The International Human Rights Art Festival seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2026

New York NY

Seeking 10-minute, 2-character (only) plays, on any human rights concern, to be a part of a special event at this year's International Human Rights Art Festival (December 12, 2026).

Five playwrights will receive $50 each and two comp tickets to see their play produced.

The International Human Rights Art Festival is pairing with And Scene to present a unique evening of theater on Saturday, December 12, 2026, 7 pm at the Wild Project, as part of a yearly Festival. The show will be followed by a party.

Specifically, And Scene Producer Mick Szal will bring together New York's top improvisers and actors from Broadway, TV and beyond perform scenes. The catch: one of the actors will be "on (your) book," while the other will be completely improvising. The actors will know their lines and the improvisers will improvise with no prior knowledge of the scenes. (The format was inspired by Stephen Rudy and was originally performed under the name "Gravid Water" at UCB.)

Please send your 10-minute, 2-character play WITH NO ATTRIBUTION (BLIND SUBMISSIONS ONLY) to hello@humanrightsartmovement.org, with the subject line of your email with your last name_play title (Beckett_WaitingForGodot) for consideration.

Deadline September 30, 2026. All decisions by November 1.

LoveNotes! seeks monologues for February 2027 show

Website

Deadline: October 24, 2026

LoveNotes! Real Stories. Real People. Real Love.® is thrilled to announce a submission opportunity for our upcoming storytelling show and companion anthology.

LoveNotes! is returning to the off-Broadway stage on Saturday, February 13, 2027 at the Triad Theater (shows at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM for the 4th Annual All Star Show. Storytellers will be paid $50 per show, plus an additional $50 for stories selected for the anthology (for 36-month exclusive rights).

We are seeking true, personal stories of romantic love—from first love and second chances to heart-breaking, hilarious, or against-all-odds tales. We strongly encourage diverse voices to submit.
 
Submission Requirements:

- Your story must be true.
- Your story must be 700 words or fewer for the live show.

Audition Details:

- In-Person Auditions: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 1-4 PM at Ripley Grier Studios (131 W. 72nd St, Studio 3F). You must reserve your audition slot by signing up HERE.

- Self-Tape Auditions: Submit via WeTransfer to heather@lovenotesworldwide.com by Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 1 PM (find more details HERE)

If you prefer not to perform live but would like your story considered for our anthology or podcast, you may email your story (1,000 words or fewer) to heather@lovenotesworldwide.comwith "LoveNotes! Book/Podcast" in the subject line.

Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2026

Website

Deadline: September 15, 2026

-Please send two hard copies, bound or stapled, blind submission (removable cover page with title, author and all contact information) with page numbers and the name of the play on each page to:
Sundog Theatre, “Scenes 2026”, PO Box 10183, Staten Island, NY 10301.

-Submissions should include a brief play synopsis (2-3 sentences at most), a 70-word bio, and a full resume of the writer.

Sundog Theatre in NYC is seeking one-act plays for “Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2026”

This is Sundog Theatre’s 25th presentation of new and original, one-act plays about our favorite boats.
This year’s theme: Anniversary!

Plays can be comedies or dramas. However, humor is always appreciated.

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 a 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, as well as limited and easily accessible props/costumes, and no unusual sound or lighting effects.

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

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

Theme: Anniversary!

Submission Guidelines:

-We are not accepting plays electronically. Reasons: hard copies are easier to pass around/make notes on; protects your work; can’t get lost in email chains; and…easier on reading eyes. We will let you know by email that we have received it.

-NO SUBMISSION FEE

-6 plays are chosen by a reading team; writers each receive $200 and plays are produced in five November 2026 performances in Staten Island, NY. Plays are cast in NYC, rehearsed, and performed on stage.

-Playwrights of selected plays will be contacted in September and their names/play titles listed on Sundog Theatre’s website in Fall 2026.

Please direct questions to: info@sundogtheatre.org/Susan Fenley, Producer.

Trinity Theater Company 5th Annual New Works Festival 2027

Website

Deadline: August 17, 2026 at 5PM PDT

SUBMISSION FORM

Join us for the Fifth Annual New Works Festival, a multi-day celebration of original plays, staged readings, and exciting theatrical experiments—all crafted by rising playwrights and boundary-pushing storytellers.

This year’s theme is: What Comes Next. We invite original plays and musicals that explore moments of change, choice, transformation, and the possibilities of what comes next.

There is no travel stipend for out-of-town/non-local playwrights. Instead, I may participate virtually through Zoom or other preferred videoconferencing.

Selected playwrights will be paid by Trinity Theatre as follows:

10-minutes & one-acts - $50/performance

full-lengths - $100/performance

The 5th Annual New Works Festival will be presented April 8-11, 2027 at Trinity Theatre in San Diego, CA

Ten-Minute Musicals Project 2026

Website

Deadline: August 31, 2026

Since the inception of The Ten-Minute Musicals Project, over eighteen hundred submissions have been received in the annual competition, from librettists, lyricists and composers in seventeen nations: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South Africa, Ukraine, the United States and Uruguay.

Stories 1.0 is a continually evolving full-length musical comprised of works selected in the first many rounds. Several works in Stories 1.0 were collectively workshopped in San Francisco, New York, Miami, and Nashville over the years. Individual segments have been independently workshopped or produced in Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, London, New York, Los Angeles and Boston.

SEEKING: Complete original stage musicals which play between seven and twenty minutes. Works which have been previously produced are acceptable, as are excerpts from full-length shows, if they can stand on their own.

MUSICAL STYLE AND THEATRICAL FORMAT: Any musical style: pop, rock, show, opera, C&W, etc; or theatrical format: comedy, mystery, drama, etc. (Note: with original music only—so no parody songs.)

CAST SIZE: Maximum of ten performers—five women and five men.

SUBMISSIONS SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

1. A printed script. (Note: printed on paper; not sent as a computer file on disk.) And please make sure your POSTAL ADDRESS appears on it.

2. A CD or DVD of either the entire piece or just the musical material. (Please don’t send a USB flash drive.)

3. A stamped self-addressed large envelope if you want the work returned.

4. More than one work can be submitted at a time, in the same envelope or separately.

CONCERNING THE ABOVE, PLEASE NOTE: NO ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS — HARD COPIES ONLY

DEADLINE: Simply postmarked by August 31st. (Do not waste money on overnight express, registered, or certified mail. All that’s requested is that the package be postmarked by August 31—but even if you’re just a day or two late, don’t worry. This is not some officious arts bureaucracy.) Responses will be mailed by November 30th to every creator or creative team whose work was recieved.

FINANCIAL REMUNERATION: $250/US royalty advance for each piece selected, with an equal share of licensing royalties when produced.

SEND TO:

The Ten-Minute Musicals Project
Michael Koppy, Producer
P.O. Box 461194
West Hollywood, CA 90046 USA

Uncharted Series seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: August 10, 2026 at 12:59 PM

UNCHARTED SERIES SUBMISSION FORM

The East Carolina University School of Theatre & Dance is seeking submissions for its Uncharted Series of new plays with dynamic roles for college-aged actors.

Seeking full-length plays that have at least five characters, with no more than one of those characters outside the age range of 15-25.

We are seeking plays that center the experience of late adolescence/early adulthood – where it is important that the characters are in that specific age range, rather than plays with characters that could be played by actors of any age.

Plays must be unpublished and unproduced (i.e., not performed in front of a paying audience). Readings and workshop productions are fine.

Selected plays will receive a staged reading as part of the ECU/Loessin Playhouse’s 2026-2027 season, with possible full production in future seasons. Playwrights will receive a $100 royalty for the reading along with travel support if they wish to participate in the rehearsals and/or reading in person.

If you have any questions, please contact ECU/Loessin Playhouse Artistic Director Kitt Lavoie at lavoiec25@ecu.edu.

Go Try Play Write July 2026

Website

Deadline: July 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The prompt for July 2026 is a morning-after prompt:

Write a 10-page maximum scene about a hook-up between a couple. It’s the morning after and either one of them or both of them feel it was a horrible mistake. What makes it a mistake? Anything goes. Let your imagination flow and most importantly, HAVE FUN! We are excited to see where your creativity leads you.

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!

Ominous Thrill seeks feminist radio plays

Website

Deadline: July 15, 2026

Submit to: ominousthrill@gmail.com

Use the NAME of your story in ALL CAPS in the subject line.
Include the WORD COUNT in the body text.
If the story is written in THIRD PERSON, indicate WHY the story is best told that way.

Attach the story as a Microsoft Word (.doc) file; or other universally editable format. No PDFs.

• Use Calibri 14 or similar consistent font.
• Do not paste the story into the email body.
• Make sure your story is ATTACHED before sending.
• Proofread thoroughly; excessive errors or poorly formatted submissions may be rejected.
• Include the phrase “devious audio delight” in the body of your email.
• Personal notes about why this story matters to you are not necessary - but always welcome.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Preference for Dramatized Audio Plays.

NARRATED STORIES:
First person is best for audio - we want to be as close to her/them and their experience as possible.
Third person can be considered ONLY if it's genuinely the best way to tell that story. If nothing is lost by transitioning a third person story to first person, it should be in first person for our production.
Second person... oh, you wanna go there? Wow us.
Present tense!

FEMINIST & INTERSECTIONAL HORROR AND DARK FICTION

CHARACTER-DRIVEN:
Thrillers·Horror · Suspense
· Feminine Rage & Fury· FemGore · Erotic Horror·Weird Girl·Surrealist & Transgressive·
· Queer / LGBTQAI+·Under-Represented Voices·Good For Her / Them

Stories from authors with lived experience where the horror, thrills and suspense
ride or die with social / political critique.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION:
stories passing the RAE WILDE TEST
(any story where men have no meaningful impact on the plot)

WORD LENGTH:

2,000 – 8,000 OUR SWEET SPOT
Up to 10,000 words will be considered if the story earns its length.

PAY:
.05/wordACCEPTED ORIGINAL WORK

Original, unpublished stories appearing nowhere else in any form.
.02/wordACCEPTED PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

Stories that have appeared elsewhere in any form - print, digital, podcast, or otherwise.

RIGHTS:

YOU RETAIN FULL RIGHTS

YOU KEEP FULL RIGHTS TO YOUR STORY.
WE ASK FOR A 3-MONTH AUDIO EXCLUSIVE PERIOD FOR THE OMINOUS THRILL PODCAST ONLY.

OUR AUDIO PRODUCTION

OMINOUS THRILL RETAINS EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO OUR AUDIO PRODUCTION OF THE STORY - NOT THE STORY ITSELF.

AUDIO-FIRST STORIES

PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO STORIES NOT PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED FOR AUDIO, BUT ALL STORIES ARE WELCOME.

YOUR CREDIT

YOU WILL BE CREDITED IN THE AUDIO AND SHOW NOTES AS WRITTEN BY…
IN THE CASE OF HEAVY ADAPTATION BY US, THE CREDIT WILL BE STORY BY…
EITHER WAY, SHOW NOTES WILL INCLUDE A LINK TO WHEREVER YOU'D LIKE LISTENERS TO FIND YOU.

You will be notified as soon as possible if your story is selected.

BRING US YOUR STORIES OF
FEMININE RAGE AND RECLAIMATION.

We want to give them a vivid sonic voice.

Go Try Play Write - June 2026

 Website

Deadline: June 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 June 2026 is a Rip Van Winkle prompt:

Write a 10-page maximum scene about a person who wakes up in the future to find that something we know is bad for you at present is found to be good for you in the future. Smoking, hydrogenated fats, micro-plastics, climate change, whatever is currently detrimental to us. Have fun.

Seeking Radio-Drama adaptations of Cosmic/Eldritch Horror for Halloween 2026 anthology

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2026

Scripts must be submitted via email to info@pmrp.org in either PDF, DOC, DOCX, or Google Doc format. 

The Post-Meridian Radio Players, based in Eastern Massachusetts, is seeking original scripts of Eldritch/Cosmic Horror (in the vein of Call of Cthulhu, The Thing or similar stories.) PMRP’s work pays homage to the golden age of radio, and our productions take place as staged readings before a live audience, with sound effects performed live. Since 2005, we have brought original and public domain radio plays to life in our distinctive format, which includes script-in-hand actors and live foley artists. Submissions are free, and playwrights can submit more than one.

If all you have is a paper script, please scan it into PDF. We won’t be accepting submissions via physical mail.

Scripts should be roughly 30-45 minutes in duration. 

Script must be a radio theatre adaptation of a public domain. If you don’t know whether the work you adapted is in the public domain, just ask us. We’ll research that for you. (Works first published in 1928 or earlier are definitely in the public domain in the US.)

Scripts must be in English. No musicals, please.

Scripts should be free of most blocking or other stage direction meant for a fully staged production. Our shows are performed at microphones, with the full cast and foley team visible to the audience at all times. If you’ve never adapted for radio theatre before, please don’t worry about getting the format right the first time. If selected, we’ll work closely with you to turn your script into a radio script (we’ve even adapted silent films for radio!).

Please avoid sending scripts that contain characters or music under copyright from different fictional universes/franchises. As an example, we don’t want to see mash-ups containing characters from Rocky Horror, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc, nor published music under current copyright.

Playwrights whose work is selected for production will be paid a royalty of $15 per performance. We most often have 6 performances per run. Submissions are welcome from anywhere in the world, but you must be able to legally accept your royalty payment in US funds. You will also receive a comp ticket to see a performance, should you wish.

In addition to (non-exclusive!) performance rights, PMRP retains (again, non-exclusive!) rights to record and sell or otherwise distribute (e.g., on our podcast) recordings of the performance, but all other script rights (including ownership) remain with the author(s). Scripts may be revised as needed for the performance and PMRP retains all performance rights including director choice, casting and sound design.

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

Dappled Things magazine seeks fiction and drama

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

You may submit one fiction piece at a time. 

Please wait until you have received a response before sending more work. We recommend that you look through previous editions of the journal to get a sense of the type of work we tend to favor. You may use this category to submit short stories, flash-fiction, and drama. 

Dappled Things pays $100 per published piece in this category.

Please include a byline in your cover letter that we can use in our contributor notes if your piece is selected for publication.

Dappled Things is a Catholic magazine of ideas, art, and faith, and this raises the question of what Catholic culture is in the first place. Rather than give you a pat answer, we invite you as a contributor to help us explore that question. You should, however, keep in mind the following:

• Catholicism has a profoundly rich history; we tend to favor pieces that seriously engage and are informed by those riches. At the same time, we seek work that does not simply put old wine into new wineskins. Rather, we encourage innovation that is in reverent creative conversation with the riches of Christianity’s tradition in art, thought, and practice;
• We cherish wit, but have little patience for pretentiousness, cynicism, or sneering. We expect that, at their core, pieces published in the magazine will grow out of a love and understanding of the cardinal virtues of wisdom, justice, temperance, and fortitude; the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love; and the redemptive theme that transpires from the Nicene Creed.
• At the same time, we value work that is truthful through and through, meaning that it explores reality honestly and unflinchingly, without whitewashing or sugarcoating. To unveil the truth about the beauty and goodness of the world, one must not hide the facts of the Fall;
• Pieces need not be overtly religious to be eligible for publication. Remember that Catholic means universal;
• Whatever else your piece succeeds in doing, quality of craftsmanship is a sine qua non.

Dixon Place HOT Festival: NYC Celebration of Queer Culture

Website

Deadline: May 14, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

🔥 HOT Festival provides opportunities for queer-identified performers working in all mediums.

⭐️ HOT Festival will be presented at Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie St, between Rivington and Delancey, New York, NY 10002.

🔥 HOT FESTIVAL encourages creators of queer identity, working in all performance forms to submit. The proposed work should meet the following criteria:

🌈 The work is new or recently re-worked with primarily new content. If invited to participate, artists should plan to show the work described in the proposal.

🔥 What HOT FESTIVAL Will Do for You:

🏡 Provide a fully equipped performance space. Your work will be staged in one of two fully equipped performance spaces: The Lounge or The Mainstage.

⏰ Tech rehearsals are in the afternoon on the day of performance.

🔥You must also provide a stage manager.

☎️ Your performance will be featured on our website and included in weekly newsletters.

💰 Artists fees will be paid out to lead artists between $75 and $125 dollars.

DP will make best efforts to provide an archival video of your performance, at no cost to you. If you need video for funding purposes, we recommend you tape your show as well.

We hope you & your comrades will stick around after the show in DP's cozy Lounge. Social interaction with the audience is encouraged and patronizing our bar helps us keep the lights on!

29th Annual Festival of Originals

Website

Deadline: April 15, 2026 11:59pm 

The TSW-FOO is FREE to enter and will once again be calling for short one act (20 minute) plays in any and all genres from all over the country and the world. 

• Each playwright may submit up to 2 plays for consideration.
• All entries should be unpublished and not previously produced in the Houston area.
• All Genres are accepted. But Light comedies are encouraged.
• Monologues or One Actor plays are not accepted.
• Plays should be 20 minutes in length (give or take a minute or two).
• Page count should be no less than 17, but no more that 22 pages. 12 point font (Courier, Arial, or Times New Roman) and use Standard Playwriting Format.
• There is no maximum limit of characters or sets, but common sense should be used as 5 plays will be produced in one evening.
• Number all pages of the script(s) and they MUST be securely bound by three hold punch with braids or three hole punch folder. NO STAPLES!
• Scripts must be submitted by postal mail ONLY. Emailed PDF or Word files will not be considered.*
• Scripts (heard copies) cannot be returned.

NOTE: *We apologize for the inconvenience of mailed in hard copies for all domestic entries, but the TSW-FOO does make exceptions for overseas entries. if you are entering from a country outside of the United States you may email a PDF to: mimiholloway@gmail.com

This is also the email to address any questions.

Be sure to include your contact information; phone number, email, and mailing address on the title page of each script.

List all characters with a brief character description.

Please include a one paragraph synopsis of the play.

Make sure all mailed entries are POSTMARKED by April 15, 2026.

Overseas entries must be emailed before 11:59pm April 15, 2026.

One hundred dollars will be paid to all playwrights selected for production.

Scripts should be mailed to:

Theatre Southwest
3939 Hillcroft Ave STE 160
Houston, Texas 77057-7759

Attn: TSW-FOO

The Sauk Plays in Development 2026 seeks full-length and one-act plays

Website

Deadline: March 20, 2026 5PM EDT

The Sauk, Hillsdale County's Community Theatre, located in Jonesville, Michigan is seeking entries to consider for our twelfth annual Plays-In-Development in September 2026. 

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 early-August 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 process (often handing in new drafts on a weekly or even daily basis). The public staged readings will take place on September 4 and 5, 2026. Playwrights are expected to be on site the week leading up to the readings starting on Monday, August 31, 2026. 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 no more than two scripts. We are NOT looking for scripts intended to be performed online. Plays may not have had a public reading and/or performance in the past. Classroom and non-public readings are fine.

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 May 1, 2026.

Anaconda Ensemble Theatre Groundwork Reading Series. NEW Play Submissions (2026 - 2027 Season)

Facebook Page

Deadline: March 2, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Formerly titled the Community Reading Series, series is a professional but community-based project, with affordable tickets and the shows will be performed in locations where "theatre typically isn't" such as coffee shops, hotels, bed and breakfasts, bars/breweries, shops, restaurants, cafes, and more! Past series were held at the Hickory House Inn, Coffee Corral, the Washoe Theater Lobby, the Copper Village Museum and Art Center gallery space, The Bighorn Bottle Shop and Wine Bar, Sweet Pea Bridal, Gunslinger Gulch, Copperhead Lodge, Forgotten Times Barbershop, Discover Anaconda Visitors Center, Anaconda Yoga, Pintler’s Portal Hostel and The Revolver Bar (upcoming).

We aim at actually or thematically fitting all he plays into the locations they are playing and are interested in plays that are at a place in their journey that requires a financial investment for forward movement of the piece. AET pays all of their collaborators, so we are seeking pieces that are ready for that step; fully formed ideas that can benefit from a workshop experience.

** if you are submitting more than one piece, please submit them on separate forms**

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We are looking for NEW plays that have never had a fully staged production, but they can have had table reads or staged readings. The plays will hopefully, but don't necessarily have to, fit into our location or categories listed here:

1) The Montana Hotel (Anaconda Restoration Association to perform June 2026) the location is an old hotel that was owned by Marcus Daly at the center of town. We have one play already for this location, written by a Butte writer, but other possible themes/types of theatre include, but are not limited to: the past, Montana history, Montana hotels, local engagement/local development, investing in your community etc. Note: One play has already been selected for this location because of previous collaborations. We are only looking for ONE piece for this location.

2) The Metcalf Senior Center (to perform August/September 2026): this location is our LOCAL Senior Center.Possible themes/types of theatre include, but are not limited to: community service, volunteering, senior centers, looking back at the past, thriving at a certain age, etc.

3) Everett Cook Law (to perform November 2026): this location is a locally owned and operated law firm. Possible themes include: lawyers, lawmaking, trials, legal mishaps, etc.

4) The Northern Hall Taproom (to perform between January - February or April 2026): this location is a locally owned and operated bar. Possible themes/types of theatre include, but are not limited to: a night at the bar, first dates, chance meetings, etc. Note: One play has already been selected for this location because of previous collaborations. We are only looking for ONE piece for this location.

WHO CAN SUBMIT**
We are looking for plays written by writers from anywhere! However, as always, strongest consideration given to writers from Montana, an then to those in the Pacific Northwest and the Mountain West area.

ABOUT YOUR PIECE
- Plays that are written (we are NOT taking outlines or partially written pieces. Plays can be first draft and ready to edit, however.)

**Note: we are looking for plays excited to be workshopped. We do NOT typically produce plays for this that have been fully produced**

- Plays that are between 20 mins and 75 mins (roughly max 60 pages) (NOTE: We cannot take pieces longer than 60 mins for Northern Hall Taproom or The Montana) A good note: we are trying to create nights of contrasting pieces. We rarely do longer plays - so caution when submitting things that are too long or too short.

- Plays must only engage 1 to 4 actors plus an actor to read stage directors (doubling of characters is encouraged!!) Note: We often get asked why we put a number on this. We want to engage as many spaces as possible, and larger casts make that impossible! Additionally, AET needs to raise funds for these pieces, are we are budgeting based on that 4 person per play model.

- Actors can be anywhere from ages 7 and up - but we will not accept any full youth shows or children's theatre pieces (but use of a young artist in a piece or TYA encouraged!)

- Plays that are looking for feedback to get to the next step in their theatrical journey - AET collects feedback and you will receive that feedback in 1 to 2 weeks post performance.

- Note: While we are wanting pieces that are open to adjustment and workshopping, we can no take plays that aim to get significantly longer during the process. We select pieces based on the length presented.

WHAT WE OFFER
$100 for the rights for one performance plus a $50 travel/food stipend if you choose to come to the performance, if you are local. If you are local, you will also get two comp tickets to your performance. While AET does house locally, we reserve that mostly for our actors and directors. In a rare occasion will we be able to house a writer, so please do NOT count on this.

During the process, you have the opportunity to be as hands on as you wish to be! Also, feedback from your performance to use for future drafts.

Note: While we aim to be as accommodating as possible, we cannot film pieces to be viewed later. At times we have been able to Zoom writers into final performances, but we cannot guarantee this, it all depends on the technical capabilities of the spaces we are in.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW

Application Deadline by March 2nd, 2026

Selections made by and offered by March 30th, 2026 - you will have 1 week to make a decision

Have questions? Shoot an email to jackie@anacondaensembletheatre.com!

Go Try PlayWrite February 2026

Website

Deadline: February 28, 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 February 2026 is a Frank prompt. Here’s a quote:

“Terrible things are happening outside. At any time of night and day, poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. They’re allowed to take only a knapsack and a little cash with them, and even then, they’re robbed of these possessions on the way. Families are torn apart; men, women and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared. Women return from shopping to find their houses sealed, their families gone.”

This is a translation of a quote taken from the The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. Let it inspire you to write a 10-page maximum scene or an eight-page maximum monologue. Whatever you write does not need to be set in 1930s or 40s Europe. It could be Minnesota, Hawai‘i, or wherever. That’s it.

Murmuration Theatre Company is seeking health and wellness themed short plays and one acts

Website

Deadline: February 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

Please submit PDF copies of scripts via the google form about e, and feel free to reach out to murmurationtheatreco@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. 

We will not consider (and will flag writers who submit) pieces that are sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise bigoted.

Murmuration Theatre Company is seeking plays for our 2026 First Flight Showcase centered around toxic wellness culture, healthcare disparity, body image, and other health, wellness, or beauty issues. Murmuration is particularly interested in exploring how individuals with diverse perspectives navigate a wide array of health and wellness issues, including capitalism's push to make wellness product-centered, rhetoric tying health to morality, inequality in the healthcare system, and the role extreme opinions in media have in shaping these narratives & our internal monologues.
Shows must...

- have had no prior full stagings in New York State
- have a page count between 2-40
- have a cast size between 2-10

The shows selected will be cast, staged, and directed by Murmuration's creative team. Simultaneous submissions are accepted; a new form completion is required for each piece. Playwrights selected for our upcoming production will be paid a small fee per public performance of their work.

*Solo Shows, Theatre for Young Audiences, and Musicals will not be considered.

*New writers as well as writers with voices that have historically been underrepresented in the theater industry (gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, ability status, etc.) are encouraged to apply.

Strongbox Theater second annual short play festival.

Website

Deadline: January 8, 2026

Submit a PDF via email to info@strongboxtheater.com

Seeking 10-minute plays

Strongbox Theater is now accepting submissions for its second annual short play festival. 

Only comedies will be considered for this year’s show. 

All plays will be fully produced. Playwrights will be paid a $100 fee for accepted plays. 

Please submit only one of your best comedies. This is your opportunity to be a big part of Strongbox history as we produce our first production in our long-awaited theater. 

We are expecting sold-out nights. 

Spring Shorts: Savannah Country Day School Upper School Ten-Minute Play Festival

Website

Deadline: December 19, 2025

Performance Dates: April 23–25, 2026

The Upper School of Savannah Country Day School is seeking submissions of original ten-minute plays for our upcoming festival, Spring Shorts! Selected plays will be fully staged and performed by Upper School students in April 2026.

We are committed to the best-practice standards set forth by the Dramatists Guild for contests and festivals, including open, fair, and transparent procedures. Submissions will be accepted without reference to the author’s identity (judging is blind), and every playwright will receive notice of their submission status. We are seeking unpublished plays (previous productions are welcome), and all selected scripts will be performed by high school actors, so content and casting requirements should reflect that. Because this is a festival setting, technical simplicity is preferred. By following these principles, we aim to provide an equitable, professional, and artistically supportive opportunity for all participants.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION

• Eligibility: Open to all playwrights. Plays must be suitable for performance by high school students.
• Length: Running time should be between 9–11 minutes.
• Format: Please submit scripts in standard play format, as a PDF. Your name should appear only on the title page. Submissions will be read and judged blind.
• Number of Submissions: Playwrights may submit up to two plays for consideration.
• Compensation: A royalty of $25 per performance will be paid for each play selected.

SELECTION PROCESS
A panel of students and faculty will review all eligible submissions. All playwrights will be notified of their submission status by January 30, 2026.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Email submissions to: playsubmissions@savcds.org

• Subject line: Spring Shorts Submission – [Play Title]
• Attach your play as a PDF file. Ensure your name does not appear anywhere in the document except the title page.

Questions may be directed through Facebook or emailed to playsubmissions@savcds.org.