Deadline: March 20, 2026 5PM EDT
The Sauk, Hillsdale County's Community Theatre, located in Jonesville, Michigan is seeking entries to consider for our twelfth annual Plays-In-Development in September 2026.
We are seeking unproduced plays. These can be any style (comedy, drama, young audience and/or musical) and any length (one-act or full-length).
It is understood (and expected) that changes will be made to the script between initial submission and performance.
The selected plays will first go through notes with the artistic director. A show-specific director will then be assigned. The director will work with the playwright prior to an audition draft being submitted. Auditions will take place in early-August with two weeks of rehearsals prior to public readings. It is expected that the selected playwrights will be involved in the process and be in attendance for final rehearsals and the public reading in Jonesville, MI.
Playwrights are encouraged to make changes to their scripts throughout the process (often handing in new drafts on a weekly or even daily basis). The public staged readings will take place on September 4 and 5, 2026. Playwrights are expected to be on site the week leading up to the readings starting on Monday, August 31, 2026. A royalty is provided to the selected playwrights and The Sauk will provide travel and lodging.
The goal of Plays-in-Development is to help playwrights improve plays that have yet to be produced. By working with a director and actors, the playwright can learn vital information about their work. After the public readings, playwrights are able to participate in a talkback with the audience. We want playwrights to leave the experience with positive and constructive feedback to improve their plays.
Please e-mail a draft copy of the script, a one paragraph plot description and playwright's contact information to Executive Director Trinity Bird at saukpid@gmail.com. Playwrights may submit no more than two scripts. We are NOT looking for scripts intended to be performed online. Plays may not have had a public reading and/or performance in the past. Classroom and non-public readings are fine.
The play selection committee will review all submissions and select the scripts to be part of the process. The selected plays will be announced on or before May 1, 2026.
The selected plays will first go through notes with the artistic director. A show-specific director will then be assigned. The director will work with the playwright prior to an audition draft being submitted. Auditions will take place in early-August with two weeks of rehearsals prior to public readings. It is expected that the selected playwrights will be involved in the process and be in attendance for final rehearsals and the public reading in Jonesville, MI.
Playwrights are encouraged to make changes to their scripts throughout the process (often handing in new drafts on a weekly or even daily basis). The public staged readings will take place on September 4 and 5, 2026. Playwrights are expected to be on site the week leading up to the readings starting on Monday, August 31, 2026. A royalty is provided to the selected playwrights and The Sauk will provide travel and lodging.
The goal of Plays-in-Development is to help playwrights improve plays that have yet to be produced. By working with a director and actors, the playwright can learn vital information about their work. After the public readings, playwrights are able to participate in a talkback with the audience. We want playwrights to leave the experience with positive and constructive feedback to improve their plays.
Please e-mail a draft copy of the script, a one paragraph plot description and playwright's contact information to Executive Director Trinity Bird at saukpid@gmail.com. Playwrights may submit no more than two scripts. We are NOT looking for scripts intended to be performed online. Plays may not have had a public reading and/or performance in the past. Classroom and non-public readings are fine.
The play selection committee will review all submissions and select the scripts to be part of the process. The selected plays will be announced on or before May 1, 2026.