatre.org: 

Please include: 

• A full resume, including specific information on your training as a writer (i.e. degree program, workshops, etc.) and website URL if applicable
• A 10-15 page writing sample from a playscript 
• A personal statement explaining your understanding of the purpose of the LAB and why you wish to be a member, including goals for your own growth and development if selected. Please include in this statement how you choose to be identified re: ethnicity and gender (she/they).

(Please note that ALL 3 items are required to be considered.) 

WOMEN'S WORK is an award-winning program comprised of two separate, dramaturgically-driven Labs: 1) The Short Play LAB (SPL) selects 6 emerging women playwrights each year and leads them through a rigorous, step-by-step process to create original 15-30 minute scripts in six-months, written to an assigned theme. The plays are then produced in an annual festival; 2) the Full-Length LAB is for selected alumnae of the SPL to develop longer works over an extended period, with the same guidance and production goals.

Both LABS meet monthly, have submission deadlines, and provide comprehensive and rigorous feedback to the writers. 6-8 directors commit to the full year of the two LABs, both permanent resident directors and guest artists.

Frigid NY Holiday Spirits seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: October 6, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Thank you for your interest in this project! Please take a moment to read through this text before you fill out the form. You may need to scroll down to see everything. This form is for SCRIPT submissions for an evening of short play readings at Under St Marks Theater. 

Performances will be December 6th and 7th at 7pm and will be a ticketed event to support FRIGID's work with indie artists. Directors and performers will be provided later in the process; you only need to provide the script. The selected writers will receive an $80 stipend.

Script requirements:

• Run time should be around 10 minutes and no longer than 15 minutes
• Feature 2-4 actors (no monologues)
• Be a full piece, not an excerpt from a larger whole.
• Be written in either English or Spanish
• The piece should in some way connect with the theme described below.

Who knows what lurks in the long, cold nights as we creep through darkness towards the winter solstice? We huddle together around our little lights for safety and warmth and tell each other stories of what might be out there as some sort of charm against the monsters being real. In fact, it was once tradition to tell ghost stories on Christmas Eve, something that has fallen by the wayside with the exception of A Christmas Carol, but the darkness is still out there. We’re looking for scripts that deal with the ghosts of Decembers past, with winter dread and snowy monsters. Bring us your holiday horrors and your solstice dreams, your dark nights and your melancholic days. From scary to sentimental, ghosts can bring forth all kinds of emotions and memories. Perhaps the spirit of a favorite uncle is pulling pranks from the other side or maybe the Christmas goose is out for blood. Whatever they might be, we want to meet your holiday spirits.

Kingdom Theater seeks plays for Black History and Women's History Festivals

Website

Deadline: October 28, 2025

Send submissions to: kingdommtctheatre@gmail.com

Selecting new 10 Minute and One Act plays From Writers of Color for Black History Month Festival and FEMALE Writers ALL Ethnicities apply for Women's History Month Festival.

We will provide the following,

1. Professional Creative staff, Actors and Actresses

2. Rehearsal and venue for your play to be performed live Off Book

3. Publicity and Promotion of the play and the playwright

4. The theatre company fully produces the play, casting, Directing, costuming and staging the play


Black History Month Festival February 2026
The First two weekends of February

Women's History Month Festival March 2026
The First two weekends of March

Zero Submission Fee 

If we accept your play to be featured, 10 Minute Plays-$110. One Act plays $150

Discount tickets: SPOONS by Ben Firke

SPOONS 

by Ben Firke

Starring Tosh Arora, SPOONS takes a deep dive into the chaos of seeking companionship in our lonely age. This is the first time Alba Emoting will be used on stage in New York City! Alba Emoting is a cutting-edge, neuroscience-based modality designed to induce powerful human emotions through the breath.

November 1st-9th at the Studio Theatre at 520 8th Avenue, New York NY

10% discount for NYCPlaywrights
Tickets: Tinyurl.com/Spoonsplay
Use code: NYCPLAYWRIGHTS

Big Ideas Theatre One-Act Festival

Website

Deadline: October 15, 2025

 SUBMISSION FORM

Big Idea Theatre is now accepting original one-act plays for our 5th Annual One-Acts Festival.

This is your chance to see your words brought to life on the Sacramento stage and share your vision with our community.

Writers of all backgrounds and experience levels are encouraged to apply.

Guidelines:
Length: 20–60 minutes (approximately)
No musicals
No children’s theatre

Festival will run January 23rd - February 8th, 2026

3rd Annual All Star Off Broadway LoveNotes

Website

Deadline: October 17, 2025 by 6 PM

Live Storytelling Show & Companion Anthology Submission Opportunity: LoveNotes! Real Stories. Real People. Real Love. is thrilled to return to the off-Broadway New York City Stage Saturday, February 14, 2026 at the Symphony Space Leonard Nimoy Thalia (three shows: 3 PM , 5 PM & 8 PM). 

Storytellers are paid a $100 stipend, and if their story is included in the anthology an additional $50 is paid in exchange for a 36 month exclusive rights use. 

LoveNotes! is looking for TRUE LOVE stories of ROMANTIC love--think first love, last love, forever love, unrequited love, the against-all-odds love, gay love, trans love, the one-that-got-away love, happily-ever-after love, unexpressed love, online love, arranged marriage love, worst date-ever love, friends-to-lovers love, never-ending love, opps-that-was-a-mistake love, second-time-around love, and on and on. Tales from heart-breaking to healing, humorous to hopeful--you name it! LoveNotes! is spreading love one story at a time. Diverse voices are encouraged to submit. 

The only two requirements are:

• Your story must be true.
• Your story must be 750 words or fewer.

Auditions are live, in-person at Ripley Grier Studios (131 W. 72nd Street, studio 3F) Saturday, October 18 (sign up HERE or by SELF-TAPE (submit by We-Transfer to heather@heatherchristiebooks.com) before Friday, October 17, 6 PM. 

If live storytelling is not your thing, but you'd like to be considered for the anthology, email your story (1000 words or fewer) to heather@heatherchristiebooks.com with LoveNotes! Book/Podcast in subject line. 

Conch Shell Productions New Works Fest

Website

Deadline: October 3, 2025
ONCE WE RECEIVE 50 SUBMISSIONS, THE SUBMISSION PORTAL WILL CLOSE.

SUBMISSION FORM

At Conch Shell Productions our mission is to infuse new Caribbean Diaspora and Caribbean voices into American theatre and film. We create transformative spaces for authentic storytelling and cultural exchange, where Caribbean heritage artists can own their narratives and audiences can connect deeply with their work.

We are accepting submissions of one act plays written by Caribbean heritage writers - Minimum length: 10 minutes. Max length 30 minutes.

CSP New Works Fest theme for this year - Unbound Voices

Venue: HB Studio Playwrights Theatre 122 Bank Street, New York, New York

(This event is hosted in partnership with HB Studio)

Fest Dates:

Tech - Dec 1-2, 2025

Performance - Dec 4, 5 & 6, 2025

Selected plays will be presented as part of a program of one acts present on Dec 4, 5, &/or 6.

Up to two performances per production (depending on play length).

Note: CSP New Works Fest is a presenting platform. Selected productions must be fully produced and financed by the creative team (producer, playwright, collaborators, etc.).


All accepted productions will receive:

PR and marketing support
30-minute tech rehearsal, one dress rehearsal (same day)
Festival SM
Free photographic documentation of the performance

Please note:

Plays should BE WRITTEN BY CARIBBEAN HERITAGE WRITER (to align with your mission).

Scripts must be original, and unpublished.

Cast size should be manageable for a festival setting (e.g., small-to-medium cast)

Technical needs Plays will be presented in curated programs (3–4 works per program). Please note that transitions between pieces will be brief, so productions should be designed for quick and efficient changeovers.


SUBMISSION DEADLINE - OCT 3rd,2025

We accept one proposal from each playwright.

No submission fee.

NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE: OCT 20, 2025

Call for Submissions: *SHHH! BREATHE SLOW!* – A One-Minute Horror Plays Anthology (Volume 4)

Website

Deadline: September 28, 2025

All submissions should be sent to: **dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com**  

*Fresh Words* is now accepting submissions for its **Special One-Minute Horror Plays Anthology**, titled ***SHHH! BREATHE SLOW!* (Volume 4)**. We invite playwrights worldwide to submit original, spine-chilling short works that deliver maximum impact in just 60 seconds.

Selected contributors will be notified via email by **October 5, 2025**.

### Submission Guidelines:

1. **Format**: Each submission must be a one-minute horror play or monologue, designed for performance.

2. **Content Policy**: We do not accept works that promote or glorify violence, sexual abuse, racism, hatred, or any political ideology. Submissions must be respectful and artistically focused.

3. **Submission Limit**: A maximum of **three (3) entries per playwright**. All pieces must be submitted in a **single email** as **PDF or MS Word attachments**.

4. **Length**: Each play/monologue must be **one page only** (standard formatting).

- **Rights Note**: If selected, the playwright retains full intellectual property and performance rights. *Fresh Words* will request **one-time publication rights** for inclusion in the anthology. Copyright reverts entirely to the author upon publication.

5. **Email Address**: All submissions must be sent to **dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com**

6. **Subject Line**: Please use the following format:

**[Your Full Name] – SUBMISSION FOR *SHHH! BREATHE SLOW!* ANTHOLOGY (Volume 4)**

### General Requirements:

- Include a **cover letter** and a **short literary biography** (approximately 60 words) written in the third person.

- Provide the following information:

- **Legal Name**

- **Pen Name** (if applicable)

- **Postal (snail mail) Address**

- Attach a **high-resolution photograph** (JPEG format) of the playwright as a **separate file**.

- **Simultaneous submissions are permitted**; however, please notify us promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere.

### Important Notes:

- **There is no submission or participation fee.**

- This is an open, inclusive call for global voices in contemporary horror theatre.

### Connect With Us:

- **Facebook**: https://www.facebook.com/Fresh-Words-An-International-Literary-Magazine-106332345070389/

- **YouTube**: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmmN1p8jcbIa6rUxzCzL2Q

- **Support Our Work**: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/freshwordsmag

We look forward to being haunted by your words.

*Fresh Words – Where Literature Breathes in the Dark.*

Request for Proposals: *snap* Festival 2026 - 15 minute stories told from your perspective

Website

Deadline: September 26, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

The Flynn is committed to using the arts to build connections and strengthen communities. The *snap* Festival is a celebration of the power of first-person narratives. We believe everyone has stories to tell and that sharing these stories teaches empathy by allowing us to recognize commonalities and learn about each other’s unique experiences.

From January 23 - 25, 2026, the Flynn will celebrate the power of storytelling and solo performance with a weekend-long festival that will include workshops and solo performances by professional and emerging artists.

Through a series of performances and workshops, we will create a dialogue between performers and the audience and provide opportunities for the community to join and support the conversation. Performances will include meaningful time for questions and thoughts from the audience. Our expectation is that performers will listen to audience feedback and have it shape their work and that our audiences will develop a deeper understanding of this important art form.

All writers, poets, rappers, songwriters, storytellers, and other solo performers from New England and New York are invited to apply and submit a proposal for a performance to be showcased in the 2026 *snap* festival. Selected works will be performed by the artist and told from the first-person perspective. We are interested in stories about your experience told from your perspective.
Artists and Projects will be chosen based on the following criteria:

1. The work you submit illuminates your unique perspective.

2. Works must be new, original, and must not be previously produced. This festival offers the opportunity to showcase a piece that has not yet been performed in front of an audience. Scripts or the equivalent must be submitted as part of this application.

3. You will be performing your own work and will perform it with no other performers.

4. Your piece must be written and performed in the first person.

5. Performance length will be approximately 15 minutes. The performance may be a complete work, or a section of a longer work.

Resources

1. An honorarium of $500 will be provided.

2. Accommodations will be provided for the duration of the festival.

3. Up to $200 in travel costs will be reimbursed.

4. The Flynn will cover the production costs of the festival including stage labor, sound equipment, security, ushers, and box office. All final production costs and expenses will be decided by the Flynn Center at its discretion. This festival is primarily about the development of a new work and requests involving other production elements (set, lights, costumes, etc.) may not always be accommodated.

5. The Flynn will actively market and publicize the festival and the public showing of your work on January 24, 2026 in FlynnSpace.

6. Your work may be selected for further development with an invitation to serve as an artist in residence.

Timeline

1. August 1 – September 26, 2025: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

2. Final date to submit an application is Friday, September 26, 2025. Submissions close at 11:45p.

3. A brief in-person or zoom interview will be scheduled as part of the selection process.

4. Proposals will be chosen by the Flynn and a panel of judges.

5. Artists will be informed of their acceptance no later than October 31, 2025.

6. The *snap* festival takes place January 23 – 25, 2026 with performance of new works on January 24, 2026. You will arrive in Burlington on January 22 for a group dinner!

Schedule
The festival will take place at The Flynn Center from January 23 – 25, 2026. The performance of your 15-minute piece will be on January 24, 2026 in the Flynn Space.

The Movement x Black List Ladder Commission Application 2025

Website

Deadline: September 24, 2025, 11:59pm

SUBMISSION FORM

What we’re looking for:

We are seeking authentic and complex stories about communities of color that are bold, risky and unapologetic. We are seeking generative BIPOC artists (i.e artists from any discipline that create new works for the stage) exploring herculean ideas, exploding the theatrical form and who are unafraid to re-imagine what theater can be and who it is for.

The commission supports the development of a new work (an idea you have but have never written/created)!

The selected artist will receive a $10,000 commissioning award as well as funding and development support for a year through The Movement’s Ladder Series (new work development program). Support includes monthly meetings with The Movement’s artistic team, a workshop, and a public staged reading.

Submission Materials:

• Artistic Statement (750 words): about how you work and the impact of receiving this commission opportunity - don’t overthink it, we want to see what makes you tick and what makes you you!
• A short proposal (750 words): of an ambitious, herculean new work you'd like to create. What’s that big play or theatrical offering you’ve always wanted to create but have never been able to? This proposal must be in the idea phase, something you haven't written or made yet!
• Work Sample: Please submit 1-2 work sample(s), either in the form of a 10-page script excerpt, a video example of work 3-5 minutes in length, up to 10 photographs with 1 sentence descriptions for each photograph, and/or audio sample 3-5 minutes in length with time stamps included. If you identify as a playwright/writer, at least one of your work samples must be a 10-page excerpt
• Resume
• Anything else you’d like to share? (150 words)

FAQ

• What is a "new work"? - This commission defines a "new work" as an idea you have but have never written/created.
• Are travel and housing costs covered? - The Ladder Series Commission may not be able to cover housing and travel costs in addition to the commission award and stipend for the 29 hr workshop.

Reach out to alverneq@themovementtheatrecompany.org with any questions.

The Movement nourishes, develops and produces herculean ideas, events and new works by artists of color. We’re a haven for artistic experimentation and community building. Our work is big, bold, and vibrant. 

The Black List is a platform dedicated to nurturing written storytelling and empowering writers to maximize their professional potential. First established in 2005 as an annual survey of Hollywood's most-liked unproduced screenplays, the Black List has since grown into a comprehensive resource for the creative industries. 

The partnership between The Movement and The Black List began in 2023 with their inaugural theater commission program. Together, we collaboratively select and commission an artist to create a new herculean work. 

Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble (GTE) seeks 10-minute plays for 2026 Festival 10

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2025 by 8PM

E-mail your original play(s) for consideration to Artistic Director Linda Pauline at linda.ghostlightte@gmail.com 

Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble (GTE) is excited to invite all playwrights to participate in its 2026 Festival 10 event. This is GTE’s fourth such festival. It will feature a variety of 10-minute plays, both published and unpublished, that are written, directed and performed by Bay Area thespians.

You may submit up to three plays.

Plays should meet the 10-minute length requirement and be able to be performed in a small stage setting.

There are no restrictions on theme or tone of the plays. We hope to showcase a variety of genres (comedy, drama, dramedy, etc.) that will be interesting to a diverse audience.

Select GTE members will review all submissions as they are received prior to the deadline. They will be looking for the following attributes:
 

Storytelling quality: Plays that feature a story with an arc, interesting characters and urgent conflict will have a greater chance of being produced than those that do not.

Dialogue/writing quality: Plays that demonstrate strong writing ability and realistic dialogue will have a greater likelihood of being selected than those that do not.

Opportunities for diverse performers: GTE attracts performers of all ages, and we anticipate we will have both teens and adults audition for the festival. Previous years’ festivals have had performers ranging from ages 13 to 70+. As such, we will select a mix of plays that enable a broad age range to audition and perform.

If your play is selected for the festival, GTE will present a simple contract for review and signature prior to moving forward with production. We hope to have the honor of reading YOUR play soon.

Lumos Players Second Annual Playwrights Script Reading Season for 2026

Website

Deadline: October 3, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

We know that writing a play is a journey—and we’re here to support yours.

This is a fantastic opportunity to hear your script read aloud and receive constructive, thoughtful feedback in a supportive community of theater artists. Whether you’ve written a 10-minute play, a one-act, a full-length, a musical, a comedy, a drama—or something in between—we want to hear from you!

All readings will take place via ZOOM

Reading Dates:

February 11, 2026 @ 7:30PM

March 11, 2026 @ 7:30PM

April 8, 2026 @ 7:30PM

May 6, 2026 @ 7:30PM

Each session will include:

A reading of the selected script by prepared actors

Followed by a 10–15 minute group discussion to provide constructive feedback and support the playwright’s process

 SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!
To be considered for the 2026 season, please complete the submission form and upload your script at the link below.

📌 Submission deadline: October 3, 2025
📣 Selected scripts will be announced on December 5, 2025

🔁 You may submit more than one script, but each script must be submitted using a separate form.

Join us in celebrating new voices, bold stories, and the magic of collaboration. We can’t wait to read your work! 💡✨

Again the Deadline for submissions is Friday October 3rd. Please reach out to the Playwrights Script Reading Committee, at lumosscriptreading@gmail with any questions.

*snap* Festival 2026 seeks solo performances

Website

Deadline: September 26, 2025 at 11:45 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

The Flynn is committed to using the arts to build connections and strengthen communities. The *snap* Festival is a celebration of the power of first-person narratives. We believe everyone has stories to tell and that sharing these stories teaches empathy by allowing us to recognize commonalities and learn about each other’s unique experiences.

From January 23 - 25, 2026, the Flynn will celebrate the power of storytelling and solo performance with a weekend-long festival that will include workshops and solo performances by professional and emerging artists.

Through a series of performances and workshops, we will create a dialogue between performers and the audience and provide opportunities for the community to join and support the conversation. Performances will include meaningful time for questions and thoughts from the audience. Our expectation is that performers will listen to audience feedback and have it shape their work and that our audiences will develop a deeper understanding of this important art form.

All writers, poets, rappers, songwriters, storytellers, and other solo performers from New England and New York are invited to apply and submit a proposal for a performance to be showcased in the 2026 *snap* festival. Selected works will be performed by the artist and told from the first-person perspective. We are interested in stories about your experience told from your perspective.
Artists and Projects will be chosen based on the following criteria:

1. The work you submit illuminates your unique perspective.

2. Works must be new, original, and must not be previously produced. This festival offers the opportunity to showcase a piece that has not yet been performed in front of an audience. Scripts or the equivalent must be submitted as part of this application.

3. You will be performing your own work and will perform it with no other performers.

4. Your piece must be written and performed in the first person.

5. Performance length will be approximately 15 minutes. The performance may be a complete work, or a section of a longer work.

Resources

1. An honorarium of $500 will be provided.

2. Accommodations will be provided for the duration of the festival.

3. Up to $200 in travel costs will be reimbursed.

4. The Flynn will cover the production costs of the festival including stage labor, sound equipment, security, ushers, and box office. All final production costs and expenses will be decided by the Flynn Center at its discretion. This festival is primarily about the development of a new work and requests involving other production elements (set, lights, costumes, etc.) may not always be accommodated.

5. The Flynn will actively market and publicize the festival and the public showing of your work on January 24, 2026 in FlynnSpace.

6. Your work may be selected for further development with an invitation to serve as an artist in residence.

Timeline

1. August 1 – September 26, 2025: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

2. Final date to submit an application is Friday, September 26, 2025. Submissions close at 11:45p.

3. A brief in-person or zoom interview will be scheduled as part of the selection process.

4. Proposals will be chosen by the Flynn and a panel of judges.

5. Artists will be informed of their acceptance no later than October 31, 2025.

6. The *snap* festival takes place January 23 – 25, 2026 with performance of new works on January 24, 2026. You will arrive in Burlington on January 22 for a group dinner!

Schedule
The festival will take place at The Flynn Center from January 23 – 25, 2026. The performance of your 15-minute piece will be on January 24, 2026 in the Flynn Space.

Playwrights First open for full-length plays

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2025

Overall, we look for:

• magination and originality in both style and subject or point of view. 
• Characters that intrigue and move us.
• A compelling action revealing the human condition.
• Theatricality inherent in the above.​

Rules:

• One, single full-length play per playwright in English from anywhere in the world.
• Not produced full-scale prior to submission. Readings, workshops, and college productions are acceptable.
• No joint authorships, adaptations, translations, musicals, or shorts.​

​Award:

• $1,000 first place.
• Award listing of playwright and play title on our website.
• Professional reading in NYC when feasible. 

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1.

In a single email provide the following 3 documents described below (Items A, B & C). Please make sure each document is its own separate PDF document, and include all 3 PDFs in the same email (as file attachments) to:

Playwrightsfirst1st@gmail.com

Note: This address is for submissions only.

Item A) Playscript in PDF format. The play should follow standard playwrighting convention and include a cover page, a character list/breakdown, page count, etc. Please, name your file using this format:Your Last name TITLE OF PLAY.pdf (Example: Shakespeare TWELFTH NIGHT.pdf)Note: The TITLE of the play is in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

Item B) Playwright/Production Resume, CV, or Narrative Biography in PDF format. Name your file like this:Your Last name RESUME.pdf (Example: Shakespeare RESUME.pdf)Note: RESUME is in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

Item C) Brief (3 paragraphs max) Summary of play in PDF format. At the top of your page, please provide your full name and the full title of your play. Name your file like this:Your Last Name SUMMARY.pdf (Example: Shakespeare SUMMARY.pdf)Note: SUMMARY is in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

IMPORTANT NOTE: Paper copies will not be accepted. PDF format ONLY.

PLEASE, BE CERTAIN TO USE THE CORRECT NAMING CONVENTION FOR EACH FILE (follow examples above). THIS YEAR, SUBMISSIONS NOT FOLLOWING OUR REQUESTED NAMING CONVENTIONS WILL NOT BE ADMITTED.

Each file MUST begin with your last name. Please leave one space after your last name -- do NOT use a dot, a dash, an underline. Please do NOT abbreviate the name of your play. Please do NOT use your first name. Please do not use your initials. We appreciate your attention to this detail as it helps our staff keep your materials organized.

Go Try Playwrite September 2025

Website

Deadline: September 30, 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 September 2025 is:

A “There’s actually nothing funny about this” prompt. Writers, it’s our job to hold people in power up to ridicule when they deserve it. That’s our job as artists; to lessen the fear that keep the people in power in power by pointing out their idiocy and hypocracy. That being said, write a 10-page maximum scene about an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.

Somerset Community College Fine Arts 4th Annual Short Play Festival

Facebook page

Deadline: September 30, 2025

Somerset Kentucky

Email submissions to scctheatre@kctcs.edu

It may be early, but we’re already looking forward to next year’s Annual Short Play Festival, this time with a gruesome twist! Playwright submissions are now OPEN for the “4th Annual Short Play Festival:
The Show to Die For!”

Whether you’re in Louisville or Los Angeles, if you’ve got a killer short play, we want to see it.

Guidelines:

• Plays can be ANY genre and setting, does NOT have to be mystery/drama
• Script CANNOT exceed 10 pages
• At least one character must be murdered by an unknown killer 

Whether you're a seasoned scribe or a first-time playwright, if you've got a killer idea (literally), we want to see it! Submit your work and be part of this unforgettable event!

Women's Work Lab for short plays

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2025 by midnight

Send the following as email attachments, with the email Subject Line “Women’s Work Application” to SP-APPS@newperspectivestheatre.org: 

• **Please include: **a full resume, including specific information on your training as a writer (i.e. degree program, workshops, etc.) and website URL if applicable
• a 10-15 page writing sample from a playscript 
• a personal statement explaining your understanding of the purpose of the LAB and why you wish to be a member, including goals for your own growth and development if selected. Please include in this statement how you choose to be identified re: ethnicity and gender (she/they).

(Please note that ALL 3 items are required to be considered.)

The WOMEN’S WORK LAB for short plays provides a supportive and nurturing environment to emerging and mid-career women playwrights while maintaining a rigorous feedback process that leads to production within six months.

Six playwright members are selected each year, along with a similar number of directors. The LAB meets monthly (Sundays) from February through June, allowing for time in between sessions for writers to continue to develop and revise their work in response to specific feedback from the dramaturgical team. Members are expected to bring work to each session beginning with the development of an original short play BASED UPON AN ASSIGNED THEME.

Monthly feedback from the dramaturgs focuses on the nuts and bolts of creating a 15-30 minute script ready for production. In a process unique to NPTC, feedback is given in a unified manner so playwrights do not have conflicting advice about what to work on, and so that the script moves forward according to NPTC's instructions as the producing entity. This approach creates a collaborative group from which members can draw inspiration and energy while modeling professional standards. Scripts are then produced in our ANNUAL WOMEN'S WORK SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL.
Note: those still enrolled in a degree-seeking program are ineligible for applying.

William Inge 9th Annual New Play Lab

Website

Deadline: October 31, 2025

OR until they receive 150 submissions - they have met their limit - do not send

The 9th Annual New Play Lab seeks to connect national established and emerging playwrights to participate at the 43rd William Inge Theatre Festival, April 23-25, 2026. 

Each year, 12 to 14 Playwrights are connected with professional playwrights, directors, dramaturgs and actors. For a peek at our last Festival’s New Play Lab Recipients and Guest Artists please visit www.ingecenter.org.

Application Guidelines

• All scripts must be submitted in PDF format.
• This is a Blind Review. Your title page may not have any identifying information — no author name or address — or it will be disqualified.
• Give your script file the name 2026 + Title (for instance, 2026 Bus Stop).
• Limit script length to a 30 minute read-time – not page count. (Submissions longer than 30 minutes will be disqualified).
• Character list must include character description as well as any descriptions relevant for casting.
• Applicants must enter a short synopsis of their play as it might appear in the Play Lab program. (Maximum 75 words.)

To submit your play, email script via PDF attachment to submissions@ingecenter.org.

If you have any questions, feel free to email program coordinators directly: submissions@ingecenter.org

Selected New Play Lab playwrights receive:A professional staged reading of their play before an audience on the main stage of the William Inge Theatre

Feedback on their play facilitated by national theatre professionals.

Additional playwriting classes and seminars exclusive to New Play Lab participants, including a masterclass with William Inge Theater Festival guest playwrights.

Networking opportunities to meet with theater professionals from across the country.
Entry to all festival events, including two meal events.

Meal vouchers to enjoy local restaurants in William Inge’s Hometown of Independence, Kansas.

Applications are now open to submission and will close October 31, 2025. We will only be accepting the first 150 submissions.

The submitted plays will be blind reviewed (the playwright’s name will not be revealed) by a panel of national theatre professionals.

Requirements

Submit a play

• Playwrights may submit either a 10-minute play or one-act play, no more than 30 minutes read-time. Plays that are longer than 30 minutes will be disqualified.
• Plays should require no more than 6 actors. The play may be designed to have actors play multiple roles. If that is the case, doubling must be indicated in the character list.
• Character list must include character breakdown (age, race and gender identity for the purpose of casting).
• Plays may not include the author’s name or contact information anywhere on the script.
• Playwrights may only submit one play per cycle.

Attend

• Playwrights are required to attend the Festival. If you cannot attend, you are ineligible to apply.
• Each playwright is required to attend the New Play Lab Masterclass and Workshops taught by professional playwrights during the Inge Festival.
• Each playwright is required to attend the reading of their play during the Play Lab. More details will be sent out to those accepted.

Travel, transportation, and lodgingFor pre-planning purposes, selected playwrights should at least plan to attend Thursday morning April 23, 2025, through Saturday evening April 25, 2026.

Each playwright is responsible for their own travel, transportation, and lodging needs.
Local lodging information will be shared with those accepted. (Complementary transportation to and from the Tulsa Airport is available upon prior arrangement.)

Conference Fees

There are no fees for the application process. Selected Playwrights will be responsible for their travel and lodging.

Professional Public Reading: 

Playwrights will receive a professional public reading of their play, as well as feedback from national theatre artists.

Opportunities to Network: 

Each year the New Play Lab creates a new cohort of playwrights, in addition to opportunities to network with our professional Guest Artists.

Exclusive Seminars and Masterclass: 

The New Play Lab Playwrights receive at least two masterclasses exclusive to New Play Lab playwrights.

Festival Celebration: 

New Play Lab Playwrights will have full access to three days of all public and private Festival events, including the other play lab readings, productions, social events, workshops, panels, meals and much more.

AUTHENTIC 10 SHOWCASE seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: September 14, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

Authentic City Theater is now accepting script submissions for the 2026 edition of the AUTHENTIC 10 SHOWCASE.

• Length: Submissions must be between 7 and 12 minutes in performance time and a maximum of 15 pages in length.
• Format: Scripts should be formatted in standard playwriting style and submitted as a PDF.
• Eligibility: Submissions must be original works.  Preference is given to works not previously produced or performed.
• Cast Size: Scripts must feature a cast of no less than two and no more than three actors.
• Staging Requirements:
• Scripts should be suitable for a minimalist staging format.
• Minimal use of props, lights, sound, or other technical elements is strongly encouraged and will be considered in the selection process.
• Preference given to scripts with minimal or no scene changes.
• Language: There is no restriction on the language, but if not in English, accurate translations must be provided with the submission, and the material must be reasonably understood by an English-speaking audience.
• Originality: Scripts must be original; works with no other rightsholders than the author submitting the work for consideration. and not generated in whole or in part by artificial intelligence.

Release

By submitting a script, the author grants permission and full performance rights to Authenticity Theater Inc., and agrees that if selected, the work will be performed three consecutive nights.  There are no performance fees to be paid by Authenticity Theater for this express use of the work.

Simons Center for Geometry and Physics Science Playwriting Competition for 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: September 15, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM ON THE WEBPAGE

The Science Playwriting Competition brings science and theatre together for the dissemination of scientific knowledge through an intriguing lens — providing inspiration for plays that lead to exciting ways of learning about science. Rooted in artistic expression, the best science plays can be exceptional works of art that aesthetically convey scientific concepts, potentially resulting in further explorations in both disciplines. In this way, science and theatre may learn from each other, through their common goals of investigating and gaining an understanding of the significance of science and how the world works.

The competition commenced in 2012 with the assistance of an NSF grant awarded for scientific outreach projects initiated by Professor of Physics Christopher Herzog with additional support from the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, and the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics. The competition draws playwrights from all over the world who submit 10-minute plays with compelling stories and innovative expression of science and theatricality.

The preferred topics in hard sciences and technology include, but are not limited to: Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Computer Science, Space Exploration, Chemistry, Neuroscience, Anthropology and Archaeology.

-A public staged reading of the winning entries will be performed during the Spring 2025 semester at the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics.

Guidelines:

– Plays should be approximately 10 minutes in length (usually around 10 pages).

– Winning playwrights will receive a directed, live-staged reading of their work in the spring 2025 semester.

– Plays must include a title page that includes the playwright’s name, address, phone number, and email address.

– Plays must be original unpublished work and must not be created with the assistance of any form of AI.

*Note: please submit electronic entries as a pdf file. Submitting your play implies permission to have your play performed in a staged reading in the fall semester; all submissions remain the property of the playwright.

The Decameron Project – Hollywood is seeking One-Minute Play submissions

Website

Deadline: November 1, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

The plays will be produced as a theatrical production in the Spring of 2026 in Los Angeles.

Please submit up to 5 plays.

We are encouraging first-time writers to submit works in standard play format.

Playwrights whose work is selected will receive a pair of comps to the show.

The Decameron Project produced a successful One-Minute Play Festival in August 2023 in Burbank and in November 2024 in Tokyo. In 2025, we will be producing at Namba Performing Arts Center in Ventura (June), at the Whitefire Theatre in LA (August) and at the SOOO dramatic in Tokyo (in November)

M. T. Pockets Theatre open for season submissions

 Website

Deadline: September 30, 2025 11:59 PM

They unexpectedly closed their submissions window - we just found out - do not send.

Submissions are open for our 2026 season. 

We will continue taking submissions after this date for our 2027 season. 

Up to 4 selections will be made from the submissions, and authors will be notified by email on November 15, 2025. Announcement of the 2026 season will be made on Dec. 2, 2025 - the National Day of Giving.

Mission

To enhance the theatre community in Morgantown, West Virginia and surrounding regions by presenting live performances of classic, contemporary and new works that promote women and minorities in the arts; provide a venue for alternative theatre that addresses contemporary and sensitive issues through performance; provide a venue for new works and support the work of emerging playwrights and artists without bias; provide theatre accessible to those whom otherwise might not have the opportunity to experience live theatre due to physical, financial or geographical limitations.

THE HOROWITZ-SONDHEIM CLINIC FOR THEATER ARTISTS at New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute

The Horowitz-Sondheim Clinic will commence operations on September 2, 2025, and was specifically established to offer affordable treatment to playwrights, composers, and lyricists of the theater.

Those who are not lyricists, composers, or playwrights of the theater can still receive affordable treatment by applying directly to the NYPSI Treatment Center at https://nypsi.org/find-treatment/

Theater playwrights, composers, and lyricists interested in sliding-scale treatment at the Horowitz-Sondheim Clinic are encouraged to apply (link below). No one will be turned away based on their ability to pay. Please indicate whether you are interested in obtaining psychotherapy (once or twice a week, typically), psychoanalysis (four or five times a week), or psychological testing. Note that for psychoanalysis, at least two of the sessions must be conducted in person.

This clinic owes its creation to a generous grant from Stephen Sondheim’s estate, reflecting the profound gratitude Sondheim held for his psychoanalyst, Milton Horowitz, an esteemed NYPSI member. As Sondheim himself expressed: “to find you’re not the only one in the world, which is of course what everybody goes through…. Every time I would tell Milton something I’d expect him to be shocked and he’d say, ‘Yes…’ And after about five sessions I realized, He’s heard everything! And I’m just another ordinary neurotic fellow.” (Secrest, 1998, p. 229 "Stephen Sondheim: A Life." Penguin Random House.)

The Horowitz-Sondheim Clinic offers psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, and psychological testing. The Clinic does not provide psychotropic medication.

Psychotherapy and psychological testing are provided at the Horowitz-Sondheim Clinic by a variety of licensed mental health practitioners, Clinical Psychology Doctoral students, and Licensure-Qualifying trainees in Psychoanalysis, all under the supervision of highly trained psychoanalysts.

Psychoanalysis is conducted by psychoanalytic candidates, all of whom are supervised by psychoanalysts especially qualified for the training of psychoanalysts. On occasion, psychoanalysis is offered by a graduate psychoanalyst.

You may download a printable application for Adult Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis, and/or Psychological Testing.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF

Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre Fifth Annual 10-minute play festival

Website

Deadline: December 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM CST

Or until they receive 200 scripts

THEY HAVE RECEIVED 200 SCRIPTS - DO NOT SEND

Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre invites playwrights of all ages to submit scripts for our fifth annual 10 Minute Play Festival.

RULES FOR SUBMISSION

• Playwrights may submit only one script for consideration.
• Plays should have a minimum running time of 10 minutes; no longer than 15 minutes.
• Scripts must include all necessary casting requirements.
• Plays may feature a maximum of 5 actors.
• Submissions are welcome from anywhere!

IMPORTANT DATES

Plays selected for the festival will be announced during the first week of March and auditions for roles will be held March 22, 2026.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Weekend 1 (May 15 & 16): Plays 1-5

Weekend 2 (May 22 & 23): Plays 6-10

Performances will be held at the Hjemkomst Center

The Playwrights Group ~ script consultations

Script Consultations

If you 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

ASF Translation Award 2026

Website

Deadline: September 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM EDT

SUBMISSION FORM

The American-Scandinavian Foundation annually awards four translation prizes for outstanding translations of poetry, fiction, drama, or literary prose written by a 20th or 21st-century Nordic author.

The Nadia Christensen Prize, which recognizes an outstanding translation of a literary text from a Nordic language into English and includes a $2,500 award, publication of an excerpt in Scandinavian Review, and a commemorative bronze medallion.

• The prizes are for outstanding English translations of poetry, fiction, drama, or literary prose originally written in a Nordic language.
• Translations must be from the writing of one author, although not necessarily from a single work.
• The online application will require the following materials:
• Your CV
• A brief description of the author whose work you are translating and the significance of the original work
• One copy of the translation, including a title page and a table of contents for the proposed book of which the submitted manuscript is a part. If prose, manuscripts must be 25-50 pages, double-spaced; if poetry, 15-25 pages. *Note: Manuscripts must have numbered pages, and the translator’s name should not appear on any page of the translation manuscript. Submissions containing the translator’s name will be disqualified
• A letter or other document signed by the author, the author’s agent, or the author’s estate granting permission for the translation to be entered in this competition and published in Scandinavian Review

Showpeople Theatre Collective First Drafts: An Evening of Unheard Musical Theatre

Website

Deadline: September 10, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Showpeople Theatre Collective brings First Drafts: An Evening of Unheard Musical Theatre to one of NYC's leading cabaret venues October 22nd, 2025 at 9:30pm.

In an industry that usually takes years to bring work in front of an audience, musical theatre songwriters and teams are called to submit their newest material.

Per the cabaret's name, we're looking for 'first drafts' (well, nearly first), or, more specifically, we're looking for songs that are:

One, from a musical you or your team are currently writing.

Two, which have never been performed publicly.

And three, are ideally by yet-to-be discovered writers. (Established names are great, and we'd be very honored to present their songs, but we want this to be a night to celebrate the songwriters who have worked tirelessly to hone their craft, but have yet to receive much attention!)

If interested, please use the form below to submit one or two of your best songs that fit the criteria (only one per writer/team would be chosen). This can be through a YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox, or any easily accessible link (and don't forget to triple check the privacy settings). Include a demo(s) (obviously, it doesn't have to be highly produced) and ideally a PDF(s) of the sheet music.