2027 Open Stage Space Grant

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2026

2027 Open Stage Space Grant Application Form.

For over 100 years, EAG has provided emergency financial aid and career support to New York City’s professional performing artists. We take pride in our ongoing effort to find new ways to support our vibrant performing arts community. Understanding how challenging it is for emerging theatre companies to find affordable space for creating work in NYC, we introduced the Open Stage space grant in 2017. With Open Stage, we can support theatre companies by giving them an opportunity to create and present work without the challenges that come with finding and maintaining affordable space.

When a NYC theatre company is awarded an Open Stage grant, they will receive:

• a $6,000 credit to be used towards booking up to 80 hours in our historic theatre space at our EAG member rate of $75/hour during a two-month residency at Guild Hall (1 East 29th Street, NYC 10016),
• $1,000 from EAG's Teri Black Performance Fund to be used towards performer/director stipends, AND
• limited additional funding (amount TBD) for some specific line items in their production budgets thanks to NYSCA and NYC's DCLA. 
• During a grantee's residency, they can use their time booked in Guild Hall to meet, develop, devise, rehearse, tech, and perform the piece of their choosing. Each residency must culminate with 4-8 ticketed public performances in Guild Hall. The gross proceeds from these performances will be split evenly between the grant recipient and the charitable programs of EAG. 

All applicants are highly encouraged to familiarize themselves with our unique space before applying (www.actorsguild.org/rent-our-space). If you have not been to Guild Hall before and would like to see it in person, please call or email us and we will be happy to schedule an appointment for a walk through.

This year, we are accepting applications for ONE Winter 2027 (January/February) Open Stage grant and ONE Summer 2027 (July/August) Open Stage grant.

For our 2027 Open Stage grants, EAG is specifically looking to support NYC theatre companies that are seeking a residency to present:

• a staged reading of a new/original work with a larger cast,
• a developmental workshop of a new/original work with a smaller cast, OR
• a more fully realized production of a new/original solo show or two-hander.
• After several years of offering Open Stage grants, we believe that these options for the scale of a piece/presentation provide the most flexibility to grantees to successfully develop and explore a new work in our unique space while making mindful use of everyone's time and paying everyone equitably.

What makes for a successful Open Stage application?

A strong mission,
A demonstrated need,
A commitment to equitable pay for artists, AND
A demonstrated ability to achieve stated goals for the project (appropriate levels of staffing and funding to see the proposed project through, etc.)
You can preview the questions asked on this year's application here. All applications must be submitted online through this form in order to be considered for this opportunity.


TIMELINE
Application due: Sunday, May 31, 2026. No applications will be accepted after the deadline.
Finalist Interviews (in person at Guild Hall): The week of July 6, 2026.
Announcement of grant recipients: The week of July 13, 2026.

THE TENS FESTIVAL 2026 seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: May 23, 2026 at midnight EDT

Email Scripts to: Pancho@ParishPlayers.org 

Email Subject Line: Use the title of the play as the subject line of your email. 

File name: Name your PDF with the title of the play, a hyphen, and your own last name,
e.g. Hamlet-Shakespeare.

Types of Plays: Comedies or Dramas must be no more than 10 minutes in length.

Setting: Simple; the festival will offer 6 to 8 plays, and minimal set changes are required.

Notification of Selection: No later than June 20th, 2026.

Performance Dates: October 2026.

Producer: Beata Isaacs Randall

How to submit your script:

File format: PDF ONLY!

Please Note: No more than one script per playwright. We prefer new, unproduced plays; however previously produced and already published original plays will be considered. We will also give preference to "local" (New England) playwrights.

Questions? Email Pancho@ParishPlayers.org using the subject line: TENS QUESTION.

Gather by Ghostlight seeks plays for Stage Fright 2026

Website

Deadline: July 10, 2026

Submit your script to submissions@gatherbytheghostlight.com with the subject line "STAGE FRIGHTS SUBMISSION"

Each October we produce a stage show of horror themed plays for a live audience at Le Chat Noir theatre in Augusta, GA. This live show also gets released as an episode on our podcast and YouTube. 

If you would like to submit a script to Stage Frights 2026, please read the guidelines below.Script Length - 15 pages or less (please make sure pages are numbered)

Each writer may submit up to two scripts.

Genre - Horror ONLY. These can be super scary or can be horror comedies or any other horror subgenre. Just make sure that it has horror elements. We also love it when spooky sound FX are incorporated. We have a foley guy for this live show. Make us use him.

Cast Size - 2 or more characters. No one-person shows.

Format - Any format as long as it's dialogue based and we can tell what's going on in the story. We don't produce audiobooks. Please don't submit a prose story and expect us to adapt your work to a dialogue format for voice actors to perform.

BLIND SUBMISSION - No Author information should be on your script. Contact info should ONLY be in the body of your email submission.

A total of six scripts will be selected for production.

Each writer will be paid $50 if their script is selected and will be published in our STAGE FRIGHTS ANTHOLOGY Book.

Please know that all submissions (that follow the guidelines) will be read by a panel of anonymous readers. You will be contacted by the end of July if we want to produce your script for STAGE FRIGHTS.

We recommend that you listen to previous productions of Stage Frights on our podcast so that you get a feel for the type of works we produce for that series. Or watch the filmed performance from last year - STAGE FRIGHTS: THE SEQUEL-ISH

Perlberg Festival 2027 seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The 2026 Perlberg Festival of New Plays at Palm Beach Dramaworks is accepting submissions through May.

What are we looking for?

• Comedies and Dramas (no musicals)
• Cast sizes between 2 and 5 (doubling is okay)
• Plays that really explore relationships/deeper ideas/the human condition
• Plays between 70 and 120 minutes (full-length but not epically long)
• One submission per writer -- if you're trying to decide which to send, send the one that seems like the best "fit" for Palm Beach Dramaworks
• UNPRODUCED, with no productions scheduled before April of 2027

Dear US.: One-Acts to Bridge the Divide

Website

Deadline: June 20, 2026

SUBMIT VIA SUBFOLIO

Dear US is a compilation of solicited plays, performed as staged readings near Tampa, FL, followed by a facilitated conversation with audience, actors, and any playwrights that may be present.

Blind Submission

Anonymity: Your name, address, or any identifying information must not appear anywhere on the script, including the title page, headers, footers, or filename.

Filename: Name your file only with the title of the play. (e.g., Title_of_Play.pdf)

Identification: Any identifying marks will disqualify the script. Please, please, remove it all -- even initialed page numbers -- so that the process remains entirely blind.

General

Length: No more than 10 pages, excluding title and character pages. Run time less than 10 minutes. Monologues are welcome: ideally, 3-5 minutes run time. No musicals.

Format: Upload as a single PDF file.

Originality: Work must be original and not previously published. PLAYS USING AI WILL NOT BE READ.

Script Formatting

Font: 12-point 

Margins: at least 1- inch margins on all sides.

Pagination: Start with "1" on the first page of the dialogue.

PDF Document Order 

    1. Title Page: Do not include your name or contact information.    

    2. Character/Setting page: brief descriptions and time/place.

     3. The Script: Max 10 pages, not to exceed 10 minutes playing time.

To submit, you'll need to make a free account with Subfolio, which will walk you through the entire submission process. Art of Freedom LIVE uses Subfolio to guarantee that the process is blind and fair. 

Questions? Feel free to contact me, but do not share with me the title or other identifiers of your play/monologue: mary@artoffreedom.live

LOL Short Play Comedy Festival 2026

Website

Deadline: May 8, 2026 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

Now seeking COMEDY pieces from 8 – 15 minutes. If it makes us laugh, it’s fair game! Pieces can be short plays, short musicals, or comedy sketch pieces (can be more than one skit combined).

All pieces submitted must be comedies.

DATES & LOCATIONS: July 16 – 26 2026 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 new plays featured each week. Each play performs four times in its selected week (Week 1 or Week 2). 

 ELIGIBILITY: Short Plays, Short Musicals, Short Comedy Sketches (minimum 8 minutes, can be more than one skit combined) with a performance time of 15 minutes or less, no more than 15 pages in length (not including title page). Writers are eligible to submit up to 2 plays/pieces.

PRIZE: Each week a audience favorite is selected by audience vote. The winner of each week will receive $100 prize. If you are the winner, you must submit a PayPal account to receive your prize. THEME: "LOL" Make it all about the laughs! All pieces must be comedies. 

 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 Pieces MUST be NO MORE 15 minutes in length, which equals approximately 15 pages of script (not including title page). Submissions open: April 10, 2026 Submissions close: May 8, 2026 Piece selection announced soon thereafter (it may take a few weeks after the close of the submission window).

Stage Left Theater Queer Voices Festival

Website

Deadline: April 29, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Our ode to pride Month, we are thrilled to present staged readings of queer-written works presenting by our strong and proud LGBTQIA+ community. Lift every voice. Share every story. Shine together.

Open to Queer and Trans writers.

Accepting monologues, short two or three person plays, and songs. All pieces must run no longer than 5 minutes.

Submissions must be original works.

Join us in celebrating the voices, stories, and creative power of the Queer community.

Each piece will be presented with minimalist design of acting blocks and basic wash of lights. Any additional staging elements would be up to the director of each piece to provide. The festivals at Stage Left live somewhere between a full production and a fully staged reading as the focus will be on the words and not the spectacle.

This opportunity will be limited to 14 pieces.

Selection Notification: May 8th, 2026

Performance Dates: June 4th- 7th, 2026

This is an unpaid opportunity, but all playwrights will be provided with a filmed performance of their piece within a month of the show.

Veterans' 10 Minute Playwrighting Contest 2026

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2026 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Designated a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs, a Top College and University by Military Advanced Education, and a Best for Vets College by Military Times, Salem State values our military connected students and their families and the sacrifices they have made for our country. Salem State is committed to supporting Veterans’ voices on and off campus. The arts create unique and powerful opportunities for individuals and groups to share experiences and constructive dialogue. As such, Salem State is proud to announce its seventh annual Veterans Playwriting contest which will culminate in staged readings of selected plays in November 2026.

All playwrights, regardless of military affiliation, are invited to enter Salem State University’s 10-Minute Playwriting Contest. However, preference will be given to those with a direct military connection. This includes active-duty military, reservists, National Guard, Veterans, and direct family of any of these.

The theme of the play should directly touch on military service and/or how military service affects a community. The contest and festival look to recognize and celebrate those that have served and currently serve. We are looking to bring together a variety of voices exploring both the challenges and the victories and positive influences that Veterans have on our community.

Judges will select finalists, whose plays will be part of a series of staged readings in November 2026.

Important Dates

June 30, 2026 - Entry deadline

August 15, 2026 - Notification of finalists

November 2026 – Staged readings with post-performance discussions. Additional details forthcoming.

Contest RulesOnly submissions through Submittable will be considered.

• One submission per playwright.
• Only original plays, not-yet produced or published, are eligible.
• All plays are judged blind. Do not include any personal, identifying information anywhere on your submission.
• Musicals and adaptations are not eligible.
• Simultaneous submissions are allowed. If your play is accepted elsewhere, please let us know immediately. If your play is chosen to be performed, you agree to withdraw your play from all other places where it is under consideration.
• By submitting, you agree to allow Salem State University to produce the first staged reading of your play.
• Scripts meeting the rules and submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by judges.
• Judging will be done by SSU faculty and members of the SSU Veterans’ community.

Judging Criteria

StoryPlot seems fresh, intriguing and original
Something happens; sufficient conflict and tension throughout the play
Plot is active, vital and dramatic on stage
Story moves along; pace is engaging

VoiceStrong, interesting writing style
Clear viewpoint that’s well integrated into the play

CharactersInteresting and compelling characters
Characters seem credible and real
Main character evolves or develops through the course of the play

DialogueDialogue suits the characters
Dialogue sounds natural and credible for the plot and location
Each character has own unique voice
Dialogue seems fresh and compelling (not dull, boring, or generic)

AppropriatenessThe play can be staged in the 10-minute time allotment in a black box theatre with limited set, sound, and design.

Overall effectPlay is transformative and memorable

Submitting Your Work

The script must be in standard playwriting format with 12-point Courier font. Use double spacing when changing from one character to another. Use single spacing everywhere else. If you are unfamiliar with standard playwriting format, please check out this example.

PLAYS THAT FAIL TO MEET THESE CRITERIA WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Questions: email arts@salemstate.edu

46 Minutes Collected seeks short works for Mixed Bag

Website

Deadline: May 25, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST

SUBMISSION FORM

Mixed Bag Application - July 13, 2026 Performance

Description: Mixed Bag is a variety show for first drafts. We provide artists working in a variety of mediums with a low-tech space and audiences to further develop their works. We hope this will be an opportunity to learn about your piece and discover the next steps in your process.

Performance Date: July 13, 2026 from 4:30-9 PM, Performance at 7:30 PM

Location: Brick Aux (628 Metropolitan Ave)

What we are looking for: 

• In-development work that has not yet premiered. One or two developmental readings or showings is okay, but we are looking for work in the earlier stages of development. 
• Works in any medium: performance art, dance, theater, film, music, poetry, multi-media, interactive art, magic, mime, juggling, etc. (these can be excerpts of longer works).
• Artists who are looking to investigate or discover something about their work.
• Cast: Up to 10 performers
• Length: Up to 15 minutes

We Can Offer: 

• A low-tech performance space at Brick Aux to share your work .
• One, 20-minute spacing rehearsal the hour before the show.
• A Stage Manager to assist with the run of show.
• Photos and video of your piece.

An audience of fellow artists and creatives to share in your developmental process with the option for feedback from the audience if that is helpful for your process.
Marketing through the 46 Minutes Instagram and mailing list. If selected, we will ask for additional marketing materials from you/your team.

Brick Aux space capabilities (basic sound system, clip lights, projector, tables and chairs) (learn more here).

Box Office Split: Please note that tickets are donation-based, so we cannot guarantee a profit from this event. Once we have covered the space rental via donations, all additional ticket funds will be split evenly amongst the performers and the collective.

What You Bring:

• Collaborators and creative team.
• Any desired props, costumes, lights, design elements, etc. beyond what exists in the Brick Aux space.
• An understanding of what you need to present your own work at whatever stage it's at in your process.
• An openness to the liminal space that is in-process work and a desire to discover what can be learned when presenting a rough draft.Please Note: The artist is responsible for all rehearsal process needs. We are unable to provide any rehearsal space or financial assistance at this time. This is designed to be an in-process showing, so we encourage you to come as you are with whatever you have created at this point in time. 

Each artist may only submit one piece per Mixed Bag showing.

If you have any questions please reach out to us at 46mincollective@gmail.com

We at The 46 Minutes Collective are committed to making our programming accessible to all who wish to participate, so please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 46mincollective@gmail.com with any ways we can support you.

Theatre Off the Square 2026 New Works Contest

Facebook page

Deadline: May 31, 2026

Send scripts to: info@theatreoffthesquare.org

Please submit scripts without identifying information (Playwright's name, address, etc.)

Each entry must be an original, unpublished work.

Final work must be submitted by May 31. No additional edits can be submitted for consideration after this date.

We are not considering works commissioned by another theater.

Playwrights must be willing to travel for a staged reading (Weatherford Texas) and, if selected, will be recognized as a special guest on opening night.

Scripts must be between 30 minutes and an hour in length and able to be performed in one act. 

Genre and theme open to the playwright.

The theme does not have to be overt; it can be symbolized throughout.

Community standards will play a role in selecting shows for the staged readings, so please keep content in mind.

The person responsible for the submissions will ensure total anonymity and will not be a reader in the first round of judging.

Please ensure that your name is not on your script

Plays will be judged in two separate categories-Youth for playwrights 17 and under and Adult for playwrights 18+. The category is based on age as of July 3lst, when submissions are due. 

Up to 6 plays will be chosen for staged readings on October 4th, where final judging will occur. This group will include one show from the Youth category and up to 5 from the Adult category. In the event that there are no qualifying Youth participants, all readings will come from the Adult category.
The top two plays will be performed together as a single production at Theatre Off The Square in 2026. The playwright may or may not be consulted for production. 

If interested and approved by the Directors Selection Committee of Theatre Off The Square, winners may also be involved in the production up to directing. 

Winners will each receive $200 and 5 comp ticket

Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights 2026

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026

Please send play and a brief synopsis to:  apfestival@bartertheatre.com

Plays must be written by an Appalachian playwright (currently living in a state that contains the Appalachian Mountain Range— which, for our purposes, run from New York to Alabama.)

OR 

The plays must be set in the Appalachian region.
Plays must be unpublished and must not have had a full professional production.
Plays must be full length.
Plays must be submitted electronically.

Six new Appalachian plays are chosen from the submissions to be given public readings by Barter’s company.

The playwrights are brought in at the beginning of the festival week to be a part of the rehearsal process. Each play is given about 8 hours of rehearsal time with the focus being on clarity of story.

After each reading, there is a moderated discussion between a panel made up of three regional theatre professionals and, most importantly, the audience, for their feedback. That way, the playwright receives feedback from three separate groups: artists, panelists, and audience.

Playwrights have found this to be a very useful step in developing their plays, as well as a wonderful opportunity to meet other artists, make new friends, and enjoy the beauty of Southwest Virginia!

AFPP 2027 Submission Deadline: May 1st, 2026

Surfside Playhouse Readers’ Theatre - CALL FOR 10-MINUTE PLAYS & MUSICALS

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026
Only the first 100 submissions will be considered

NOTE: they are no longer accepting "straight plays" - only musicals will now be accepted from now until May 1.

Summer Stories – Readers’ Theater

Submit to: NancyMaticanBock@gmail.com

Surfside Playhouse is seeking summer-themed 10 minute scripts for an upcoming Readers’ Theater production.

Musicals strongly encouraged. Plays welcome.

Theme examples include:
beach days, vacations, summer camp, family reunions, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, road trips, romance, friendships, coming-of-age moments, bonfires, sunshine, and more.

Submission Window: April 20 – May 1

One submission per playwright

Requirements:

• 10 minutes max
• 6 characters or fewer
• Title page with playwright name, email, city
• Musicals must include book, music, lyrics (with cities)
• First page must include character breakdown + 2–3 sentence synopsis
• Musicals must include score + demos (with and without vocals)

Selected works will be presented as part of Surfside Playhouse Readers’ Theatre on May 30th at 2pm in Cocoa Beach.

Go Try Play Write April 2026

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

We're proud to announce a new monthly playwriting contest in collaboration with Bamboo Ridge Press. Every month, Kumu Kahua's artistic director Harry Wong III will select a writing prompt on the first day of that month. We're looking for 5-page monologues or 10-page scenes based on that prompt; the due date for submissions are always the last day of the month. All entries must be written in traditional play format; instructions on this format can be found here (https://www.dramatistsguild.com/script-formats), courtesy of the Dramatists Guild.

There will be one winner each month. Scripts will be submitted to the judges anonymously. Winners will receive $100 and a subscription to Bamboo Ridge Press. Woo!

The prompt for April 2026 is an “Are you ready to order, yet?” prompt:

Write a 10-page maximum scene or an eight-page maximum monologue about a restaurant where the food is great, but the service sucks. It could be a sit-down restaurant, plate lunch counter, food truck — wherever you go buy food that you no can resist. (This prompt was inspired by the cast of Blu’s Hanging!)

Nomad Theatre seeks 6-10 short plays set in a bar

Website

Deadline: April 27, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Nomad Theatre seeks 6-10 short plays to be a part of our upcoming show in August 2026. Submissions will open on March 2nd and closes on April 27th, 2026, at midnight. Selected playwrights will receive notification by June 30th. If you have not received notification from us by that date, we did not choose you for the production.

Nomad Theatre returns to its roots with the Bar Plays.

A bar is a special kind of crossroads...a place where strangers become confidants, where regulars guard their favorite stools, where celebrations and heartbreaks unfold under the same low light. It’s a sanctuary, a confessional, a stage for small truths and big revelations.

Pull up a chair and take a glimpse into the lives of characters navigating conversations, secrets, and emotions within the intimate confines of a local watering hole. Belly up to the bar for an evening of short plays that all take place in “The Bar”, where anything can happen, and often does.
Selected plays must take place in a bar. We encourage you to use the space creatively. They must be unpublished and unproduced at the time of submission.

This call is open to all playwrights worldwide. Selected playwrights receive a $25 honorarium, full production of their show and a ticket to attend. We encourage anyone to submit, even if you’ve never written a play. We want to support underrepresented playwrights, including women, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, disabled, neurodiverse, etc, and encourage you to submit.

Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• How well it meets the theme of the Bar
• Overall writing quality (Plot - we like different or quirky, weird, out-of-the-box theatre; Character Development; Dialogue)
• Suitability for our actors and space - low tech, 1-4 characters, flexible castingSubmission 

Guidelines:

• One submission per playwright
• A running time of 10-12 minutes long, or roughly 8-15 pages
• A cover page should include the title, the playwright’s name, contact information, a brief synopsis, and character descriptions.
• Pages should be numbered.
• Minimum of 1, maximum of 4 actors (characters may be double cast)
• Label your document as TITLE OF PLAY_LastName
• Must take place in a bar.
• No musicals.

We suggest formatting similar to the Dramatist Guild Guidelines: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/sites/default/files/2020-01/General-SFI-Formatting-Guidelines-Complete.pdf

If you have questions or need any accommodations for submission, please email nomadtheatresubmissions@gmail.com

Nomad's mission is to provide an immersive theatre experience by exposing audience members to eclectic and moving stories, taking theatre outside of a traditional theatre space and into site-specific locations.

Once Upon a Crocodile seeks short plays for the next issue

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2026 by 11:59 PM GMT

Send your play pasted into the body of an e-mail with “Submission” in the Subject line, to: onceuponacrocodile@gmail.com

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Humorous Fantasy (high, dark, low, light, wet or dry, we don’t mind, so long as it’s funny)
• Humorous Sci-Fi
• Dark humour / tongue-in-cheek horror
• The Absurd
• Funny animal stories
• Parodies
• Pastiches
• Short funny plays / vignettes
• Funny poems of any form (limericks, senryu, haiku, etc)

• DO NOT send us stuff written with AI.

As long as it makes us laugh, we will be interested to read it.

SHORT PLAYS
2000 words maximum.
Black, 12pt Times New Roman font, please. Make sure to proofread your work before flapping it at us.

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.

Fairy Tale Review seeks plays for Volume 23

Website

Deadline: June 16, 2026 3AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Fairy Tale Review invites submissions for consideration by the editors for Volume 23, which will be published in Spring 2027.

We can consider up to 30 manuscript pages. 

Submissions can include a single work or multiple complete works. 

You will be asked to designate a genre when you submit. Y

ou may submit in multiple genres, but please only submit once to each genre. 

We prefer Word documents; please include page numbers. A cover sheet with titles is helpful if the document includes multiple works. If your work has special formatting needs to appear on the page as intended, please submit both a Word document and a PDF. 

We consider all styles and genres: prose fiction, verse fiction, memoir, essay, craft essay, creative scholarship, poetry, not to mention work that does not fall neatly into any category (go ahead and pick the closest genre on Submittable; we’re used to seeing unusual work). 

We would love to see some graphic novel excerpts or stories, comics, and plays.

Tiny Beautiful Letter Project

Website

Deadline: May 11, 2026 by 7:00 PM (PDT)

SUBMISSION FORM

We invite you to take part in a meaningful, community-wide initiative inspired by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire and our production of it, as part of our Immersive Experience program, which seeks to highlight and explore the key themes of each production.

Through the Tiny Beautiful Letter Project, we are collecting anonymous letters that are raw, vulnerable, and honest, exploring the feelings most people don’t know how to express: grief, death, heartbreak, loss, identity, loneliness, love, and everything in between. Selected letters will be part of a culminating special event, where some may be read aloud to an audience or shared in creative ways.

Submission Guidelines

Stay Anonymous: Do not include personal identifying information; you may sign with a pseudonym or phrase.

Word Count: While there is no strict limit, we encourage letters of at least 500 words.

Be Honest & Thoughtful: Share your truths while being mindful of your words.

Themes We Seek: Grief, loss, resilience, identity, vulnerability, or questions seeking guidance.

Why Participate?
The Tiny Beautiful Letter Project celebrates the beauty and depth of human experience. Your unique contribution will help highlight the small yet powerful connections that sustain us all.

Regardless if you submit or not, we invite you to join us on Saturday, June 6 for the live reading of selected letters and encourage you to also attend a performance of Rabbit Hole and engage with our immersive events.

Together, let’s celebrate the power of storytelling, honesty, and connection.

Together, let’s celebrate the power of storytelling and connection.

EksenaPH Workshop seeks 10-minute & short plays

Instagram Account

Deadline: April 26, 2026 at midnight

SUBMISSION FORM

Eksena PH Workshop, based in the Philippines, seeks “What If” stories. Original works that explore possibilities, alternate paths, and questions that start with “Paano kung…?”

Fresh ideas, unfinished thoughts, and works-in-progress are very welcome.

SCRIPT GUIDELINES

• Length: 10–15 minutes
• Language: Tagalog / English / Regional Language
• *If Regional Language, please include a Tagalog version
• Unfinished / Work-in-Progress scripts are highly encouraged
• Basta never pa na-staged in any form

 WHO CAN JOIN

• Writers without prestigious awards
• First-time writers (no experience needed)
• No age limit
• Maximum of 3 scripts per writer

A Classic Theater seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2026

You may submit either by email to act@aclassictheatre.org
or by US Mail to Cindy Alexander, 600 Nautical Way, St. Augustine, Fl 32080

Format should be in MS Word or PDF.

A Classic Theatre in St. Augustine, Florida is seeking submissions for full length new plays for our Staged Reading Series. Plays chosen will be presented in Season 2026-2027 which begins in September, 2026.

We are looking for plays within the following parameters.

Full length, with or without intermission

No longer than 90-105 minutes

No more that 6 characters

No children or teens

Plays will be selected to be performed over the course of the 2026-2027 Season. They will be presented as a Staged Reading, with one performance, and minimal rehearsal. There will be the opportunity for audience feedback.

You may submit any number of plays but it must be a new work that has not been fully produced elsewhere.

You will be notified via email by September 30, 2026. Selected playwrights will receive a stipend of $100 for the performance.

A Classic Theatre is a 501c-3 non profit community theatre. www.aclassictheatre.org For any questions, please email Cindy at calexander@aclassictheatre.org