2026 Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize (9th Edition)

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026

Send your submission to info@premiocarloannoni.eu

The Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize is now open for submissions with topics concerning the LGBTQ+ community, including love, diversity, and identity in a time of gender fluidity

Submissions of any length are accepted: full-length plays, as well as short plays, 10 minutes, including those already performed.

1000 € Awarded to the two best plays (English and Italian), ceremony in Milan, September 2026, and special jury mentions on multiple categories.

Gitelman & Good Publishers Playwrights Contest

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

Send your submission to submit@gitelmangoodpublishers.com

Please consider submitting your full-length play for high schoolers on the theme of "A Better World." Three winners will be selected for an opportunity to have their submitted play published in the Gitelman & Good Publishers catalog.

As a contest participant, your play will be reviewed ahead of general submissions.

Theme: "A Better World"

If you have a great full-length play for high schoolers that explores this theme, please read the submission guidelines below and send your submission to submit@gitelmangoodpublishers.com.

Artistic Guidelines. Please consider the following contest guidelines before submitting. We seek plays that...

• Explore the theme "A Better World." 
• Are challenging, beautiful, and fun. 
• Explore the lived experiences of adolescents. 
• Are appropriate for high-school actors and audiences. 
• Are full-length (greater than 60 minutes). 
• Have been produced, with production photos. 

Prize: $1,000

Author Information. Please provide a submissions packet that includes:

• Name 
• Email address 
• Preferred gender pronouns (optional) 
• Artistic statement, endeavors, and/or goals 

Script Information. Please provide:

• The entire script 
• Production history 
• Production photos 
• Other relevant information (optional) 

p.s. If you have a great play that you'd like to submit that does not explore this theme, we'd still love to read it! Please visit this page for general submission guidelines.

NAMT's Festival of New Musicals 2026

Website

Deadline: December 16, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM VIA SUBMITTABLE

Now in its 38th year, NAMT’s Festival of New Musicals is the cornerstone of NAMT’s mission to be a catalyst for nurturing musical theatre development and production.

In 1989, the Festival of New Musicals was created to provide a forum to celebrate the new musicals that were being produced and presented around the country. Since then, the Festival has introduced musical theatre producers to 300+ musicals and 600+ writers from around the world. More than 85% have gone on to subsequent readings, workshops, productions and tours; been licensed; and/or recorded on cast albums as a direct result of the Festival!

Held over two days in New York City every fall, the Festival produces 45–minute presentations of eight new musicals before an audience of over 800 industry professionals with the experience and resources to move the work forward. We look for new musicals at all stages of development from the broadest possible range of voices.
Festival Purpose and Goals

The Festival’s immediate goal is to connect writers with producers, particularly NAMT Members, and extend the development trajectory of presented musicals by establishing new creative partnerships. Over time, the long–term goals are to expand the musical theatre repertoire, advance the musical theatre art form and support the field.

QUALITY & RANGE

Showcase quality new musicals by musical theatre creators of all identities and backgrounds with a wide breadth and depth of stories, styles, sizes and stages of development.

CONNECT WRITERS & PRODUCERS

Encourage a forum to spark new collaborations and ventures.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provide musical theatre artists with a professional networking & breakthrough opportunity showcasing their creative talent.

DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTIONS

Encourage future development and productions of selected new musicals.

Our 38th Annual Festival of New Musicals will take place on October 22 & 23, 2026.

We never take any royalties from our writers or ask them to pay for their participation in the Festival. The Festival is funded solely through sponsorships, grants and donations contributed by government agencies, foundations, organizations and individuals.

Step 1: Is Your Show Eligible?

Any new musical can be submitted for consideration as long as it meets the criteria below.

Must-Haves:

• The Musical must be complete and ready for readings, workshops and/or productions. No placeholder scenes or songs. No abbreviated or summarized scenes or songs.
• The Musical should have a demo that is an accurate representation of the music and style of the show and at least 50% of the score (meaning half of all of the music) must be available to submit on demo.
• The Musical must have full underlying rights clearances for any pre-existing material used (music, source material, etc.) in the script.
• The Writers must be ready for readings, workshops and/or productions at the time of submission and available for presentations in October 2026 at the Festival.

Your Project is Ineligible to be Submitted if: 

• The Musical is already being licensed through a professional licensing house.
• The Musical has been produced on Broadway. [Shows that have had readings, workshops and/or productions (including regional or Off-Broadway) are still eligible.]
• The Musical has already been submitted to the Festival three times. Each project can only be submitted three times for review by the committee.
• The Musical has already been selected for the NAMT Festival of New Musicals as one of our main presentations (excludes shows presented as part of our supplementary programming including concerts, cabarets & showcases).
• The Musical is not complete, missing songs or scenes.

You should also consider:

• Writers are writers-only for the NAMT Festival process and may not direct, music direct or star in their presentations. No exceptions.
• Writers must be available for all rehearsals in person in New York City. Rehearsals may begin as early as October 11, 2026. NAMT does not provide housing or travel assistance.

Still have questions? Check out the Eligibility FAQ.

Step 2: Compile Your Information

Please note the following deadlines for the 37th Annual Festival of New Musicals:December 16, 2025: Early Deadline for All Submissions
January 6, 2026: Late Deadline for All Submissions ($40 fee applies)

Shows submitted by the early deadline require no fee for submission. Shows submitted after the early deadline will be charged a $40 late fee, which must be paid by credit card on the submission portal. No exceptions.

Deadlines expire at midnight PST (west coast time).

All the information you need about the writers and (if applicable) agents, production/development history and more is outlined in the application, but you should read this entire page before prepping your materials.

You may save and return to your application without having to complete it all in one sitting.

Grosse Pointe Theatre 13th Annual Ten Minute Play Festival

Website

Deadline: November 30, 2025 at midnight

Plays should be sent by email to taketensubmissions@gmaiI.com.

Grosse Pointe Theatre announces their 13th Annual Ten Minute Play Festival in early May 2026. Ten-minute scripts for consideration will be accepted up to the deadline of midnight, November 30, 2025. 

The theme for 2026 is The Waiting Room. Each play should center around some type of waiting area or room and the interactions of people who must spend time in that usually uncomfortable situation. Plays that do not involve a waiting room situation will be disqualified without notice.

The winning plays will be presented on a black-box stage without doors or windows. The only set dressing to be used are three folding chairs, a desk and desk chair and a multi-purpose bench. In addition to a list of characters, the separate title page should include a three-sentence synopsis of the action of the play, as well as contact info for the playwright.

Questions? playfestival@gpt.org

Go Try PlayWrite November 2025

Website

Deadline: November 30, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

November 2025 prompt. A lawyered by turkey prompt. 

Write an eight-page maximum monologue of a turkey either convincing you to spare them or eat them. Pick one or the other. Make the person being convinced as particular and individual as possible; we, the reader/audience, should know the person being convinced as well as we know the turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!

Theatre Now Soundbites festival seeks 10-minute musicals

Website

Deadline: December 1, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

​

Theatre Now defines a 10-minute musical as any piece that can be performed in 10 minutes or less; has a beginning, middle, and end story arc; and includes music. Having produced over 100 pieces, we want musicals that are diverse and current, that test the musical form and communicate a well-crafted story. We accept musicals across all styles and genres and are happy to consider foreign language and/or bilingual scripts. 

We strongly encourage submissions from female, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ writers as well as writers with disabilities.

​​

Please review the following criteria thoroughly before sending your submission:

• Ten-minute musicals will be accepted from July 1st, 2025 - December 1st, 2025 at midnight.
• Submissions will not be considered before July 1st or after the deadline.
• Musical theatre writers can submit no more than two scripts during the current submission period.
• The story must have a beginning, middle, and end.
• We accept submissions in foreign languages or that are bilingual. Although the application process is in English, the work itself may be submitted and performed in any other language if selected.
• Each piece must include music.
• All submissions must be submitted via the submission form. No physical copies.
• Each musical must not exceed ten minutes when performed. If accepted, cuts may be required.
• Longer one-acts or full-length musicals will not be considered, although the submission may be a 10-minute portion of a longer piece as long as it tells a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end story arc.
• A musical may be a previously-produced work with a production history.
• We have no formal script formatting guidelines, but all scripts should be easy to read.
• The volume of submissions prevents us from providing feedback on all submissions.
• If your piece is visual (i.e. choreography-heavy), please include video footage or detailed descriptions. 

We expect to contact all writers by mid-February, 2026 on the status of their submission with one of the following emails:

 

An acceptance email into the festival that will include additional information to confirm their involvement. 

A waitlist email. In the event an accepted musical declines their participation, a selected waitlisted musical will be notified to serve as a replacement.

The remaining musicals will receive a "not selected" email and are encouraged to submit again next year.

 

*All criteria is subject to change*

Mini Plays Magazine seeks short plays and monologues

Website

Deadline: December 15, 2025

Theme: UNFINISHED BUSINESS

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

The curtain didn’t close. The letter was never sent. The apology… still unspoken.

Mini Plays Review invites you to explore the weight of what’s left hanging — the stories suspended mid-air, the emotions caught in the throat, the promises half-made and paths not taken.

For our December 2025 issue, we’re seeking bold, haunting, funny, and deeply human one-minute plays and monologues centered on UNFINISHED BUSINESS— those lingering threads in our lives that refuse to be neatly tied.

What haunts your characters? What did they never say? What door did they almost walk through? What project, love, feud, or dream remains… incomplete?

We want your most potent, emotionally charged micro-dramas — pieces that crackle with tension, ache with regret, or fizz with the energy of something almost resolved.

Suggested Subtopics Include:

• The voicemail you recorded… but never sent

• The conversation that ended mid-sentence — years ago

• The letter tucked in a drawer, addressed but unsent

• The audition you walked away from — and still wonder about

• The apology rehearsed a thousand times… never spoken

• The last chapter of a story you couldn’t bear to write

• The reunion that almost happened — tickets bought, then refunded

• The secret you meant to confess… but the moment passed

• The job you quit without notice — and still dream about

• The “I love you” that died on your lips

• The fight that ended in silence — and never resumed

• The project abandoned… but never forgotten

• The ghost that still sits at your kitchen table

• The question you meant to ask… before they were gone

Theatre Southwest is accepting short play submissions

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM

Please email scripts to: heaton_it_up@hotmail.com

Please mail scripts to:
Theatre Southwest
3939 Hillcroft 
Suite 160
Houston, TX 77057
Attn: TSW-RTM
Postmarked by: December 31, 2025

Theatre Southwest is accepting short play submissions starting November 1st, 2025 thru December 31st, 2025 for its Annual Readers' Theatre Matinee!

This year the TSW-RTM will happen on Sunday, January 18th, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. and our event producer Brian Heaton will be accepting 5-10 minute scripts till the end of 2025.

Selected plays will be read and voted on by the audience in attendance and the Audience Favorite will receive a $100 cash prize!

Guidelines for this this year's event are as follows:

Scripts will be accepted via snail-mail and email.

Scripts entered should be in PDF format for email. Printed entries should be in standard play format and bound in a 3-hole punch folder or with brads.

Limit of 1 entry per playwright of an original work that is unpublished, and unproduced.

There is NO ENTRY FEE.

ALL scripts should be numbered with title, list of characters, brief synopsis of play and playwright's contact info on title page.

No Monologues or one man/woman plays will be accepted.

ALL genres of plays will be accepted.

ALL plays should be able to be read within 5 to 10 minutes, no longer, no exceptions. If using standard play format a good gauge would be if the play's text is 4 to 11 pages long (excluding title page).

Please make sure the play you are submitting is conducive to Readers' Theatre, simple stage directions, story mostly expressed through dialogue, not action.

Approximately 8-12 plays will be selected to be given a performance level read, and the playwrights selected will be informed prior to the event.

The Road Theatre Company seeks samples of full-length plays

Website

Deadline: December 15, 2025

Please let us know if you would like to apply for Under Construction at The Road, by giving us a 20 page sample from a full length play and a pitch for the next play you’d like to work on. Please include a bio of your work as a playwright.

Please send submissions to underconstruction@roadtheatre.org

The Road is proud to begin its SEVENTH year of Under Construction, a playwright’s group that develops socially and politically relevant voices and thoughts to the American stage. Under Construction will be meeting both virtually and in person in 2026 and is open to playwrights on a national level. We will be selecting 8 playwrights to join the virtual 2026 cohort and 8 playwrights to join us live at our theatre.

Beginning in January 2026, this group will meet twice a month live (TUESDAYS @ 7PM). And on Zoom for the virtual cohort (Day/Time TBD). As we get closer to full reads, sessions will be every week. Regular Attendance is required!

Each playwright must enter this group with the beginnings of a new play, and we will work collaboratively for a 10-month gestation process on the development of each piece. Concluding with a directed reading at our theatre. This program is modeled for playwrights who would benefit from a structured space to receive feedback from peers, all in the supportive environment of The Road Theatre Company. The goal of Under Construction is simple: to leave with a deeper knowledge of playwriting through collaborating and sharing with one’s peers, and for each participant to create a new piece of theatre that is workshop ready; a curated play! Playwrights are given live readings in our state-of-the-art theatre on Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood. Initial drafts will be read by fellow playwrights, but participants in thisprogram will also have access to The Road’s talented ensemble of theatre artists for private readings, as well as support from the Artistic Team at The Road. The Road is committed to UC, over the past 5 Under Constructions, the Road has produced 5 plays. UC6 readings are beginning in January 2026 and we hope to have a play from that series as well.

We look forward to hearing from you! We will be interviewing candidates after the first of the year

The Ground Floor's 2026 Summer Residency Lab Application

Website

Deadline: December 12, 2025 by 5PM PST

SUBMISSION FORM

Please note: the submission form does allow you to save the application midway through, but we highly recommend that you complete this in one sitting to avoid any errors or technical issues. If you have access needs to complete this application, please email groundfloor@berkeleyrep.org.

Thank you for considering the Ground Floor's 2026 Summer Residency Lab, which will take place June 15th - July 12th!

We suggest you download and complete this application as a Word document (available here) and then cut/paste your answers into this online form. In order for your application to be considered complete, we ask that you submit PDFs of your résumé and the résumés of any key collaborators separately. Please title these “Project Title.Last Name.pdf” - we will know how to differentiate each document based on the section.

HOW LONG IS A RESIDENCY?

In the last few years, residencies have ranged between one to two weeks. This is another opportunity to tell us what your dream length is, as well as the minimum duration that would be useful for you.

DO YOU ACCEPT MUSICALS?

Yes! Again, in your project description, please be clear as to what you need at this stage of your project’s development.

CAN I RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON MY SUBMISSION?

Unfortunately, we do not provide personal feedback on submissions. Due to the small staff’s time limitations, we do not have the capacity to respond in detail to individual applications.

WHAT DOES BERKELEY REP PROVIDE FOR THE SUMMER RESIDENCY LAB?

All lead artists receive a small honorarium. If you are coming from out of town, we will provide travel and housing — if you do not have a place to stay in the Bay Area. We eat dinner together every night, and coffee and snacks are available all day. Actors and directors are paid in accordance with union agreements.

CAN I SUBMIT MORE THAN ONE PROJECT?

Yes! We invite you to be a part of the curatorial process by limiting yourself to submitting two projects as the main artist contact. However, if another artist wants to list you as a co-collaborator, we completely understand.

CAN I RE-SUBMIT THE PROJECT I APPLIED WITH LAST YEAR?

Yes, but we highly recommend you acknowledge this in your application and share how your project and needs have changed since the previous year(s). Have you done any work on the project since your last application? Why are you continuing to pursue the development of this particular project?

I’VE APPLIED BEFORE AND HAVE NOT BEEN CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER RESIDENCY LAB. SHOULD I KEEP TRYING?

Yes! Many of our previous participants applied for years before receiving an invitation. As mentioned above, we use the application to build and/or deepen relationships with artists. We intend to move through a relational artistic process, but are unable to do that if you do not continue to connect with us and inform us on your artistic development and evolution. Rejection is hard, and we do not take this process lightly — so please keep trying.

CAN I BRING MY OWN ACTORS? DIRECTOR? DRAMATURG?

When you apply for a project, we invite you to list your co-collaborators. We think of these people as the artists you need to continue to develop your project — this includes a director, dramaturg, designer, choreographer, or actor(s). If there are people you dream of including or roles you would like to fill, please include that information as it can be part of the development process. This is yet another opportunity to share with us your dream residency needs, as well as the necessary needs of the project.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE COLLABORATORS YET?

Co-collaborators are not needed. Some artists need and want a space to complete research and accomplish some writing. If you are further along in your process, we love making connections, so would love to support you in identifying collaborators that could be part of this process with you. For some of the work to be heard and seen, we do hire local artists to work on Summer Residency Lab projects. Keep in mind that we are a very flexible program. We have hosted composers, musicians, playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, actors, dancers, and visual artists. We thrive on experimentation.

BREAK A LEG PRODUCTIONS seeks 20-40 minute plays for our 2026 Love Fest: Love on Location

Website

Deadline: December 1, 2025

Email your script as a PDF to plays.balproductions@gmail.com. 

The subject line should be "Love Fest: Title of Play – Playwright's Name."

We are looking for plays about love, set in a location that plays an integral part in the plot.

Submission Rules

- One submission per playwright
- No children's plays or musicals
- All characters must be performed by adult actors (18 years or older)
- Length must be 20-40 pages (any more and you will not be considered.)

Locally Grown Theatre is now accepting play submissions for its 2026 Season

Website

Deadline: December 1, 2025

Submit your script to: artistic.director@locallygrowntheatre.org 

We’re a small but mighty community theatre based in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, performing under the open sky — so we’re looking for scripts that thrive in the great outdoors!

What We’re Looking For:

Plays 50–90 minutes long

Simple tech and set requirements (we perform outside!)

Flexible cast sizes, ages 10–100

Family-friendly stories — think adaptations of classic literature, folklore, fairy tales, or even spooky season tales!

 Royalty: $50 per performance (we typically do 6 performances)

Our Mission:
The mission of Locally Grown Theatre is to plant the seed of theater; to cultivate the inner artist in youth; to nurture the love of theatre arts within the community; and to grow artists, of all ages, through experimentation in multiple theatrical forms.

If your play aligns with our mission and style, we’d love to read it!


Let’s grow something beautiful together — on stage and in our community.

Gather by Ghostlight seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

Or when they receive 300 submissions

THEY HAVE REACHED THEIR SUBMISSION LIMIT, DO NOT SEND.

GATHER BY THE GHOST LIGHT'S 3rd Annual Off-Broad Street Short Play Festival will take place in April 2026 at Le Chat Noir Theatre in Augusta, GA! And we want you to submit your script!

Open to stage play submissions worldwide from playwrights ages 18 and older.

• One submission per playwright.
• 12 pages or less.
• No monologues or one-person plays.
• No musicals.
• No screenplay scripts. This is a stage play festival.
• Open to ALL genres (adult language and situations are allowed).
• Plays must be in English language.
• Previously produced plays are okay.
• PDF files only (any other format will not be read).
• Submissions should have no author information on the script itself. Your contact info should only be in the body of your email.
• Playwrights of selected scripts will be notified in mid-February.
• No submission fee.
• The deadline is December 31st or once we receive 300 submissions (whichever comes first).
• The ONLY file attached to your email should be the PDF of your script with no author info.

YOUR SUBMISSION (IMPORTANT)

Your email should have these details included (copy and paste this if needed)
PLAY TITLE:
YOUR NAME:
YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS:
This is the ONLY info we need. Please don't add your resume, production history, or any other supplemental information.

IF ANY OF THE ABOVE GUIDELINES ARE NOT FOLLOWED, THEN IT MEANS THAT YOU LIKELY DIDN'T READ THROUGH THEM SO YOUR SUBMISSION WILL ALSO NOT BE READ

SELECTED SCRIPTS:
- A total of 8 selected plays will be performed in April 2026 at Le Chat Noir Theatre.
- Selected playwrights will each receive $50
- Selected plays will be published in the 2026 Off Broad Street Festival anthology by Ghost Light Publications. (Non-exclusive, all licensing rights still belong to the playwright).

CHAIN THEATER Winter One-Act Festival 2026

Website

Deadline: November 30, 2025

APPLICATION FORM

February 6 - March 1, 2026

FREE TO PARTICIPATE

FREE REHEARSAL HOURS

ALL PERFORMANCES AT THE CHAIN THEATRE COMPLEX IN THE HEART OF MIDTOWN

Plays are chosen for the Chain Winter One-Act Festival based on originality, inspiration, and innovation. The background or experience of the playwright and premiere status is taken into consideration, but submissions will be judged on the quality of the play. All themes or genres are welcome. One-Act Play runtime must be no shorter than 10 minutes and no longer than 1 hour. Shows will be performed in person.

NON UNION shows will LIVESTREAM for at least one performance.

Chain Theatre is curating the event, not producing it - each production is responsible for staffing their own director, design team and cast.


PLEASE INFORM US IN THE APPLICATION IF YOU PLAN ON APPLYING FOR EQUITY SHOWCASE. All Equity Showcase paperwork is the responsibility of the producer, not the Chain Theatre. It is crucial that we have this information in advance because it affects our scheduling of the productions for streaming. If you do not plan on applying for Equity Showcase you cannot use Equity Actors.

You will assign a contact person for the piece; that person will be considered your play’s producer should it be part of the Festival. That person will receive all information and is responsible for passing it onto the rest of your team.

Though we will be doing overall festival promotion, you are responsible for the marketing of your piece.

Your entire team must be from the Tri-State area (New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut). We will not be accepting playwrights from any other areas of the country.

APPLICATIONS

The deadline for submitting to the 2026 Chain Winter One-Act Festival will be November 30, 2025. There are no submission or participation fees for the Chain One-Act Festivals. Complete the following application and you will be directed to information on submitting your play.

After completing the application form you will need to email a PDF (no Word, Pages, or Final Draft files, please!) of the script, and a brief cover letter explaining your goals for the play.

Applications ask for a contact name, address, phone, and email. Show contacts will be the one contact point between Chain Theatre and your production. The email given will be the sole email address that Chain Theatre will use to contact you regarding acceptance, any issues regarding participation, and festival communications.

We will need an estimated running time of your piece that will be factored into the programming. As such, we will enforce this time limit. If during your dress rehearsal or performance the play runs significantly over, we may insist that you revise or forfeit your participation in the festival and any ticket split revenue.

Applications that are not complete will not be accepted. No materials will be returned.

ONLY ONE SUBMISSION WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR EACH PLAYWRIGHT.

If any false information is given in the application the Chain Theatre will not accept any future submissions from the applicant. Your address, email, name must be accurate.


ACCEPTANCE

Notification of acceptance status will be sent by email on or about December 8, 2025.

If you are accepted into the festival, your email will inform you of the location of the organizational meeting to be held on December 15, 2025 at 6:30pm. IT IS REQUIRED AND MANDATORY THAT SOMEONE REPRESENTING YOUR SHOW BE AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING. This meeting is where you will receive your performance schedule and meet your fellow participants.

Each accepted ONE ACT show will be given 5 free hours of rehearsal space at one of the Chain Theatre rehearsal rooms. Availability and scheduling of these hours is at the Chain Theatre’s discretion. They must be used to rehearse the show in the festival and cannot be gifted, sold or used for other purposes. Additional rehearsal hours/locations are the production’s responsibility. If you choose to rehearse at one of the Chain Rehearsal studios you can book subsidized rehearsal space for this production for $10 an hour.

Each accepted show will receive a code for ticket tracking. Each show will receive 20% of the net box office for every ticket purchased using their code. (Code use for online sales is mandatory to receive this box office split. No exceptions.)


SCHEDULING

Each One-Act show will be guaranteed at least three performances. The precise number of shows is TBD, based on number of submissions and running lengths. However, depending on the schedule there may be more. Performance blocks will be at 6:30pm and 8:30pm during the week and will run throughout the weekend between 12-10pm.

There will be limited time between shows for changeovers. Keep in mind that when you are striking or setting up your show, another show is also likely striking or setting up. Minimalism rules. PLEASE FACTOR THIS TIME INTO YOUR TECHNICAL PLANS. Houses will be opened 5 minutes before the start time and will start promptly.

BOX OFFICE and TICKETING

Chain Theatre handles all aspects of ticketing and box office. Tickets will be $24 in advance online and $27 at the door.

TECHNICAL

You will need to keep the technical requirements of your show very simple. There will be no projection in shows. The Chain is equipped with a full light board and sound system, however the board will be shared by several shows and we will maintain a standard rep lighting plot. Keep light and sound cues as simple as possible. No show will be able to refocus lights. Each company will have only one cue-to-cue technical rehearsal in the venue which will be run by a Chain Theatre hired PSM. The Chain Theatre PSM will be running lights and sound for all shows at no cost to participants. Storage space/dressing room space is also limited and will be shared by all shows. You will be given a small, unlocked area to store your props, set pieces, and costumes, which must be completely cleared at the conclusion of your performances.

Any additional equipment your show requires should be listed on your application and will be need to be approved by Chain Theatre. Chain Theatre has the right to disqualify any shows that bring in unapproved technical elements. If approved, this equipment will be provided for your show by you. Chain Theatre assumes no liability for this equipment; it is your responsibility.

PUBLICITY

Chain Theatre will publicize the festival and coordinate overall press relations, including interviews and critic attendance. You may be asked to submit publicity photos and PR materials. You are also responsible for publicizing your own show through your own press releases, mailers, handbills, busking and/or posters. Should a critic accept your invitation to see a performance, this information must be forwarded to Chain Theatre so we may coordinate this. Chain Theatre will provide a blanket press kit to help all shows promote.

EXCLUSIVITY

If you are accepted to the Chain Winter One-Act Festival, part of our agreement prohibits the performance of your show anywhere in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut any time from acceptance into the festival through March 2027. Please keep this restriction in mind when accepting other invitations to perform your show during these months, particularly before you have received acceptance status notification from Chain Theatre. Chain Theatre is making an investment in you and your production. We are not previewing your show to take to other festivals and want our mutual efforts of promotion to bring an audience to this production.

If you can no longer participate in the Chain Winter One-Act Festival, you must notify us before December 7, 2025. If the production drops out after you are accepted, you will be disqualified from participating in future Chain Festivals.

WHAT TO DO NOW

1. Choose your show.

2. COMPLETELY fill out the application form.

3. REVIEW your completed application to make sure it is complete and correct.

4. EMAIL PLAY as per instructions received upon submitting application. Make sure that the PDFs of your script and cover letter are included in your submission email.

If there are technical issues, contact us at info@chaintheatre.org to discuss them.

5. Include the title of your show in the subject line of the email and on all relevant materials.

Should they become separated, this is how we will reunite them.


CONTINUE TO APPLICATION

If you still have questions, we are available to help you in advance of the deadline at info@chaintheatre.org. You may want to print and keep or bookmark these instructions and your original application for your reference. 

2026-2027 Excellence Artist Fund Residency - Innovation in the Arts - The Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of Wyoming

Website

Deadline: December 8, 2025

Applications should be compiled and submitted as a single PDF document and sent via email to theatre_dance@uwyo.edu with “Application for 2026-2027 Excellence Artist Fund Residency” in the subject line.

The Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of Wyoming invites proposals for the 2026-2027 Excellence Artist Fund Residency - Innovation in the Arts. This prestigious residency is designed to support visiting creative artists, writers, and/or scholarly programs in the development and presentation of innovative new work at the University of Wyoming, while fostering meaningful engagement with both our campus and the broader Laramie community.

Through this residency, the Department of Theatre & Dance aims to award between one and three artists, artistic groups, and/or companies with funding ranging from $50,000 to $150,000, supporting both the creative process and community-centered practices integral to the artist’s residency.

Residency Period

The residency will take place over a two to four week period during the University of Wyoming’s 2026-2027 academic year. Specific dates will be determined in collaboration with the selected artist(s) to best align with the university’s calendar and the needs of the proposed project.

Residency Requirements

All recipients of the 26/27 Excellence Artist Fund Residency are expected to actively engage in the following activities throughout the duration of their residency:

• Engagement with University of Wyoming students through workshops, lectures, class visits, or other interactive opportunities.

• Engagement with the broader Laramie and Wyoming communities, fostering connections beyond the university setting.

• On-campus presence during the development of the proposed work is required for the term of the residency.

• Collaboration with The Neltje Center for Excellence and Creativity in the Arts in a meaningful capacity. This might include a public presentation, workshop, or dedicated development time.

• The residency must culminate in a public presentation, performance, exhibition, or other form of sharing the completed or in-progress work with the university and/or wider community.

Eligibility Criteria

Creative artists, writers, and scholars of all backgrounds, geographies, and levels of experience are encouraged to submit a proposal.

Proposals will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

• Artistic merit and originality of the proposed work

• Feasibility of the project within the scope and duration of the residency

• Potential for meaningful engagement with University of Wyoming students and the broader  Laramie community

Priority will be given to proposals that:

• Demonstrate a strong interdisciplinary approach that incorporates the disciplines within Theatre & Dance

• Thoughtfully incorporate the theme of Innovation in the Arts

Submission Requirements

Round 1 – Preliminary Application

As the first step in the application process, artists must submit the following materials, compiled into a single PDF document, via email to theatre_dance@uwyo.edu with “Application for 2026-2027

Excellence Artist Fund Residency” in the subject line.

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)/ Resume/Company Website

2. Artist Statement (This is where applicants can include any publicity and/or reviews

relevant to their proposed project)

3. Project Proposal, including:

a. A detailed (1-3 page) description of the process to be utilized and the project to be

developed during the residency, including how the work will incorporate the theme of

Innovation in the Arts.

b. A clear explanation of how the project intends to utilize an interdisciplinary approach.

c. A description of how the project will be shared publicly at the conclusion of the

residency (e.g., performance, exhibition, workshop, lecture, etc).

4. Residency Activity Proposal, including:

a. An engagement plan outlining how you will interact with students at the University of  Wyoming’s Theatre & Dance Department and how your project supports the  department’s vision and mission (e.g., class visits, workshops, talks, etc).

b. An engagement plan for connecting with the greater Laramie and Wyoming communities (e.g., public events, community workshops, etc).

c. A description of how you envision collaborating with The Neltje Center for Excellence and Creativity in the Arts (e.g., public showings, workshops, creative development, etc). You can learne more about the Neltje Center here - https://www.uwyo.edu/as/neltje-center/

5. Portfolio/Website Link: A minimum of five work samples that best represent your artistic  practice and demonstrate relevance to the proposed project. Work samples may include images, videos, audio files, and/or writing samples.

6. Preliminary Budget Estimate

a. Budgets must fall within the range of $50,000 to $150,000.

b. Budgets should account for all expenses, including fees for participating artists/collaborators, travel, accommodations, materials, and production costs.

7. Proposed Project Timeline

a. A detailed estimated timeline outlining the project’s development and residency activities, including research and development work planned to be done in preparation before the start of the residency, potentially in collaboration with The University of Wyoming students and staff.

b. Please note that the required two to four week residency period may be scheduled flexibly and does not need to be consecutive.

Round 2 – Final Application (By Invitation Only)

Applicants selected to advance to Round 2 will be asked to submit the following additional materials:

1. Online Interview - Finalists will be invited to participate in an online interview with the

selection panel prior to final decisions being made.

Submission Timeline

Round 1 – Preliminary Application

Deadline: December 8, 2025

Applications should be emailed as a single PDF document to theatre_dance@uwyo.edu with

“Application for 2026-2027 Excellence Artist Fund Residency” in the subject line.

Round 2 – Zoom Interview (By Invitation Only)

Notification: Applicants selected to advance to Round 2 will be notified by February 2026.

Decisions and Applicant Notifications

All applicants will be notified of their status by March 2026.

Public Announcement

Final decisions will be made and announced after contracts and agreements have been made

Irish American Heritage Museum (IAHM) one-act play competition

Website

Deadline: December 1, 2025

Send script by snail mail to:

Meg Carroll
One Act Play Contest
Irish American Heritage Museum
21 Quackenbush Square
Albany, NY 12207

The one-act play competition is open to all. 

One submission per author is allowed. 

Scripts must be original, unpublished and not-yet produced, and must be with an Irish or Irish American theme. 

The scripts must be 20 – 35 minutes long, with a maximum of six actors. Settings should be simple, with a single compelling conflict. 

A variety of genres are welcome, including comedy, tragedy, drama, magical realism, myth, romance, satire, and musicals. The only genre not eligible is children’s plays. 

The winners will be responsible for casting and production of their respective plays; IAHM will provide access, date/s for show/s, and refreshments for attendees of the performances.

The schedule for IAHM’s One-Act Play Competition is:

• December 1, 2025 (Close of Business): Deadline for submissions.
• February 1, 2025, Winners of Competition announced.
• May 2026, winner’s works performed at the Irish American Heritage Museum’s Flanagan Theater.

Judges from IAHM’s Board of Directors, Programs Committee and the region’s theatrical/literary community will review all entries. The judges’ decisions will be final.

Press Box Theater seeks submissions for New Playwrights Festival

Website

Deadline: November 30, 2025

by November 30 for consideration.

The Press Box Theater on Facebook

Submissions are now open for The Press Box Theater’s New Playwrights Festival, coming in January.

We’re seeking original plays from talented writers—no agent required.

Eight Annual Eric Weinberger Award for Emerging Librettists

Website

Deadline: November 30, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Only one submission per playwright/librettists will be accepted. The winner of the Award is announced in Spring 2026.

Amas Musical Theatre will not ask for any fees for entry or for any fiduciary involvement

from the playwright/librettists at any point of the process.

Submission Requirements:

The musical must:

• Be a full-length show (at least 80 minutes)
• Have no more than eight actors (actors may play multiple roles, if so, please include a suggested breakdown of role distribution)
• Be complete and ready for readings, workshops and/or productions
• Have a demo that is an accurate representation of the music and style of the show (at least five songs)
• Have full underlying rights clearance of any pre-existing material used in the script (music, source material, etc.)
• Not have had a full production or be published in any way, even if with a different name.

​​
What to submit

All documents must be submitted as PDF files and they should be named with the part of the submission it refers to and the title of the show in the format of PART_TITLE, i.e.: for Tea for Three; BIO_TEA-FOR-THREE, SYNOPSIS_TEA-FOR-THREE, etc.

1. Biography and resumes of the creative team like writer, composer, lyricist (if applicable)
2. History of the submission’s development, and any previous titles it has gone through (if applicable, maximum one page)
3. Brief synopsis (maximum 150 words)
4. Brief artistic statement on the piece itself, including all source material, inspiration, goal, message, etc. (maximum one page)
5. Proof of rights (if applicable)
6. Demo and track listings (Demo selections to be posted as a Dropbox or Google Drive link)
7. PDF document of the full-script and sheet music, if available (no writers named)

Guidelines for Materials

All submissions must adhere to the following or your application will be disqualified before reaching our selection committee.

PROOF OF RIGHTS

If the musical contains any copyrighted material, please submit a signed letter from the authors and/or underlying rights representative stating that underlying rights have been secured.

FULL SCRIPT

The full script must include:

1. Title page (which should only have the title on it and absolutely no other information)
2. Character breakdown (maximum one page)
3. The complete script with page numbers

​
For the anonymity of your submission, the full script and sheet music cannot include any information on playwright/ librettist or contractually attached people, previous casts, or any agents. All submissions will go through a blind evaluation process, any personal information you provide will only be available to Amas Musical Theatre staff.


Demo Tracks

• The recording should be a significant representation of the songs in the show that accurately highlights the style and character of the score and lyrics.
• Demo tracks should:

1. Include at least one song from the first 25 pages
2. Have at least five recordings available – they do not need to be professional or studio quality, but they must be clear enough to hear lyrics, melody, and accompaniment
3. Have singers of appropriate vocal types for their respective roles
4. Be full songs only, no medleys of spliced songs


For the anonymity of your submission, tracks cannot include any personal identifiers for playwright/librettist(s), the performers recorded, or contractually attached people.


The Selection Process

Scripts will be read and evaluated through a blind submission process by Amas Musical Theatre’s literary team. A group of finalist plays will be read and evaluated by a selection committee, comprised of distinguished artists and playwrights, using a blind evaluation process. Committee members will not be given any additional information beyond the title of the show, the script, and the demo tracks.


Any personal information you provide in the application is seen by the Amas Musical Theatre staff only, not the selection committee.

Our process is based on the quality of the work submitted.


Round 1 (September-December)

1. Our literary team reads the first 25 pages of the book and listens to the demo for any track related to these pages.
2. The team fills out evaluations for each show, which determine the submissions that continue to Round 2.
3. If selected as a finalist, the show’s application primary contact is notified via email.



Round 2 (January-March)

1. The selection committee reads the scripts in full and listens to all demo tracks submitted.
2. Committee members write their evaluations to determine which one is best suited for the Award.
3. The winner is announced in the Spring of 2025.
4. The application’s primary contact is notified and a development schedule is created with the winner.



We will not be able to provide feedback regarding why a particular piece was or was not selected.



The Winner

• Will receive $2,000 to help pay for cost-of-living expenses.
• Will receive development assistance in the 2025 New Works Development Program of Amas Musical Theatre.
• Will have the selected show rehearsed and performed by New York theatre professionals in an Amas Lab production.
• Must be present in New York City for the development process.


• Must give the right of first refusal for a world premiere of the selected show that will expire 90 days after Amas Musical Theatre presents the Lab production.

TIGER’S HEART PLAYERS PREMIER SIX LINES CONTEST

Facebook page

Deadline: November 23, 2025, Midnight

SEND SUBMISSIONS (two max, please) TO: Tigersheartplayers@gmail.com
Don’t forget title page with your contact info

MINI CASH PRIZES

$25 1st Prize
$15 2nd Prize
$10 3rd Prize
Honorable Mentions—cup o’ joe ($5)

What IS “Six Lines?”

Any 6 exchanges between any number of performers.

No more, no less.

Please consider a “Prompt,” title your Six Lines as such, and have fun!

We have listed a number of previously used prompts below—from which you’re free to choose—or otherwise create your own.

For those unfamiliar with “Six Lines,” you may also want to check out the sample following the list of previous prompts.

• Whack a Ground Hog
• These aren’t my pants
• The Bunny Ranch
• The Gold Toilet
• Teenage Vomit
• The Brief Return of Wally & The Beaver
• Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water
• Not my cup of tea
• Killing the Chicken to Scare the Money
• what if poetry isn’t enuf?
• I’m terrible at this
• Living like a Maggot in Bacon

Also included is a very recent Six Liner based on an actual quote from Rupert Lowe, a British Parliamentarian

“GO AWAY, YOU DISCOURTEOUS MAN”

British Reporter: Oh hello, gentlemen, would you mind answering a few questions on the genocide in Palestine? Aided and abetted by the British government.

Parliamentarian : Go away you discourteous man. We’re about to dine and you’ll spoil our appetites.

Reporter: But to the point, sir, Palestinians are being starved—to death I might add--while you enjoy champagne and foie gras.

Parliamentarian: I’m afraid you’re mistaken, young man, I saw no foie gras on the menu.

Reporter: That’s not quite the point, is it sir? Palestinians are being starved while you gorge yourselves here this evening.

Parliamentarian: My good young man, if you continue to disrupt my progress I shall never make it to the dining table. And to suggest that any of us here would “gorge” themselves is entirely misrepresentative if not slanderous. Now, again, please withdraw your…tool and be off, you contumelious fellow. 

end

I found the Parliamentarian’s remark so inappropriately and stereotypically British, that I felt it would suit Six Lines well. Because this “form” is so restricted, one must also restrict action to those that are decisive. Most Six Liners will rely on language almost entirely. (Too much/many Stage Directions and they cease to be Six-Liners). As the absurdity of this adjective in the Parliamentarian’s opening sentence is what I felt fueled its genre, I felt the climax needed to be in the language, that is, even more ridiculously absurd. Obviously, the piece is contrasted with the devastating genocide in Gaza—so I created the dinner to which the Parliamentarian is focused on to contrast with the starvation in Gaza, obviously. There are fundamental elements of a “play” here, although it’s entirely unnecessary. (For an Inciting Incident—we could go back to the war itself, but for our purposes, I believe the dinner is the Inciting Incident—which brings the Reporter and Parliamentarian together. (Point of attack). The Parliamentarian tries to make the Reporter leave—to “go away…”--the Reporter persists, the Palestinian “theme/condition” rises, more pressure is applied to persuade the Parliamentarian, but he is dedicated to the dining table. The Parliamentarian charges The Reporter with “misrepresentation”—the language elevates to more absurd description/adjective and the confrontation is concluded. (Through language—or so I see it).

Anyhow, Six Lines is for fun, so please have some!

(The origin of “Six Lines” is unknown to me, and somewhat disputed, but I came to learn of it through playwright and author, Jeffrey Sweet)

Thank you to all who participate and/or invite others! And do drop by our Lab Sessions taking place every Sunday at 2p ET on Zoom. It’s FREE and includes playwrights, actors, directors & others from around the world working in both Stage & Screen. 

The link is at our Facebook page.

Sincerely,

Tiger’s Heart Players

Wayne Paul Mattingly
Artistic Director
Aliona Garcia
Executive Director

Terrence McNally New Works Incubator Application - Cycle 4

Website

Deadline: November 21st, 2025 at 11:59pm EST
 OR when 500 applications have been received.

APPLICATION FORM

As a continuation of Terrence McNally’s singular legacy of mentorship, and his commitment to fostering bold new voices in the American theater, the initiative is designed to support ambitious early-career playwrights by giving them time and space to develop their work, professional mentorship with veteran playwrights, and access to the community of artists and work being developed at Rattlestick and Tom Kirdahy Productions.

For each application cycle, applicants may only apply once, with one play. Applicants who apply multiple times for one cycle will have all of their applications completely disqualified.

The selection process is open to artists of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, races, ethnicities, and national origins.

Each application is thoughtfully reviewed by a broad reader pool of industry professionals. Semi-finalists and finalists are selected through two rounds of consideration. If awarded the fellowship, playwrights must commit to working on only their submitted play during the fellowship and will forfeit the fellowship if they request to work on a different play during the fellowship that was not scored by the panel.

Approximately 80 semi-finalists will be notified of their status and asked to reconfirm demographic information (see eligibility below). Applicants will be notified of their semi-finalist status in January 2026.

Approximately 9 finalists are granted an interview with a selection panel, including representatives from Rattlestick Theater and Tom Kirdahy Productions. If applicable, applicants will be notified of their finalist status in March 2026.

In consultation with the Playwrights Advisory Council, 3 playwrights will be awarded the Fellowship in May 2026. The fellowship incubation and workshops will take place during the months of August and September 2026.

Eligibility

The Incubator is designed for early-career playwrights, which is a term that can apply to a person of any age and with any background, lived experience, or professional history; there is no one path to becoming a playwright. The following eligibility criteria are based on the organizations’ desire to provide the fullest, deepest new play development process and professional opportunity as possible. If your application does not meet these criteria, you will be automatically disqualified. If you have any questions about if you meet these requirements, please contact tmincubator@rattlestick.org.

An eligible Terrence McNally Incubator Fellow:

1) Is the sole author of their submitted play. Co-created and co-authored material is not accepted, and will be disqualified.

2) Will not be a full time student or enrolled in a degree granting program as of May/June 2026.

3) Must be committed to actively participating in the New York City playwriting and theater ecosystem. This is a competitive opportunity that is designed to further playwrights’ networks specifically in the New York City theater industry. Why? The Terrence McNally New Works Incubator Fellowship is funded by the Terrence McNally Foundation, with the explicit goal of supporting emerging writers working in the New York City theater ecosystem, as Terrence was himself.

To that end, all Terrence McNally Incubator Fellows must live in New York City for the full duration of the fellowship (August 2026 - September 2026), and during the full scope of the 2026 - 2027 Rattlestick Theater season for events and fellowship gatherings. If you are currently located outside of the New York City area, you must be prepared to be a New York City local for the full duration of the fellowship year, and, ideally, strive to put down roots as a New York-based artist after the fellowship has concluded. Housing and transportation are not provided.

4) Must be available to commit to significant, full time development of your play for a 4-week period sometime during August/September of 2026 in NYC. Specific dates will be determined in consultation with selected fellows. All 29-hour workshop rehearsals and presentations will take place during regular weekday daytime hours and some weekend daytime hours.

5) Must be actively pursuing a career in theater in NYC, as evidenced by past productions at regional theaters, past productions off-off-Broadway, a history of self-producing, and/or graduate studies.

6) Must not have had more than one significant Broadway or off-Broadway premiere as a playwright, book writer, or author of a piece of theater.

What defines Broadway?
Broadway theater consists of the theatrical performances presented in 41 professional theaters, each with 500 or more seats, in the Theater District and Lincoln Center along Broadway, in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

What defines off-Broadway?
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. Here is a list that includes, but is not limited to, off-Broadway venues in New York City.

What defines a significant premiere?
A premiere is the debut (first public presentation) of a fully produced work. Readings and workshops do not qualify as premieres.

An eligible Terrence McNally Incubator play:

1) Is complete.

We are looking for plays that are complete and would benefit from a development process involving professional-level actors and a director. The play does not need to be production-ready, but must be in a further stage than a first draft.

2) Is a full-length play.

A full-length play generally runs at least 45 minutes.

3) Is not a musical, opera, or play with more than 40% original musical composition.

Why? Terrence McNally was a lover of music and music played a large role in his work, however, this specific opportunity is about playwriting. While music is one form of theatrical language that you may wish to use, we look forward to hearing the music of your dialogue. If you are planning to apply with a play that includes some music, please be aware that only text submissions are allowed. We do not accept or consider any audio files, videos, or links to external websites. Currently the Incubator workshops do not have the resources to support musicians, music directors, or any music development.4) Has not been previously produced for an audience and/or is not optioned to be fully produced by any other theater, university, or commercial entity. Workshops and readings do not qualify.

Questions? Contact us at tmincubator@rattlestick.org. No phone calls please.

Call for Full‑Length Plays — Lobsters International Staged Readings (NYC)

Website

Deadline: November 30, 2025

Lobsters International invites full‑length plays for staged readings in Midtown, targeting March. No fees of any kind to submit or participate.

NYC BASED PLAYWRIGHTS ONLY

Aesthetic focus
We’re looking for socially engaged work that is formally playful: metatheatrical, Brechtian, epic, documentary, chorus, movement‑forward, or otherwise odd. Less interest in kitchen‑sink realism. We support diverse casting and can help cast.

Format
Readings may be produced under Actors’ Equity 29‑Hour Reading guidelines; exact format TBD based on the needs of the play.

What to submit (PDFs preferred)

Full script

Synopsis (up to 1 page)

Playwright bio + résumé

Helpful: estimated run time, projected cast size, doubling options, and any identity‑specific requirements that are essential to the story

Timeline
Target window: March.

How to submit
Email annie@lobstersinternational.com with subject line:
Lobsters Reading — [Play Title] — [Playwright Name]
Links to New Play Exchange are welcome if you prefer.

Questions / more about us
Instagram: @lobstersintl

Accessibility: rehearsal and reading spaces will be accessible; tell us what you need. Rights remain with the author; selection grants us a one‑time, invited‑audience reading license, with no text changes without your consent.

ShortPlayNYC seeks short plays on the LUV theme

Website

Deadline: November 25, 2025

Submit through website: ShortPlayNYC.com/submit Formats: PDF, DOC & DOCX

Be Bold! Productions
Insta: @beboldtheatre FB: BeBoldProductions

Length of Play: up to 15 minutes (15 min max)
Type of Opportunity: Self-Produced full production, runs four days in a row

The play must be LUV themed, which means anything to do with love, whether romantic, sweet, or sexy, poignant or passionate, friendship or familial.

Playwrights may submit up to 2 plays. Plays must not run at another theatre in the New York City area within 2 months before or after this production. Submitters will be notified of acceptance or decline within 2 weeks of submissions closing.

If play is chosen, there is a $50 tech fee.

Dates of shows: One weekend out of three: Feb 5 – 22, 2026; Thurs – Sat 7pm; Sun 3pm

Walnut Outreach Playwriting Competition

Website

Deadline: December 12, 2025

Submit your script(s) electronically through our online form HERE

Walnut Street Theatre is searching for bold new voices to introduce students to the artform of live theatre with an inspirational and thought-provoking story that speaks to them directly. For over 40 years, our Touring Outreach company has brought high-quality, professional theatre to over 60,000 students annually across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware schools.

Now, we’re inviting playwrights nationwide to help shape our upcoming season with fresh, original work. Each year, Walnut produces 4 touring shows that bring theatre directly into schools and community spaces. These plays spark conversations, support curriculum goals, and make the magic of live performance accessible to young audiences. 

We’re looking for original plays or musicals (max. 50 minutes) that are age-appropriate for K–6 audiences. The Walnut utilizes a multicultural cast made up of 2 men and 2 women, and shows engage with themes including:

• Bullying.
• Social-emotional learning (SEL) and character development.
• Emergent reading and literacy.
• Black history and cultural celebration.
• Fairy tales and classic literature reimagined for today’s students. 
• Whether your work is funny, moving, musical, or magical—we want to hear from you. 

PRIZES

Grand Prize Winner – $1,500 cash advance against a royalty of a guaranteed professional production in the 2026–2027 Walnut Street Theatre Outreach Season. The winning playwright will also have the opportunity to participate in rehearsals in Philadelphia (or over Zoom, if not local).

Developmental Honorable Mentions – Complimentary staged reading of the show at Walnut Street Theatre, with feedback from our artistic team.

KEY DATES

Submission Deadline: Friday, December 12, 2025
Winner Announced: January 9, 2026

GUIDELINES

• Entries must be original, unpublished, unproduced plays or musicals of no more than 50 minutes. Co-authorships are permissible.
• Cast size must be 4 actors.
• Entries must be written in English and follow standard play script format.
• No entry fee.
• Adaptations and translations are welcome.
• Walnut Street Theatre reserves the right not to award a first-place prize if submissions do not meet artistic criteria. Walnut Street Theatre also has the right to use the author’s name, photograph, and title of any award-winning entry for publicity about the competition.
• Each award winner shall, in connection with future publication, production, publicity, programs, posters and advertisements about an award-winning entry, designate that the play is an “Award Winner of Walnut Street Theatre’s Outreach Playwriting Competition” 

All communication and questions can be conducted via email to walnutoutreach@gmail.com. No phone calls, please.

The Lake Macquarie One Act Play Festival 2026

Website

Deadline: November 13,  2025 12 noon

SUBMISSION FORM

The Lake Macquarie One Act Play Festival returns to Warners Bay Theatre (New South Wales, Australia) on Saturday 28 March 2026.

The Lake Macquarie One Act Play Festival is a theatre competition showcasing short, sharp and exhilarating one-act plays from Lake Macquarie and beyond.

The Festival aims to bring together local, state and national playwrights and performers to develop and strengthen the skills and experience of performing artists within Lake Macquarie.

Featuring plays that explore our society through story and performance, the Festival will bring the best of established and amateur theatre to the Lake Macquarie stage.

Prizes

The One Act Play Festival is held in a competition format, with a total prize pool of $1900 awarded to the following categories:

• Winner Outstanding Play Performance - $500
• Runner Up Outstanding Play Performance - $300
• Winner Outstanding Actor - $500
• Runner Up Outstanding Actor - $300
• Winner Youth Actor Encouragement - $300

Plays will be performed in front of a live audience, and entries will be judged by the judging panel in accordance with the judging criteria. Winners will be announced at the completion of session 2 of the festival Saturday 28 March 2026

Call for entries

Entries are now open for all to apply. Applications are encouraged from established and amateur artists, including independent theatre artists, writers, directors, schools, TAFE or University students and theatre groups both locally and nationally

Script submissions for the 2026 Festival will open on 8 October 2025 and will close on the 13 November 2025.

How to Enter

• The entry into the Festival is free.
• Entries will be accepted only if submitted online using the official entry form.
• Extension of the closing date or acceptance of late entries for the One Act Play Festival will be only at the event sponsors discretion.
• No entries will be accepted if delivered by hand, email or post. 
• Entrants requiring support to complete the entry form must contact Council staff by phone or email theatres@lakemac.nsw.gov.au by 12 noon AEST, 13 November 2025.
• All submissions are to be received online, using the link below

FAQs

Theater-by-the-Grove seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: November 14, 2025

Please send a full copy of your play in .pdf format to the production director, Joshua Kelly, at jtkelly@iup.edu.

Theater-by-the-Grove, the producing artistic company at Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance, is excited to open a call for new plays to be submitted for consideration for a full production in late February 2026 for the New Works Festival. Submissions from established, professional, working, or amateur playwrights will all be considered.

Plays Should Be:

Full-length—at least 1 hr. 30 min duration.

Unproduced—to have had no fully-staged production history. Previous staged readings and private workshops are acceptable, but the script should not have been done “on its feet” (with full staging and design) before a public audience.

Conceptually modern—the narrative should be situated in (or at least be designed for) a contemporary setting, to minimize design costs (e.g., bespoke period costumes, historical architecture, etc.). Stories that have these settings but do not require this kind of design will be considered.

Relevant—the themes of the play should have direct engagement with a concept, event, movement, conflict, or topic of interest for engaged and thinking artists and audiences (e.g., political events, pop culture trends, technological issues, etc.). We are looking for works that contain themes our university-level artists are passionate about exploring and presenting to the public.

Written “for” a college-age cast of 6 to 12 actors—a “medium” sized cast with flexibility in casting across genders, centering primarily around age-appropriate characters (18–30 years old), would be ideal. Scripts with characters that can flex to fit this need will be considered, as will scripts with slightly fewer or more characters that deeply spark our interest.

Submissions will be accepted until November 14, 2025, and reviewed until late November, at which point we will reach out to the selected playwright to confirm an agreement for production. Depending on the number of submissions, it may not be possible to individually inform all other submissions of their non-selection.

Plays can be in any format, but must include a detailed character description AND a brief synopsis at the beginning of the work. Questions can be sent to: Joshua Kelly, the director; Michael Schwartz, the production dramaturg (mschwart@iup.edu); or Carrie J. Cole, the IUP artistic director (cjcole@iup.edu).

This production is produced by the IUP’s Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance. The Lively Arts, a program of the College of Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs, presents nearly 200 performances, programs, and exhibits annually.

THINK FAST A virtual short play competition

Website

Deadline: November 17, 2025

At The Theater Project’s annual virtual one-act play competition, 7 to 10 short plays are selected for 3 pre-recorded broadcast performances. The goal is to give emerging writers in NJ and beyond the chance to platform their work!

After each broadcast, the audience will vote for their favorite play. After the final performance, judges will award Best Play, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Audience Favorite (Play) certificates.

The $500 Grand Prize is given to the playwright selected by the judges at the final performance.

• Email your script to OneActFest@TheTheaterProject.org with the required acknowledgement (below) between October 1, 2025, and November 17, 2025.
• One entry per writer ONLY.
• Online submissions only.
• No submission fee required.
• You MUST include the following acknowledgement in the body of your email: “If my play is accepted and I choose to take part in the festival, I understand that I will be responsible for the casting and rehearsal of my play and that I will be charged a $100 participation fee.”

Questions? Email OneActFest@TheTheaterProject.org.

Submission Requirements

Dramas and comedies accepted.
Maximum 15 minutes running time. Plays that exceed 15 minutes will not be considered.

Zoom Performances

Live talkbacks with playwrights follow the evening performances
All ticket buyers vote electronically for Audience Favorite Play at the conclusion of each performance and receive links to all talkbacks and the awards announcement.
Nominations and winners for Best Actor, Actress, and Director, Audience Favorite (Play), and Judges' $500 Prize are announced post-show Sunday afternoon at our virtual cocktail party (BYOB ;D)


How It Works

If your play is selected, ​​​The Theater Project will supply a stage manager/technical director to oversee the Zoom recording process.
Individual playwrights supply the actors and directors and make their own agreements regarding actor and director compensation.
Production Fee: $100. Participating playwrights (finalists) will be charged a $100 fee to cover the $500 prize as well as the cost of hiring the stage manager/technical director.
Playwrights invited to participate must have plays that are ready to perform and supply their own actors and directors who are recorded via Zoom by The Theater Project.

Why a production fee?

The Theater Project does not charge a submission fee for its THINK FAST festival. We do, however, charge a $100 production fee to help cover the cost of the $500 prize as well as the hiring of a stage manager/technical director to work with the productions on their technical needs, supervise a rehearsal, and record the final performance on TTP’s Zoom platform.

While we’d rather not charge a fee, we would be unable to offer this showcase without help from participating playwrights. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility!

Green Lung Studio seeks work for Spring 2026 season

Website

Deadline: none given

SUBMISSION FORM

Green Lung Studio is excited to announce that we are now accepting submissions from playwrights and theater-makers for our Spring 2026 season! We are seeking artists eager to share work-in-progress readings, first-look premieres, or full-length pieces in an environment designed to support experimentation and creative risk.

About Our Space:
Green Lung is an artist-run incubator and creative refuge located in Red Hook, Brooklyn. We are not a traditional theater; rather, we are a studio, a lab, and a gathering space for artists across various disciplines. Our programming is dedicated to uplifting new voices and embracing the "mess and magic" of work live performance.

Opportunities Include:
Readings Series: Share up to 25 minutes of new or in-process work on Monday nights, presented alongside 2–3 other artists. These evenings may also feature musicians or poets.
First Look + Full-Length Presentations: Present finished or evening-length work with flexible weekend scheduling and technical and performance support.

Key Details:
Performances can be held in Studio A (75 seats) or Studio B (40-50 seats).
We offer a 50/50 ticket split and provide front-of-house support.
There are no restrictions on plays that have been previously produced or published.

How to Apply:
Please complete our short submission form at [greenlungstudio.com/theatersubmit](https://greenlungstudio.com/theatersubmit).

We welcome submissions from artists at all stages of their careers. If you have any questions before applying, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at programming@greenlungstudio.com. 

You can also find us on Instagram: @greenlungstudio.

We look forward to reviewing your submissions!

Free tickets: ISAAC'S EYE by Lucas Hnath

Isaac's Eye 

by Lucas Hnath 

is a sharp, funny, and deeply human play about science, legacy, and the lengths we'll go to be remembered.

GO HERE FOR FREE TICKETS

At Open Arts Studio in Brooklyn.

Join us for an intimate in-person event at Open Arts Studio, Inc where you can immerse yourself in the world of Isaac Newton and experience his captivating story as he navigates love, science, and ambition. Don't miss this unique opportunity to witness a brilliant performance by 5 SCAD grads in the heart of Dumbo. Reserve your ticket today!

Show dates:
Friday, November 21st at 7pm
Saturday, November 22nd at 7pm
Sunday, November 23rd at 7pm

Location: Open Arts Studio, 68 Jay St, Studio 406A, Brooklyn NY

Cast:

• Steven Smith as Isaac Newton
• Alyssa Bianca as Catherine Storer
• Melissa Mitchem as Actor/Dying Man
• Rob Love as Robert Hooke

Directed by Chris Naughton

ELevated Productions NYC seeks full-length productions

Instagram

Deadline: rolling basis

All pitches must be submitted to this Google Form: https://forms.gle/Nx952TnEkyPqqPqq6. 

ELevated Productions NYC is booking our March-June 2026 programming

We are looking to fill these spots with a variety of new works that support our mission to give voice to the unheard by uplifting those who are underrepresented and overlooked within the theatre community.

Productions must be full-length, lasting at least 1 hour. Writers will receive a percentage of the profits from all ticket sales. There is no fee to submit.

Pitches will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all programming slots are filled. We will be in touch to set up a virtual meeting if we are interested in moving forward.

Please email theatrelevated@gmail.com with any questions and follow @elevatedproductionsnyc on Instagram to stay connected!

Barter Theater: Black Stories Black Voices

Website

Deadline: November 15, 2025

Send submissions (and questions) to Co-Directors James Jiggetts and Geovonday Jones at bsbv@bartertheatre.com

By submitting your work to Black Stories Black Voices, you are helping Barter Theatre curate a Black Appalachian Canon of both the past and the present. Whether you reside in Appalachia or not, we welcome any and all Black writers to submit relevant works.

Submissions sent in prior to November 15th, 2025 will be considered for a staged reading during Barter’s 5th Annual SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories in Spring 2026.

If you already have a piece of work set in Appalachia, we encourage you to submit it. If you do not have any Appalachia-inspired works but would like to write one, please consider a topic from our official Shine 2026 prompts list.

For any and all questions or content submissions, please email our Co-Directors James Jiggetts and Geovonday Jones at bsbv@bartertheatre.com

APPALACHIAN STATES: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Monologue Submission Guidelines

Playwright must be Black.
Monologues must be set in Appalachia. 
Monologues must be 3-5 minutes in length.
Monologues must be unpublished and not have had a professional production.
Monologues must be submitted electronically.

Scene Submission Guidelines
Playwright must be Black.
Monologues must be set in Appalachia. 
Monologues must be 5-10 minutes in length.
Monologues must be unpublished and not have had a professional production.
Monologues must be submitted electronically.

Full Length Play Submission Guidelines
Playwright must be Black.
Plays must be written by an Appalachian playwright or the plays must be set in the Appalachian Region.
Plays must be full length.
Plays must be unpublished and not have had a professional production.
Plays must be submitted electronically.

Glass Ceiling Breakers: 2026 A Festival of Short Plays by Women Artists

Website

Deadline: January 17, 2026 at 11:59pm

Plays must be submitted here: https://forms.gle/nm27B6khACXkT6YbA

Theatre Revolution is proud to announce submissions are open for  Glass Ceiling Breakers: 2026 A Festival of Short Plays and Films by Women Artists

GCB 2026 is scheduled for June 5, 6 and 7, 2026 at the Philipstown Depot Theatre in Garrison NY.

Plays must be written by female or female identifying playwrights.

They can be produced or unproduced plays. Feel free to send us plays that were produced years ago that you'd like to revisit! Plays that are currently being workshopped are also welcome.

Plays should be no more than 10 minutes (we mean it!) 12 pages max (excluding the title page) in standard play format. Type size (12) with 1” margins.

If the play is 12 pages but longer than 10 minutes (lots of text) playwright may be asked for revisions if selected.

Save File as follows in PDF only: LAST NAME_TITLE OF PLAY_GCB26

Monologues are accepted but we prefer plays. Monologues should not be more than 3 pages.

BIPOC playwrights are strongly encouraged to submit.

Theatre and/or Playwrights will be informed in Early March.

If selected, playwrights and/or theatre companies are responsible for producing their play. There is no compensation for plays. Theatre Revolution may provide some production assistance (not financial) by connecting producers to possible actors, directors, and props. 

Only non-union actors may be cast in plays.

In all cases, Theatre Revolution will provide limited set pieces, lighting and sound equipment, and production staff. There will be a mandatory pre-production meeting via ZOOM for all playwrights or their representatives in March 2026. 

Questions? Email us. theatrerevolution1@gmail.com We are looking forward to reading your work!

Rover Dramawerks 10-Minute Comedies Contest

Website

Deadline: none - only the first 300 10-minute plays will be accepted

SUBMIT VIA GOOGLE FORM

Rover Dramawerks announces the return of our annual 10-Minute Comedies Contest! We are seeking 10-minute comedies to be a part of our 26th Season.

Comedies only! No musicals. No dramas.

No one-person plays. Other than that, no cast size limit.

Plays may have been produced previously but not in the DFW Metroplex.

Plays may not be published.

Playwrights may submit only one 10-minute play. Additional plays submitted by a single person will result in disqualification.

Only PDF files will be accepted. Other formats will not be read.

A cast list and brief synopsis must be included, but we ask that you do not include a cover page.

Any play longer than 12 pages will not be read.

Name and contact info must not appear anywhere on the script (i.e. this is a blind submission process).

Please do not submit a play you have sent to us in the past!

Up to ten plays will be chosen to be a part of Rover’s 10-Minute Comedies, running July 30 – August 15, 2026, with all winners receiving a $150 prize. The audience will also vote on the “Best of the Fest,” and that overall winner will receive an additional $100.

Rover Dramawerks performs in a small theatre with little wing space that seats about 85. Please take this into consideration when presenting your work to us. We strongly recommend that you check out our website at https://www.roverdramawerks.com/ to see the types of plays we generally produce.

Please note: The judges reserve the right not to award prizes or productions if they feel the caliber of plays received does not warrant a winner.

Clockhouse open for submissions for the Summer 2026 issue

Website

Deadline: November 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

​CLOCKHOUSE is a national literary journal published by Clockhouse Writers’ Conference, whose editors are MFA alumni of Goddard College.
​
We accept works of poetry, fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction, and ​dramatic works for stage or screen. We also accept submissions for cover art. We encourage submissions from both established and emerging writers.

We’re looking for work that beckons us to listen, share, and engage. Send us your best!

Before submitting, carefully read the general AND genre-specific guidelines. 

• All submissions must be original, unpublished work written by the author or, if you are submitting artwork for cover consideration, original artwork created by the artist
• Follow genre-appropriate formatting; Word documents preferred; double-spaced for fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction​
• Include a bio of approximately 100 words or less
• Simultaneous submissions are welcome as long as you withdraw them if accepted elsewhereSubmit only through Submittable. No email or mailed submissions will be accepted
• Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will be discarded unread. 

Dramatic Work for Stage or Screen

• Short plays and screenplays in traditional and experimental styles
• Standalone work only (not part of a longer work); no monologues
• Submitted work should be written with the audience in mind
• Submit up to 10 pages plus cover page with title and character breakdown
• Follow the industry-standard formatting guidelines appropriate for the plays/screenplays including paginations