some scripts issue 6: nostalgia open for one-act plays

Website

Deadline: October 15, 2025

Or until they have received 150 submissions

Submission form

Submissions for some scripts issue 6: nostalgia are open now until 10/15/25 or until 150 submissions, whichever comes first. As always, submissions are free for everyone! 

"nostalgia" means a lot... literally. I want to read scripts about aestheticizing Y2K, of cringe millennial culture, of looking back through time, of characters having a moment of self-reflection to see how far (or not) they've come. Give me your nerdiest shit, your grief, your weirdness. Stuff that can never be staged and stuff that has been staged. Plays about memes and emojis and the internet of old. Discord and radio and Zoom plays welcome. I want to see all facets of nostalgia at play and creativity in terms of technology use. 

Accepted pieces will be published in an ebook and POD (print-on-demand) physical book. All accepted contributors will receive a token $10 payment; unfortunately, some scripts does not have the funds to pay more even though your work absolutely deserves it. <3

GUIDELINES:

Scripts can be no longer than 45 pages (one-act). 

Essays and theatre reviews can be no longer than 1500 words. 

Absolutely nothing racist, sexist, homo/transphobic, fascist, imperialist, anti-vax, etc. Get that shit out of here. You can, however, engage with these as themes in your work; if you glorify them, your submission will be rejected on sight. 

Any genre is fair game. Sci-fi, fantasy, dystopian, utopian, realism, etc. 

Premiere Stages seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: November 1, 2025 11:59 PM

Submissions sent early in the submission window are strongly encouraged.

All plays must be submitted as a PDF via Submittable at premierestagesatkean.submittable.com/submit. Hard copies will not be accepted.

Premiere Stages will accept submissions of unproduced plays written by playwrights affiliated with the greater metropolitan area from September 1, 2025, through November 1, 2025. 

All plays submitted to the festival are evaluated by a panel of professional theatre producers, directors, dramaturgs, playwrights, and publishers. Four finalists are subsequently selected for public Equity readings in Spring of 2026.

Following the Spring readings, one play is selected for an Equity production in the Premiere Stages 2027 season and receives an award of $4000. Another finalist receives a 29-hour staged reading and $1500. The other finalists will each be awarded $1000.

Submission guidelines can be found at https://premierestagesatkean.com/play-festival/guidelines/

• Plays must be full-length and have a cast size of no more than eight.
• Plays must be unpublished and unproduced (readings and workshops are okay), with no productions and/or publication currently scheduled through September 2027.
• Playwrights must have strong affiliations with the greater metropolitan area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware). 
• Musicals, adaptations (of existing plays or other sources), and solo shows are not eligible.
• Submissions are limited to one script per playwright.
• Please contact Premiere Stages to inquire about submitting a script that has been previously submitted. Generally we only accept re-submissions if the play has undergone significant revisions. 
• Playwrights must be available for the development of their script (see the 2026 schedule table on our website).
• Names and contact information are welcome on cover pages of scripts

NO AGENT? NO PROBLEM! Premiere Stages now accepts full manuscripts from all submitters. 

Submissions must include:

• Brief synopsis of the play (no more than half a page)
• History of the play’s development (or statement that it has none)
• The playwright’s bio or resume
• Members of the Premiere Stages literary team will read at least 10 pages of every play submitted and will decide if the play should be further considered by the Play Festival Panel.

All playwrights will be notified by e-mail OR Submittable message of their status by June of 2026.

Playwright and script doctor Sarah Congress is offering writing coaching

Whether you are a producer with a screenplay that needs reworking, a fiction writer in need of inspiration, a new playwright, or an organization in need of commercial writing, Sarah is here to help. 

Visit Sarah's website or send her an email (sarah.congress@gmail.com) to learn more.

Script Services:

• Help clients get “out of their own way” and fully realize their work and writing potential
• Offer rewrite suggestions 
• Punch up jokes and humor
• Improve confidence 
• Fine-tune material to hook a reader’s interest
• Assist in finding submission and publication opportunities as needed

Bio

Sarah Congress is a playwright and script doctor. Her play "Last Sunrise" was produced by Nylon Fusion for their Gilded Age/Cage Festival at TADA Theatre (June, 2025). "Last Sunrise" was presented with writers John Patrick Shanley, Lyle Kessler, and Migdalia Cruz. Sarah’s play “Delulu” was a semifinalist for Centre Stage's 23rd Annual New Play Festival (1 of 40 plays from 800 submissions). "Delulu" will be read at the Episcopal Actors' Guild this October. She co-wrote the screenplay "I Can't Hear You!" which won BEST COMEDY in the 2024 Jersey Shore Film Festival. Her play “Overdose” won 2nd place for BEST SHORT in the 2023 Downtown Urban Arts Festival at Playwrights Horizons.

Teaching Experience

Sarah has taught writing classes for the Hoboken Historical Museum, Project Write Now, The Knowledge Project, RTA and the Hudson Valley Writers Center - as well as private teaching.

Testimonials

"Writer's block is real! Sarah helped me get out of my own way. Through our relaxing conversations and visualization exercises, I was able to get out of my head. She's extremely positive and encouraging. We collaborated on my film script. She provided concise feedback and was able to punch up my script with her humor and poise, and bring it to the next level. As a result, my short film has been selected as a finalist in a film festival! I'm so grateful for Sarah's help. You can't go wrong trusting in Sarah!"

--- Caryn Whitman, CPA, CEO & President of Vasana Ventures

"I had a breakthrough in my playwriting after working with Sarah. Her coaching made me realize I had the bad habit of undermining the power of my words.. I saw that after she pointed out one line in my play BIG FAT BABY IN HIS MOTHER'S ARMS which I went on to rewrite immediately and submitted for a serious Playwrights Fellowship. Just yesterday I heard from the UCROSS Foundation that I am the Alternate Fellow in the event one of the winners cannot attend in Spring 2025. I am honored to be acknowledged for the Fellowship and thank Sarah for her important coaching. Sarah will have you grow as a playwright/screenwriter in front of her eyes."

--- Tino Juarez, Playwright

"My biggest takeaway from last night is that anything can be made funny. That really dovetails beautifully with my deep gratitude for a healthy sense of humor, even in the darkest moments…."

--- Gay Norton Edelman, Author/Editor

Prologue Theatre seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: October 31, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Prologue Theatre will be selecting up to three (3) new plays to be workshopped in person, at our Arlington, VA rehearsal space, in February and March 2026. 

Scripts will be reviewed by a team of readers and the playwrights selected for the workshop will be contacted in December 2025.

We employ a blind initial review process to avoid unintentional bias on the part of our team of readers. 

Scripts that move into the semi-final round will be reviewed by the team who will have access to all information regarding the submitted play.

WORKSHOP DETAILS:

• Each selected play will be workshopped for two weeks in February/March of 2026 (pursuant to team availability).
• The workshop team will consist of a Director and Performers who will also be paid for their participation.
• Selected playwrights will receive a stipend of $2000 for the entire workshop process.
• Non-local playwrights are encouraged to apply. Housing and travel not provided.
• At the end of the workshop period, selected works will have two (2) public readings and may be considered for a full production with Prologue Theatre.

PLAY SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Playwright must be 18+ years of age and be currently authorized to work in the United States.
• The play must be the playwright’s original work.
• Must be a previously unproduced work. (Workshops or readings do not count as productions. However, any staging by a theatre [including non-Equity, regional, or community theatre] where actors are off-book and admission is charged does count as a production.)
• Must fit one of the following thematic categories: Geography; Entertainment; History; Arts & Literature; Science & Nature; Sports & Leisure.
• Must be a full length play and should have a complete running time of between 1 hour 25 minutes (85 minutes) to 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes) - No musicals.
• Must be able to be read with a maximum of 6 performers. (Doubling is permitted, provided performer tracks are submitted with the script’s cast list.)
• Only one (1) script per playwright may be submitted for consideration.

To submit your play for consideration, you will be prompted to enter:

• Your contact information
• Play title and a brief synopsis (max 100 words)
• Any workshop or reading history of your piece 
• Number of performers required & number of roles in your play
• If there are more roles than performers, you will need to enter the roles played by each track (e.g. Nancy/Clerk; David/Barista/Trainer)
• A short bio/something about yourself (max 150 words)
• An artist statement reflecting on your goals for the workshop and how your play reflects one of the prescribed themes (max 150 words)

You will upload a PDF version of your script in the submission formPlease do not indicate the name of the playwright on any page - including the title page.
Please make sure the PDF includes page numbers.

The Fine Print
Submissions are limited to one script per playwright. Once a script has been submitted and enters the review process, we are not able to accept revisions. Revisions to the final scripts are welcome as part of the development process. Please note that Prologue Theatre does not provide feedback on unselected scripts.

If you have any other questions, please contact Daniel Niewoehner (He/They) at DanielNie@prologuetheatre.org.

Eclectic Full Contact Theater Company 5th Annual Patchwork Play Festival

Website

Deadline: October 31, 2025

Email submissions to: Patchworkplayfest@gmail.com

The 5th Annual Patchwork Play Festival
A One-Act New Play Festival

To be presented at The Edge Theater, 5451 N Broadway, Chicago, IL.
Feb. 20, 2026 - March 1, 2026

We are currently accepting submissions of New One-Act Plays that embody this years theme of: Hope

Nine finalists will have their play produced in our festival. 

A $250 Award will be presented for best production as adjudicated by a panel of Chicago Theater professionals. 

​A $250 Audience Award will also be presented to the festival favorite as determined by our audiences.

Submission Requirements:​

• Play must be previously unproduced. (Staged Reading are fine)
• Play length not to exceed 30 minutes.
• Play must reflect the yearly theme. This years theme is: Hope
• Play must be received by October 31, 2025
• Playwrights cannot submit more than 2 scripts per year for Patchwork. If more than 2 scripts are submitted by the same playwright, we’ll pick 2 at random. Only one play per playwright may be featured per Patchwork Festival per season.
• Scripts cannot contain copyrighted music unless the playwright owns the music’s copyright, or has written permission from the music’s copyright owner.
• We are not accepting musicals at this time.

THINK FAST A virtual short play competition

Website

Deadline: November 17, 2025

At The Theater Project’s annual virtual one-act play competition, 7 to 10 short plays are selected for 3 pre-recorded broadcast performances. The goal is to give emerging writers in NJ and beyond the chance to platform their work!

After each broadcast, the audience will vote for their favorite play. After the final performance, judges will award Best Play, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Audience Favorite (Play) certificates.

The $500 Grand Prize is given to the playwright selected by the judges at the final performance.

• Email your script to OneActFest@TheTheaterProject.org with the required acknowledgement (below) between October 1, 2025, and November 17, 2025.
• One entry per writer ONLY.
• Online submissions only.
• No submission fee required.
• You MUST include the following acknowledgement in the body of your email: “If my play is accepted and I choose to take part in the festival, I understand that I will be responsible for the casting and rehearsal of my play and that I will be charged a $100 participation fee.”

Questions? Email OneActFest@TheTheaterProject.org.

Submission Requirements

Dramas and comedies accepted.
Maximum 15 minutes running time. Plays that exceed 15 minutes will not be considered.

Zoom Performances

Live talkbacks with playwrights follow the evening performances
All ticket buyers vote electronically for Audience Favorite Play at the conclusion of each performance and receive links to all talkbacks and the awards announcement.
Nominations and winners for Best Actor, Actress, and Director, Audience Favorite (Play), and Judges' $500 Prize are announced post-show Sunday afternoon at our virtual cocktail party (BYOB ;D)


How It Works

If your play is selected, ​​​The Theater Project will supply a stage manager/technical director to oversee the Zoom recording process.
Individual playwrights supply the actors and directors and make their own agreements regarding actor and director compensation.
Production Fee: $100. Participating playwrights (finalists) will be charged a $100 fee to cover the $500 prize as well as the cost of hiring the stage manager/technical director.
Playwrights invited to participate must have plays that are ready to perform and supply their own actors and directors who are recorded via Zoom by The Theater Project.

Why a production fee?

The Theater Project does not charge a submission fee for its THINK FAST festival. We do, however, charge a $100 production fee to help cover the cost of the $500 prize as well as the hiring of a stage manager/technical director to work with the productions on their technical needs, supervise a rehearsal, and record the final performance on TTP’s Zoom platform.

While we’d rather not charge a fee, we would be unable to offer this showcase without help from participating playwrights. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility!

Denver Quarterly seeking short plays & monologues

Website

Deadline: February 16, 2026 2:00 AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Denver Quarterly is interested in texts intended to be performed in some capacity-- including one-act plays, flash mobs, performance art, monologues, scripted choreography-- or work that is meant to be performed solely on the page but bears in mind certain conventions of the theater/stage. Poems and short stories are not accepted under this category.

Policies:

Performance submissions should generally consist of no more than 4,000 words, but may be much shorter as the project requires.

Excerpts from longer works are permissible.

If you are submitting performance texts with particular formatting, we recommend saving your file as a PDF.

Please submit only one piece to one category for our consideration, and please wait until you have heard back from us before submitting again.

Simultaneous submissions are permitted, and please notify us promptly if your work has been accepted elsewhere by adding a note withdrawing your piece in Submittable. We do not read previously published work.

Hepburn Hooks Theatre Co "Brown Skin Girl" seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: December 15, 2025

To submit your play, go to www.hepburnhooks.com/2025brownskinnedgirls or flash the QR Code.

For the second edition of our evenings of shorts, we are seeking out four female, BIPOC playwrights whose works we will fully produce and present at a London venue to be determined.

A clear element of inspiration for our very first endeavour is legendary superstar and timeless icon Beyoncé's 2019 song "BROWN SKIN GIRL", a gorgeous, heartfelt celebration of Black girl/womanhood. Its music video (which we enjoin you to watch, if you haven't already, features a plethora of Brown Skinned Girls and illustrates the broadness of this term!)

The plays may be set in any era, they may tackle whatever subject you desire, the stories may even not centre Black/Brown women at all!

We are quite simply looking to pick the brains of young, BIPOC female playwrights from all over the world and get a sense of how they feel about the world at large, or about very specific things in it. Let your imagination run wild, do not be afraid to be goofy, cringey, subversive or unapologetically militant - we want to see and hear it all!

• There is no entry fee for this opportunity. 
• This year, we are happy to announce that all four selected playwrights will receive a 100 GBP stipend. The remaining three playwrights will be offered a free yearlong subscription to www.playsubmissionshelper.com, the most comprehensive and up-to-date online directory of play submission opportunities available anywhere. 
• Playwrights must be aged (at least) 18 at the time of submission. 
• Your play should have a running time of 10 to 15 minutes. 
• Your play should require no more than 4 actors and minimal props. 
• Your play should be in English (mainly). 
• The play should be original, unpublished and it should not have been performed in the UK as of the day of submission. 
• Submissions containing copyrighted material that does not belong to you cannot be accepted. 
• Unfortunately, we cannot yet accept musicals. 
• Your play should NOT BE BLIND. 
• The document you submit should be a PDF. 
• Unfortunately, written feedback will only be provided to short-listed writers. 
• All submissions are final. No revisions to the text of a play will be accepted after it is submitted. 

Theatre Noir Blanc seeks full-length scripts

Website

Deadline: October 5, 2025

Theatre Noir Blanc is a new theatre company based in the city of Dallas, Texas. Our mission is to create, develop, and produce original works that explore the gay interracial experience–pushing boundaries, taking creative risks, and fostering an inclusive community that inspires a future generation of theatre-makers.

We are launching our inaugural season in 2026 and preparing for the 2027 season. Our goal is to produce four original unproduced full-length plays each season that explore our mission statement. The vision of Theatre Noir Blanc is to elevate these bold, untold narratives by national and international playwrights that reflect the richness and complexity of a diverse world.

Guidelines:

Unproduced plays (workshops and readings are fine)

Original full-length plays that are at least 65 pages (no first or second drafts)

Cast of 1 to 8 (7 to 8 with dual roles)

¨ Your play must be in either the Dramatists Guild Modern or Traditional Stage play format; if it is not, your play will not be read

¨ Please send your script in .PDF format only

¨ Only one play can be submitted by the playwright

¨ Playwright’s CV

¨ We accept submissions from September 6 to October 5, 2025

¨ We will respond to all submissions within 6 months

Please fill out the submission form on our website:

¨ www.theatrenoirblanc.org

¨ Work With Us

We are a new theatre company focused on fulfilling our mission statement. We encourage you to reach out to us at literary@theatrenoirblanc.org with any questions you may have about submitting your play and our mission.

Smith & Kraus Seeking Male & Female Monologue submissions for Publication

Website

Deadline: November 1, 2025 at 12 Midnight EST

To submit for Men's Monologues, CLICK HERE.

To submit for Women's Monologues, CLICK HERE.

Submissions will be sent to Debbie Lamedman, editor. Please read the following guidelines before submitting:

For The Best Men & Women’s Stage Monologue 2026

*Monologues MUST BE FROM PLAYS. They cannot be stand-alone pieces.

*They must be from plays produced between August 2024 through September 2025

*Monologues from plays that only had Virtual Productions are NOT eligible.

*Monologues should be from 1-3 minutes long.

*Monologues should be pieces that have onstage action and work well for auditions.

*You may submit to both the Women's and Men's Anthology, but only ONE submission per book.

*Do not submit any monologue that has been submitted previously in the past year.

*IF YOU SUBMIT MORE THAN ONE MONOLOGUE PER ANTHOLOGY, THEY WILL NOT BE READ!

Trinity Theater Company New Works Festival

Website

Deadline: October 6, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST

We will accept the first 500 plays 

The New Works Festival is designed to bring living playwrights and their words to the center of conversation. All plays are presented as Staged Readings, as to keep the words first.

Held in sunny San Diego, our annual New Works Festival solicits global submissions for new works, but uses the talents of local actors and directors, which allows for local and international discourse.

In preparation for the weekend of readings, participating playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, actors, and TTC artistic staff gather to read and discuss the plays, supporting the playwrights development of their work. The New Works Festival culminates in a 3-day event of readings, discussions, and social events.

The 2026 New Works Festival will be presented for a public audience April 2026.

Learn more about TTC’s mission and history online at www.trinityttc.org.

2026 Open Submission Guidelines

• TTC’s submission process is open to all playwrights, though priority may be given to those residing in San Diego, CA. Please review carefully:Plays must not have yet had a full professional production, nor be currently contracted for a full professional production.
• TTC will only accept one play by each playwright for consideration
• TTC will only accept plays submitted directly by playwrights. Agents, theatres, and fellow artists are encouraged to share the word with playwrights, but no third party submissions will be accepted.
• TTC will not accept musicals for the 2025 New Works Festival

To Submit Your Play:

Please submit completing this Google form.

We will accept the first 500 plays we receive that meet our guidelines. We are now accepting submissions. The application process will remain open until 11:59pm PST, October 6, 2025.

Each applicant will be notified by the end of January 2026 whether or not their play has been accepted into the evaluation process. By February 15, each playwright whose play has been accepted for consideration will be informed of our final decision.

Award: $100 for full length plays; $50 for shorts.

FAQ

1) What is the theme for this year? Share Your Story

2) Do you provide travel accommodations. No. We can offer a virtual option for out-of-town playwrights to be part of the rehearsal process. Recordings of the performances may be made only with permissions from the playwright.

Are 10-minute plays being accepted? Yes, those will be considered a “short play” for this festival.

Evaluation
Scripts are evaluated based on the following criteria: Theme alignment, Originality, Audience Appeal, Character Development & Casting Options, Playwright Location, Dialogue, Feasibility of Production, Social Impact, Artistic Merit.

We very much appreciate your interest. Please address any questions to vivian@trinityttc.org and we will get back to you as soon as we’re able.

The Richard Rogers Award for 2026

Website

Deadline: October 31, 2025

The Richard Rodgers Awards were created and endowed in 1978 by composer and member Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) for the development of new works of musical theater. These awards support readings and productions of musicals by emerging composers and writers at nonprofit theaters in New York City. 

Application requirements and procedures are explained in the form below. Please download, read, and sign the form before beginning the online application.

These awards, created and endowed by Richard Rodgers in 1978 for the development of the musical theater, subsidize full productions, studio productions, and staged readings by nonprofit theaters in New York City of works by composers and writers who are not already established in this field. The winners are selected by a jury of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

A. REQUIREMENTS AND ELIGIBILITY

1. The term musical theater is understood to include musicals, plays with songs, thematic revues, or any comparable work. The submission of innovative and experimental work is encouraged. The work submitted must be of significant length to fill an evening; it may consist of a group of smaller, related pieces.

2. The jury will consider only completed works. Care should be taken to submit the work in its best possible form as it may not be submitted again, in another year, even if substantially revised.

3. Only one submission by a collaborative group or a sole creator will be accepted per year. A work is not eligible if one of the collaborators is deceased. No exceptions will be granted.

4. All applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

5. Works by members of Arts and Letters and previous winners of the full production awards are not eligible for consideration. Former winners of Richard Rodgers awards for staged readings or studio productions may submit new works.

6. An applicant whose works in the musical theater have received professional or amateur productions in New York City or out of town is eligible unless, in the judgment of the jury, the applicant has already achieved significant recognition in the field of musical theater through the work submitted or through any previous work. Under special circumstances and at the discretion of the jury, applicants who have achieved recognition in fields outside the musical theater may be eligible. Works which have been produced by professional theater companies before a paying audience are eligible only if such productions received no more than 21 performances by a for-profit company or 50 performances by a nonprofit company.

B. SUBMISSION OF MATERIAL

1. The name(s) of the author(s) must not appear on any of the items submitted, with the exception of the application form. Include only the title of the work on the script and plot summary. Please be sure no identifying information, including author, agent, or performer names are included in music file metadata, on the track sheet and synopsis, or on the script. The Richard Rodgers awards are adjudicated anonymously and your application must adhere to this guideline in order to be reviewed.

2. Entry must include:

a) Script with lyrics, in PDF format.

b) Half-page synopsis of the action and a list of characters, in PDF format.

c) A separate track sheet (PDF) of recorded songs with page numbers indicating where they appear in the script and specifying the total number of minutes recorded.

d) At least 45 minutes of music, including a minimum of eight songs. Orchestrations are not necessary; piano and vocals are sufficient. Songs must be numbered in sequence (e.g., “01 Song Title.mp3”) and each song’s lyrics clearly typed into the script where the song appears. Tracks must be uploaded in the order they appear in the script.

e) Application form signed by all collaborators (see below). Applicants submitting work that has already been produced must give full information concerning these productions, including programs. A work is not eligible if one of the collaborators is deceased.

f) If applicable, a statement of intent declaring how the applicants would use the award if their musical is a winner. If the piece is already attached to producers, directors, or a theater, even if tentative, these associations must be declared here. However, no such associations are required in order to apply.

3. If the submitted work (or a portion thereof) is an adaptation of material which is not in the public domain, candidates must submit licenses, permissions, and authorizations necessary to permit the work to be produced in conformity with applicable copyright laws. The music must be original.

Works consisting only of public domain music will not be accepted.

4. Applicants will be notified of the jury’s decision by March 2026.

C. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. All rights to the material submitted shall remain the property of the author(s); Arts and Letters will not retain any control over, or rights in, the work after the award production.

2. The decisions of the jury will be final as to eligibility and all other matters.

Click here to download the form (required).

Click here to begin the 2026 Richard Rodgers application.

Fresh Words seeks one-minute plays/monologues for "Rewriting Shakespeare" (Vol. 2)

Website

Deadline: October 28, 2025

FRESH WORDS – An International Literary Magazine is thrilled to announce the call for submissions for Volume 2 of its acclaimed special anthology: ‘Rewriting Shakespeare’—a curated collection of bold, inventive, and contemporary one-minute plays and monologues that reimagine the timeless works of William Shakespeare.

Following the success of Volume 1, we invite playwrights, poets, and dramatists from around the globe to breathe new life into Shakespeare’s canon—through modern voices, diverse perspectives, experimental forms, and urgent reinterpretations.

Submission Guidelines

1. Content: Your submission must be an original one-minute play or monologue that rewrites, reinterprets, or responds to a specific scene, character, soliloquy, or moment from any of Shakespeare’s plays. 

2. Length: Keep performance time under 60 seconds. The exact word count is at your discretion, but brevity and impact are key.

3. Inspiration Note: Clearly indicate the source Shakespearean work (e.g., Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 2, Scene 2, etc.).

4. Originality & Ethics: Submissions must not promote or glorify violence, sexual abuse, racism, hatred, or any political ideology.

5. Limit: Maximum 5 submissions per playwright.

6. Rights: If selected, you retain full intellectual property and performance rights. FRESH WORDS requests only one-time publication rights for inclusion in the anthology. Copyright reverts to you immediately upon publication.

How to Submit

- Send all submissions to: dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com 

- Subject Line:

`[Your Full Name] – SUBMISSION FOR Rewriting Shakespeare ANTHOLOGY (Volume 2)`

- Attachments:

- Manuscript in MS Word (.doc/.docx) or PDF

- High-resolution author photo (JPEG format)

- Include in the body of your email:

- Legal Name

- Pen Name (if applicable)

- Snail Mail Address

- A cover letter

- A 70-word literary bio written in the third person

- Notification of Selection: On or before November 10, 2025 (via email)

- Simultaneous submissions are accepted—please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.

- There is NO submission or participation fee.

Connect With Us

- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmmN1p8jcbIa6rUxzCzL2Q

- Support Our Work: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/freshwordsmag

---

Dare to reinterpret the Bard. Rewrite. Reclaim. Resonate.

We can’t wait to read your vision of Shakespeare—reborn for today’s world.

The Gay Players seek original scripts

Facebook page

Deadline: October 10, 2025

The Gay Players are looking for an original script to perform next summer! For our next show, we are looking to highlight 2SLGBTQIA+ voices. We will announce our selection late November or early December.

Please email all scripts and questions to: eyrin.thegayplayers@gmail.com

Apricity Magazine seeks short plays for the 2026 issue

Website

Deadline: January 4, 2026 1AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Apricity accepts submissions from the performing arts, including but not limited to original music, short film, short play, and dance. Scores, scripts, and screenplays count although live versions are encouraged. Please upload or include a link (of a Youtube video, a webpage, or a Google Drive file) to your submission as well as a brief description of your piece and how you arranged your performance. The maximum time allotted for videos is 15 minutes each. Simultaneous submissions are permitted.
Before you submit, please note the following:

NOTIFICATION: You may expect notification of your acceptance or rejection within three months of submitting your piece. As our staff is composed entirely of university students, however, we do not operate from the end of May through the end of August. Any pieces submitted in April and May may not receive a response until August. 

 NON-PROFIT: We are a non-profit student organization. We intend to direct all net proceeds towards publication improvement and charitable donations focused on education.

FEES: There is no submissions fee, nor is there any payment for publishing your work (currently). However, should you be published in the print publication, you will receive a free contributor’s copy. If you are published online and would like to receive a print edition, you will receive a 60% discount.

We welcome comprehensive use of English and other languages. If your piece contains non-English languages, please include an English translation. Though we are an international magazine, our staff’s common language is English.

We also welcome works previously published elsewhere. If a piece you submit has been accepted by another publication, we will credit the other publication.

If we accept your piece before it has been accepted by another publication, we request that the other publication credits Apricity Magazine upon publication of the piece.

If a piece you submit is accepted by a publication that claims sole publishing rights, please let us know so that we may remove it from consideration. (Do note, however, that most publications allow re-prints as long as the original publisher is credited.)

Works are considered on a rolling basis. All pieces submitted will be considered for online publication. After the deadline for print publication passes, we will consider all pieces submitted before the deadline that were accepted for online publication for print publication.

Kindly keep author bios to under 50 words.

Please note that Apricity Magazine is not active during the summer (from late May to late August). Any pieces submitted during this time will not be evaluated until the fall.

We will not tolerate any form of plagiarism.

Gene Frankel Theatre Festival – Winter 2025

Website

Deadline: October 14, 2025
Early submissions are encouraged.

Festival Dates: December 8-22, 2025

The Gene Frankel Theatre Festival is accepting submissions for its winter edition running from December 8th through December 22nd.

The applicants will need to produce the work - director, casting, and all production elements. The Gene Frankel Theatre will help with setting up your technical needs such as lighting, sound, and projections.


Eligible Work

Short plays (maximum 15 minutes)

One-act plays (up to 60 minutes)

All genres are considered, including drama, comedy, movement-based work, and experimental forms. Submitted work should be New York premieres. (Note: We are committed to showcasing works that have never been produced in New York before December 8, 2025. Participation in festivals counts as a production. Staged readings, private workshops, and brief excerpt presentations do notcount as productions.) All work MUST be unpublished.

Each play should have 1 - 5 actors. No more than 5 actors will be permitted. Cast and crew should be non-union and 18 and older.

Selection Criteria

Pieces will be selected based on artistic merit, originality, clarity of vision, and suitability for festival programming. The goal is to present a high-quality, varied lineup. Submission does not guarantee selection.

Playwrights, whose play has been selected, will be contacted by Oct 17.

Submission Materials

• Full script in PDF format
• Brief synopsis
• Character breakdown (Each play should have a maximum of 5 actors)
• Indication of category: short play (up to 15 minutes) or one-act (up to 60 minutes)
• Production history, if applicable 

Please confirm this is a New York Premiere (Note: We are committed to showcasing works that have never been produced in New York before December 8, 2025. Participation in festivals counts as a production. Staged readings, private workshops, and brief excerpt presentations do not count as productions.)

Limit two submissions per applicant.

Optional: Playwright bio, director, cast, brief tech/staging notes, prior production photos or media (if available), and social media or website links may also be included to support your submission.

Participation Details

No submission fee. All participants must be available from December 8th through December 22nd.

A $100 participation fee for short plays and a $150 participation fee for one act plays for selected works will apply.


Awards

Selected productions will be eligible for awards, including Best Play, Best Script, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director. Awards will be given in both short play and one-act categories.

Festival Format
Each selected play will be presented in one of several curated blocks. Each block will run approximately 90 minutes (including intermission) and receive three performances during the two-week performance schedule. The Festival will conclude with a Gala event, on December 22nd, featuring guest performances and an awards ceremony.

How to Submit
Send all required materials to: GeneFrankelTheatrePlayFestival@gmail.com

Subject line: Gene Frankel Theatre Festival – Title of Play

Women’s Work Project open for submissions

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2025

Playwrights should apply by sending the following as email attachments, with the email Subject Line “Women’s Work Application” to SP-APPS@newperspectivestheatre.org: 

Please include: 

• A full resume, including specific information on your training as a writer (i.e. degree program, workshops, etc.) and website URL if applicable
• A 10-15 page writing sample from a playscript 
• A personal statement explaining your understanding of the purpose of the LAB and why you wish to be a member, including goals for your own growth and development if selected. Please include in this statement how you choose to be identified re: ethnicity and gender (she/they).

(Please note that ALL 3 items are required to be considered.) 

WOMEN'S WORK is an award-winning program comprised of two separate, dramaturgically-driven Labs: 1) The Short Play LAB (SPL) selects 6 emerging women playwrights each year and leads them through a rigorous, step-by-step process to create original 15-30 minute scripts in six-months, written to an assigned theme. The plays are then produced in an annual festival; 2) the Full-Length LAB is for selected alumnae of the SPL to develop longer works over an extended period, with the same guidance and production goals.

Both LABS meet monthly, have submission deadlines, and provide comprehensive and rigorous feedback to the writers. 6-8 directors commit to the full year of the two LABs, both permanent resident directors and guest artists.

Clockhouse open for submissions for the Summer 2026 issue

Website

Deadline: November 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

​CLOCKHOUSE is a national literary journal published by Clockhouse Writers’ Conference, whose editors are MFA alumni of Goddard College.
​
We accept works of poetry, fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction, and ​dramatic works for stage or screen. We also accept submissions for cover art. We encourage submissions from both established and emerging writers.

We’re looking for work that beckons us to listen, share, and engage. Send us your best!

Before submitting, carefully read the general AND genre-specific guidelines. 

• All submissions must be original, unpublished work written by the author or, if you are submitting artwork for cover consideration, original artwork created by the artist
• Follow genre-appropriate formatting; Word documents preferred; double-spaced for fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction​
• Include a bio of approximately 100 words or less
• Simultaneous submissions are welcome as long as you withdraw them if accepted elsewhereSubmit only through Submittable. No email or mailed submissions will be accepted
• Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will be discarded unread. 

Dramatic Work for Stage or Screen

• Short plays and screenplays in traditional and experimental styles
• Standalone work only (not part of a longer work); no monologues
• Submitted work should be written with the audience in mind
• Submit up to 10 pages plus cover page with title and character breakdown
• Follow the industry-standard formatting guidelines appropriate for the plays/screenplays including paginations

Frigid NY Holiday Spirits seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: October 6, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Thank you for your interest in this project! Please take a moment to read through this text before you fill out the form. You may need to scroll down to see everything. This form is for SCRIPT submissions for an evening of short play readings at Under St Marks Theater. 

Performances will be December 6th and 7th at 7pm and will be a ticketed event to support FRIGID's work with indie artists. Directors and performers will be provided later in the process; you only need to provide the script. The selected writers will receive an $80 stipend.

Script requirements:

• Run time should be around 10 minutes and no longer than 15 minutes
• Feature 2-4 actors (no monologues)
• Be a full piece, not an excerpt from a larger whole.
• Be written in either English or Spanish
• The piece should in some way connect with the theme described below.

Who knows what lurks in the long, cold nights as we creep through darkness towards the winter solstice? We huddle together around our little lights for safety and warmth and tell each other stories of what might be out there as some sort of charm against the monsters being real. In fact, it was once tradition to tell ghost stories on Christmas Eve, something that has fallen by the wayside with the exception of A Christmas Carol, but the darkness is still out there. We’re looking for scripts that deal with the ghosts of Decembers past, with winter dread and snowy monsters. Bring us your holiday horrors and your solstice dreams, your dark nights and your melancholic days. From scary to sentimental, ghosts can bring forth all kinds of emotions and memories. Perhaps the spirit of a favorite uncle is pulling pranks from the other side or maybe the Christmas goose is out for blood. Whatever they might be, we want to meet your holiday spirits.

Kingdom Theater seeks plays for Black History and Women's History Festivals

Website

Deadline: October 28, 2025

Send submissions to: kingdommtctheatre@gmail.com

Selecting new 10 Minute and One Act plays From Writers of Color for Black History Month Festival and FEMALE Writers ALL Ethnicities apply for Women's History Month Festival.

We will provide the following,

1. Professional Creative staff, Actors and Actresses

2. Rehearsal and venue for your play to be performed live Off Book

3. Publicity and Promotion of the play and the playwright

4. The theatre company fully produces the play, casting, Directing, costuming and staging the play


Black History Month Festival February 2026
The First two weekends of February

Women's History Month Festival March 2026
The First two weekends of March

Zero Submission Fee 

If we accept your play to be featured, 10 Minute Plays-$110. One Act plays $150

Discount tickets: SPOONS by Ben Firke

SPOONS 

by Ben Firke

Starring Tosh Arora, SPOONS takes a deep dive into the chaos of seeking companionship in our lonely age. This is the first time Alba Emoting will be used on stage in New York City! Alba Emoting is a cutting-edge, neuroscience-based modality designed to induce powerful human emotions through the breath.

November 1st-9th at the Studio Theatre at 520 8th Avenue, New York NY

10% discount for NYCPlaywrights
Tickets: Tinyurl.com/Spoonsplay
Use code: NYCPLAYWRIGHTS

Big Ideas Theatre One-Act Festival

Website

Deadline: October 15, 2025

 SUBMISSION FORM

Big Idea Theatre is now accepting original one-act plays for our 5th Annual One-Acts Festival.

This is your chance to see your words brought to life on the Sacramento stage and share your vision with our community.

Writers of all backgrounds and experience levels are encouraged to apply.

Guidelines:
Length: 20–60 minutes (approximately)
No musicals
No children’s theatre

Festival will run January 23rd - February 8th, 2026

THE ALEXANDER NDERITU PRIZE FOR WORLD LITERATURE (2025) seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: November 15, 2025

All entries are to be submitted in Adobe PDF format to: submissions(at)theafricangriot.com. 

In the subject tab, type: ‘2025 Alexander Nderitu Prize for World Literature Submission’. In the body of the e-mail furnish the following information:

- Title of your play
- Your full name 
- Your nationality
- Your age
- Your daytime telephone number
- Your preferred email address
- A brief bio (300 words max)

Add your short play as a PDF attachment. (Remember not to include any identifiers in the attachment.) The Judge’s decision is final. The winning entry will be published in The African Griot Review.

The African Griot Review is proud to announce the return of the Alexander Nderitu World Literature Prize! The 2025 Edition will honour original, one-act stage plays from anywhere in the world. 

A single winner will be chosen by the founder of the prize, Kenyan-born writer and critic Alexander Nderitu. 

The longlist will be announced in December 2025. 

The shortlist will be announced in February 2026 and the eventual winner will be unveiled at a literary event in April 2026. The winning playwright will walk away with a cash prize of Kshs 50,000, a one-year online promotion campaign by IT form Websoft Interactive and grace the cover of The African Griot Reviewmagazine. 

The 2024 winner of the prize was Nigeria’s Haliru Ali Musa, for his short story, The Pregnant Ghost. There is no entry fee.

ELIGIBILITY AND RULES

Territories: The contest is open to writers anywhere in the world, aged over 18.

Language: All entries must be in English. Translations and adaptations are not eligible.

Work: The entry must not be optioned, commissioned, performed or been previously published anywhere, including online. Simultaneous submissions are fine but please inform us if your work is published or staged elsewhere during the judging process. We’re looking for a play that is roughly 10 – 15 minutes long. A minute of dialogue is roughly one page of script. The playwright’s name must not appear anywhere on the submitted document. One may submit up to three different plays. Each play must have only one writer, no collaborators. Plagiarism and assistance from Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tools are grounds for instant disqualification.

While not essential, the Standard Stage Play format is recommended. Free guide available here: https://caryplaywrightsforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/CPF_play_formatting2.pdf

Judging: This year’s contest will be judged by award-winning writer and critic Alexander Nderitu. Apart from penning his own stage plays, he has also authored two non-fiction books on the theatre business - Kenyan Theatre: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and This Time With Feeling.

For any inquiries regarding the Prize, please email: admin(at)theafricangriot.com

3rd Annual All Star Off Broadway LoveNotes

Website

Deadline: October 17, 2025 by 6 PM

Live Storytelling Show & Companion Anthology Submission Opportunity: LoveNotes! Real Stories. Real People. Real Love. is thrilled to return to the off-Broadway New York City Stage Saturday, February 14, 2026 at the Symphony Space Leonard Nimoy Thalia (three shows: 3 PM , 5 PM & 8 PM). 

Storytellers are paid a $100 stipend, and if their story is included in the anthology an additional $50 is paid in exchange for a 36 month exclusive rights use. 

LoveNotes! is looking for TRUE LOVE stories of ROMANTIC love--think first love, last love, forever love, unrequited love, the against-all-odds love, gay love, trans love, the one-that-got-away love, happily-ever-after love, unexpressed love, online love, arranged marriage love, worst date-ever love, friends-to-lovers love, never-ending love, opps-that-was-a-mistake love, second-time-around love, and on and on. Tales from heart-breaking to healing, humorous to hopeful--you name it! LoveNotes! is spreading love one story at a time. Diverse voices are encouraged to submit. 

The only two requirements are:

• Your story must be true.
• Your story must be 750 words or fewer.

Auditions are live, in-person at Ripley Grier Studios (131 W. 72nd Street, studio 3F) Saturday, October 18 (sign up HERE or by SELF-TAPE (submit by We-Transfer to heather@heatherchristiebooks.com) before Friday, October 17, 6 PM. 

If live storytelling is not your thing, but you'd like to be considered for the anthology, email your story (1000 words or fewer) to heather@heatherchristiebooks.com with LoveNotes! Book/Podcast in subject line. 

NYLon Fusion seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: November 12, 2025 ​

All submissions should be sent to nylonfusion@gmail.com 

NYLon Fusion is back and so is “This Rounds on Us”!
We’re excited to present: LIFE IN TRANSITION.

Please submit any scripts that speak to the following themes (each will have a separate festival within the 2025-26 season)

The Great Society

Each submission should be no longer than ten pages or approximately 10 minutes in length. Not have been previously produced.

We are accepting new works for our 2025/ 2026 This Round’s On Us festivals, each of which will focus on certain broad eras.(see below). But the plays do not necessarily have to be set in these time periods, but they should at least be informed by the social, cultural and/or political happenings of the time. Whether you find inspiration in the movies, music or theater of a particular era, the major events that formed the historical narrative or which have been ignored by history, or the everyday lives of people in the bygone days of the not-so-long-ago, you can send your 10-minute play to NyLonFusion@gmail.com

To be considered This Round's On Us please submit/email the following: A cover letter, brief synopsis, resume and full script to nylonsubmissions@gmail.com Please be specific as to which project you are submitting to. Write on the SUBJECT LINE For example: This Round’s On Us: The Gilded Age/ Cage.

NOTE: accepted plays are produced (including casting) by Nylon Fusion Theatre Company. Playwrights are encouraged to attend rehearsals. 

Conch Shell Productions New Works Fest

Website

Deadline: October 3, 2025
ONCE WE RECEIVE 50 SUBMISSIONS, THE SUBMISSION PORTAL WILL CLOSE.

SUBMISSION FORM

At Conch Shell Productions our mission is to infuse new Caribbean Diaspora and Caribbean voices into American theatre and film. We create transformative spaces for authentic storytelling and cultural exchange, where Caribbean heritage artists can own their narratives and audiences can connect deeply with their work.

We are accepting submissions of one act plays written by Caribbean heritage writers - Minimum length: 10 minutes. Max length 30 minutes.

CSP New Works Fest theme for this year - Unbound Voices

Venue: HB Studio Playwrights Theatre 122 Bank Street, New York, New York

(This event is hosted in partnership with HB Studio)

Fest Dates:

Tech - Dec 1-2, 2025

Performance - Dec 4, 5 & 6, 2025

Selected plays will be presented as part of a program of one acts present on Dec 4, 5, &/or 6.

Up to two performances per production (depending on play length).

Note: CSP New Works Fest is a presenting platform. Selected productions must be fully produced and financed by the creative team (producer, playwright, collaborators, etc.).


All accepted productions will receive:

PR and marketing support
30-minute tech rehearsal, one dress rehearsal (same day)
Festival SM
Free photographic documentation of the performance

Please note:

Plays should BE WRITTEN BY CARIBBEAN HERITAGE WRITER (to align with your mission).

Scripts must be original, and unpublished.

Cast size should be manageable for a festival setting (e.g., small-to-medium cast)

Technical needs Plays will be presented in curated programs (3–4 works per program). Please note that transitions between pieces will be brief, so productions should be designed for quick and efficient changeovers.


SUBMISSION DEADLINE - OCT 3rd,2025

We accept one proposal from each playwright.

No submission fee.

NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE: OCT 20, 2025

Call for Submissions: *SHHH! BREATHE SLOW!* – A One-Minute Horror Plays Anthology (Volume 4)

Website

Deadline: September 28, 2025

All submissions should be sent to: **dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com**  

*Fresh Words* is now accepting submissions for its **Special One-Minute Horror Plays Anthology**, titled ***SHHH! BREATHE SLOW!* (Volume 4)**. We invite playwrights worldwide to submit original, spine-chilling short works that deliver maximum impact in just 60 seconds.

Selected contributors will be notified via email by **October 5, 2025**.

### Submission Guidelines:

1. **Format**: Each submission must be a one-minute horror play or monologue, designed for performance.

2. **Content Policy**: We do not accept works that promote or glorify violence, sexual abuse, racism, hatred, or any political ideology. Submissions must be respectful and artistically focused.

3. **Submission Limit**: A maximum of **three (3) entries per playwright**. All pieces must be submitted in a **single email** as **PDF or MS Word attachments**.

4. **Length**: Each play/monologue must be **one page only** (standard formatting).

- **Rights Note**: If selected, the playwright retains full intellectual property and performance rights. *Fresh Words* will request **one-time publication rights** for inclusion in the anthology. Copyright reverts entirely to the author upon publication.

5. **Email Address**: All submissions must be sent to **dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com**

6. **Subject Line**: Please use the following format:

**[Your Full Name] – SUBMISSION FOR *SHHH! BREATHE SLOW!* ANTHOLOGY (Volume 4)**

### General Requirements:

- Include a **cover letter** and a **short literary biography** (approximately 60 words) written in the third person.

- Provide the following information:

- **Legal Name**

- **Pen Name** (if applicable)

- **Postal (snail mail) Address**

- Attach a **high-resolution photograph** (JPEG format) of the playwright as a **separate file**.

- **Simultaneous submissions are permitted**; however, please notify us promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere.

### Important Notes:

- **There is no submission or participation fee.**

- This is an open, inclusive call for global voices in contemporary horror theatre.

### Connect With Us:

- **Facebook**: https://www.facebook.com/Fresh-Words-An-International-Literary-Magazine-106332345070389/

- **YouTube**: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmmN1p8jcbIa6rUxzCzL2Q

- **Support Our Work**: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/freshwordsmag

We look forward to being haunted by your words.

*Fresh Words – Where Literature Breathes in the Dark.*

Newport NewWorks Summer 2026 Musical Theater Festival

Website

Deadline: November 2, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

For Summer 2026, up to three unproduced works will be selected from a worldwide pool of submissions, for a two-week-long, artist-driven workshop residency by the sea— in beautiful and creatively inspiring Newport, Rhode Island. Artists in Residence are provided housing, transportation, most meals and a stipend. Workshops are staffed with industry-leading Broadway level professionals.

The process is hypercollaborative and each team will work with top-notch directors, producers, dramaturgs, musicians, and actors for an intensive 64-hour rehearsal period. Our goal is to elevate every participating show by bolstering and matchmaking each work with the customized artistic resources the work needs to get to the next level. The festival culminates in two public, script-in-hand, workshop presentations.

Artists are welcome and encouraged to revise, rework, and rewrite as much as possible while in residence with us. Risk-taking is encouraged. Artists are also welcome to attend rehearsals and presentations of their peers' work as we aim to build a strong community of fellow writers, artists, songwriters, and theater-makers, lasting long after the festival! Evening bonfires, time at the beach & on the water, divine culinary delights, and industry expert conversations are also an integral part of the Newport NewWorks experience.

Please note: We require that all works submitted remain without professional production throughout their participation in the festival. Thank you!

At Newport NewWorks, if we select your work, it means we deeply believe in it and are committed to actively supporting your piece, including:

1) Facilitating development guidance and support for your piece in the months leading up to the festival to make sure it is as ready as possible to maximize your time at the festival 

2) Helping to find a life for your piece beyond the festival

To achieve these goals, we have found in some situations that additional collaborators for the creative team may be helpful and beneficial to the project. Is this something you would be open to considering?

(*Please note we do not always find this necessary, and saying no does not disqualify you from selection. Please be open and authentic about your comfort level with this.)

Please confirm all members of the creative team are available to attend the festival IN RESIDENCE in Newport, RI for the ENTIRETY of Aug 2 - 16, 2026.

11th Annual Pyro PlayFest 2026 Call for Plays Theme: "Spark of Creation: Humanity, Invention, and Expression"

Facebook page

Deadline: January 12, 2026

 SUBMISSION FORM

Paris Junior College Department of Drama's 11th Annual Pyro PlayFest is now accepting submissions!

In a season celebrating new voices, we are looking for bold, original short plays that explore the heart of creativity — the human spirit, invention, imagination, and the drive to express. Whether you tackle these ideas literally, abstractly, or metaphorically, we want to experience the spark that fuels your storytelling!

The chosen submissions will receive a full production on our 3/4 thrust stage space performed by students and community members in late April 2026, right here in Paris, Texas, on the Duane Allen Stage in the Ray E. Karrer Theater.

Please note: This is a non-paying opportunity. While we are unable to offer financial compensation at this time, selected playwrights will have the opportunity to have their work brought to life in front of a live audience by a dedicated team of emerging artists and community members.

Submission Guidelines

• Unpublished, minimally produced plays (readings okay; no full productions).
• Length: 10 minutes or less.
• Page Limit: 10 pages max (standard format, 12-pt font, with page numbers).
• Cast: No more than 6 characters.
• Technical Requirements: Keep it simple — minimal sets, basic lighting, and modest props.
• Theme Connection: Must explore creation, humanity, invention, or expression in some form.

Content Note: Please keep language and themes suitable for a general adult audience.

Important Dates:
• Submission Deadline: January 12, 2026
• Festival Dates: April 22-26, 2026

How to Submit:
Please submit your scripts (Up to three) in PDF format through this Google Form: New Works Submissions

Include a cover page with the following information:
• Play title
• Playwright's name
• Contact email
• Short synopsis (2-3 sentences)
• Character breakdown

Please make sure that your name is not on any part of the play except the Cover Page as we submit our shows to a panel, blind.

ellipsis… literature and art open for submissions for the 2026 issue

Website
 
Deadline: December 16, 2025 at 2AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

ellipsis… literature and art is a nationally and internationally recognized journal published by the students of Westminster University since 1965.

We accept original English language submissions in poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, drama, and art. Submit poems in one document, please. Our submission period is August 1 through December 15 for poetry, short fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction. We accept art submissions from August 1 through January 31.

Please include a 75 word contributor’s note and your address, telephone number, and email address.

Simultaneous submissions are welcome but withdraw your submission immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Note that we do not republish pieces, including work online.

We usually pay $10 per poem and page of visual art, and $3 per page of prose, plus two free copies of the issue. We cannot pay international contributors.

New issues of ellipsis… literature and art are published each April.

Drama 2025-26 submission: Please submit one English language drama piece per year, up to 8,000 Words. Use 12 point font.

Request for Proposals: *snap* Festival 2026 - 15 minute stories told from your perspective

Website

Deadline: September 26, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

The Flynn is committed to using the arts to build connections and strengthen communities. The *snap* Festival is a celebration of the power of first-person narratives. We believe everyone has stories to tell and that sharing these stories teaches empathy by allowing us to recognize commonalities and learn about each other’s unique experiences.

From January 23 - 25, 2026, the Flynn will celebrate the power of storytelling and solo performance with a weekend-long festival that will include workshops and solo performances by professional and emerging artists.

Through a series of performances and workshops, we will create a dialogue between performers and the audience and provide opportunities for the community to join and support the conversation. Performances will include meaningful time for questions and thoughts from the audience. Our expectation is that performers will listen to audience feedback and have it shape their work and that our audiences will develop a deeper understanding of this important art form.

All writers, poets, rappers, songwriters, storytellers, and other solo performers from New England and New York are invited to apply and submit a proposal for a performance to be showcased in the 2026 *snap* festival. Selected works will be performed by the artist and told from the first-person perspective. We are interested in stories about your experience told from your perspective.
Artists and Projects will be chosen based on the following criteria:

1. The work you submit illuminates your unique perspective.

2. Works must be new, original, and must not be previously produced. This festival offers the opportunity to showcase a piece that has not yet been performed in front of an audience. Scripts or the equivalent must be submitted as part of this application.

3. You will be performing your own work and will perform it with no other performers.

4. Your piece must be written and performed in the first person.

5. Performance length will be approximately 15 minutes. The performance may be a complete work, or a section of a longer work.

Resources

1. An honorarium of $500 will be provided.

2. Accommodations will be provided for the duration of the festival.

3. Up to $200 in travel costs will be reimbursed.

4. The Flynn will cover the production costs of the festival including stage labor, sound equipment, security, ushers, and box office. All final production costs and expenses will be decided by the Flynn Center at its discretion. This festival is primarily about the development of a new work and requests involving other production elements (set, lights, costumes, etc.) may not always be accommodated.

5. The Flynn will actively market and publicize the festival and the public showing of your work on January 24, 2026 in FlynnSpace.

6. Your work may be selected for further development with an invitation to serve as an artist in residence.

Timeline

1. August 1 – September 26, 2025: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

2. Final date to submit an application is Friday, September 26, 2025. Submissions close at 11:45p.

3. A brief in-person or zoom interview will be scheduled as part of the selection process.

4. Proposals will be chosen by the Flynn and a panel of judges.

5. Artists will be informed of their acceptance no later than October 31, 2025.

6. The *snap* festival takes place January 23 – 25, 2026 with performance of new works on January 24, 2026. You will arrive in Burlington on January 22 for a group dinner!

Schedule
The festival will take place at The Flynn Center from January 23 – 25, 2026. The performance of your 15-minute piece will be on January 24, 2026 in the Flynn Space.

Going It Alone seeks monologues

Website

Deadline: October 31, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

A collection of original monologues celebrating the unique challenge of writing for a solo performer and performing solo! 

Guidelines:

● Must be original pieces by the playwright submitting

● Performance length – 5-7 minutes (anything longer will be disqualified).

● Monologues only. Must only require one actor on stage.

● Diversity and inclusivity highly encouraged!

Compensation and Performance:

● Small honorarium paid to chosen playwrights

● Chosen monologues will be cast with local actors and performed at Invisible Theatre
in Tucson Arizona in May of 2026.

Process:

● Submissions will be accepted from September 1st, 2025 to October 31st, 2025.

● All submissions will be read blind (without playwright info) by reading committee.

● Script curator will collect all numerical data and narrow the submissions down to 50
and notify playwrights of making it to round 2.

● Script curator will read 2nd round plays and narrow it down to 25 based on committee
scores, timing, and overall quality, and notify playwrights of making it to final round.

● Script curator and IT Executive Director will read final round monologues and
determine which will be part of the 2026 show.

● All playwrights will be notified whether or not they have been selected.

● Chosen monologues will be cast and directed with local actors/directors.

Recommendations:

● Monologues should not be one side of a conversation..pausing for the character to
listen to a character we never see or hear.

● Sometimes monologues based on real people from history read like TED Talks, or rote
history lessons. Instead of just listing dates and book titles, etc, let us hear what that
person thinks, feels, believes, etc. How they’re affected by what’s going on around
them.

● Some monologues included a full page preface with information/exposition on the
character, what they look like, how old they are, and explicitly what the actor should
look like, sound like, etc. If we need to know all of that in order to appreciate your
piece you haven’t done the work to show us who this character is through their
words/actions.

QUESTIONS? Send an email to goingitalonesubmissions@gmail.com

THE 2026 MEANWHILE PARK PLAYWRIGHT PRIZE

Website

Deadline: November 30, 2025

Submissions should be sent via email to info@meanwhilepark.com

Meanwhile Park is a small, private park in Salt Lake City, UT. The Park hosted its first performing arts evening in 2022. Since 2023, Meanwhile Park has produced and presented a new, one-act play chosen through our Playwright Prize competition. Submissions for the 2026 (and possibly 2027.)

Entries into the MPPP should consider the following:

• Plays should run between 30 minutes and one hour including any required or desired breaks.

• The “cast” should be limited to no more than six people. Cast can include actors, musicians, or other artists required to tell the story directly to the audience.

• Plays should not have been produced elsewhere. We are looking to present world premiere plays. Previous staged readings or workshops are allowed.

• As an outdoor, summer theatrical experience like no other in Utah, entrants are invited to consider stories and genres suitable to the occasion. Ideas include but are not limited to:

o Campfire tall tales
o Backyard ghost stories
o Summer love stories
o Action-packed adventures
o Musical comedies
o Local histories

• Meanwhile Park celebrates the diversity of humanity and welcomes stories from diverse races, ethnicities, cultures, genders, and sexualities.

THE RULES

• Submission for the 2026 Meanwhile Park Playwright Prize are now being accepted.

• The deadline for submissions is November 30, 2025. Submissions should be sent via email to info@meanwhilepark.com

• The winner will be announced no later than January 31, 2026. All entrants will be informed of the winning entry via email.

• The winner will be awarded a $500 honorarium no later than March 1, 2026 via Venmo or check.

• The winning play will be performed eight times during July 2026.

• Entries will be judged by Jeff Paris and a panel of theatre experts and enthusiasts.

• The production will be granted the following:

o A significant production budget including paid onstage performers, directors, and creative staff.o Each performance will feature a pre-performance reception/party with drinks and snacks sponsored entirely by Meanwhile Park. For this reason, ticket sales are limited to individuals 21 and older.

• You may submit a bio with your play, but it is not required. Our initial cuts are based on the plays without consideration for who the playwright is.

• Meanwhile Park reserves the right to cancel the competition or the production at any time for any reason.

• To learn more about Meanwhile Park visit our Instagram account: @meanwhilepark. Or visit our website at www.meanwhilepark.com.

The Movement x Black List Ladder Commission Application 2025

Website

Deadline: September 24, 2025, 11:59pm

SUBMISSION FORM

What we’re looking for:

We are seeking authentic and complex stories about communities of color that are bold, risky and unapologetic. We are seeking generative BIPOC artists (i.e artists from any discipline that create new works for the stage) exploring herculean ideas, exploding the theatrical form and who are unafraid to re-imagine what theater can be and who it is for.

The commission supports the development of a new work (an idea you have but have never written/created)!

The selected artist will receive a $10,000 commissioning award as well as funding and development support for a year through The Movement’s Ladder Series (new work development program). Support includes monthly meetings with The Movement’s artistic team, a workshop, and a public staged reading.

Submission Materials:

• Artistic Statement (750 words): about how you work and the impact of receiving this commission opportunity - don’t overthink it, we want to see what makes you tick and what makes you you!
• A short proposal (750 words): of an ambitious, herculean new work you'd like to create. What’s that big play or theatrical offering you’ve always wanted to create but have never been able to? This proposal must be in the idea phase, something you haven't written or made yet!
• Work Sample: Please submit 1-2 work sample(s), either in the form of a 10-page script excerpt, a video example of work 3-5 minutes in length, up to 10 photographs with 1 sentence descriptions for each photograph, and/or audio sample 3-5 minutes in length with time stamps included. If you identify as a playwright/writer, at least one of your work samples must be a 10-page excerpt
• Resume
• Anything else you’d like to share? (150 words)

FAQ

• What is a "new work"? - This commission defines a "new work" as an idea you have but have never written/created.
• Are travel and housing costs covered? - The Ladder Series Commission may not be able to cover housing and travel costs in addition to the commission award and stipend for the 29 hr workshop.

Reach out to alverneq@themovementtheatrecompany.org with any questions.

The Movement nourishes, develops and produces herculean ideas, events and new works by artists of color. We’re a haven for artistic experimentation and community building. Our work is big, bold, and vibrant. 

The Black List is a platform dedicated to nurturing written storytelling and empowering writers to maximize their professional potential. First established in 2005 as an annual survey of Hollywood's most-liked unproduced screenplays, the Black List has since grown into a comprehensive resource for the creative industries. 

The partnership between The Movement and The Black List began in 2023 with their inaugural theater commission program. Together, we collaboratively select and commission an artist to create a new herculean work.