Deadline: October 31, 2026
SUBMISSION FORM
We at Native Voices believe stories are medicine. We believe many plays live inside every one of us. We believe representation matters, and for far too long, our stories have been absent from the American Stage.
Native Voices is dedicated to the development and production of new works for the stage by Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and First Nations playwrights.
The Playwrights Retreat brings artists to Los Angeles to work on a select number of plays over a week in the summer, with rigorous directorial and dramaturgical commitment. The Retreat culminates in the Festival of New Plays, public staged readings at Los Angeles and La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. Selected playwrights receive artistic support, including a director, dramaturg, stage manager, and actors, as well as an honorarium and space to write. Out-of-town artists receive round-trip airfare plus lodging in Southern California.
Selection Process:
Full-length plays (60+ pages) received by October 31, 2026, will be read and evaluated by the entire Native Voices team, as well as a pool of outside readers. Native Voices will select several playwrights to submit formal proposals detailing their developmental goals should their play be chosen for the shortlist. Our literary team will then send the scripts to a committee of nationally recognized theatre artists for further evaluation. With their help, Native Voices selects up to three plays for the Playwrights Retreat and Festival of New Plays. Playwrights will be notified in March 2027.
*Due to budget constraints, we are unable to select plays that require more than 6-8 actors to produce. Doubling is encouraged if necessary to realize your vision.
A Note About the Native Voices Distance Dramaturgy Process:
Months before the Retreat and Festival, selected playwrights participate in dramaturgical conversations with an assigned director and dramaturg. Workshops with these creative teams and a cast of professional actors commence once the playwright arrives on-site. It is important to note that these conversations and workshops are playwright-driven, allowing the writer to shape their developmental path. Selected playwrights should be prepared to dedicate adequate time to this process before arriving on-site.
We at Native Voices believe stories are medicine. We believe many plays live inside every one of us. We believe representation matters, and for far too long, our stories have been absent from the American Stage.
Native Voices is dedicated to the development and production of new works for the stage by Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and First Nations playwrights.
The Playwrights Retreat brings artists to Los Angeles to work on a select number of plays over a week in the summer, with rigorous directorial and dramaturgical commitment. The Retreat culminates in the Festival of New Plays, public staged readings at Los Angeles and La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. Selected playwrights receive artistic support, including a director, dramaturg, stage manager, and actors, as well as an honorarium and space to write. Out-of-town artists receive round-trip airfare plus lodging in Southern California.
Selection Process:
Full-length plays (60+ pages) received by October 31, 2026, will be read and evaluated by the entire Native Voices team, as well as a pool of outside readers. Native Voices will select several playwrights to submit formal proposals detailing their developmental goals should their play be chosen for the shortlist. Our literary team will then send the scripts to a committee of nationally recognized theatre artists for further evaluation. With their help, Native Voices selects up to three plays for the Playwrights Retreat and Festival of New Plays. Playwrights will be notified in March 2027.
*Due to budget constraints, we are unable to select plays that require more than 6-8 actors to produce. Doubling is encouraged if necessary to realize your vision.
A Note About the Native Voices Distance Dramaturgy Process:
Months before the Retreat and Festival, selected playwrights participate in dramaturgical conversations with an assigned director and dramaturg. Workshops with these creative teams and a cast of professional actors commence once the playwright arrives on-site. It is important to note that these conversations and workshops are playwright-driven, allowing the writer to shape their developmental path. Selected playwrights should be prepared to dedicate adequate time to this process before arriving on-site.