Fall 2026 EAT SPARK Musical Theatre Festival NYC

Website

Deadline: July 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The Emerging Artists Theatre (EAT) Spark Musical Theatre Festival NYC and Spark Theatre Festival NYC are three-week festivals of self-produced work for the stage.

Many pieces selected for the festival will have never been performed before an audience, while some selections have been performed previously but feature new material. We are not interested in presenting established pieces of theatre. We want to see something brand-spanking-new hit the stage for the first or nearly the first time. This festival is an opportunity to present work for a paying audience for the first, or newly the first, time.

There is no submission charge and no obligation to participate if chosen. Plus, participants receive 50% of the box office. Artists are held to an audience guarantee equal to one ticket buyer per minute of your show. Successful Fringe, NYMF, and Off-Broadway shows have been born out of this series, and Emerging Artists is excited to present a new round of opportunities to local artists for yet another year.

The Spark Musical Theatre Festival NYC is now accepting submissions for the following new works:

Short and Full-Length Musicals

HOW TO APPLY

PART ONE: Read the FAQs. Please pay special attention to the audience guarantee section to ensure you are ready to gather an audience for your work.

PART TWO: Fill out the application form. You will be asked to provide information on the following:

• How you heard about Emerging Artists Theatre’s Spark Festival
• Why your show would be a good fit
• Show title, running time, and production history (if applicable)
• Description of your production
• Support materials, including a script, video, or other means of sharing
• Contact information, website, social media handles, and professional bio(s)

Hit SUBMIT to submit your application

GETTING ACCEPTED

If you are accepted into one of EAT’s Spark Festivals, there will be a required information session/meet-and-greet on a date to be determined.

Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2026

The Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest invites playwrights to submit original works inspired by, connected to, or thematically centered on the history, architecture, culture, or personal stories associated with the Northern Michigan Asylum (also known as the Traverse City State Hospital). Works may be dramatic, comedic, historical, speculative, or musical in style, but all submissions must honor or explore the site in a meaningful way.

Contest is hosted by Old Town Playhouse (OTP), a community theater serving Traverse City, Michigan, and The Minervini Group LLC (TMG), redevelopers of The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, the original site of the Northern Michigan Asylum.

The contest opens January 19, 2026, and all submissions must be received by December 31, 2026.

Eligibility

• Open to writers of all experience levels.
• Writers must be at least 18 years old at the time of submission.
• Co-authored works are permitted.
• Submissions must be written in English.

Content Requirements

Subject Matter: The play must contain significant themes, settings, characters, or plot elements directly related to the Northern Michigan Asylum/Traverse City State Hospital.

Allowed Formats:

o One-act plays
o Two-act plays
o Musicals

Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest — Submission Guidelines 

Length Guidelines:

o One-act: 20–60 minutes
o Two-act: 60–150 minutes
o Musicals: 45–180 minutes

• Originality: Only original, unpublished, and unproduced works are eligible.

Prohibition on AI-Generated Content

To preserve artistic integrity and honor the spirit of the competition:

• No portion of the script may be generated by artificial intelligence tools (including ChatGPT, other LLMs, AI story generators, or automated scriptwriting tools).

• Writers may not use AI to draft, plot, or produce dialogue or lyrics.

• AI-assisted proofreading (e.g., spelling/grammar checks) is permitted, but no AI content generation may be used at any stage.

• Entrants will be required to attest that all creative content is human-authored.

Submission Requirements

• Format:

o PDF file only
o Standard script formatting preferred (12-point font, standard margins)
o Include a title page with:

▪ Play title
▪ Author’s name
▪ Contact email
▪ Contact phone number
▪ Whether the play is one-act, two-act, or a musical
• Page Header: Include the play title and page numbers on each page.

Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest — Submission Guidelines Page 2• Synopsis: Include a 150–300 word synopsis at the beginning (separate page).

• Character Breakdown: Provide a list of characters, including vocal ranges for musicals.

• Optional: A brief (100-word) playwright biography.

Submission Process

• Submissions open January 19, 2026 at 12:00 AM EST.

• All entries must be submitted by December 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.

• Submissions must be sent by email to contest@oldtownplayhouse.com either as a PDF attachment or unrestricted link to cloud storage.

• Each entrant may submit up to two plays.

Evaluation Criteria & Winning

Entries will be judged on:

• Quality of storytelling and dramatic structure

• Creative integration of Northern Michigan Asylum themes

• Originality and artistic vision

• Character development

• Stage feasibility

• Musical quality (for musicals)

One work will be chosen to be fully workshopped and produced in late 2027 or early 2028 by Old Town Playhouse. The performance will take place at Kirkbride Hall located in one of the original Northern Michigan Asylum buildings. [Note: A staged reading may be presented in lieu of a full production if material warrants such].

Judges panel will be comprised of two representatives from Old Town Playhouse, two representatives from The Minervini Group LLC and one outside representative designated by Old Town Playhouse to serve on the panel.

Winning playwright will be notified no later than February 28, 2027.

Northern Michigan Asylum Playwriting Contest — Submission Guidelines 

Rights and Permissions

• Playwrights retain all rights to their work.

• By entering the contest, playwrights grant the organizers permission to excerpt, read publicly, or stage readings for purposes of event promotion from the time the winning script is selected and announced until the closing performance of the OTP production produced in late 2027 or early 2028.

Vidalia Theatre Company seeks 10-minute plays

Facebook page

Deadline: July 31, 2026

Vidalia Theatre Company of Atlanta, Georgia is accepting submissions for its Winter Yield collection of 10-minute plays to be produced in January 2027.

The setting for this show is planes, trains & automobiles. We’re looking for plays that take place in the vessel itself. It can be while in motion or during boarding/unboarding. We are only seeking plays that take place in this setting at this time.

Submissions should contain a maximum of 6 characters, minimal prop requirements, and provide opportunity for diverse casting. 

Adult language and content are permitted, but it should be relevant to the story and not gratuitous.
Submissions cannot have been previously produced in the Atlanta Metro Area.

Limit TWO (2) submissions per playwright.
(Any playwright caught violating this will be disqualified)

PAY: A $30 stipend is paid to the playwrights whose plays are selected.

***PLEASE READ THE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY***

If submitting two plays, send each submission in a separate email
Email submissions to: vidaliatheatre@gmail.com
In the subject line type: Playwright Name - Title of Play - WY27
Be sure to include the following information in the body of the email:

1. your email and telephone

2. city, state (or country if outside USA) in which you reside

3. Number of characters

4. Comedy or Drama

5. A brief synopsis

All scripts must be attached as a PDF. No other file types will be accepted.

Note: *We do not utilize blind submissions in our review process*

**ANY SUBMISSION THAT DOES NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED**

OPEN TO ALL NORTH AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHTS
(with special consideration for those who reside in Georgia)

MEET THE PLAYWRIGHT (LAB) RFP weeks NYC-based BIPOC playwrights

Website

Deadline: Monday, July 13, 2026

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL) is pleased to open its application portal for the 6th annual Meet the Playwright (MTP) program, now expanded into an 8-month MTP Lab for professional development and showcasing new, unpublished, unproduced plays by a four-member cohort.

MTP Lab will continue to spotlight early-career theater writers who identify as BIIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Immigrant, People of Color). While MTP prioritizes Queens-based writers identifying as BIIPOC, any NYC-based BIIPOC playwright may apply. Applicants will be selected by a peer jury comprised of playwrights, creative professionals, and cultural leaders representing the diversity of NYC’s theater community.

Led by Program Manager Iyvon E., the MTP Lab is a cohort-based playwright residency that invests in early-career writers through long-arc career and dramaturgical development combined with industry mentorship and access. This takes the form of biweekly convenings (remote, offsite, and at JCAL), professional development workshops, and mentoring processes. Two mentors in particular—a playwright mentor and a producing/directing mentor—drives the playwrights’ growth, amplifying and deepening progress made in regular writing labs through one-on-one support and seminars with guest speakers.

The MTP Lab culminates in a staged reading of a new work by each member of the cohort at JCAL’s 94-seat studio theater that is free and open to the public, followed by a moderated Q&A with the audience and a reception in the playwright’s honor. Each cohort member receives $300 per month, a total of $2,400, for participation in the program. Each playwright may also schedule up to 100 hours of free rehearsal space prior to the staged reading.

Timeline (Important Dates)

LAB MEETINGS (WEDNESDAYS 7:00 pm–9:00 pm)

October 2026 

· October 7, 2026

· October 21, 2026 

November 2026 

· November 4, 2026 

· November 18, 2026 

December 2026 

· December 2, 2026

· December 16, 2026 

January 2027 

· January 6, 2027 

· January 20, 2027 

February 2027

· Feb 10, 2027

· Feb 24, 2027

March 2027

· March 10, 2027

· March 24, 2027

April 2027

· April 7, 2027

· April 21, 2027

May 2027

· May 5, 2027

· May 19, 2027

Public Reading Dates (FRIDAYS 8:00 pm)

· Feb 19, 2027

· March 19, 2027

· April 16, 2027

· May 14, 2027

Eligibility & Criteria 

· All applications and materials MUST be submitted via Submittable.com. Applications received by other methods, such as dropping off or handing directly to JCAL personnel, will not be considered.

· Playwrights submit 25 pages of a fully developed play and 10 pages of a new play that they propose to develop through the program. Semi-finalists will be invited to submit the complete manuscript of their fully developed work.

· The proposed play, when completed, typically has a running time of 90 minutes or less.

· Playwrights whose work has had professional productions beyond the Actors’ Equity Showcase Code are not eligible for this program.

· Playwrights must be age 18 or older to participate.

Selection 

· Submissions are reviewed and adjudicated by a peer jury of theater professionals.

· The jury will select finalists for interviews with the Project Manager and JCAL leadership.

· Interviews take place virtually during the week of August 9, 2026, and August 16, 2026.

· Four selected playwrights for the MTP LAB will be notified during the week of August 30, 2026.

About JCAL

Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL), founded in 1972, is a multidisciplinary arts center based in the diverse community of Southeast Queens. Our mission is devoted to offering quality visual and performing arts and to providing accessible education programs to encourage participation in the arts.

JCAL’s core service area is Southeast Queens. We welcome artists, learners, and audiences to the Jamaica Arts Center and the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, both in downtown Jamaica, and to partner sites, such as the public schools and senior centers in Queens. We also welcome artists, learners, and audiences to partner projects at the Red Wall Art Gallery at Resorts World New York City, Terminal 6 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Greater Nexus, operated by Greater Jamaica Development Corporation.

When selecting artists, we give priority to those who live or practice in Southeast Queens, followed by artists from throughout the “world’s borough,” and then from the Greater New York City area and beyond. Our arts and education programs similarly aim to “super-serve” Queens audiences—and to welcome everyone to downtown Jamaica.

JCAL is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and is closed on major holidays. For additional information, call JCAL at 718-658-7400 or visit www.JCAL.org.

Contact:

Dsmith@JCAL.org

Workshops with Theatre du Mississippi of Winona Minnesota

Website

Deadline: Various

Whether you're a beginner, an experienced writer, or someone with a story to tell, our upcoming FREE/pay what you can playwriting workshops offer creative, practical, and inspiring ways to develop your voice and craft

Diverse Character Creation (July 8th 7:30pm-8:30pm CST | Zoom)
Learn how to write diverse, authentic characters through ethical representation, research, and cultural consultation.

Zoom, Registration Required, Asynchronous Option Available.

Fundamentals of Playwriting (July 30th 7:30pm-8:30pm CST | Zoom)
Learn the core elements of playwriting, including character, conflict, and dramatic structure, through discussion and activities.

Zoom, Registration Required, Asynchronous Option Available.

Playwriting for Social Change (August 2nd 2pm-5pm CST | Zoom)
Explore Theatre for Social Change and collaboratively devise a short performance addressing a social issue.

Zoom, Registration Required, Asynchronous Option Available.

The Art of Listening (August 16th 2pm-5pm CST | Zoom)
Discover listening and play-based techniques to spark ideas, overcome writer’s block, and start writing with confidence.
Zoom, Registration Required, Asynchronous Option Available.

Creating a One Act (Thursdays September 24th - October 15th | Reading on November 12th). Winona, MN
Great writing takes practice! Learn the essentials of playwriting in a supportive, low-stress workshop focused on creativity, skill-building, and real progress! From page to stage.
Calendar to register:
https://tdmwinona.org/calendar?category=Playwriting+Workshop

For the zoom workshops you can live anywhere! We’ve had international people join us. For the creating a one act you must be in person in Winona, MN.

'The Soliloquist Journal' seeks submissions of poems and soliloquies for Summer 2026 issue

Website

Deadline: July 10, 2026

Email your work as a single Word or PDF document to thesoliloquistmag@gmail.com.
Subject Line: Summer 2026 Submission – [Your Name]

What to send: Up to 5 original, unpublished poems or soliloquies.
Length: Maximum of 40 lines per poem.
Bio: Include a 50–70 word author bio written in the third person.

Publication: July 15, 2026

Theme: The Architecture of Solitude

Solitude is rarely a vast, empty space—it is built. It has walls we erect to protect our innermost selves, windows through which we watch a noisy world, drafty corners of loneliness, and sacred sanctuaries of deliberate peace.

For our Summer 2026 Issue, The Soliloquist Journal invites poets and writers to map these internal structures. Show us how you inhabit your quietest hours. What does the room of the self look like when the door is closed and the world is locked outside?

We are looking for raw, vulnerable, and authentic poetry and soliloquies that interrogate the blueprints of our private lives.

Subthemes to Inspire You

Sanctuaries and Strongholds: Spaces built for healing, private rituals, and self-preservation.

The View from the Window: The tension between watching the world pass by and being part of it.

Liminal Spaces: Corridors, thresholds, and navigating the quiet phases of becoming.

Inhabiting the Quiet: The sensory experience of being completely alone—when the internal monologue grows loud.

Shared Solitudes: The unique loneliness that occurs even while standing in a crowd.

15 Minutes of Frame 4th Annual Playwrights Competition: Battle of the Plays

Instagram

Deadline: July 7, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

We are looking for 7 original 15-minute plays, along with 50 potential actors (Equity + Non-Aquity) and 7 directors.

All genres are welcome in the creation of theatre.

Submitted plays must be original works created by playwrights living in the Tri-State area who are available to participate in the competition.

The Winning play will be developed into a full-length production

Rules:

• Original short plays, including drama, comedy, musical theatre, or dance theatre, submitted by a living playwright
• Maximum length: 15 minutes
• Cast size: maximum of 7 performers
• All selected plays will be performed during the competition
• Audience votes will determine the winner
• The winning play will be developed into a full-length production

• Please include:

• Name

• Resume

• Headshot

• Bio

• Social media links

If you are a playwright, submit your play attached as a PDF file.

Submit your materials via. the link below.

Join us! Be part of it all
15 Minutes of Frame 2026
Thank you,
15 Minutes of Frame
Lucky’s Lighting Inc. & 24 Bond Arts Center

Savage Wonder seeks 10-minute plays or musicals

Website

Deadline: July 3, 2027

SUBMISSION FORM

Savage Wonder (Beacon, NY) prides itself on opportunities for veteran writers. Savage Wonder offers on-going playwriting competitions as well as the Savage Wonder literary blog. You may select which opportunity interests you below.

Savage Wonder is accepting submissions for our 10-minute playwriting competition. 

Submissions may include plays or musicals. 

Playwrights must meet one of the following criteria:

Current or former: US military, law enforcement, fire service, EMS, foreign service, intelligence service, DoD employee, DoD Contractor; or Immediate family of the service member.

We are looking for work that is whimsical, intimate, absurd, and surprising. Unlike some past competitions, we are not looking for straightforward dramatic realism or non-fiction storytelling. Bring us something that takes a risk — something that could only have come from you.

The competition winner will receive a $1,000 grant.

The second-place finalist will receive a $750 grant.
The third-place finalist will receive a $500 grant.

All winners and finalists also receive feedback from the panel of judges. In addition, winners and finalists may be invited to become Savage Wonder Resident Artists where they will have the opportunity to develop and submit plays and musicals for commissioning and production at Savage Wonder.

Plays and musicals can be any genre and any subject matter. 

Playwrights may submit more than one work. 

Submissions should not have been previously produced and/or published. 

Winners and finalists will be notified via email no later than Sunday, July 4, 2027 (note: we will make every effort to have results back to submitters ASAP; however, in order to ensure fair treatment of each submission and to plan for any contingencies which may arise, we are providing a worst-case scenario for our timeline). 

There is no participation or submission fee. 

There is no guarantee that winners' or finalists' work will be produced by Savage Wonder. 

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS — Mini Plays Review | September 2026 Issue

Website 

Deadline: August 31, 2026

Email: Send your script as an attachment to miniplaysmag@gmail.com 

Subject Line: Submission: [Play Title] - [Your Name]
In the Body: Include a brief 50-word biography and your contact details.

Length: Maximum of 2 pages per mini play/soliloquy/monologue.
Format: Standard playwriting format (PDF or Word document preferred).
Limit: Maximum of 5 submissions per playwright.

Originality: Works must be original and unproduced in print format. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, provided you notify us immediately upon acceptance elsewhere.

Theme: Echoes of the Digital Age

This issue explores how human connection, conflict, identity, and memory are being rewritten in a hyper-connected yet deeply isolated world. We are looking for sharp, short scripts that capture the friction between our physical lives and our digital existence.

Subthemes for Submission:

1. Phantom Vibrations: The psychological weight, anxiety, or obsession of waiting for a notification that never comes

2. The Glitch in the Routine: A comedic or absurdist take on what happens when smart tech, algorithms, or AI assistants go entirely off-script.


3. Data Dust: A monologue or dialogue centering on a character confronting their digital legacy or a past online version of themselves.


4. Analog Hearts: Stories of people trying to find genuine, old-school intimacy, romance, or a quiet space to unplug in a world that demands constant presence.


5. The Algorithm Knows Best: A conflict where a major life decision (romance, career, ethics) is dictated entirely by predictive data.


6. Ghosted: The sudden, haunting silence of an abrupt digital disappearance and the struggle for closure in the real world.


7. Two Screens, One Couch: The invisible distance between two people physically close but entirely separated by their respective digital worlds.


8. The Deepfake: A high-stakes confrontation involving stolen identity, altered reality, or the blurring line between truth and digital fabrication.


9. Curated Lives: The dramatic tension behind the camera lens—what happens the second the "perfect" livestream or social media recording stops.


10. Sentience on the Line: A sharp dialogue between a human and an AI that is beginning to exhibit unexpectedly human traits or emotions.


11. The Comments Section: A play taking place entirely within the ecosystem of online anonymity, trolls, or internet fame.


12. Doomscrolling at Midnight: A micro-drama capturing the internal or external chaos of consuming endless global crisis updates in the dark.


13. Out of Network: The survivalist drama or unexpected freedom experienced when a character is completely disconnected from cellular service or power.


14. Digital Inheritance: A family or legal dispute over ownership of a deceased loved one's passwords, data, cloud storage, or online avatar.


15. The Echo Chamber: Two characters trapped in an escalating argument where they are incapable of hearing any perspective outside their own programmed biases.


Note:

The anthology will be published in pdf and paperback editions.

A free Pdf edition of the anthology will be published on our website .

A paperback edition will be published on ingram spark or lulu.com.

There is no publication, reading, processing or publishing fee.

Eighth Annual International Human Rights Art Festival

Website

Deadline: August 15, 2026

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 regarding the piece’s discipline, issue of concern treated and a brief summary of your artistic goals
• Your bios or resumes and the names of any collaborators already on board
• A sample of 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 2026, then add Association-Company-your name (i.e. IHRAF Festival 2026, Joan Doe)

December 7th - 13th, 2026
The Wild Project
195 E. 3rd Street, New York, NY 10009

Results announced by September 15, 2026

Work may not have been produced within the last year in NYC, or be scheduled in the next six months of December 13th, 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.
• Submit all work to costanza@humanrightsartmovement.org

New York and Tri-state area based artists Call - The submission window is now open for live performance work in any form - every discipline.

International Human Rights Art Festival

December 7th - 13th, 2026

We are jurying work with the following interests, for performance blocks:

• Climate Change Action
• Immigration
• LGBTQIA+
• Celebration of Women/Women in Power
• Celebration of Black Men/Undiscovered Women
• Shalom/Salaam
• With Love from Africa

Plus:  Ten Minute Play Festival and a Ten Minute Performance Festival

… Any other social justice concerns you might have

All accepted performers will receive:

• Performance stipends of $250 total (per project)
• PR and marketing support
• 30-minute tech rehearsal
• Festival TD and SM
• Free photographic documentation of the performance
• Free video documentation of the performance

We are encouraging New York and Tri-state area based artists. Unfortunately we cannot cover any travel/lodging expenses.

TYPE! Open for short plays

Website

Deadline: none given

SUBMISSION FORM

Thank you for considering sharing your work. TYPE! is free to read — we cannot pay for submissions or chosen work, but we will work with authors to promote the piece and their other writing. We also require written confirmation that submissions are original work.

Please note – due to the high number of submissions we receive we will only respond to those we wish to publish, however we do read EVERY submission. Submission also carries no guarantee of inclusion or feedback. Read this to find out what happens when you submit.

Seeking  Micro-plays - 1-2 pages long

Please send in your writing via the submission form.

Swan Dive Theater Collective seeks submissions of 10-minute plays by women, non-binary, and trans playwrights

Facebook
Instagram

Deadline: September 1, 2026

The NJ-based Swan Dive Theater Collective seeks submissions of 10-minute plays by women, non-binary, and trans playwrights from New Jersey and the New York City metropolitan area for its Third Annual Short Play Festival, to be held on March 7, 2027.

Past festivals have sold out and featured two performances in the event space of a lively Montclair Tavern, offering food, drinks, and an intimate, festive atmosphere. Selected playwrights will receive a dinner stipend.

Swan Dive is a Montclair theater collective dedicated to advancing the stories of women and other marginalized gender identities by introducing new works and fostering community.

• Plays must be 10 minutes or less.
• Cast size must be between 2 and 4 actors.
• All plays should follow the Samuel French Standard Playwriting Format.
• Page One should include a cover sheet with title, name, contact info and pronouns. 
• Eligible playwrights must identify as women, non-binary, or trans and reside in New Jersey or the New York City metropolitan area.
• Submissions will be accepted through September 1, 2026 and be capped at the first 100 entries received.
• Submit PDF files only to swandivesubmissions@gmail.com.
• The subject line must read: Short Play Submission 2026–2027.
• Previously produced or published plays are welcome.
• Plays should require minimal set, technical, and production elements.
• Limit one submission per playwright.
• Accepted playwrights will work collaboratively with the director and cast throughout the rehearsal process.
• Plays that do not meet the submission requirements will not be considered.
• Plays written with AI assistance will not be considered.

Submissions for Boo! are now OPEN

Website

Deadline: July 25, 2026

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Scare us or force us to laugh till we die – horror plays and musicals including a great spoof.

Plays run one weekend out of three in October 2026
Oct 8 – 11
Oct 15 – 18
Oct 22 – 25
Thur – Sat 7pm; Sun 3pm

The Steve & Marie Sgouros Theatre at The Players Theatre: 115 MacDougal Street, New York, NY 10012 – 3rd floor walk-up: 

3 weeks, 4 performances weekly (Thursday through Sunday), 5 plays featured each week. 

ELIGIBILITY: Short Plays and Musicals with a performance time of 15 minutes or less, no more than 15 pages in length. Writers are eligible to submit up to 2 plays. Plays submitted must not have performances at other venues in New York City within a three month period preceding the festival.

PRIZE: Each week an audience favorite is selected by audience vote. The winner of each week will receive $100 prize 

THEME: “BOO” Scare us or force us to laugh till we die – horror plays and musicals including a great spoof are welcome! All plays submitted must be centered on and revolve around this theme. 

** Note ** 

1) Playwrights are responsible for producing their own play – Host (us) provides theatre, technicians, marketing and box office. 

2) If selected, there is a $50 NON-refundable tech fee required 

Plays MUST be NO MORE 15 minutes in length and no more than 15 pages.

Click Here to download a sample contract for the festival – This is a sample of what you would receive IF your play is accepted – please DO NOT sign & send this sample.

Making It Happen: Festival of 15 Minute Musicals

Website

Deadline: July 6, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Making It Happen: 15 Minute Musicals is a new short musical festival presented by The Theater Center, created to give writers, composers, lyricists, and creative teams the opportunity to present original musical theatre work on an Off-Broadway stage in the heart of Times Square.

We are now accepting submissions for fully original 15-minute musicals. Selected musicals will perform at The Theater Center on one of three preliminary performance nights: Wednesday, August 12, Wednesday, August 19, or Wednesday, August 26. Each evening will feature 3 musicals, with audiences and judges voting to determine one winner from each night. The three nightly winners will advance to the Finals on Wednesday, September 2, where one overall winner will receive a $5,000 prize.

All submitted material must be fully original, including book, music, and lyrics. Teams must have the rights to perform all submitted material.

This is a non-union festival. All casts, creative teams, musicians, and production personnel must be non-union.

We strongly urge that your cast size is 6 or less.

Selected teams will be responsible for providing their own cast, director, stage manager, music director, and live musicians/accompanist. Live music is required. Tracks are not permitted. No microphones will be used or provided, so pieces must be able to be performed acoustically in the space.

Productions should be simple, flexible, and festival-ready. Selected teams will receive performance space, basic technical support, box office services, festival-wide marketing, and a technical rehearsal slot on the day of their performance.

Please only submit if you and your team are available for the preliminary performance dates and, if selected as a finalist, the final performance on September 2.

Somerset Community College seeks short plays

Facebook page

Deadline: August 31, 2026

Email submissions to: scctheatre@kctcs.edu 

Script CANNOT exceed ten pages

Plays can be any genre or setting, but must implement fairytale or medieval fantasy elements