Deadline: June 15, 2026
SUBMISSION FORM
We at Native Voices believe that stories are medicine that lives inside every one of us. We believe representation matters, and for far too long, our stories have been absent from stages. Native Voices is proud to be the only equity theater in the United States dedicated to developing and producing new works for the stage by Alaska Native, First Nations, Native American, and Native Hawaiian playwrights.
17th Annual Short Play Festival Theme: All Our Relations and Their Baggage
They’re loving. They’re loud. They remember everything. And they make sure you never forget it!
This year, we turned to our own, asking our community what stories need to be told right now. The answer came back clear, consistent, and maybe a little too knowing:
Community is messy.
Our communities hold us—raise us, feed us, humble us, and sometimes…absolutely roast us. They are built on kinship, history, inside jokes, unspoken rules, and the occasional well-placed side-eye. And while community can be a fountain of strength and belonging, let’s be honest: it can also be complicated, chaotic, political, and deliciously messy.
Native Voices invites Native playwrights to lean into the beautiful disorder of community life. Give us the aunties who know too much. The cousins who say too much. The leaders who shouldn’t be leading. The gossip that somehow becomes truth. The love that survives all of it anyway.
We’re looking for short plays that explore the dynamics within our communities—the tensions, the humor, the contradictions, and the deep care that holds us together even when things fall apart. Whether it’s rez politics, urban Native networks, intertribal gatherings, family drama, or community group chats gone wild, we want stories that feel honest and specific, and that showcase what it means to be Native in today’s world.
Make us laugh. Make us cringe. Make us say, “Oh, no, you didn't.”
Community isn’t always tidy. But it’s ours. So buckle those seat belts! It’s going to be a wild ride!
Selected short plays will be performed in an afternoon of staged readings, where playwrights have a chance to win the Thomas Studie Gadugi Audience Prize of $500 and the Von Marie Atchley Playwright Award of $1,000. We ask that each play be 10 minutes in length or shorter. From our experience and the recorded history of past winners, the audiences and judges prefer comedies! Fresh, surprising perspectives are welcome. Originality is key!!
Playwrights will be notified in November 2026 of the final status of their script.
We at Native Voices believe that stories are medicine that lives inside every one of us. We believe representation matters, and for far too long, our stories have been absent from stages. Native Voices is proud to be the only equity theater in the United States dedicated to developing and producing new works for the stage by Alaska Native, First Nations, Native American, and Native Hawaiian playwrights.
17th Annual Short Play Festival Theme: All Our Relations and Their Baggage
They’re loving. They’re loud. They remember everything. And they make sure you never forget it!
This year, we turned to our own, asking our community what stories need to be told right now. The answer came back clear, consistent, and maybe a little too knowing:
Community is messy.
Our communities hold us—raise us, feed us, humble us, and sometimes…absolutely roast us. They are built on kinship, history, inside jokes, unspoken rules, and the occasional well-placed side-eye. And while community can be a fountain of strength and belonging, let’s be honest: it can also be complicated, chaotic, political, and deliciously messy.
Native Voices invites Native playwrights to lean into the beautiful disorder of community life. Give us the aunties who know too much. The cousins who say too much. The leaders who shouldn’t be leading. The gossip that somehow becomes truth. The love that survives all of it anyway.
We’re looking for short plays that explore the dynamics within our communities—the tensions, the humor, the contradictions, and the deep care that holds us together even when things fall apart. Whether it’s rez politics, urban Native networks, intertribal gatherings, family drama, or community group chats gone wild, we want stories that feel honest and specific, and that showcase what it means to be Native in today’s world.
Make us laugh. Make us cringe. Make us say, “Oh, no, you didn't.”
Community isn’t always tidy. But it’s ours. So buckle those seat belts! It’s going to be a wild ride!
Selected short plays will be performed in an afternoon of staged readings, where playwrights have a chance to win the Thomas Studie Gadugi Audience Prize of $500 and the Von Marie Atchley Playwright Award of $1,000. We ask that each play be 10 minutes in length or shorter. From our experience and the recorded history of past winners, the audiences and judges prefer comedies! Fresh, surprising perspectives are welcome. Originality is key!!
Playwrights will be notified in November 2026 of the final status of their script.
*Scripts longer than 15 pages or read aloud for longer than 10 minutes or with the playwright’s name appearing anywhere on the script will not be accepted.
*A maximum of 5 characters is recommended. Doubling is encouraged, should it be
necessary to complete your vision.
Checklist for All Submission Types
We only accept electronic submissions in PDF format.
To submit, make sure you have everything on the checklist, click on the button above to fill out the form and upload your materials.
Blind Copy of Script
❏ Please label script as follows: TITLE OF PLAY.pdf
❏ All submissions must adhere to a standard play-script format (one-inch margins, #12 Times or Courier font, title page by itself, all pages numbered, and your name should be removed from the script itself).
❏ Include a thorough character breakdown and description at the beginning of your script. This can include the character's physical description, personality, and overall vibe.
So your script should go…
Page 1: Title of Your Play
Page 2: Thorough character list and descriptions
Page 3: The play itself begins
All Pages: Numbered!
Here is an example of a correctly formatted script: https://bit.ly/NativeVoicesExampleScript
2. Playwright Bio
❏ Provide a biography of about 100 words.
3. Playwright Photo
❏ Provide a photo (headshot) of at least 300dpi that will be used for publicity purposes.
❏ Please label attachment as follows: Author’s First and Last Name - PHOTO. (Example: John Doe - PHOTO).
necessary to complete your vision.
Checklist for All Submission Types
We only accept electronic submissions in PDF format.
To submit, make sure you have everything on the checklist, click on the button above to fill out the form and upload your materials.
Blind Copy of Script
❏ Please label script as follows: TITLE OF PLAY.pdf
❏ All submissions must adhere to a standard play-script format (one-inch margins, #12 Times or Courier font, title page by itself, all pages numbered, and your name should be removed from the script itself).
❏ Include a thorough character breakdown and description at the beginning of your script. This can include the character's physical description, personality, and overall vibe.
So your script should go…
Page 1: Title of Your Play
Page 2: Thorough character list and descriptions
Page 3: The play itself begins
All Pages: Numbered!
Here is an example of a correctly formatted script: https://bit.ly/NativeVoicesExampleScript
2. Playwright Bio
❏ Provide a biography of about 100 words.
3. Playwright Photo
❏ Provide a photo (headshot) of at least 300dpi that will be used for publicity purposes.
❏ Please label attachment as follows: Author’s First and Last Name - PHOTO. (Example: John Doe - PHOTO).