Hannah Arendt Special IHRAF Festival seeks short play productions

Website

Deadline: February 15, 2026 at midnight

Celebrating the life and ideas of Hannah Arendt
(1906-1975)

New York and Tri-state area based artists 

Work may not have been produced within the last year in NYC, or be scheduled in the next six months of June 7th, 2026.

Please note:
The performances must be fully produced by you; IHRAF is a presenting platform.
Considering performances 10-20 minutes long!

We accept just one proposal for each application.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Please email our Festival Assistant Producer Costanza Bugiani at costanza@humanrightsartmovement.org with the following, and any questions:

A brief description of your piece, including approximate running time - we’re accepting 10-20 mins works.

A cover letter, including details about how your piece aligns with the ideas or life of Hannah Arendt (see below for more information about Hannah), information about the piece’s discipline, and a brief summary of your artistic goals

Your bios or resumes and the names of any collaborators already on board

A sample of the work (scripts, pics, videos, songs, any other links or file that could help us to know more about your project)

As email subject, please type IHRAF Festival: Arendt, then add Association-Company-your name (i.e. IHRAF Hannah Arendt, Joan Doe)

All accepted performers will receive:

Performance stipends of $500 total (per accepted project)

PR and marketing support

30-minute tech rehearsal

Festival TD and SM

Free photographic documentation of the performance

…and bragging rights as participants in the largest and coolest human rights/art festival in NYC!

June 5-7, 2026
Urban Stages
259 West 30th Street
(btw 7th and 8th Avenues)
New York, NY 10001

Theatre Write Now seeks playwrights

Website

Deadline: January 5, 2025 11:59 PM EST

SUBMISSION FORM

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

Applicants will be notified of involvement by January 19th.

About the Program:

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

Cohort 3 Details:

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

Cohort Writing Sessions:

Monday nights, 7 pm-10 pm IN PERSON

Starting on January 26th, ending April 13th

Staged Reading Series:

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

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

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

Where:

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

Organized by Alex Kopnick and KOPCORP LLC

www.kopcorp.art

The Alcazar Theatre Ensemble in Carpinteria, California seeks one-act plays

Website

Facebook

Deadline: January 6, 2026

Please include the play, a short synopsis, if this is a world premiere and your contact info.
Send your submissions to:  AlcazarEnsemble@gmail.com

We call it “Spring Break Theater” and traditionally it incorporates Fairytales reimagined and/or a mash up. We do the show for kids during the day, and for families in the evening. Six performances total.

Ideally it includes multiple characters that can be played by a cast of 6-8.

Ideally it has a message of empowerment.

Ideally it is geared towards kids, but it has some humor that adults will enjoy.

Ideally it includes fairytale characters from lots of different stories all thrown together in one funny story.

Have you written a short (25-40 min) Fairytale play that would appeal to both kids and adults?

We are a small nonprofit community theater, we are all volunteers, so there’s no pay, but there will be a lot of local tv/press coverage. Great publicity opportunity for an emerging writer. 

Feel free to PM me with any questions.

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.

The CCT Writers Project seeks one-act and full-length plays

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

Submissions should be emailed to cctwritersproject@gmail.com.

The CCT Writers Project is a venture by the Chickasaw Civic Theatre (Chickasaw Alabama) whose purpose is to solicit original non-musical works from playwrights to premiere on the CCT stage.

• Must be an original non-musical play not previously presented at any other venue.
• May consist of one or more acts.
• Must be suitable in both subject matter and language for the CCT audience (in the judgment of the Play Committee). Some specific areas to avoid include, but are not limited to, profane language, graphic sexual content, and nudity.
• All submissions are reviewed by the Play Committee the following January or February.
• The identity of the playwright is hidden from the reviewers. As such, we ask writers not to post publicly or to share with anyone that they have submitted a work for review until after the Play Committee completes the review process.

Play Selection

• If a work is accepted for production, the playwright is notified by April 1 of that same year.
• Only one play is accepted for performance during each season cycle.
• The Play Committee reserves the right not to choose a play to present from the project during a season cycle.
• If a play is not accepted and it is not produced elsewhere in the interim, it may be submitted again in a future cycle.
• If a play is accepted for production, all rights and control of the play revert to the playwright after the full run of the premiere production. CCT will retain no control or ownership of the play once the premiere run closes. CCT will retain only the rights to play-related photos, videos, or other media used on the website or in lobby displays around the time of the production.
• The sets, costumes, props, and other production-specific materials created for the play will remain the property of CCT.

Play Performance

• If a play is selected for performance, the Play Committee will offer a specific schedule slot in the upcoming season.
• If the playwright agrees to have the play produced, the Play Committee will decide on the number of performances on the CCT stage.
• The director for the new play will be chosen by the Play Committee, which may solicit input from the playwright.
• The sets, costumes, props, and other production-specific materials created for the play will remain the property of CCT.

Play Compensation and Production Costs

• If a play is accepted, CCT will NOT compensate the playwright for the right to present the work.
• Rather, CCT will bear all costs of producing the play. Those costs include the use of the theatre for the performance, for the weeks of rehearsal required, and for whatever set and costume needs there may be.
• The production expense is currently set by CCT at $1,000. CCT will be reimbursed for this cost from the proceeds of the ticket sales for the production. After that $1,000 has been recovered, any remaining income from ticket sales will be divided equally between CCT and the playwright. In other words, the playwright will earn one half of the profit from the show after production costs; the other half of the profit will remain with CCT.

Questions

For submissions or for questions, contact CCT at cctwritersproject@gmail.com

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.

BRIDGE: The Bluffton University Literary Journal seeks short plays from writers 14-24

Website

Deadline: January 1, 2026 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Bridge only publishes original work by writers age 14-24. Drama submissions are limited to 5000 words (roughly 10-12 formatted pages). Submissions that have enjoyed full or partial production (stage plays, films, staged readings) are eligible for publication; submissions that have been previously published online or in print are not.

Bridge: The Bluffton University Literary Journal is a magazine of arts and letters compiled by Bluffton University's Department of English and Writing Program. Our current publication schedule includes fall and Spring online issues. Bridge only publishes artists and writers age 14-24.

We are now operating as rolling submissions.

To see the kind of work we are engaging with, please check out our previous issues:

SPRING 2021 Edition online: https://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/Spring2021/

FALL 2020 Edition online: https://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/fall2020/index.aspx

FALL 2019 Edition online: https://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/fall2019/index.aspx

FALL 2018 Edition online: http://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/fall2018/

and FALL 2017 EDITION online: http://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/fall2017/

Visit our website at https://www.bluffton.edu/bridge/


SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Bridge publishes original work by writers and artists age 14-24. We look for work that demonstrates virtuosity and wonder, work that interrogates norms and assumptions, and delights us all along the way. Bridge ONLY publishes writers and artists age 14-24. 
• Bridge accepts work from young writers in the following genres: short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics, art, graphic novels and short plays for stage and screen. Please, no fan-fiction or excerpts from novels. 
• Contributors can submit only ONCE per genre, per submission period. 
• There are no restrictions on content or theme. 
• Work submitted to Bridge must not be previously published online or print. We cannot consider work you posted on WattPad, your blog, website, or social media. 
• Bridge welcomes international submissions; however, all work submitted must be composed primarily in English. 
• Bridge does not accept anonymous submissions. 
• Bridge cannot accept third-party submissions. Writers and artists must submit their own work and correspond directly with our staff. Parents/teachers/mentors cannot submit work for you or on your behalf. If your work is collaborative and includes artists over the age of 24, it is not eligible for publication in Bridge. 
• If selected for publication, Bridge retains First North American Serial Rights to your work. However, all rights revert to the author upon publication. 
• Bridge is unable to pay contributors. 
• Current or former Bluffton University students, and the household family members of Bluffton University faculty, staff, and administrators are not eligible to submit work to Bridge.

Bridge's Top Tips for Getting Accepted

• We love working with our authors. We feel mentorship is part of our mission. So please read carefully through our tips. Given that we receive submissions per reading period, we want your work to show at its very best. These are helpful for submitting anywhere!We appreciate fresh, unique perspectives and imagery on issues. We have found that means strong language and word choice. The more specific you can be in detail, the less a reader will be wondering what was going on or how that character was reacting to a certain situation. 
• We are open to what our authors submit from genre to form to style to topic. We love discovering new ways of seeing the world, but we also value work that shows the writer has thoroughly done their homework. If this is a topic or character outside of your own experience or background, do in-depth research on that topic and its histories! Nothing hurts a piece more than discussing an important issue, yet using stereotypes or cliches or incorrect information.
• Check your Submittable account regularly, and update your email address if it changes! We have accepted authors that never got back to us. Then, too, we have accepted authors, signed contracts, and then never heard back about revisions sent out.
• List all of your contact information in a proper cover letter. This helps us get in touch with you if need be. Here is a link to a good cover letter example: How to Write a Cover Letter... https://theadroitjournal.org/2019/08/09/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-for-a-literary-journal-magazine-or-publication/ . Here is a link to good advice on submissions. We recommend following the above for cover letters, however, rather than this one's: https://electricliterature.com/lit-mag-submissions-101-how-when-and-where-to-send-your-work/
• Be sure to copy edit the piece very carefully before submitting. Look for typos and sentence errors. Remove any comments from readers or notations that this was submitted for a class. Don't put in your cover letter another journal's address and information. In other words, be professional.
• Submit within your proper genre.
• If your piece is accepted elsewhere, please immediately withdraw it from Bridge and anywhere else you submitted it. Editors spend a lot of time considering pieces. If you withdraw, they can then give their time to other pieces.

RELENTLESS AWARD

Website

Deadline: January 1, 2026  at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

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

Eligibility/Criteria for Submission: 

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

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

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

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

Door is a Jar literary magazine seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: none listed

SUBMISSION FORM 

Following the Standard American Format 

Submit up to 2 short plays. Each play can range between 1 and 10 pages in length as a .doc or .docx.

Door Is A Jar Literary Magazine is looking for well-crafted poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, artwork, and book reviews for our print and digital publication. Please read over these submission guidelines carefully and look at our current and archived issues before submitting your work.

Our publication steers away from academic writing and publishes short, conversational works that use familiar language. Each new issue features artists and writers and works that are accessible for all readers.

Our issues are don't have specific themes, and we accept all genres and literary styles.

Submit all work in Times New Roman font size 11

We only accept new, unpublished work. If you have posted something to your website or social media, this counts as being published.


For book reviews please include the following information: the title, author, publisher, year of publication, page count, ISBN, and price.

Under the "Title(s)" section, please list all the titles of the pieces you are submitting, and not something general like "My Poems". Make sure you are consistent with how you present the titles in your attached document and in this space.

If you are unable to fit all the titles into the "Title(s)" section, please list them in your cover letter section of the submission form.

Please provide your name as you would like published, email, mailing address, and a fun 3-sentence bio. (We're not as interested in how many degrees you have, or how widely you've been published. Instead, we want to hear about the real you. We want to know about the little things that spur you along.)

Contributors can submit to multiple categories; however, only submit once to each category until you have received our decision about your piece.

You will receive an acceptance or rejection letter from our editorial staff within 6 months from the day of submission.​


We accept simultaneous submissions; however, please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. If accepted, please withdraw the piece from other publications.
​
We reserve first initial publishing rights, and the rights reprint right to use quotes or pieces for promotional use. We do not pay contributors at this time, but we will send out a contributor copy.

Submissions are only accepted through our website. Any submissions sent directly to our email will be deleted without response.

Please note that submissions that exceed word counts or maximum amount of material will be disqualified from consideration.

Do not send in writing or art that was created using Artificial Intelligence. Submitting work generated by A.I. technology will be considered as plagiarism.

Be the sole author/ creator of your work. We do not publish collaborative pieces.

We do not publish translations.

We do not publish craft essays.
​


If you have trouble uploading your file, the problem could have been an issue when saving, which corrupted the file, or your computer could have virus. Some people have had issues when downloading files from Google Documents. The best way around this is to copy and paste the document into a new .docx and trying to submit again.

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.

Musical theater challenge for high school students 2026

Website

Deadline: February 3, 2026 3:00 AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

ELIGIBILITY & GUIDELINES

Who can Participate in the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge? High School Students from all 50 States, Washington D.C. and U.S. territories are eligible.

Entry Requirements

Each Participant can submit one original composition tailored for a musical theater production. The full musical does not need to be written, but the student will be asked to justify the song as a storytelling moment as part of the larger hypothetical work.

Collaborative entries (up to three Writers) are accepted, but all members of the team must meet the age and schooling requirements.

Limit of one solo entry and one collaborative entry per Participant.

Entries must be the wholly original work of the entrant(s) and should not infringe on any copyrights or any other rights of third parties.

If under the age of 18, the student must have permission from their parent or legal guardian by providing their parent/guardian’s signature and other requested information, which indicates their parent/guardian’s agreement and consent to the terms and conditions herein.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) advocate for creativity, originality and artistic expression. Any form of plagiarism will lead to disqualification.

What’s Not Allowed

• Remixes or covers of existing work.
• New works that sample or include stems/tracks from existing work.
• Adaptations of popular movies, books, TV shows and other pre-existing media.
• Songs promoting hate, discrimination or any form of offensive content.

Denver Quarterly seeking short plays & monologues

Website

Deadline: February 16, 2026 2:00 AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

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

Policies:

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

Excerpts from longer works are permissible.

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

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

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

Arkana Magazine seeks short plays for its Micro issue

Website

Deadline: March 16, 2026 at 1AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

For our Micro Issue, please submit scripts for the stage or screen that would last, if performed, five minutes or less.

We publish work by established and emerging writers unaffiliated with the University of Central Arkansas. We accept previously unpublished fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, scripts for the stage or screen, translation, artwork, and illustrated narrative through our Submittable submission manager.

Simultaneous submissions are always welcome. We only ask that you withdraw your piece as soon as you accept another opportunity.

As a compendium of the rare, intriguing, and unheard, we’re looking for quality writing that is thought-provoking and literary. 

We are especially interested in work that explores the identities and experiences of writers from the Delta region, BIPOC, immigrant, LGBTQ+, women, disabled, and neurodivergent writers, the resource-poor, writers over 50, those who have experienced or been impacted by incarceration, or anyone whose voices have traditionally been silenced.

MICRO ISSUE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Up to 500 words of prose (fiction or nonfiction), double-spaced
• Limit 1 submission per genre until you’ve received a response
• Up to three poems per submission, up to 10 lines per poem
• Up to 5 photographs or pieces of art. For illustrated narrative, one page or panel.
• Cover letter with a brief biographical statement
• Up to 5 minutes of script for the stage or screen
• Up to 1 minute for a video essay

The Robert J. Pickering / J.R. Colbeck Award for Playwriting Excellence 2026

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

This annual award was established to honor past member and playwright, Bob Pickering, and to provide a vehicle for playwrights to see their works produced. In 2020, the award was renamed to also honor longtime BCCT member and Pickering director, J.R. Colbeck. $200 is awarded for first place, $50 for second place and $25 for third place.

Types of Plays Accepted

Full length, unproduced plays and musicals. Children's plays are accepted. We are unable to return without a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Selection Process

BCCT committee members read and review each entry and select ten finalists from which the first, second, and third place winners are chosen by the membership at large.
Production

BCCT reserves the right and agrees to produce the first place winner in this yearly competition. First place winners are required to sign a production contract.
Production House

BCCT productions are staged in the historic Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater, Michigan. Built in 1882, Tibbits is a completely restored 500-seat proscenium theater.
How to Submit

BCCT does not accept digital submissions. Send hard-copy submissions to:

Branch County Community Theatre
14 S. Hanchett St.
Coldwater, MI 49036

Palace Theatre Short Play Festival

Website

Deadline: January 9, 2026

 SUBMISSION FORM

At The Rex Theatre, Manchester, New Hampshire 

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

The 2026 Festival is seeking Short- Plays.

Each writer may submit no more than ONE Short Play.

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

Entries must be submitted in a PDF Document format.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Performances will be:

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

All Performances at The Rex Theatre, Manchester New Hampshire 03104

Cash Awards for Best Play

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

Awards for the following:

Audience Award for Best Play 2026

Judges Award for Best Play 2026

Vivid Stage seeks full-length plays, 2025

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

DON'T SEND - THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR SUBMISSION WINDOW​
OR
​
Mail printed script to:

Laura Ekstrand, Artistic Director

VIVID STAGE
Oakes Center
120 Morris Avenue
Summit, NJ 07901

Playwrights, we'd love to read your script! Please take a look at the parameters below. Scripts will be considered for our Meet the Artist reading series in May, and for production on our mainstage.

SUBMISSIONS: We accept scripts from November 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, or until we reach our cap of 300. Please DO NOT SUBMIT plays from January through October. Responses are made annually in late spring.

Also, please DO NOT SUBMIT BLIND COPIES of your script. Make sure your name and email address are on the script itself. We use your contact info in the script to reply to your submission. If you submit a blind copy, your script will not be considered.

Many thanks for sharing your time and talents.

Full-length comedies or dramas (no musicals)

Solo shows for our Summer Solo reading series are welcome

One script per writer

Cast size of no more than 9

Contemporary topics

Focus on “the human story”

Warmth and optimism

Please check spelling, punctuation and format

Review our mission and history for further information on what we’re seeking

​
Please note:

No teen or child casts

No historical or period pieces

No short plays (less than 60 minutes)

No musicals


Submission Guidelines

2026 Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

The Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award celebrates an author whose work embodies the lyrically powerful and historically engaged nature of Dr. Alexander’s writing. We aim for this award to highlight different forms of knowledge production that emerge from the artistic, political, and cultural advocacy undertaken by women of color nationally, transnationally, and globally.

Each year we award two winners: one in Poetry and one in Prose. Each winner will receive a $500 Prize, publication in Meridians, and will have the opportunity to spend a week-long residency at Meridians at Smith College the following Fall or Spring.

The award is open to all genres, including: poetry, fiction, play scripts, and non-fiction. All submissions will be judged anonymously. 

Works engaging with feminism, race, and transnationalism will be prioritized. Translated works and manuscripts in languages other than English are encouraged as well.

We only accept previously unpublished work for publication. We only accept one submission for entry to the EACWA contest. Simultaneous submissions will not be considered.

PLAY SCRIPTS

Play scripts should be typed, Times New Roman font, and no more than 5,000 words.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: 

• No identifying information or contact information on the manuscript itself. 
• All submissions for the award must be submitted through this Google Form. E-mailed and/or mailed hard copy submissions for the award will NOT be considered.
• Please attach your submission as a PDF
• Please make sure your submissions has the following: 
• Title on the manuscript
• Double-spaced (unless poetry or play which may utilize whatever formatting is necessary)
• 1-inch margins (unless poetry which may utilize whatever margins are necessary)
• 12-point, Times New Roman font (or similar, with exceptions for poetry submissions, translations, and plays which may require differing fonts)
• Include page numbers if work exceeds one page
• Award Review Process:
• All submissions will undergo preliminary review by the Meridians editorial staff, and finalists will be reviewed double-anonymously by members of the Meridians Creative Writing Advisory Board.
• Winners will be notified in February 2026. 

Nomad Theatre seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: January 1, 2026 at midnight

SUBMISSION FORM

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

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

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

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

Submission Guidelines:

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

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

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

Untitled Musical Project Spring 2026 Writers' Group

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025 at 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FORM

UNTITLED Musical Project is now accepting applications for the the Spring 2026 UNTITLED Writers' Group! UNTITLED Musical Project is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting musical theatre writers of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and their intersecting identities by fostering their work from inception. Through writers’ groups, developmental readings, dramaturgical support, and resources aimed to further artists’ professional careers in the creation of new musical theatre, UNTITLED creates a space and community where BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ writers can create bold, new, and challenging works.

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

Once Upon a Crocodile open for short plays

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

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

Seeks short plays:  2000 words maximum.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oakland Review: Inaugural Playwriting Prize [Vol. LII - "Gibbous" Issue]

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Inaugural Playwriting Prize [Vol. LII - "Gibbous" Issue]

Playwriting Prize: A competition for twenty-minute stage scripts. Only one playwriting piece will be accepted per issue. The final round will be judged by CMU Drama faculty (ranked #4 globally by The Hollywood Reporter in their 2025 list of best drama schools).

One piece per submission. Your name should not be printed anywhere on your submission, save the document title. Prize pot is $250.

Titles should follow the format “Name, Genre”.

Editors’ Foreword:

Having recently published our half-century issue, the Oakland Review is growing, working, waxing. Taken on its own, “gibbous” represents a concept still in the works, under construction, nearly-there. Perhaps this is what it means to live in a gibbous phase of the decade: something swollen, marked by tension and possibility. How do you—and your work—handle the half-light?

NOVA Lab 2026: Open Call for Scripts

Website

Deadline: January 5, 2026 @11:59PM

Application Form

Theme: Our Future

We are excited to announce our new year-round incubator program NOVA Lab as Cellunova's 2026 Season!

Two selected works will receive creative support throughout the year. The playwrights will participate in an internal workshop and a public script reading workshop in the first half of the year to gather early general feedback. In the Fall, we will present a curated full production series showcasing works developed through the program.

Cellunova Productions invites submissions for a new full-length play (70–80 minutes) under the theme OUR FUTURE. We are seeking works that examine the transformations shaping our community, society, and world today—and chart where we are headed next. We welcome stories that don’t dwell in the past or settle for the present, but look forward with urgency, clarity, and imagination. We strongly encourage applications from BIPOC artists, first-generation immigrants, and others from historically underrepresented communities in the theatre.

We are looking for:

- A script with a runtime of 70–80 minutes under the theme OUR FUTURE.

- A preferred cast size of 2 and maximum cast size of 3. In alignment with our mission to uplift diverse voices, we encourage works that provide strong representation for BIPOC performers. We aim for at least half of the cast to be BIPOC roles or roles castable by BIPOC actors.

- A play centered on futures in the making. This could include the evolution of a community, a development in an industry or science, or transformations unfolding on a galactic scale. There are no limits to where your story takes place—only that it reaches forward in time.

While we welcome big ideas and imaginative settings, the heart of the submission must be a compelling, character-driven story—one that resonates beyond its concept and speaks to what it means to live through change.


Submission Guidelines:

- Playwrights must be 18+ to submit

- English language (multilingual also welcome)

- PDF format, with title and author(s) on the cover page

- Include a brief artist bio (max 300 words)

Lab Participant Award: $500

About Cellunova

We are a multidisciplinary theater company led by first-generation Asian immigrant artists. Our work fuses bold storytelling with new technologies, and builds bridges between indie theater and audiences from industries and communities that don’t typically see themselves on stage. Our productions speak to urgent civic, cultural, and political issues—amplifying emerging voices and fostering dialogue across lines of class, background, and industry.

We are particularly excited by scripts that:

- Center hybrid identities, transnational narratives, and intergenerational experiences

- Reflect underrepresented communities in imaginative or speculative contexts

- Engage thoughtfully with real-world systems or fields—from science and architecture to diplomacy and environmental design

- Challenge traditional stage forms or storytelling structures in innovative ways

From the deep sea to the stars, from disappearing borders to reimagined economies—where do you see us going?

Show us the future, in your voice.

The Solidarity Project: a Celebration of Historical Nonviolent Resistance

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

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

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

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

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

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

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

And many more!

The Leah Prize 2026

Website

Deadline: This year submissions will be capped at 400. 

APPLICATION FORM

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

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

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

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

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

The Westchester Review seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: Dec 31, 2025 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

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

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

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

FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS

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

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

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

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

Do not send work in PDF format.

We do not accept translations in any of our categories.

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

PLAYS

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

The New Works Initiative is seeking unpublished full-length plays

Website

Deadline: January 15, 2026 

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

Please send submissions to sandra@renolittletheater.org

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

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

SUBMISSION CRITERIA:

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

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

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

Apricity Magazine seeks short plays for the 2026 issue

Website

Deadline: January 4, 2026 1AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kindly keep author bios to under 50 words.

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

We will not tolerate any form of plagiarism.

46 Minutes Collective Spring 2026 Writer's Group Application

Website

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

SUBMISSION FORM

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

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

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

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

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

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

ENCORE Theatre Playwriting Competition 2025

Instagram

Deadline: December 30, 2025

Submit your entry by email to arinvanjari@yahoo.com

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

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

• Ten-minute plays

• Thirty minute plays

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Submission details:

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

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

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

Las Vegas Little Theater’s 2026 ANNUAL NEW WORKS COMPETITION

Website 

Deadline: December 31, 2025

APPLICATION FORM

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

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

3. The set must be simple or representational.

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

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

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

7. Prizes – 

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

2nd prize = $75

3rd prize = $50

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

9. Scripts cannot be returned

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

Website

Deadline: December 19, 2025

Performance Dates: April 23–25, 2026

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

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

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION

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

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

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Email submissions to: playsubmissions@savcds.org

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

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

B Street Theatre’s Seventh Annual New Comedies Festival

Website

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

SUBMISSION FORM

Festival Dates: July 12–19, 2026

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

Applications Open: December 30, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

QUALIFICATIONS & ELIGIBILITY

Play Requirements

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Submission Formatting Requirements

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

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

• Only one submission per playwright.

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

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

SELECTION PROCESS

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

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

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

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

2026.

ABOUT B STREET THEATRE & THE FESTIVAL

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

• Each finalist play receives:

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

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

HOW TO APPLY

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

There is no fee to pre-register or submit.

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

• Artist Bio

• Artist Statement (500 words or fewer) addressing:

o Your approach to comedic writing

o Why this play fits the New Comedies Festival

o How you/your work would benefit from participating

• Character Breakdown

• Time/Place Description

• Brief Synopsis

• A blind PDF of the full script

Go Try PlayWrite - December 2025

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

Submission form

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

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

The prompt for December 2025 is:

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

Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest 2026

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

INFO ABOUT SCRIPT SUBMISSIONS

To encourage the development of quality theatrical materials for the educational, community and children’s theatre markets, Pioneer Drama Service is proud to sponsor the annual Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest.

Submissions will be accepted on an on-going basis with a December 31 cutoff each year. All eligible plays accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists, from which the winner will be selected by April 30 of the year following submission. The contest winner will receive a $1,000 royalty advance in addition to publication.

Contest entries must meet all general guidelines and submission requirements.

Individuals currently published by Pioneer Drama Service are not eligible for this contest. Pioneer Drama Service employees and their families are also excluded.

2026 Call for Plays by US-Based Latine Playwrights

Website

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

 or when 100 plays are received

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

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

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

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

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

What this opportunity is:

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

Eligibility Requirements:

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

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

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

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

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

6. Only one script per playwright.

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

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

Required Materials (all in PDF format):

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

playwright resume and 150 word or less biography

the development and/or production history of your play

the full script

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

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: February 25, 2026

3 SELECTED PLAYWRIGHTS ANNOUNCED: March 9, 2026

How are plays selected?

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

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

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

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

Website

Deadline: January 3, 2026

Submit to : villageplaywrights@gmail.com

The festival will be held at The Center 208 W13th NYC

in February 2026. 

Playwrights must be able to attend the festival in NYC

Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC will award a Performance Grant 2026

Website

Deadline: February 2, 2026 at 9AM EST

or if we reach our limit of 40 applications

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

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

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

Amounts: Up to $10,000.00 

Eligibility: 

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

Application Requirements:

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

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

A short description of the performance / project.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Applicants can only apply with the same project twice.

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

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

The Ephemeral Players is accepting submissions for new works to produce

Website

Deadline: December 15, 2025

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

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

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


SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

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

Submission Limit:
Up to 2 pieces per artist.


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

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

Seeking Decolonization Stories seeks one-act plays

Website

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

SUBMISSION FORM

Submissions in Spanish and Portuguese also accepted.

The prompt

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

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

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

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

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

four-month residency.

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

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

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

To apply:

Please submit application materials here:

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

- A one-paragraph statement of professional goals and aspirations

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

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

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

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

What are the Decolonization Stories?

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

What is Climate Change?

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

Why focus on Climate Change?

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

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

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

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

Downtown Urban Arts Festival/DUAF 2026 is Open for Submissions

Website

Deadline: December 8, 2025

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

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

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

Submission Categories:

Short-length play (under 45 minutes)

Full-length play (up to 70 minutes)

Eligible Projects: 

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

Playwright’s Supports: 

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

Submission Checklist: 

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

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

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