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Friday, June 17, 2022
A+ Playwriting Contest For Teachers 2022
Labels: geographic restriction, payment, young audiencesDeadline: June 30, 2022
Fifty years as one of the leading play publishers for the educational market has taught us that some of our best-selling shows are written not by professional playwrights, but by teachers who create a play based on the specific needs of their drama program. Once published, these plays are quickly embraced by other teachers who share the same opportunities, challenges and limitations that seem universal in schools.
We want to encourage the development of quality plays written specifically by teachers and other educators. Our A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers is open to all teachers employed at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada. All plays submitted through this contest must have been produced within the past two years at the school where the playwright teaches.
Submissions will be accepted on an on-going basis with a June 30 cutoff each year. All manuscripts accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists. The contest winner, selected from contest finalists and announced September 30, will receive a $500 royalty advance and a one-time $500 donation to the school theatre program where the play was first produced.
Contest Rules
Only entries submitted in accordance with all rules will be eligible for consideration.
Playwright must be a current or retired faculty member at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada.
Only entries submitted with an Official Contest Entry Form will be considered.
Only entries that have been fully staged at the teacher’s school no more than two years prior to the submission date will be considered. We encourage you to take advantage of this production to revise your script as needed before submitting your manuscript.
All entries must be accompanied by proof of production in the form of a copy of the program, a newsletter or newspaper article, a review, a photo or a letter from the school principal.
Contest entries must meet all Pioneer Drama general guidelines and requirements for play submission, which can be found at pioneerdrama.com/playwrights/submit.asp.
Individuals currently published by Pioneer Drama Service are not eligible for this contest. Pioneer Drama Service employees and their families are also excluded.
All manuscripts submitted for this contest will automatically be simultaneously considered for our annual Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest, which is open to all individuals not previously published by Pioneer Drama Service. See pioneerdrama.com for more details.
Questions? Contact us at submissions@pioneerdrama.com or call 800-333-7262.
Friday, April 29, 2022
Call for Submissions: Seeing Ourselves on Stage: Amplifying Global Majority Voices in Theater for Young Audiences
Labels: ethnicity-based, readings, self-production, young audiencesDeadline: April 30, 2022
"Seeing Ourselves on Stage: Amplifying Global Majority Voices in TYA", part of NYU Steinhardt’s New Plays for Young Audiences (NPYA) series, seeks new and unpublished/unproduced global majority TYA scripts to showcase in a series of short unstaged/unrehearsed readings held this June on Zoom. These are designed to amplify and support global majority TYA plays and playwrights (see our mission statement here).
Please note that we define TYA as plays for audiences aged 5-18 where the intended audience could be, for example, 5-7, 10-14, or 15-18 as well as for families with youth in that 5-18 age range.
After the submission deadline closes on 4/30, a selected team of readers will choose the scripts to be showcased. Playwrights will be contacted by 5/30. The program will occur simultaneously with the regular NPYA series. Playwrights will work directly with the program’s coordinator (Tammie Swopes) to craft their participation in the program, including participation in a showcase of unstaged/unrehearsed selections from each chosen script to be presented on Zoom at a date/time TBD during the June series (between June 5-26).
NPYA will assist playwrights in securing actors for the unstaged/unrehearsed showcase but will be unable to pay them for their time (which will be approximately one hour).
Send us your submission here by April 30, 2022. If you’re uncertain if your script meets our guidelines or you have other questions, please contact NPYA’s producer, Teresa Fisher (taf263@nyu.edu).
Tammie Swopes, Program Coordinator (tls289@nyu.edu) David Montgomery, Artistic Director (dm635@nyu.edu) Teresa Fisher, Producer (taf263@nyu.edu)
Friday, April 15, 2022
CALL FOR PROPOSALS New TYA Musical Commission
Labels: commissions, musicals, stipend, young audiencesDeadline: April 30, 2022
(Will be reviewed on a rolling basis)
Theater for Young Audiences at 92nd Street Y (92Y.org/MusicalTheater) is seeking to commission musical theater writing teams for their 2021-2022 season.
Theater for Young Audiences at 92nd Street Y is a series of performances and discussions centering children as theaudience. Our shows are stimulating and compelling, using storytelling as a vehicle for building empathy, and learning essential life lessons. Our shows gather around movement as a shared language, a way to meet each other through the most universally shared experience: moving.
The commission requires writing a 40-60 minute performance piece for children and their families, envisioning choreography as an essential storytelling component in the play. Pieces should contain music as a theatrical element- both Musicals and Plays with Music are eligible.
● Piece should be unwritten original TYA musicals
● Piece should be age-appropriate, for ages 4+
● Piece will be performed in our 2022-2023 season by professional performers (over 18+), Cast/Director/Choreographer/Production provided by 92Y.
● Must be ready for pre-production in July 2022
● Creators retain all rights to their material, but allow 92Y a three-year exclusive option to produce the show with royalty payments.
COMPENSATION
The creative team will receive a minimum stipend of $2000 with increases based on experience and participation in community engagement programs.
To apply, please send:
● A proposal for your musical of no more than 1000 words, including your basic premise as well as how it will incorporate the required elements of movement, where movement is the vital element, and the story is told primarily through movement (as directed by the script).
● A ten-page sample of your writing, preferably something that has been intended for a youth/family market.
● A demo recording of a previous TYA collaboration
● Bio or resume of each member of the creative team
● A statement as to why you think you are a good fit for this project
● A description of your proposed timeline.
Send materials to Attn: Megan Doyle, Artistic Director, Mdoyle@92y.org (PDF and links preferred- please do notattach large files) or 92Y Musical Theater Attn: Megan Doyle, 1395 Lexington Avenue, NY, NY 10128
Saturday, April 9, 2022
Birmingham Children's Theatre New Voices Project
Labels: commissions, young audiencesDeadline: none given
BCT's ongoing New Voices Project has commissioned over 50 original scripts, stories, musicals and adaptations for young audiences since 1982 alone, and maintains a commitment to discovering new voices among playwrights, and the presentation and experimentation in dramatic literature for youth.
a copy of the entire script;
a synopsis of no more than one page;
a character breakdown;
music tracks and lead sheets (if a musical);
playwright’s resume and references.
Submissions with missing components will not be considered. All materials may be sent in electronic format or through the U.S. Mail to:
Birmingham Children’s Theatre
Attn: Rebecca Yeager
P.O.Box 1362
Birmingham, AL 35201
or via email to becca@bct123.org. No phone calls, please. Submissions will not be returned.
Sunday, April 3, 2022
25TH ANNUAL AURAND HARRIS PLAYWRITING AWARD
Labels: full-length plays, young audiencesDeadline: April 15, 2022
SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 25TH ANNUAL AURAND HARRIS PLAYWRITING AWARD WILL BE ACCEPTED MARCH 1, 2022- APRIL 15, 2022. Submissions will ONLY be accepted through the website.
This award was created in 1997 to honor the late Aurand Harris (1915-1996) for his lifetime dedication to all aspects of professional theatre for young audiences.
A panel of judges named by the NETC Executive Board will administer this award. A staged reading of the prize-winning scripts will be held along with the Annual Excellence in Theatre Awards ceremony.
RULES OF ENTRY
- The contest is open to all playwrights and is for new full-length plays for young audiences. No musicals nor plays targeted at adult audiences
- All plays will be submitted online to harris-award@netconline.org
- Plays submitted to the contest must not have been previously published
- submitted to NETC’s Gassner Playwriting Contest
- previously produced by a professional or Equity company.
- Plays submitted which have had workshop productions or staged readings are eligible and encouraged.
- Plays submitted to this contest may have been submitted to another playwriting contest, and may have previously won a prize or an award in another contest. However, such plays must not have been published or professionally produced and must not be under option for publication or professional production.
- Playwrights may submit only one play to the contest in one year.
The play must be submitted, along with:
- a statement that the play will not have been published or professionally produced as of May 1, 2022, and that it is not under option for publication or professional production and will not be under such option as of May 1, 2022.
- a list of the play’s workshop and non-professional productions, if any, and awards received, if any.
- ALL manuscripts and enclosures must be emailed to: harris-award@netconline.org
- Only manuscripts submitted electronically will be considered.
- Plays that do not meet the above requirements will not be considered.
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Theater for Young Audiences at 92nd Street Y
Labels: one-act plays, young audiencesDeadline: April 1, 2022
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Theater for Young Audiences at 92nd Street Y (92Y.org/MusicalTheater) is seeking to commission playwrights for a new series specifically designed to introduce 6-10 year olds to the exciting world of Shakespeare.
Theater for Young Audiences at 92nd Street Y is a series of performances and discussions centering children as the audience. Our shows are stimulating and compelling, using storytelling as a vehicle for building empathy, and learning essential life lessons. Our shows gather around movement as a shared language, a way to meet each other through the most universally shared experience: moving. Audience participation and a crafted handmade design remind children that they are essential creators in the story.
The commission requires writing a 40-minute performance piece for children and their families envisioning movement as an essential storytelling component in the play. Pieces should contain music as a theatrical element- both Musicals and Plays with Music are eligible.
- Piece should be an age-appropriate adaptation of a Shakespearian play. You do not have to use original language and can take some liberties with the context (“a play about Shakespeare writing As You Like It…”)
- Piece will be performed in our 2022-2023 season by professional performers (over 18+), Cast/Director/Choreographer/Production provided by 92Y.
- Must be ready for pre-production in June 2022
- Creators retain all rights to their material, but allow 92Y an exclusive option to produce the show with royalty payments negotiated each season.
- All’s Well that Ends Well
- As You Like It
- The Comedy of Errors
- Measure for Measure
- The Merry Wives of Windsor
- The Winter’s Tale
COMPENSATION
The creative team will receive a minimum stipend of $2500 with increases based on experience, attendance of rehearsals or performances, participation in community engagement programs.
To apply, please send:
- A proposal for your play/musical of no more than 1000 words, including your basic premise as well as how it will incorporate the required elements of movement where movement is the vital element, and the story is told primarily through movement (as directed by the script).
- A ten-page sample of your writing, preferably something that has been intended for a youth/family market. If you are proposing a musical please also include a demo recording of a previous TYA collaboration.
- Your bio or resume
- A statement as to why you think you are a good fit for this project
- A description of your proposed timeline, participation and fees
Send materials to Attn: Megan Doyle, Artistic Director, Mdoyle@92y.org (PDF and links preferred- please do not attach large files) or 92Y Musical Theater Attn: Megan Doyle, 1395 Lexington Avenue, NY, NY 10128
Thursday, January 27, 2022
Springville Center for the Arts Artsapalooza playwright commission
Labels: commissions, musicals, one-act plays, puppetry, stipend, young audiencesSpringville Center for the Arts is a multi-arts center located in Western New York State. Typical programming includes theater, gallery exhibits, concerts and workshops. Our main facility is an 1869 former church. Art’s Cafe is a secondary performance space, workshop, artist residency and public green roof centered around a bakery-cafe environment.
THE SCRIPT
- Assume a performing troupe size of eight or less plus musicians
- Piece may be original or an adaptation of a public domain work
- Piece will be performed outdoors in a mini-arts-carnival atmosphere
- Must be ready for pre-production in May
- Playwright retains all rights to the material, but allows SCA an nonexclusive option to tour the show for one season (10–15 shows)
- Should the play be published, credit for the development and commission must be given to SCA
RESIDENCY OPTION
SCA believes in the power of artistic residencies for both the creation of new work and to foster community appreciation for the arts. An ideal scenario places a playwright within the community for a period of time dedicated to creating work. The community is engaged with writing workshops or during initial rehearsals while refining the work. Housing is provided in our AIA award-winning space at Art’s Cafe. Additional funding is available for artists who engage in this residency program. Local artists may commute.
COMPENSATION
The playwright will receive a minimum stipend of $2000 with increases based on experience, attendance of rehearsals or performances, participation in community engagement programs, and full residency participation.
To apply, please send SCA:
- A proposal for your play of no more than 1000 words, but includes your basic premise as well as how it will incorporate the required elements
- A ten-page sample of your writing, preferably something that has been intended for a youth/family market
- Your bio or resume
- A statement as to why you think you are a good fit for this project
- A description of your proposed timeline, participation and fees
- If you have interest in the residency program, outline your ideal duration and possible community activities
Sunday, December 19, 2021
VI INTERNATIONAL PLAYWRITING CONTEST - TYA
Labels: award, young audiencesDeadline: December 20, 2021
The contest aims to encourage writers in the creation of bold and powerful plays for young people. The competition is open to all writers worldwide - there is no age or nationality limit for the entrants
The heart of this competition is the participation of playwrights worldwide, regardless of nationality, age, gender or language.
1. The competition is open to all writers worldwide and there is no age or nationality limit for the entrants.a) We do accept plays co-authored by more than one writer. Hereafter, ‘writer’ or ‘playwright’ means either a single writer or a group of writers in a collective work.
b) The participation of an underage writer must be authorised by the legal guardian.
2. The competition is restricted to plays for young audiences.
a) We do not accept plays for children or adult audiences.
b) We do not accept musicals.
3. Writers are asked to submit a play for either:
a) Category A (the play must cater for a performance time of no less than 60 min. and no more than two hours).
b) Category B (the play must cater for a performance time of no less than 30 min and no more than one hour).
b) Category C (the play must cater for a performance time of no less than 10 min and no more than 30 min).
4. The play can be written in any official language of the world.
5. The play must be a new and original piece of work. The play must not have been published in any form or awarded previously.
a) The copyright of the play must be owned and/or controlled by the entrant to the full extent necessary to enable Editorial DALYA to use the work as contemplated by these contest rules.
b) Performed plays can be submitted.
6. There is no fee to enter and no hidden costs for the entrants.
7. €12000 in prizes to be won:
a) Category A (4800€)
A cash prize of 2400€ for the writer, translation to another European language, publication and public reading, plus economic aid for performances and public readings of the play within two years after its publication.
b) Category B (3200€)
A cash prize of 1000€ for the writer, translation to another European language, publication and public reading, plus economic aid for the performances and public readings of the play within two years after its publication.
c) Category C (2000€)
A cash prize of 400€ for the writer, translation to another European language, publication and public reading, plus economic aid for the performances and public readings of the play within two years after its publication.
d) Shortlist (2000€)
The shortlisted plays will automatically be considered for publication in Editorial DALYA.
e) Awards cannot be shared or reduced, and the prize must be granted at least in one category.
f) The Jury may award Honourable Mentions without cash prizes to any play of the contest.
8. The competition opens on Wednesday 1 September 2021, with the deadline for entry being on Monday 20 December 2021.
a) We do accept up to three plays per writers.
b) Each entry must contain just one play.
9. The play may be submitted via links provided on ytpwc.edalya.com or on Editorial DALYA web page: www.edalya.com. (→Premios →Premio Teatro Joven).
a) The document must contain a front page stating:
1) The title of the play
2) The contest category (A or B or C)
3) Contact e-mail.
c) The writer's name must be deleted from the entry and document to facilitate fair, anonymous judging.
10. An updated list of the plays submitted to the competition will be published on the website of Editorial DALYA.
a) The Jury can change the category at his sole discretion.
b) The organization will send a notification to the writer to confirm that the entry has been accepted.
c) Writers whose plays are not listed or have not received the acceptance of the entry should notify the organization this by email.
d) The entries with no contact email or this is incorrect will be discarded in the finalists selection.
11. Shortlist. The evaluators will assess each play in accordance with the following criteria:
b) Promotion of tolerant coexistence among young people, and crafting discussions and problem-solving around their conflict issues
c) Factors that ease the production: cast, set, technical requirements...
12. A short list of 3-6 plays per category will be selected before Tuesday, 15 February 2022.
a) The writers of these plays will be notified by email after selection.
b) The awarded writer must re-submit the play, including personal details (name, headshot, address, nationality...) and CV in the front page.
c) Include the authorisation of the legal guardian, if applicable.
13. Starting Tuesday, 1 Mars 2022, the winner selection process will begin.
14. Winners. The evaluators will assess the shortlisted plays in accordance with the following criteria:
a) Topic (dramatic meaning, originality and adaptation of the topic to drama...)
b) Universality (issues of common interest, engagement, audience devotion…)
c) Number of previous performances (better: none).
15. The Jury will select the winners before Tuesday, 27 Mars 2022.
a) The writers of these plays will be notified by e-mail after selection.
b) The Jury’s verdict will be announced through the website of Editorial DALYA (www.edalya.com), its social network and the media.
c) The Jury’s verdict is final.
Thursday, December 16, 2021
The Growing Stage 11th Annual New Play-Reading Festival 2021-2022
Labels: full-length plays, musicals, one-act plays, young audiencesThe 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.
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.)
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.
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
Monday, November 22, 2021
Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking short scripts for young audiences.
Labels: payment, young audiencesGhostlight Ensemble is seeking short scripts (a maximum of 15 minutes) that are geared toward young audiences.
Playwrights will receive $25 per selected script.
Selected plays will be produced summer of 2022 as part of the third annual Make/Believe festival of theatre for children under our Nightlight banner. (Learn more about the 2020 festival here and the 2021 festival here.) This for live, outdoor performances.
Please pay close attention to the script requirements. Scripts that do not meet the following criteria will not be considered.
Requirements
A maximum of 3 actors per script.
Plays must have no technical demands, as this will be outside and there is no lighting or backstage area and minimal sound cues will be available.
Must fit our mission.
Geared toward children 10 and under. Please, NO scripts about high school students.
All props, set pieces and costumes must be easily made at home by actors (and children watching who want to stage their own productions at home).
Pieces can be previously produced, but cannot have a production running concurrently with Make/Believe.
Electronic submissions only, please. Submit cover letter with full contact information, short bio, brief synopsis of script including development and production history (if applicable) and full script to Maria Burnham at scripts@ghostlightensemble.com. Please use the following format in the email’s subject line: Nightlight Script Submission: [play name] - [playwright name]
The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2021.
Monday, November 1, 2021
Purple Crayon Players 14TH ANNUAL PLAYGROUND plays for young audiences
Labels: festival, young audiencesDeadline: November 5, 2021 11:59 PM CDT
APRIL 2022 - NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY'S EVANSTON CAMPUS
Purple Crayon Players (PCP) is pleased to present the 14th Annual Playground Festival of New Works this upcoming year! We seek to uplift new voices and stories in the theatre for young audiences.
WHAT IS PLAYGROUND?
PLAYground is a three-week play development process which culminates in a weekend long festival of staged readings, workshops, and post-show discussions of three new plays for young audiences.
PLAYground fosters the development of each script through partnerships between professional TYA playwrights and Northwestern undergraduate directors and actors, whether it is the work’s first reading or its final workshop before publication or production.
Purple Crayon Players sees PLAYground as an opportunity to empower new works and reexamine theatre-making practices to center care. We aim to help decolonize TYA by supporting artists with fewer layers of protection from oppression (vocabulary courtesy of Nicole Brewer’s Anti-Racist Theatre). Building a more equitable future begins with young people. We seek to expand what representation they can identify with and future worlds they can imagine. We recognize our own limits operating within a predominantly white institution and plan to work collaboratively with our communities to integrate listening and culturally responsive pedagogies into our processes and education. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or hopes for this process.
At least 15 hours of script analysis and workshopping by student cast and director before your arrival
Regular contact with your student director regarding the progress of rehearsals, tailored to meet your development goals
- Assistance funding your trip to Evanston, IL, for the festival weekend
- 2 days of in-person conversation, workshopping, and events with student directors, actors, and others in the Purple Crayon, Northwestern, and TYA communities during the festival weekend*
- Staged reading of your script and facilitated post-show discussion with audiences
- Post-festival feedback from audiences, student directors, and cast members
* At this time, Purple Crayon Players intends to host an in-person festival on the Northwestern University Campus in April 2022. Festival logistics are subject to change based on university, state, and local health guidance.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION:
Plays must be intended for young audiences (5-18 years old) - a play is not expected to appeal to this whole age range.
Scripts must be unpublished at the time of submission.
Scripts should be full length (at least 30 minutes) or intended to be developed into a full length piece.
Playwrights can submit up to 3 scripts. Each script must be accompanied by its own cover letter.
Musicals will not be accepted. Plays with music are permitted.
Plays will be evaluated blindly for semi-finalist selections.
A PDF cover letter detailing your contact information, production history of your play, your development goals for the play, and any other relevant information.
A blind PDF copy of your unpublished script. We request scripts without the playwright's name to avoid bias in the selection process.
TO SUBMIT:
Please fill out this Google Form to submit to the Playground Festival.
The deadline to submit is November 5, 2021 at 11:59 PM CST. Plays submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.
SELECTION OF SEMI FINALISTS AND FINALISTS:
Purple Crayon Players will narrow our submissions to a group of semi-finalists in mid November. We will alert you by the end of November whether or not your play has been selected for semi-familist standing.
We select our 3 finalists in collaboration with our 3 student directors. Finalists will be chosen in mid-December/early-January. All 3 finalists and the remaining semi-finalists will be notified by the end of January whether or not your play has been selected.
QUESTIONS:
Please contact PLAYgroundTYAfestival@gmail.com with any questions.
Jonathan Van De Loo, Literary Manager
Arella Flur, Playground Festival Producer
Monday, October 18, 2021
Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest 2021
Labels: contest, one-act plays, young audiences- 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.
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.
Sunday, October 10, 2021
Pegasus PlayLab 2022
Labels: full-length plays, young audiencesDeadline: October 15, 2021 11:59 PM
Pegasus PlayLab is a new play festival at the University of Central Florida dedicated to developing new works by MFA Playwriting candidates or emerging playwrights.
As an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, UCF encourages all qualified applicants to apply, including women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.
To be considered, please complete this form by 11:59pm on October 15, 2021. No late submissions will be accepted. Please limit submissions to ONE play per person. If more than one play is submitted, we will only accept the first submission.
Monday, August 23, 2021
BBC Children’s Animation is looking for fresh, bold, innovative new animation ideas
Labels: misc, young audiencesDeadline: September 1, 2021 11:59 PM
BBC Children’s Animation is looking for fresh, bold, innovative new animation ideas for a fully funded development opportunity.
You may be taking your first steps into animation, be a long-standing industry professional with something you’ve always wanted to explore or a production company or animation studio with an exciting new idea. Whatever your level of experience, They want to see your proposal with a view to developing it into an Industry Standard proof of concept with living breathing characters in a world that children will love.
Up to three ideas will receive full development funding to create two minute animated pilots which will be considered for a commission by BBC Children’s.
They’re looking for submissions from sole creators over the age of 18, collectives, animation studios, production companies, or anything in-between, where creatives would like to co-develop with the BBC rather than engage with the BBC via the usual commissioning process (where applicable).
If you’re a sole creator they can help you find a creative team to help build authentic and engaging characters and stories for Children in the UK and around the world.
The criteria for selection are wide and could include any of the following: originality, engagement for children, innovation, potential to run to multiple series, reaching an underserved section of our audience, international appeal, relatable storytelling and recognisable characters. But central to any idea must be that the stories, settings and characters represent the British culture and values.
How to submit your idea
Initial ideas must be submitted as a pdf document via the BBC Uploader on a single side of A4. Please note, they will not accept ideas via email or BBC Pitch. Read the BBC Uploader privacy notice (pdf).
In the first instance they would like to see a one-sheet for an animated series, targeting young audiences between 0-12 (0-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 or any combination of these targets). This should give them a sense of the premise, tone and world you’d like to develop. It can include both illustration and narrative but should be no longer than one side of A4.
Process and key dates
The deadline for submitting initial ideas is 11.59pm on Wednesday 1 September 2021.
All ideas will then be reviewed and shortlisted by the BBC Children’s Animation team and a panel comprising of the Director of Children’s and Education, Heads of Commissioning and Acquisitions for 0-6’s and 7-12’s and the Animation Development Executive will choose up to 20 ideas to receive funding for first stage development. .
This first stage development will comprise of creating a short series bible, a two-minute script, character designs and key background design.
They will then select up to six projects for second stage development.
The second stage will comprise creating a second two minute script, full pitch bible, character and background designs, a two minute animatic and animated test.
Up to three development projects will then be selected to go on to third stage development. This will consist of producing a two-minute broadcast quality animation pilot.
Projects will then be considered for commission by the relevant BBC Children’s Head of Commissioning and Acquisitions.
For more detailed information on how the scheme will work and your eligibility to participate please go to their website and read the Terms of Use (pdf).
Download the BBC Uploader privacy notice (pdf)
SUBMIT HERE
Saturday, August 14, 2021
SPIDER® magazine for ages 6–9 seeks plays for Outside of the Box
Labels: short plays, young audiencesDeadline: August 15, 2021
SPIDER®, a literary magazine for children, features fresh and engaging literature, poems, articles, and activities for newly independent readers. Editors seek energetic, beautifully crafted submissions with strong “kid appeal” (an elusive yet recognizable quality, often tied to high-interest elements such as humor, adventure, and suspense).
We have particular interests in stories that explore themes of identity (gender expression, ability, race and ethnicity, family structure including LGBTQAI+ and single parent homes, neighborhoods, beliefs, and traditions); global cultures and languages (current needs include South American, African, and Middle Eastern countries, island nations, and Native American nations); scientific and technological exploration and innovation; magical or interplanetary landscapes; cities and metropolitan areas; real kids doing real things; weird and sometimes gross stuff; and the creative spirit.
Outside of the Box
Deadline: August 15, 2021
At Spider (for ages 6-9), we love contemporary stories and poems, but we are excited to read more material that falls outside these popular categories. This might be plays, science fiction, or historical fiction and nonfiction. It might be simple, but inventive, activities like recipes, games, crafts, magic tricks, science experiments, or silly quizzes. It can be anything that defies categorization. We also enjoy stories or poems with accompanying hands-on activities or nonfiction components. Manuscripts must be 1000 words or fewer. Activities should be one to two pages and include reference photos.
Guidelines
Before submitting, be sure to familiarize yourself with our magazines. (Sample copies are available for viewing at the Cricket Media Store, or you can order a current issue by calling 800-821-0115.) Issues are also available at many local libraries.
Fiction Stories and Plays
We seek fiction of all kinds: fantasy, folk or fairytale, sci-fi, historical, humorous, or realistic. Whether the setting is long-ago or contemporary, or the protagonist is a shy newcomer, clever trickster, class clown, fantasy creature, or superhero, characters and the worlds they inhabit should be complex and believable. Plays should have 2–6 characters so that a child could feasibly perform the play at home with family or friends.
Length: 300–1000 words
Sunday, May 16, 2021
A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers
Labels: contest, geographic restriction, young audiencesFifty years as one of the leading play publishers for the educational market has taught us that some of our best-selling shows are written not by professional playwrights, but by teachers who create a play based on the specific needs of their drama program. Once published, these plays are quickly embraced by other teachers who share the same opportunities, challenges and limitations that seem universal in schools.
We want to encourage the development of quality plays written specifically by teachers and other educators. Our A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers is open to all teachers employed at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada.
Submissions will be accepted on an on-going basis with a June 30 cutoff each year. All qualifying manuscripts accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists. The contest winner, selected from contest finalists and announced September 30, will receive a $500 royalty advance and a one-time $500 donation to the school theatre program where the play was first produced.
- Only entries submitted in accordance with all rules will be eligible for consideration.
- Playwright must be a current or retired faculty member at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada.
- Only entries submitted with an Official Contest Entry Form will be considered.
- Only entries that have been fully staged at the teacher’s school no more than two years prior to the submission date will be considered. We encourage you to take advantage of this production to revise your script as needed before submitting your manuscript.
- All entries must be accompanied by proof of production in the form of a copy of the program, a newsletter or newspaper article, a review, a photo or a letter from the school principal.
- Contest entries must meet all Pioneer Drama general guidelines and requirements for play submission, which can be found at pioneerdrama.com/playwrights/submit.asp.
- Individuals currently published by Pioneer Drama Service are not eligible for this contest. Pioneer Drama Service employees and their families are also excluded.
All manuscripts submitted for this contest will automatically be simultaneously considered for our annual Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest, which is open to all individuals not previously published by Pioneer Drama Service. See pioneerdrama.com for more details.
Questions? Contact us by email or by calling 800-333-7262.
Monday, May 10, 2021
Powerstories Theatre Inaugural Voices of Youth Festival seeks original full-length plays and short works
Labels: monologues, new media, reading, self-production, young audiencesDeadline: May 15, 2021
A $10 fee applies and we offer scholarships to waive the fee (select "need a scholarship" in the submission form.
Plays in-theatre open to all Florida children and teens ages 8-18, virtual showcase shorter works open to all
We are seeking original full-length plays for in-theatre and we seeking shorter original works of scenes, monologues, spoken word, song, dance with original music for a virtual showcase
The length of plays wanted is 45-90 minutes
The length of shorter works is 5-7 minutes
Artist will have option of full production or staged reading
Playwright may submit more than one play, but new fee applies
Play cannot be produced three months before or after festival
Submitters will be notified about their submission on May 30 by email, on our website, and on Facebook
Playwright will self-produce; however, if director is needed, we will help you find one
On July 19 – August 1, we will highlight ten plays that feature young performers. For play submission, we are open to all subjects, and special consideration is given to plays that present diverse casting. If you have a concept in mind but aren’t comfortable directing your work, do not let that hold you back from submitting. We will find a director for you.
Plays should have had no professional production in the Tampa Bay area before submission or, if accepted, have professional production scheduled within three months of debut with the Voices of Youth Theatre Festival. (If the play has had a workshop production, please include this information in your application.)
For our virtual showcase of shorter performance pieces (written for monologues, scenes, and spoken word artists) we are open to all subjects. For singers and dancers, music must be original and family-friendly. If you don’t fall into any of these categories, but still have a piece that you want to present, please submit your registration under “Other.” We’re excited to see something we haven’t thought of before or that is brand new to the performing arts.
Now, more than ever, we know it is our responsibility to give young artists a voice, a safe and creative outlet for self-expression. We look forward to your submission.
FOR ARTISTS: A CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS BY MAY 15, 2021
Powerstories Theatre is seeking submissions for the Inaugural Voices of Youth Theatre Festival scheduled for July 16 to August 1, 2021. Submissions are due by May 15, 2021. All submissions will be reviewed by an artistic committee, and selections will be announced by May 30, 2021 or sooner. The overall quality and development of the submission will be the main criteria for selection. Registration is $10.00. However, if a scholarship is needed for the entry fee, please don’t hesitate to ask. If accepted into the festival, parent, guardian, or educator must provide approval, if under 18 years of age. Teachers may collect submissions and submit on behalf of their students.
Each young playwright will be responsible for casting, directing, mounting the show in the theatre, and if applicable for pre-recorded submissions, recording the show via Zoom or other means, and editing for submission to the festival. If an artist would appreciate assistance from a local director, Powerstories will match the artists with an experienced director.
For in-theatre productions, Powerstories Theatre will provide our stage for final performances, rehearsal time, technical assistance, marketing, box office assistance, high-quality live-streaming, and a copy of the live stream video. However, each playwright is responsible for all design elements, supplies and construction for any minimal and necessary set pieces, props, costumes, and miscellaneous items for their production.
Examples of submissions include the following:
Original Play Submissions:
- Your own original play presented as either a full production with a minimal set or a staged reading performed in theatre with or without a small socially-distanced audience or a pre-recorded performance using digital platform provided by Powerstories
- For a play, the ideal length is 45 to 90 minutes to allow for one full evening or matinee. Other lengths will be considered. For a play, six performers maximum on stage, if selecting to use the theatre. No limit on the number of characters if producing digitally. Playwrights must be willing to have in-theatre performance live-streamed.
- Each play production will receive one matinee or evening to present.
Shorter Original Work Submissions:
Your own original work will be performed live in our virtual festival showcase. The maximum length of the performance is 5-7 minutes and one minimum length for the following:
- Original Scene – Performed live virtually in talent showcase using digital platform provided by Powerstories
- Original Monologue – Performed live virtually in talent showcase using digital platform provided by Powerstories
- Original Spoken Word – Performed live virtually in talent showcase using digital platform provided by Powerstories
- Original Song – Performed live virtually in talent showcase using digital platform provided by Powerstories
- Original Dance – Created with original music, performed live virtually in talent showcase using digital platform provided by Powerstories
- Other Original Works – Performed live virtually in talent showcase using digital platform provided by Powerstories
PLAY SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- New plays must be original.
- Unless student is reimagining the concept to make his own idea, plays that copy the exact plotline of existing movies, TV series, and books will not be considered.
- The play should tell a story using dialogue to show opening, action, and resolution. Play needs beginning, middle, and recognizable end.
- The play should be set for a black box theatre with minimal set and limited set changes, if any
- Cover sheet of play should have title, student’s name, parent/guardian’s telephone number and parent/guardian’s e-mail. The student’s information should not appear anywhere else in the script.
- First page should provide name of characters and brief description of personality.
- Please do not list the character’s physical looks and attributes. Actors portraying characters may not be able to match the identities.
- Plays must be typed, pages numbered, and double-spaced.
- Complete the registration form, including the fee or scholarship request, include the play or performance piece saved as a PDF file, and mail to fran@powerstories.com.
SHORTER WORK FESTIVAL REQUIREMENTS
Spoken word, scenes or monologue must be original.
Submissions must be typed, pages numbered, and double-spaced.
With completion of registration form and submission of fee or scholarship request, spoken word or monologue, should be saved as PDF file and/or video clip. Send entire script in PDF and/or video clip to Fran@powerstories.com.
Cover sheet of spoken word, scene, or monologue piece should have title, student’s name, parent/guardian’s telephone number and parent/guardian’s e-mail. The student’s information should not appear anywhere else in the submission.
Complete the registration form, including the fee or scholarship request, include the play or performance piece saved as a PDF file, and mail to fran@powerstories.com.
Song, dance, and other talent entries should be saved as video clips. Send video clip submissions to Fran@powerstories.com along with registration form, registration fee or scholarship request as submissions above.
ABOUT THE THEATRE
The theatre is a black box theatre with a 26 x 13 acting stage. We will provide artists with stage lighting, sound, projection options, and a list of stock set pieces that are available in our theatre. If you are bringing set pieces and props, they must fit in a small van for ease of moving in and out of the theatre. If selected, artists will receive more detailed technical information.
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Aurand Harris Memorial Playwriting Award 2021
Labels: full-length plays, young audiencesDeadline: May 1, 2021
A CONTEST FOR NEW FULL-LENGTH PLAYS for YOUNG AUDIENCES ENTRY DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2021 WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT: OCTOBER 2021
This award was created in 1997 to honor the late Aurand Harris (1915-1996) for his lifetime dedication to all aspects of professional theatre for young audiences.
A panel of judges named by the NETC Executive Board will administer this award. A staged reading of the prize-winning scripts will be held along with the Annual Excellence in Theatre Awards ceremony.
RULES OF ENTRY
- The contest is open to all playwrights and is for new full-length plays for young audiences. No musicals nor plays targeted at adult audiences
- All plays will be submitted online to harris-award@netconline.org
- Plays submitted to the contest must not have been
- previously published
- submitted to NETC’s Gassner Playwriting Contest
- previously produced by a professional or Equity company.
- Plays submitted which have had workshop productions or staged readings are eligible and encouraged.
- Plays submitted to this contest may have been submitted to another playwriting contest, and may have previously won a prize or an award in another contest. However, such plays must not have been published or professionally produced and must not be under option for publication or professional production.
- Playwrights may submit only one play to the contest in one year.
The play must be submitted, along with:
- a statement that the play will not have been published or professionally produced as of May 1, 2021, and that it is not under option for publication or professional production and will not be under such option as of May 1, 2021.
- a list of the play’s workshop and non-professional productions, if any, and awards received, if any.
- ALL manuscripts and enclosures must be emailed to: harris-award@netconline.org
- Only manuscripts submitted electronically will be considered.
- Plays that do not meet the above requirements will not be considered.
Friday, April 16, 2021
Drama Notebook: Submission Guidelines for 2021
Labels: young audiencesThank you for your interest in submitting a play to Drama Notebook.
Due to a huge influx of plays during the past two years, we are currently only accepting the following types of work:
- Plays based on popular works in the public domain, such as: Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, The Jungle Book, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Anne of Green Gables, The Scarlet Letter, The Sword in the Stone, The Velveteen Rabbit, Swiss Family Robinson, etc.
- Works based on authors in the public domain such as: Beatrix Potter, Agatha Christie, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jane Austen, etc..
- Plays for kids in Spanish or French.
- Plays of a timely or educational nature, such as: Christmas plays, Chinese New Year play, Valentine’s Day play detailing the origins of Cupid, plays that explain nature, geography or science, etc.
If you have any questions as to whether your work will fit our guidelines, feel free to reach out to us on our contact page.
~INFORMATION FOR SUBMISSIONS~
Have you written plays for kids and teens and simply want to have them used and performed?
Drama Notebook is accepting play script submissions from playwrights, teachers, and actors who have written scripts or scenes for children and teens. We are building a huge library of royalty-free, high-quality scripts for use in educational settings.
Most drama teachers pay for materials out-of-pocket, and cannot afford to pay royalties, per-script fees, video fees, etc. By sharing your work, you will be benefiting thousands of educators in over 100 countries.
We can either license your script for a small fee, or purchase the copyright for a slightly larger amount. This is not life-changing $ to be sure, but you will experience the joy of knowing that your work is being performed by students all over the world.
When we publish your script, we include your bio, a link to your website (if applicable), and a way for teachers to contact you when their students perform your play!
Ready to submit your plays?
1. Download more detailed information below.
2. See an example of a formatted script.
3. Download our handy script template (optional).
4. Fill out the play submission form.
What to expect after submitting your play…
We will write you right back and let you know that we received your piece, and will read it and get back to you as soon as possible. If your script is accepted, we will send out a simple license or copyright agreement, complete your payment and get to work on formatting your play. It usually takes a few weeks to publish each script.
Sunday, December 27, 2020
V INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR YOUNG THEATER WORKS
Labels: one-act plays, prize, young audiencesThe Contest aims to encourage writers in the creation of bold and powerful plays for young people. The spirit of this competition is the participation of playwrights in terms of equality, regardless of nationality, age, gender or language.
Contest Rules:
ELIGILIBITY
1. The competition is open to all writers worldwide and there is no age or nationality limit for the entrants.
a) We do accept plays co-authored by more than one writer. writer or playwright eans either a single writer or a group of writers in a collective work.
b) The participation of an underage writer must be authorised by the legal guardian.
2. The competition is restricted to plays for young audiences.
a) We do not accept plays for children or adult audiences,
b) We do not accept musicals.
3. Writers are asked to submit a play for either:
a) Category A. The play must cater for a performance time of no less than 60 min and no more than two hours.
b) Category B. The play must cater for a performance time of no less than 30 min and no more than one hour.
4. The play can be written in any official language of the world.
5. The play must be a new and original piece of work. The play must not have been
published in any form or awarded previously.
a) The copyright of the play must be owned and/or controlled by the entrant to the full extent necessary to enable Editorial DALYA to use the work as contemplated by these contest rules.
b) Performed plays can be submitted.
7. 10000 in prizes to be won:
a) Category A ( 4800)
A cash prize of 24 for the writer, translation to another European language,
publication and public reading, plus economic aid for performances of the play
within two years after its publication.
b) Category B ( 3200)
A cash prize of 10 for the writer, translation to another European language,
publication and public reading, plus economic aid for the performances of the
play within two years after its publication.
c) Shorlist 2000)
The shortlisted plays will automatically be considered for publication in Editorial DALYA.
d) Awards cannot be shared or reduced, and the prize must be granted at least in one category.
e) The Jury may award Honourable Mentions without cash prizes to any play of the
contest.
HOW TO ENTER
8. The competition opens on Thursday 1 October 2020, with the deadline for entry being on Thursday 31 December 2020.
a) We do accept up to three plays per writers.
b) Each entry must contain just one play.
9. The play may be submitted via links provided in ytpwc.edalya.com or on Editorial DALYA web page: www.edalya.com. (→ Premios→Premio Teatro Joven).
a) The document must contain a front page stating:
1) The title of the play.
2) The contest category (A or B).
3) Contact e-mail.
b) Include the authorisation of the legal guardian, if applicable.
c) The writer's name must be deleted from the entry and document to facilitate fair, anonymous judging.
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