Deadline: February 2, 2026
SUBMISSION FORM
ESCAPE: 2026 NEW PLAY COMMISSION RFP
Thrown Stone Theatre Company (Ridgefield, CT) invites playwrights to submit proposals for a new play commission aligned with our mission to empower artists and audiences to engage on the important questions of our time.
This year, we’re commissioning plays about escape — the impulse, the act, the aftermath.
Some prompts to get you going:
- What are you trying to escape from — and what’s really chasing you?
- Where are you trying to escape to — and will it be what you imagined?
- What does liberation look like when you’re running toward something rather than away
- Can we ever truly escape, or do we carry everything with us?
- What’s the difference between escape and avoidance, between freedom and running away?
- How do we know when escape is necessary versus when staying and fighting matters more?
- What do we lose when we escape? What do we gain?
- Is escapism a survival strategy, a form of resistance, or just another trap?
- What happens in the aftermath — when you’ve escaped but still have to live with yourself?
- How do joy and play function as forms of escape or liberation?
- What role does imagination play in both our captivity and our freedom?
We want work that’s unabashedly joyful and theatrical — comedy, farce, adventure, romance. Plays built on human spectacle: language, physical performance, poetic imagery. Liberation from the overtechnical. Work that’s perfectly flawed and human.
Make us laugh. Make us wonder. Make us question. Give us something we can take with us back into the everyday world.
PLEASE NOTE
Special consideration will be given to plays that can be developed in audio format as a standalone work or as a pre-production development step. This generally means small casts, or a maximum of 2-4 characters speaking in a scene. This is not a requirement, but in the current arts funding environment, transmedia potential may greatly ease your play’s development path.
The work should align with our mission to empower artists and audiences to engage with the important questions of our time. Learn more at thrownstone.org/about.
Please read the complete guidelines below before submitting, as multiple submissions are not allowed. If you have any questions prior to submitting, please contact us.
Make us laugh. Make us wonder. Make us question. Give us something we can take with us back into the everyday world.
PLEASE NOTE
Special consideration will be given to plays that can be developed in audio format as a standalone work or as a pre-production development step. This generally means small casts, or a maximum of 2-4 characters speaking in a scene. This is not a requirement, but in the current arts funding environment, transmedia potential may greatly ease your play’s development path.
The work should align with our mission to empower artists and audiences to engage with the important questions of our time. Learn more at thrownstone.org/about.
Please read the complete guidelines below before submitting, as multiple submissions are not allowed. If you have any questions prior to submitting, please contact us.
COMMISSION DETAILS
Commission Fee: $5,000 (paid in three installments).
Additional Budget: Up to $2,000 in travel, expenses, and research budget to support your creative process.
Purpose: To create a new, original script in collaboration with Thrown Stone Theatre Company. Any future workshops or productions of the commissioned work will be negotiated separately.
TIMELINE AND PAYMENT SCHEDULEExecution of Agreement (By March 3, 2026)Payment: $1,000 upon signing.
Deliverable: Contract executed, initial research begins.
Delivery of Initial Concept/Detailed Outline (By April 7, 2026)Payment: $500 upon delivery and acceptance.
Deliverable: A detailed concept or outline, including core themes, characters, and a synopsis that aligns with the mission and theme of escape
Delivery of First Draft (By August 4, 2026)Payment: $1,500 upon delivery and acceptance.
Deliverable: A complete first draft of the script.
Feedback Session (By September 1, 2026)Artistic Directors will provide dramaturgical feedback to help the playwright shape the second draft.
Delivery of Second Draft (By December 1, 2026)Payment: $2,000 upon delivery and acceptance.
Deliverable: A revised draft that incorporates feedback and demonstrates substantial development of the play.
All deadlines and payments are contingent on mutual agreement and the satisfactory completion of each milestone. Additional travel, research, and expenses will be reimbursed upon submission of receipts and must be pre-approved by the Theatre.
ELIGIBILITY
This opportunity is open to all playwrights who have had at least one professional (AEA) production. See FAQ for details on what qualifies. We encourage submissions from diverse voices and perspectives, including those historically underrepresented in the American theatre.
SUBMISSION TIMELINESubmissions Open: January 2, 2026
Proposal Deadline: February 2, 2026
Selection Notification/Execution of Agreement: By March 2, 2026
SUBMISSION PROCESS
Playwrights should submit their materials via our online submission form. Please note that we will accept and review up to 150 submissions. Early submissions are encouraged as the review process will close once this limit is reached.
This commission is for new, original work developed specifically for this theme. We are not seeking existing scripts, works-in-progress, or drawer plays. Proposals must describe plays not yet written.
To ensure we can thoughtfully review all submissions, proposals will first be assessed for eligibility and thematic alignment before advancing to full artistic consideration by our team. Submissions that do not align with our guidelines, theme, or commission parameters will not advance to full review. We encourage you to carefully review the prompt and criteria before submitting.
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
EVALUATION CRITERIA
ABOUT THROWN STONE THEATRE COMPANY
Thrown Stone Theatre Company is the only professional theatre in Connecticut exclusively dedicated to new work from commission to development to production. Learn more and book tickets at thrownstone.org.
We look forward to discovering your unique vision and collaborating with you on this exciting project.
Commission Fee: $5,000 (paid in three installments).
Additional Budget: Up to $2,000 in travel, expenses, and research budget to support your creative process.
Purpose: To create a new, original script in collaboration with Thrown Stone Theatre Company. Any future workshops or productions of the commissioned work will be negotiated separately.
TIMELINE AND PAYMENT SCHEDULEExecution of Agreement (By March 3, 2026)Payment: $1,000 upon signing.
Deliverable: Contract executed, initial research begins.
Delivery of Initial Concept/Detailed Outline (By April 7, 2026)Payment: $500 upon delivery and acceptance.
Deliverable: A detailed concept or outline, including core themes, characters, and a synopsis that aligns with the mission and theme of escape
Delivery of First Draft (By August 4, 2026)Payment: $1,500 upon delivery and acceptance.
Deliverable: A complete first draft of the script.
Feedback Session (By September 1, 2026)Artistic Directors will provide dramaturgical feedback to help the playwright shape the second draft.
Delivery of Second Draft (By December 1, 2026)Payment: $2,000 upon delivery and acceptance.
Deliverable: A revised draft that incorporates feedback and demonstrates substantial development of the play.
All deadlines and payments are contingent on mutual agreement and the satisfactory completion of each milestone. Additional travel, research, and expenses will be reimbursed upon submission of receipts and must be pre-approved by the Theatre.
ELIGIBILITY
This opportunity is open to all playwrights who have had at least one professional (AEA) production. See FAQ for details on what qualifies. We encourage submissions from diverse voices and perspectives, including those historically underrepresented in the American theatre.
SUBMISSION TIMELINESubmissions Open: January 2, 2026
Proposal Deadline: February 2, 2026
Selection Notification/Execution of Agreement: By March 2, 2026
SUBMISSION PROCESS
Playwrights should submit their materials via our online submission form. Please note that we will accept and review up to 150 submissions. Early submissions are encouraged as the review process will close once this limit is reached.
This commission is for new, original work developed specifically for this theme. We are not seeking existing scripts, works-in-progress, or drawer plays. Proposals must describe plays not yet written.
To ensure we can thoughtfully review all submissions, proposals will first be assessed for eligibility and thematic alignment before advancing to full artistic consideration by our team. Submissions that do not align with our guidelines, theme, or commission parameters will not advance to full review. We encourage you to carefully review the prompt and criteria before submitting.
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
- Playwrights should submit the following materials via our submission form:Proposal Narrative: Provide a detailed concept for your play, including its themes, characters, and theatrical elements. (2,000 characters or less)
- Central Dramatic Question: Articulate the central dramatic question you would like to explore with this commission, understanding that it may evolve through the process. (2,000 characters or less)
- Playwriting Sample: Provide 10 pages from your body of work best showcase your voice and style.
- Artist Statement: How does your artistic approach align with the goals of this commission? (2,000 characters or less)
- Résumé or CV: What experience and achievements highlight your qualifications for this opportunity?
- References: Provide the contact information for three professional references.
- Artificial Intelligence Policy: No part of the commissioned script may be AI-generated. The play must be entirely the work of the commissioned playwright. Playwrights may use AI tools for proposals, research, administrative tasks, or other aspects of their process, but the script itself must be authored by the human we commissioned.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
- Submissions will be evaluated based on these questions:Does the proposed concept align with Thrown Stone’s mission and values?
- How original and theatrical is the idea?
- How well does the playwriting sample demonstrate the playwright’s craft and artistic voice?
- Does the proposed concept have a strong central dramatic question?
- How well does the concept align with the theme of escape?
- How feasible is the development of this work within the commission timeline and budget?
ABOUT THROWN STONE THEATRE COMPANY
Thrown Stone Theatre Company is the only professional theatre in Connecticut exclusively dedicated to new work from commission to development to production. Learn more and book tickets at thrownstone.org.
We look forward to discovering your unique vision and collaborating with you on this exciting project.