Deadline: April 5, 2026 at 11:59 CDT
We are seeking short scripts and monologues centering around women (and those of traditionally marginalized genders) and invisible disability to be a part of our first-ever "HystericalFest: Women+ Act Out" on August 28-30, 2026 at the Piven Theatre in Evanston, IL (just north of Chicago).
Producers of this short comedy festival are Violet Surprise Theatre (queer-feminist theatre company); actress/advocate/3Arts awardee Terri Lynn Hudson; and playwright Paula Kamen/aka Hysterical Productions.
Whether your play has been produced before or you've just finished writing it, we'd love to read it!
Length guidelines:
- Scripts of up to 10 pages
- Monologues of up to 3 pages
Eligibility:
Our philosophy: For centuries, a way to diagnose a woman (or woman-adjacent person) for hysteria was if they were dramatic and seeking attention about their otherwise invisible illness. In this short comedy festival, we are turning the tables, embracing the forbidden, literally "acting out." Comedy reflects the absurdity of our experiences, and theatre provides a way to relieve isolation, build community, and confront stigma.
***Violet Surprise Theatre values artists and takes the ethics and integrity of the work we produce very seriously. We will NOT accept any scripts where generative AI was used in any capacity, nor will we accept any work that promotes or encourages usage of generative AI. No exceptions.***
For any questions, email Pearlie at violetsurprisetheatre@gmail.com.
For more about Violet Surprise, visit https://linktr.ee/violetsurprisetheatrechicago.
- Submissions may be made by anyone but must be about the experience of women, non-binary people, and those of traditionally marginalized genders.
- Plays & monologues will address the absurdities of living with invisible disabilities, which we very broadly define.
- Plays can be straightforward, absurd, or even experimental.
- Plays do NOT have to be new or unproduced.
- Each person can make up to two different submissions.
- Those from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit.
- We especially encourage submissions from those experiencing both visible and invisible disabilities at the same time, queer people, people of color, and older playwrights.
Our philosophy: For centuries, a way to diagnose a woman (or woman-adjacent person) for hysteria was if they were dramatic and seeking attention about their otherwise invisible illness. In this short comedy festival, we are turning the tables, embracing the forbidden, literally "acting out." Comedy reflects the absurdity of our experiences, and theatre provides a way to relieve isolation, build community, and confront stigma.
***Violet Surprise Theatre values artists and takes the ethics and integrity of the work we produce very seriously. We will NOT accept any scripts where generative AI was used in any capacity, nor will we accept any work that promotes or encourages usage of generative AI. No exceptions.***
For any questions, email Pearlie at violetsurprisetheatre@gmail.com.
For more about Violet Surprise, visit https://linktr.ee/violetsurprisetheatrechicago.