Original Works Publishing submission guidelines

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Original Works Publishing accepts unsolicited submissions all year round. Please follow the guidelines closely. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

THE RULES

OWP does not accept unproduced submissions under any circumstances.
OWP does not publish adaptations, translations, musicals, or works for younger audiences.
Only submit one play per email.

Do not send an inquiry email or synopsis or samples of multiple plays asking if any are of interest. Just submit the play in a complete submission package per the guidelines.

THE GUIDELINES

• For Full Length Plays: We now only accepts plays that have received eight (8) or more performances in a production run and have been reviewed. 
• All Other Lengths: Do not need 8 performances or review, but still must have been fully produced.
• When emailing your submission please include all of the following material you have available.
• Your play attached as a PDF or Word document, including cover page.
• Short synopsis and character breakdown.
• Production history. (Include theatre company and dates.)
• Select review highlights, quotes, and awards or nominations received.
• Any posters or logos from the productions.
• Playwright resume or bio.

Send it all to:

SUBDEPT@ORIGINALWORKSONLINE.COM

Please list the title of your submission and length (full length, one act, etc.)

in the Subject line.

Response Time

OWP receives a large number of exciting new plays, all of which are closely evaluated. Please give us a minimum of three - six months to respond.

Snail Mail Submissions

OWP no longer accepts snail mail submissions. Let's keep it green. Save money on postage, save trees, save printer ink.

Currently accepting:

FULL LENGTHS

ONE ACTS - (25-45 minutes.)

MONOLOGUE SHOWS

FRINGE FESTIVAL HITS

NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING INDIVIDUAL TEN MINUTE PLAYS FOR "eTens" or TEN MINUTE PLAY COLLECTIONS

The Growing Stage 11th Annual New Play-Reading Festival 2021-2022

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Deadline: December 31, 2021 Midnight EST

The Growing Stage – The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey is committed to expanding the canon of Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) through our New Play-Reading Festival. This program provides a wonderful opportunity for artists to have their unpublished and unproduced work presented before a family audience by a cast consisting of both professional and amateur actors. Four finalists will be selected and one script will be presented as a fully mounted production in the Growing Stage’s 2022-2023 season.

2022 Festival Timeline:

Round 1: March 4th – 6th, 2022
Staged Play Reading
Post-Reading Talkback with Audience, Performers and Playwright (if present)
Printed Feedback provided by audience and artistic team
Private Video Recording of Reading (for playwright only)


Round 2 FINALISTS SHOWCASE: Saturday, April 23, 2022
Each finalist will present 20 minutes of selected scenes.
Written critique will be provided by our educational and artistic teams to each finalist.
Winner will be chosen.

Submission Guidelines:

• Plays should be intended for young audiences through high school age.
• Minimum performance length of approximately 45 minutes.
• Musicals are eligible. Accepted submissions must include a sample recording of the music and lyrics. Please do not send a written score.
• BIPOC plays and playwrights are encouraged.
• Adaptations must include proof that permission has been granted from the author to adapt their work.
• All scripts must be unpublished and not committed to publication.
• No supporting materials accepted.
• Two scripts maximum submission.

How to Apply

STEP 1:

To apply for our festival, please email: newplays@growingstage.com and provide the following details in the body of an email:

• Play title
• Brief synopsis
• Approximate running time
• Cast breakdown
• Intended audience. (i.e. Elementary, Middle School, High School, Family)
• Script aligns with The Growing Stage mission. (Insert link)
• Development History (i.e. previous reading, production, etc.)

Note: Please do not submit your full script with initial inquiry.

Submission Deadline: Midnight, December 31, 2021

STEP 2:

If your initial submission is accepted for our festival, a full script will be requested. When submitting your full script, please follow these guidelines:

Playwright’s name must not be visible anywhere on the script. 

Please include your name, address, phone, and play title in your email submission cover letter.

Playwrights shall allow the release of their names, addresses, and play titles to The Growing Stage.

If you have any questions about the submission guidelines or festival, please contact Danny Campos, Festival Director at newplays@growingstage.com.

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN!

For More Information, contact: newplays@growingstage.com or call (973) 347-4946

FLEAS ON THE DOG is open for submissions

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Deadline: November 1, 2021

Oh Drat! The gutter press is back!!! Yes, the unnatural heir to ‘The Beats’ is itchin’ and twitchin’ for QUALITY fiction, poetry, plays and nonfiction for our milestone (drum roll, please…) ISSUE 10!!! We’re hungry for junk that’s full of spunk and kick ass funk that will put your family and friends in denial for months! So do the politically incorrect thing and send us your bling! See our guidelines for details and learn new ways to sabotage your literary career!

 Runs Oct. 1 to Nov. 2. Contact editors@fleasonthedog.com

We are a collective of writers/editors who publish a non profit online magazine for those who are on the avant garde and outside the box. 

WHAT WE LIKE 

• Fiction: We take pretty much everything. Mainstream, traditional, literary, barbaric yawps, flash, metafiction, experimental, sci/fi, speculative, fantasy, mystery, micro, nano, grunge, bad (but it better be good!), modernist, post-modernist, spamlit, kitschlit, retro, metro, outsider, novel excerpts, graphic stories, even comics.   Our only criterion is quality. 
• Poetry: Up to ten poems any style.
• Plays: Any style up to five acts. 
• Screenplays: any subject, any length.
• Nonfiction: Kick ass op-eds, essays and articles on topical topics that are sure to p*** somebody off, memoirs, manifestos, reviews, games, nonsense and other cogent junk. Politically incorrect is welcome as long as it doesn’t devolve into invective!

WHO YOU ARE

Anybody whose engines burn when they write. You can have won literary awards or never published at all. Degrees don’t impress us—it’s your work that matters. 

 

ONLINE PUBLISHING GUIDELINES 

 

• There is no submission fee. There is no remuneration for work we publish, either, but what the heck, you're going to be famous! We'll get back to you in about 30 days, hopefully sooner. (Why should it take months?)

• Fiction/Nonfiction: Up to 5000 words. Length is less important than quality. For works longer than 5000 words query the editors about possible serialization.

• Submissions should be on a Microsoft Word doc or docx file. Use a sensible font. Double space format. Stuff like grammar and sentence structure  is important unless your work deliberately exploits bad grammar and lack of structure. (We can tell the difference.) Include a brief bio with your submission and publishing credits, if any. Send your submission as an e-mail attachment to editors@fleasonthedog.com (or type in the link in the email address).

•  Include the genre (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or play) and title of your work in the subject bar.

• Simultaneous submissions are okay, just let us know when your work is accepted elsewhere. Multiple submissions are not okay unless solicited. Submit to only one category per issue.

• We retain the first rights of your work for a period of three months. After this time rights revert back to the author. If you should republish the story/article please acknowledge that it was first published by www.fleasonthedog.com

Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest 2021

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Deadline: December 31, 2021

To encourage the development of quality theatrical materials for the educational, community and children’s theatre markets, Pioneer Drama Service is proud to sponsor the annual Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest.

This is an ongoing contest, with a winner selected by June 1 each year from all eligible submissions received the previous year.  All eligible plays accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists, from which the winner will be selected.  The contest winner will receive a $1,000 royalty advance in addition to publication.

Contest entries must meet all general guidelines and submission requirements.

Individuals currently published by Pioneer Drama Service are not eligible for this contest.  Pioneer Drama Service employees and their families are also excluded.

We accept unsolicited manuscripts that meet the parameters defined in these guidelines. However, we prefer for you to send us a query letter if you are not submitting through one of our playwriting contests. You can also start the submission process by contacting us here.

• We will only consider manuscripts with a running time between 20 and 90 minutes.
• Submissions must be family friendly in both subject and language. NO cursing. NO explicitly adult content.
• We prefer casts that are either balanced or favoring females. The more gender neutral roles, the better.
• We favor plays and musicals with ensemble casts, where more than just a few have a chance to shine.
• Plays with elaborate set, costume or technical requirements are not appealing because of the limited resources of many of our customers. Pictures, sketches or descriptions of your vision are always helpful.
• We recommend your submissions have had at least one production or reading, hopefully staged. We feel this fundamental field test is necessary before a play can be considered for publication since plays are created for the purpose of performance.
• Manuscripts must be computer-printed in dark ink. We do not require specific formatting. However, your efforts to ensure your script is free of misspellings and typos will help the submissions editor.
• We hope that Pioneer Drama is your first choice as a publisher, and we encourage you to submit to us exclusively. However, we do accept simultaneous submissions with the understanding that you will accept the first contract you’re offered and not use the situation to seek multiple offers from which to choose. If you receive another offer, please notify us immediately so we may rescind your submission.

NOTE: If you are not already published by Pioneer Drama Service and your submission meets all other requirements including having had at least one production or staged reading, your play will automatically be entered in the Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest. If you are a faculty member at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada, you may also qualify for our A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers.

Check out our list of past contest winners for examples of desirable submissions.
Submission Requirements

Please be patient. Queries will be answered within approximately one week. Submissions may take up to three months or longer.

The following information must accompany your submission or query:

• 100-200 word synopsis.
• Cast list that indicates the number of female roles, the number of male roles and the number of roles that can be performed by either gender. We do not accept one-person shows.
• Running time.
• CD and/or score for musicals. We appreciate the opportunity to hear the music, if possible.
• Set design(s). Please feel free to provide diagrams and/or pictures.
• Proof of production or staged reading (i.e., review, program, etc.) A DVD of your performance is ideal, though not required.
• Age of intended audience.
• A self-addressed envelope of sufficient size with appropriate postage for the return of your materials. We will NOT return manuscripts or accompanying material if this is not included.
• Cover letter and/or resume.

Please send your query or manuscript and accompanying information to:

Pioneer Drama Service, Inc.
Attn: Submissions Editor
PO Box 4267
Englewood, CO 80155-4267

You may also email us your .txt, .doc or .pdf files after you contact us here.

United Beyond Borders Hear Thalia’s Daughters Laughing seeks short comedic plays from female-identified playwrights for publication

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Deadline: December 31, 2021

Coordinated by
Dr. Catalina Florina Florescu of Pace University
Publisher TBA

This international volume is hoped to be multi-lingual, thus giving each playwright a chance to submit a short piece in their mother tongue and its translated into English version.

Submissions from the United States/UK/Australia/Nigeria/etc. shall remain in original unless the author knows and speaks fluently another language or can work with a translator. The volume will have 10-12 comedies.

1. the play must be a comedy (because the doctor is in the house and she has prescribed laughter),

2. the script must be written by a female identified playwright (because the volume is coordinated/commissioned via an organization dedicated to womxn playwrights exclusively),

3. the script must be short, i.e., no longer than 20-30 pages (because I, like you, crave for comedic essence),

4. the script must be composed during “the longest year of our lives,” or how I call 2020-21 (because the intention is to see how womxn have used laughter as a coping mechanism during the pandemic),

5. hence, it can be realistic, symbolic, absurd: you choose, you are free! It could have had a reading, two readings, or 1,000 readings on Zoom.

6. Our main goal is to see how we understand and produce comedy worldwide and how we tap into our creative resources to deal with the trauma of a pandemic via mild to strong laughs.

Submit your piece by New Year’s Eve of 2021 to fflorescu@pace.edu

with the subject line “Thalia’s Daughters.” The process of reading, evaluating, and making a decision will commence with a good wine, a great laughter, and a chance to see womxn in their full, vibrant potential. Info about the publisher and how to devise our own apotropaic masks will be announced at a later date.

About the coordinator: Catalina Florina Florescu was born in Romania, earned her Ph.D. from Purdue University, and lives on the East Coast of the U.S. She has published and/or edited 8 books on immigration, hospitalization/health, motherhood, and more. She teaches at Pace in New York. She organizes a festival of new plays and is the coordinator for “Voices,” an international festival of plays both organized by JCTC. Her CV and other info can be found here: http://www.catalinaflorescu.com/

May Θαλεια bless and guide our journey!

Hominum Journal submissions open

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No deadline given

At Hominum Journal, we see the writer and the body as indivisible. Beyond the anatomy of narrative, we believe that there is language deep within our bone marrow and muscle tissue. A language that reconciles the mind/body/spirit divide. A language that, when pushed beyond the physical, has the power to challenge, heal, and embody.

All submissions should be emailed to hominumjournal@gmail.com, with the subject line "GENRE-FIRST AND LAST NAME". Please include your submission as an attachment (.pdf, doc(x), or.rtf) along with a brief third-person biography. Cover letters are appreciated. Unless a submission is withdrawn, we ask that you do not submit more than once per reading period.

We appreciate standard conventions, i.e. 12-point Times New Roman or Garamond font. Prose should be double-spaced and poetry single-spaced. However, if deviating from these standards is integral to the artistic integrity of the piece, then by all means do so.

We ask for first North American publishing rights and archival rights on all submissions. All rights revert back to the author upon publication, but we do ask that you mention us in future reprints.


Simultaneous submissions are accepted on the condition that it is acknowledged in the cover letter and we are notified immediately if this work is accepted elsewhere. We do not accept previously published work unless solicited.

​OTHER: We are open to receiving other genres of the literary arts, including (but not limited to) hybrid pieces, one-act plays, screenplays, and songwriting. Guidelines for these submissions vary, so if you're unsure drop us an email or just send it along!

POETRY: Please include up to 5 poems per submission. There is no word or page limit.

FICTION: Please include up to 3 pieces per submission, with no more than 10,000 words total.

NONFICTION: Please include up to 3 pieces per submission, with no more than 10,000 words total.

VISUAL ARTS: We consider visual artwork for each issue. Please include up to 5 pieces of any medium (painting, photography, digital media, etc.), alongside an artist's statement of around 200 words.

Downtown Urban Arts Festival (DUAF) is currently accepting PLAY SUBMISSIONS for its 20th annual season

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Deadline: November 15, 2021

DUAF will accept 16 theatrical works (plays, musicals and solo works) that reflect urban life and with running times up to 70 minutes.

Each work is performed only once during the festival. There will be a $1,000 award in the category of Best Play, Best Short, and Audience. 

There is no submission fee and each playwright will receive a $500 monetary stipend as well as other supportive services to assist in developing the play for the stage.

SUBMISSION DETAILS:

1. Playwright's bio with contact info- name, address, phone # and email

2. Photo of playwright

3. Synopsis of theatrical work

4. Complete script of theatrical work

5. Estimated running time of work

6. Actor/director/crew bios, if available

7. Description of stage set (if any) and production needs (i.e. sound and lighting)

The submission deadline is Monday, November 15, 2021. The program is subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Please submit to coordinator@duafnyc.com. For more info about DUAF, visit: duafnyc.com.

THINK FAST: Annual One-Act Play Competition

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Deadline: November 12, 2021

The Theater Project’s annual short play competition awards the winner for Best Play a $500 prize. The contest is open to adult playwrights, 18 and up. There is no fee to submit your play for consideration, but there is a participation fee for the finalists who present (see below). Plays are accepted in the fall for the March 4,5,6 event. Eight to ten short plays are selected for three prerecorded broadcast performances.
​
At each performance, the audience will vote for their favorite play. After the final performance, judges will award: 

Best Play ($500 prize), Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Audience Faborite (play) certificates.

Plays can be either dramas or comedies but must be no more than 15 minutes running time. This restriction is absolute and plays that exceed 15 minutes will not be considered. Sets, lighting and sound requirements must be simple. No elaborate props or effects. 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.

HOW TO SUBMIT FOR 2022

Electronic submissions only.
No fee to submit.

Plays are accepted for six weeks each fall.
E-mail your short play to:
OneActFest@TheTheaterProject.org
Include in the Subject line: “Submission + The Title of Your Play.”

Email submissions must contain this sentence in the body of the 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.”

If Your Play Is Selected
​​​The Theater Project will supply a stage manager/technical director to oversee the Zoom production.

Individual productions supply the actors, directors and make their own agreements with actors and directors regarding compensation.

NOTE:
​Playwrights will be charged a $100 fee to cover the $500 prize as well as the cost of hiring the stage manager/technical director 

About the Production Fee ​
The Theater Project does not charge a submission fee for its THINK FAST one-act 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 as well as supervise a rehearsal and record the final performance on TTP’s Zoom platform.

Although we would rather not charge a production fee, the reality is that without help from participating playwrights, we would not be able to offer this showcase for new works.

The Women Center Stage Festival

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Deadline: November 20, 2021

Women Center Stage is now accepting submissions from women artists at any stage in their careers. As part of WCS, your piece will be presented during the two-week long festival of original work, workshops, panels, and classes. The festival will take place during the first two weeks of March in downtown New York City. The deadline for submissions is November 20, 2021. We will notify all applicants by December 15th, 2021. The festival will take place from February 27, 2022 through March 12, 2022.

The Women Center Stage Festival, formerly an initiative of Culture Project, New York’s premier home for socially conscious theater, is returning to New York this spring. Women Center Stage is part multidisciplinary performance/part multicultural salon; a place for artists to build community, share their stories, and create a fresh theatrical landscape.

Founded in 1996, Culture Project is the preeminent destination for artistic work that investigates the most urgent social and political issues of our time. We believe art is a powerful force that can lift the human spirit, catalyze public discourse and motivate political action with a clarity of purpose.

For their 25th year, Women Center Stage will honor the work of past collaborators and human rights defenders while supporting new voices as they create the future of theater. This year’s theme is “The Next 25” - an ode for what’s to come as we heal, celebrate, dismantle, and rebuild. The festival will feature new multidisciplinary works, with panels, masterclasses, immersive work, installations, and more.

Women Center Stage: The Next 25

Requirements:
- Original work that has not been fully produced, by artists who identify as female.
- 15-30 minutes in length (please specify the length of your piece).
- Can be works-in-progress or part of a full-length piece.
- We will accept writers with teams but this is not a requirement. (you may choose to perform in and/or direct your own work).
- Work can be in any format or genre.
- You must submit a work sample; not necessarily text-based (visual diagrams, storyboards, videos etc).

What we provide:
- Performance space for each team
- Recommendations for artistic team, including actors, as needed
- Production Manager, Light Board Operator, and Sound Board Operator
- One technical and one dress rehearsal
- Publicity
- Rep lighting plot, projector, sound system

What you provide:
- Your original work
- Costumes Music/Sound/Projections
- Artistic team
- Performers

February 27, 2022 - March 12, 2022

Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2022

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Deadline: December 31, 2021

Sundog Theatre in NYC is seeking one-act plays for “Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2022”

Sundog Theatre’s 20th annual presentation of new and original,
one-act plays about our favorite boats, the Staten Island Ferries.
Since it is our 20th anniversary, the themes are “celebration” or “anniversary”.

Writing Guidelines:

–Original plays not previously produced or published, with a signed note affirming that.

–10-25 minutes in length and set on the Staten Island Ferry.

–Set in contemporary time period. Strong priority will be given to plays with 2 characters, however, 3-character plays will be considered. No special set pieces other than benches or railings found on the Ferry, limited and easily accessible props, and no special sound or lighting.

–Avoid overt and unnecessary sexual/violence situations and language since we cater to a broad audience.

–No musicals, long monologues, poetry, rants, or verse.

–Humor, if appropriate, is welcome.

Submission Guidelines:

—Please send two copies, bound or stapled, blind submission (removable cover page with title, author and contacts), and the name of the play on each page to Sundog Theatre, “Scenes 2022”, PO Box 183, Staten Island, NY 10301.

–Submissions should include brief synopsis, play history, 70-word bio, and full author resume.

–Plays must be in our hands from now until no later than December 31, 2021. Latest postmark we will accept is December 24.

–Please do not submit plays electronically.

–Questions: ferry@sundogtheatre.org. Susan Fenley, Producer

>>5 – 6 plays will be chosen; writers will receive $100 each and be produced in our series of five March 2022 performances in Staten Island.<<

Playwrights of selected plays will be contacted directly and their names listed on Sundog’s website early in 2022.

365 Women A Year: a playwriting project

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Deadline: December 31, 2021

CLAIMS ARE OPEN FOR 2021!

Welcome 2021 playwrights! We are entering our eighth year of writing pieces about 365 historical women a year! We would love to have you write with us! All of the information on how to participate is below. Because there was so much out of our control in 2020, you are able to write about any women you want, even if we’ve already covered them. (Usually, we don’t take duplicates)

Below you will find:

-Directions to Participate

-FAQs

-A list of women who have not yet been covered. 

This year you are able to write about women we have covered as well.


DIRECTIONS TO PARTICIPATE:

FIRST STEP: Choose a woman or women to write about. We definitely need more pieces about women from 1700s and prior and pieces on women who lived in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Once you have chosen some options, you will fill out the claim form.

2021 CLAIM FORM

SECOND STEP: You will receive a confirmation email. You are not officially writing about anyone until you have received this confirmation email from 365womenayear@gmail.com. It can take a few weeks to get a confirmation email depending on the volume of claims we receive.

THIRD STEP: Happy writing. If at any point throughout the year, you get a hankering to write about someone else, simply fill out a new claim form.

Plays can be any length, any number of characters, any language, any genre (musicals included), and the playwriting format you are most comfortable with. PLEASE INCLUDE A LIST OF CHARACTERS at the beginning of the play. It is okay if more historical women end up in your piece than you claimed. When choosing someone very different than you, do your research and be thoughtful about what you are asking future actors to perform.

FOURTH STEP: Submitting your piece. Please follow the directions, as your piece will not be officially submitted otherwise.

You will email your piece to 365womenayear@gmail.com. Follow the directions below:

(1) In the subject line you will put: 2021/Name of historical woman/Play Title/Page Number/Your Name. (If you have many historical women in your piece, simply write “MANY WOMEN” in place of the name of the historical women in the subject line.)

(2) Include YOUR 100 word playwriting bio in the BODY of the email. (If you have already written with us and do NOT need your bio updated then do not include your bio.)

(3) Write out your historical/play info to be searchable on the website in the following format:

***Each historical woman needs to be listed separately, include ANY existing woman who appears in your piece, even if you didn’t specifically claim them.****

Alphabetical:

Alexandra David-Neel- “Adventuress Adventurous”(10 pages)/Playwright: Deborah Magid (2021)

Key Words/Occupation:

Alexandra David-Neel (Writer, Explorer, Singer)/Playwright: Deborah Magid

Century they were Born: (If you can’t find exact dates just put the century)

Alexandra David-Neel (1868-1969)/Playwright: Deborah Magid

By Play Info: (just written out once with all the women in history listed after “inspired by”)

“Adventuress Adventurous” by: Deborah Magid (3 characters/10 pages) Inspired by: Alexandra David-Néel (2021)

New: We want the women to be searchable by country of birth and their background so it is easier when people are putting together festivals. Example below:

Country of birth: France Race/Ethnicity/Heritage: White, Belgian-French

(4) Attach your play as a PDF and submit!

You can always email us if you have any questions. Please understand, that your bio won’t be listed on the web site until your play is turned in and processed.

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

*You can write about as many women as you want and they can all be in the same piece, or separate pieces. It is okay if the piece is simply about the historical woman or women, but they don’t appear.

*Any length welcome from 2 pages-full length. Any number of characters. Any language. Any genre. Musicals included.

*Plays are due Dec 31st of 2021

* You are always allowed to revise your piece. When you do, email it again with REVISION/Play title/Playwright/Year in the subject line and the revised piece attached as a PDF.

*Women MUST have existed. *They can be living or dead. *Our plays are loosely based on these historical figures. *History may have forgotten their name but we know they existed and they need to be covered. This happened often to those enslaved where we have no recording of their actual name and women from ancient times.

*If you are writing a piece about a woman who is from a different culture/ethnicity/race/religion than you, please do your research and be mindful and respectful. Be thoughtful of what you are asking your future actors to do and say. It is never a good look for a white playwright to have a piece full of racial slurs. It’s just not necessary. Research, collaboration, and respect are key.

*Yes, we plan to do this every year.

*You retain ALL rights to your pieces and may submit them anytime and anywhere you want to. When one of your 365 pieces gets produced, we will put it on the web site and tweet about it! Nothing will be done with your play without your discretion. If a theatre wants to produce your piece, we will contact you. While the play info is searchable, interested parties cannot read your piece unless you give permission. When publishing opportunities arise, it is up to you whether or not you would like your piece to be included.

*We have had festivals all over the world and appeared in The Dramatist. We have playwrights from all over the world participating.

The Caribbean Writer seeks one-act plays on the theme: Disruption, Disguise and Illuminations

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Deadline: December 31, 2021

The Caribbean Writer (TCW) has issued a call for submissions for Volume 36 under the 2021 theme: Disruption, Disguise and Illuminations. As history meets our day to day experiences, epiphanies unfold; and as we self-interrogate the disruption motifs in many of these illuminations, the roots of prevailing disruptions emerge, complicated by disguise. Submissions exploring this theme in its widest permutations are invited.

Contributors may submit works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora. 

The Caribbean should be central to the work, or the work should reflect a Caribbean heritage, experience or perspective. Prospective authors should submit all creative works: drama, fiction and poetry manuscripts, through the online portal ONLY at www.thecaribbeanwriter.org/online-submission. 

Submit Word files only (no PDFs) . Note that TCW no longer accepts hardcopy submissions.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Individuals may submit poems (3 maximum), short stories and personal essays on general topics as well as on the theme. The maximum length (for short stories and personal essays) is 3500 words. Only previously unpublished work will be considered. The term “previously published” covers print and electronic publication —including on social media platforms, and self-published items. The Caribbean Writer does not accept simultaneous submissions (items being considered for publication elsewhere). The prospective author should provide contact information including mailing address, phone number, any professional affiliations, brief biographical information (no more than 100 words and such as appears under the “Contributors” section of the journal). In the event that the author’s contact information changes, all updates should be made by the author by logging into the online account.

Before submitting, submitter should carefully edit and proofread the manuscript, adhering to publication-ready details, as well as standards of proofreading such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting and consistent language, along with the elimination of typographical errors, and with focus on the overall quality of the work.

The Caribbean Writer is a refereed journal. There are no fees payable to submit or publish in this journal. All submissions undergo an initial blind review by the editor. Creative works, such as fiction, poetry and drama, after editorial review, are advanced by the editor to the double-blind peer review process. In this process, both the reviewers’ and authors’ identities are concealed from the reviewers and vice versa throughout the review process.

Artists interested in having their artwork considered for use by TCW should submit electronic files in vertical format as PNG or JPEG files with a resolution of 300 dpi or greater. The journal also accepts black and white art (line drawings, sketches, block prints, etc.). The journal does not accept graphic poetry or narratives.

SUBMISSION WINDOW

Submissions are accepted from January 10 to December 31 each year and are considered for the journal that will be published the following year. (In other words, volume 36 will be published in 2022 and entries submitted between January 10 and December 31 of 2021 will be considered for volume 36. The deadline for submissions each year is December 31. Submit Word files at www.thecaribbeanwriter.org/online-submission/


Literary Prizes

All submissions are eligible for the following prizes:

• The Canute A. Brodhurst Prize of $400 awarded to a writer for best short fiction. Donated by the St. Croix Avis Newspaper
• The Daily News Prize of $500 awarded to a resident of the US Virgin Islands or the British Virgin Islands.
• The Marvin E. Williams Literary Prize of $500 awarded to a new or emerging writer. Donated by Marvin’s widow, Dasil Williams, in honor of her late husband who served as the editor of The Caribbean Writer from 2003 – 2008.
• The Cecile deJongh Literary Prize of $500 awarded to a Caribbean author whose work best expresses the spirit of the Caribbean. Donated by former Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. in honor of Cecile de Jongh’s abiding commitment to literacy in the territory, especially among the young people of the Virgin Islands..
• The Vincent Cooper Literary Prize of $300 awarded to a Caribbean author for exemplary writing in Caribbean Nation Language (Kamau Brathwaite). Donated by Professor Vincent Cooper, PhD.

For more information, contact The Caribbean Writer at thecaribbeanwriter@uvi.edu

Abingdon Theatre Company Festival of Short Plays

Website

Deadline: October 8, 2021

Abingdon Theatre Company continues to be committed to creating opportunities for all voices to be heard. With this in mind, the company has announced their Festival of Short Plays. A one-week virtual festival shedding light on stories by people of color. Three new short pieces will be selected which were created and to be performed and directed by people of color. At the conclusion of the festival, a diverse panel of judges, theatre professionals who are BIPOC, will select a winner who will receive a $500 stipend to be used to support further exploration of their work.

Any BIPOC playwrights interested in submitting should meet the following criteria:

- Plays should be no more than 45 pages in length

- Original pieces only

- Only complete, finished pieces will be accepted

- Plays should not have been previously published or performed

- No musicals

Please email your piece along with a headshot and resume to Beatriz Cavalieri, Abingdon’s Associate Director of New Works, at bcavalieri@abingdontheatre.org.

- Rehearsals and recordings will take place from November 1st to November 10th.

- Submission deadline: October 8th.

The Eccentric Bear is currently accepting submissions for our upcoming staged reading series: The New Play Cafe

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2021

Staged in local coffee shops throughout the five boroughs, New Play Cafe creates a cozy, come-as-you-are platform for playwrights in NYC and beyond. This round, we're looking for unproduced plays written in the past few years. So if you're an inexperienced writer with a big idea or a seasoned writer who just wants to try something new, we'd love to hear from you!

We are currently looking for unproduced plays written within the last three years (2019 or later). We will not consider plays about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plays should require no more than five actors. Solo plays will be considered.

Playwrights may submit up to two works for consideration. We will only be selecting one play per playwright.

Plays must be no more than 90 minutes in length.

Plays will be read throughout October/November/December (dates TBD). Each selected work will receive one performance.

Each piece will receive up to two 4 hour rehearsal periods prior to their performance date.
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Actors will be cast once play selection has been finalized. Please indicate in your submission if there are specific casting requirements.
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Writers are welcome to submit works in progress, however all plays will be read as received with no edits accepted between submission and performance.
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Playwrights do not need to be local to NYC nor are they required to attend any performance of their work.
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EBTC will make available to playwrights (upon request) any photos, media mentions, reviews, or any materials used to publicize their work.
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Playwrights will receive a $25 stipend for use of their work.

THE SAUK CALL FOR 'PLAYS-IN-DEVELOPMENT' SCRIPTS

Website

Deadline:  October 1, 2021 5PM EDT

Jonesville Michigan

The Sauk, Hillsdale County's Community Theatre, located in Jonesville, Michigan is seeking entries to consider for our eighth annual Plays-In-Development in 2022. We are seeking unproduced plays. These can be any style (comedy, drama, young audience and/or musical) and any length (one-act or full-length). It is understood (and expected) that changes will be made to the script between initial submission and performance.

The selected plays will first go through notes with the artistic director. A show-specific director will then be assigned. The director will work with the playwright prior to an audition draft being submitted. Auditions will take place in mid-June with two weeks of rehearsals prior to public readings. It is expected that the selected playwrights will be involved in the process and be in attendance for final rehearsals and the public reading in Jonesville, MI.

Playwrights are encouraged to make changes to their scripts throughout the rehearsal process (often handing in new drafts on a weekly or even daily basis). The public staged readings will take place July 1 and 2, 2022. Playwrights will be on site the week leading up to the readings. A royalty is provided to the selected playwrights and The Sauk will provide travel and lodging.

The goal of Plays-in-Development is to help playwrights improve plays that have yet to be produced. By working with a director and actors, the playwright can learn vital information about their work. After the public readings, playwrights are able to participate in a talkback with the audience. We want playwrights to leave the experience with positive and constructive feedback to improve their plays.

Please e-mail a draft copy of the script, a one paragraph plot description and playwright's contact information to Executive Director Trinity Bird at saukpid@gmail.com. Playwrights may submit up to three scripts. We are NOT looking for scripts intended to be performed online. Scripts with strong roles for teens are encouraged! Any script received prior to September 17, 2021 at noon must be resubmitted.

The submission deadline is 5 p.m. (EDT) on Friday, October 1, 2021.

The play selection committee will review all submissions and select the scripts to be part of the process. The selected plays will be announced on or before December 3, 2021.

To view our 2020 Plays-in-Development online readings and learn more about past Plays-in-Development, visit www.thesauk.org/pid.html.

SOOP to NUTS Short Play FESTIVAL 2021

web site

Deadline: September 20, 2021

Welcome to the 2nd Annual SOOP to NUTS Short Play Festival original short-play competition at our 530 Studios in Pelham, NY (28 minutes from Grand Central Station!)

FESTIVAL DATES: November 5th – 20th, 2021 at The 530 Studios, 530 Fifth Ave, Pelham, NY.

PRIZES: 1st place: $500, 2nd place: $250, 3rd place $100

NUMBER OF PLAYS: There will be 20 – 25 plays chosen as semi-finalists each receiving two performances (one evening / one matinee); 5 plays will be chosen for the final evening of competition.

LENGTH: one-act plays between ten and thirty minutes (no more or less!).

PARTICIPANTS: submissions may be made by any playwright, age 18 or older

FEES: there is no fee to submit, but if chosen, there is a $75 registration fee to participate

LANGUAGE: plays must be submitted in English

FORMAT: plays should be submitted in standard stage-play script format, saved as PDF file and submitted to info@sooptheatre.org

SUBMISSION LIMITS: Playwrights may submit only ONE play (please send us your best work!)
Original works ONLY! Plays may have maximum of 4 cast members, with minimal sets, costumes and props. No children’s/young adult plays. No musicals.

CASTING / REHEARSAL PROCESS: If chosen, you will be responsible for all staffing (casting, director, etc) and rehearsing of your piece. SOOP can recommend actors/directors, if need be, but make no guarantees that we can staff your piece! You are responsible for all rehearsal – SOOP will provide each play selected one free rehearsal slot in our studio space (schedule TBD), in addition to the required tech in the final week.

SOOP can provide small set pieces (chairs, tables, small loveseat, etc) as well as some more detailed props. A list will be made available to all participants. That said, we do ask that you keep ALL these requirements to a MINIMUM. Lighting will be a simple wash (lights up-lights down), sound cues can be used if provided.

REVIEW / JUDGING PROCESS:
1. All plays will be reviewed by SOOP administrative staff and the 20 - 25 semi-finalists will be chosen

2. Each of those selections will receive two performances during the first weekend (Nov 5 – 7) OR the second weekend (Nov 12 – 14).

3. Each evening’s audience will vote anonymously and the cumulative vote from both performances of each piece will determine our *5 finalists. (*Highest amount of votes from each set of five will determine the first four finalists, then the next highest vote recipient from ALL the evenings will be the fifth finalist)

4. The five finalists will perform on the final night of the festival (Nov 20th) and will be judged by a panel of theatre professionals comprised of playwrights, actors, directors (TBA)

DEADLINE: All scripts for consideration MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 9/20/21

(STN SPF, Feb/2020 Winners: 1st place, A Family Affair by Albi Gorn / 2nd place, Broken Birds by Sean O’Connor / 3rd place, Richard Nixon’s Neighbors by John Barrow)

Sable Network TV New Streaming App Presents Royalty Playwrights Pen Live Stream Festival

website

Deadline: September 20, 2021

Send via email to royalplaywrights@gmail.com

Celebrating Playwrights with honor and esteem
Date : Saturday October 30th, 2021
Premiering Live on Sable network t.v

Staged Reading of new innovative works, featuring selected Scenes that will be performed from the writers script. 

The staged reading / festival will select 7 playwrights whose work will be featured. All 7 playwrights also will be honored at the festival's v.i.p. reception.

Selected Playwrights will receive Full Staged production for the in person festival, April 2022 in addition to the Kick off Live Stream Staged Reading event October 30th, 2021.

Seeking new and emerging diverse playwrights the opportunity to see their work produced. Seeking Full length , 1 Acts, 10 minute shorts Dramatic, Comedic, Dramedy works only. LGBTA welcomed. 

If selected to participate in festival $140 requirement.

NO CHARGE to submit Work Samples.

We will provide the following,

1. Streaming Platform Sable network t.v on National and select international streaming app now available on ROKU, Apple T.V and Amazon Fire stick , Google Play
2. Actors, Actresses, Stage Managers, Directors, Press and media for the playwright, select footage of festival, standard playwrights program booklet , legit credit
3. In Person festival in Manhattan NYC April 2022

Deadline to Submit is Tuesday September 15, 2021 

Submit Samples only with contact number and email.

Audiences will have access to Watch the event Upon getting the 7 Day Free Trial , 1 week before the event Date October 30th, 2021

Festival full length production April 2022 will be held at legit theatre venue in Manhattan NYC!

https://sablenetwork.tv/pages/sntvlanding?action=show&controller=storefront%2Fpages&id=sntvlanding

2021 White Mouse 365 Women a Year Play Festival

web site

Deadline: September 26, 2021 11:59 PM EDT

Submission Form

White Mouse is ecstatic to announce that we will be hosting our 5th Annual 365 Women A Year Festival again this fall! So with that being said, we are officially making the call for play submissions.

We are requesting pieces with a 20 minute projected run time. Pieces with smaller cast sizes and that tell the stories of marginalized women (culturally, racially, sexually, and more) are encouraged. We want to produce projects that tackle relevant social issues and creatively challenge the bounds of normally staged shows. However, the ongoing pandemic has also presented several health and safety concerns that we are taking into consideration for our selections. Plays that are able to creatively reimagine their performance for a virtual setting will also have a better chance (though we do plan for the performance to be in person at this time).

Pieces that have been produced in the past are fine to submit. Unfortunately, we cannot offer payment but we will share programs, photos, and video of the performance to each playwright who has a play selected.

Any questions? Send us an email!
WhiteMouseTheatreProductions@gmail.com

College of Saint Mary seeks one-act plays

web site

Deadline: September 13, 2021

College of Saint Mary is accepting one act play submissions for the New Works Initiative.

The selected script will be published in the 2022 edition of The Saint Mary’s Review. The playwright of the selected script will receive a $250 guest lecture stipend and will join the cast via Zoom for table work. The winning script will receive a staged reading in Spring of 2022. The staged reading will be performed live and also recorded for digital release.

Spring 2022 – College of Saint Mary – One Act Play Theme:

The College of Saint Mary seeks one act plays with an emphasis on code switching. Code switching is a broad term, please feel free to approach the topic as you see fit. We are particularly interested in scripts that incorporate more than one language, with an emphasis on the inclusion of Spanish. Scripts may address any theme as long as code switching is utilized.

Guidelines for Submission:

• For full consideration, one act scripts must be submitted before Sunday, September 13, 2021
• Only one script per playwright will be accepted.
• Submission must include a 100-300 word description of how the script aligns with the CSM Mission.
• Submission must include a 100-300 word description of how the script aligns with the theme of this year’s Call for Plays (Code Switching.)

Formatting:

• The script must provide a character breakdown.
• The script must provide a brief description of the setting.
• The script must be unpublished.
• The script must not have previously received a fully-mounted production.

Script Parameters:

To best serve College of Saint Mary’s entirely female undergraduate population, we are seeking scripts that can be produced with an all-female cast.

Only one-act plays are being accepted.

Estimated production run time should be 90 minutes or less.

Selection:

• Submissions will be vetted by a small committee of CSM faculty, students, and staff.

• The winner will be announced in Fall 2021.

How and Where to Submit:

• Script and Title Page must be submitted to: sklocke@csm.edu 

• Subject Line (New Works Initiative)
• No other forms of submission will be accepted.

Script:

• Must be in 1 File
• Must include: Play title, cast list, and setting description
• Submission must include a 100-300 word description of how the script aligns with the CSM Mission.
• Submission must include a 100-300 word description of how the script aligns with the theme of this year’s Call for Plays (Code Switching.)

• Title Page:

o Must include: Name, Address, Email, and Phone Number

Please forward all questions to:

Sarah Klocke, MFA
Associate Professor
Program Director for Theatre and Communication College of Saint Mary
7000 Marcy Rd / Omaha, NE 68106

sklocke@csm.edu

Office Phone: 402-399-2619

“Take Flight” Festival

web site

Deadline: November 1, 2021

NOTE: In spite of their stated deadline of November 1, they ended their call for submissions recently.  NYCPlaywrights does not agree with the practice of failing to honor a stated deadline and apologizes for the inconvenience, although unfortunately we do not have any say in the matter.

Full-length OR one-act plays in any genre: comedy, drama, multimedia, etc.. Musicals will not be accepted at this time.

Translations, collections of one-acts, children’s plays and plays that have received more than two full-scale, professional productions prior to submission are not eligible.

• Plays with casts larger than 8 people and unfinished works or drafts will not be considered at this time.
• Plays that have had workshops, readings or non-professional productions will be accepted.
• Electronic submissions only please.
• Only one submission per playwright is allowed each year.
• Eligible play may be produced either virtually online or live onstage. 
• Please include the following information in one attached PDF file, not in the body of your email. 
• Please do not attach multiple files. 

Complete submission packages must include:

Your contact information; Your playwriting resume; Title of the play; Character breakdown and description including total number of characters; Time and place of the play; Synopsis (no longer than 1 page); a concise paragraph describing the development history of the play you are submitting (if any), and the full script.

Incomplete submission packages will not be considered.

Email your complete submission package to

DragonflyTheatreChicago@gmail.com by November 1, 2021.