Emit Theatre seeks interactive plays for young audiences

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Deadline: June 1, 2020

We are accepting original scripts that have not been previously produced, as well as concepts for devised pieces, from NYC-based artists. This production will be performed for public audiences in Fall 2020 and subsequently toured to schools and community groups. The selected applicant will be compensated with a stipend.

Submitted stories must center a population that has been historically underrepresented in theatre. Inspiration for the piece can include but is not limited to: a folk tale, legend, piece of music, visual art piece, or historical event.

Requirements for submissions:

• For young people within the age range of 4-11.
• 40-60 minutes in length.
• Can be performed with 1-3 actors.
• Appropriate for up to 70 audience members.
• If submission is an original script, it must be finished and ready for rehearsal (although the script is free to continue developing throughout the process).
• Must include specific opportunities for interaction throughout. Examples of appropriate interaction include but are not limited to: call and response, group movement, posing questions to the audience, or bringing a small group onstage to help with a task.
• Must be able to become a sensory friendly, relaxed performance

It is desired that applicants have experience with interactive performance, but it is not required. The selected applicant will train with Artistic Director Gianna Cioffi to develop the interactive elements of the piece in harmony with Emit’s style and community.

Application deadline is June 1, 2020. A decision will be made by July 1, 2020.

Submission is via this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSczP0hdGqZF71Ne6pvXtSbAZQsiQnsDXpXLdhv-yz3gLFhE6g/viewform

Aurand Harris Memorial Playwrighting Award 2020

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Deadline: May 1, 2020
Milford, Connecticut

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

1. previously published
2. submitted to NETC’s Gassner Playwriting Contest
3. 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, 2020, and that it is not under option for publication or professional production and will not be under such option as of May 1, 2020.
• 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.

Notre Dame Performing Arts New Play Festival

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Deadline: July 15, 2020

South Euclid Ohio

Notre Dame College Performing Arts will host its annual National Playwriting Festival in November 2020, showcasing unproduced plays and musicals for young adults and children.

A national search has begun, looking for the best and most promising theatrical works relevant to young audiences today. The two-day festival will consist of 3-5 staged readings of previously unseen theatrical works, and will take place in the Regina Auditorium on the Notre Dame College campus.

A winner will be chosen through committee/audience voting and will receive a $500 prize, as well as the opportunity to present fully-staged production during the subsequent NDC Spring Semester.

The winner of the 2019 Notre Dame Performing Arts New Play Festival, "MIDNITE" by Rory Leahy and Rena Hardy, received its world premiere production February 2020.

Beginning March 15 of each year, the Notre Dame College New Play Festival will begin taking digital-copy submissions of new plays and musicals. The Director of Theatre will ensure the submitted materials follow specified criteria (see below) and will pass the play to 7-person panel who will judge the merits of each work.

All playwrights will be notified of the status of their submission in September and promotion about the chosen material will begin thereafter.

The festival will take place in late November.

The productions will be showcased in a reader’s theatre format open to the public. The winner will be chosen by the selection panel, with consideration given to an audience vote, and announced at a reception upon conclusion of the festival.

The winner of each season’s new Playwriting Festival will receive a fully-developed and produced show as part of the NDC Spring Semester.

A cash prize of $500 will be awarded to the winner dependent upon funding.

Criteria

- There is no submission fee for the Notre Dame College New Play Festival

- Submission deadline is July 15 of each year. Scripts received after that date will be considered the following year.

- 3-5 finalists will be selected on October 1 of that year and their names will be posted to the Notre Dame College website and social media platforms at that time.

- Must be a full-length play/musical for children or young adults without a prior production

- A brief synopsis must be sent together with a complete digital manuscript. Submission must include a contact phone number and e-mail address on the play’s title page. No hard-copy submissions will be accepted.

- The play must be at least 1 hour and no longer than 90 minutes.

- The play must be appropriate for audiences of all ages.

- Dramas, comedies and farces (with or without music) are welcome.

- Only ONE work per author may be submitted each year.

- Cast size limited to no less than 4 or more than 22.

- The plays selected will be acted by our student actors with a mix of regional artists where necessary. Plays that can be effectively cast within our market will be considered favorably.

- Playwrights who are questioning whether or not their play is a good match for the Notre Dame New Play Festival are strongly encouraged to contact Director of Theatre Pierre Brault at theatre@ndc.edu before submitting.

- All plays that are not selected for the festival will be held on file for 2 years.

- All qualifying submissions will be read by five to seven readers.

Be advised that the following are not considered qualifying submissions:

• Screenplays submitted as theatrical plays
• Plays with excessive profanity or violence or are inappropriate for youth audience members

Notre Dame College 2020 New Play Festival Timeline

March 15 – Begin accepting submissions

July 15 – Submission deadline

October 15 - Finalists announced

November - Annual Notre Dame New Play Festival

Length: 60-90 minutes
Cast Size: 4–24
Age Appropriateness: all ages
Unproduced Work Only?: Yes

Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest

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

This is an ongoing contest, with a winner selected by June 1 each year from all eligible submissions received the previous year.  

All eligible plays accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists, from which the winner will be selected.  The contest winner will receive a $1,000 royalty advance in addition to publication.

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

Contest entries must meet all general guidelines and submission requirements.

Submission Guidelines

We accept unsolicited manuscripts that meet the parameters defined in these guidelines.  However, we prefer for you to send us a query letter if you are not submitting through one of our playwriting contests.  You can also start the submission process by contacting us here.
We will only consider manuscripts with a running time between 20 and 90 minutes.
Submissions must be family friendly in both subject and language.  NO cursing.  NO explicitly adult content.

We prefer casts that are either balanced or favoring females.  The more gender neutral roles, the better.

We favor plays and musicals with ensemble casts, where more than just a few have a chance to shine.
Plays with elaborate set, costume or technical requirements are not appealing because of the limited resources of many of our customers.  Pictures, sketches or descriptions of your vision are always helpful.

We recommend your submissions have had at least one production or reading, hopefully staged.  We feel this fundamental field test is necessary before a play can be considered for publication since plays are created for the purpose of performance.
Manuscripts must be computer-printed in dark ink.  We do not require specific formatting.  However, your efforts to ensure your script is free of misspellings and typos will help the submissions editor.
We hope that Pioneer Drama is your first choice as a publisher, and we encourage you to submit to us exclusively.  However, we do accept simultaneous submissions with the understanding that you will accept the first contract you’re offered and not use the situation to seek multiple offers from which to choose.  If you receive another offer, please notify us immediately so we may rescind your submission.

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

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

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

The following information must accompany your submission or query:

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

Please send your query or manuscript and accompanying information to:

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

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

The Robert J. Pickering Award for Playwriting Excellence 2019

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This annual award was established to honor past member and playwright, Bob Pickering, and to provide a vehicle for playwrights to see their works produced. Over 30 plays have been produced over since 1984. $200 is awarded for first place, $50 for second place and $25 for third place.

Deadline:

Manuscripts must be received by December 31st

Types of plays accepted

Full length, unproduced plays and musicals. Children’s plays accepted. Unable to return without a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Selection Process:

Chairman and committee members read and review each entry and select ten finalists from which the first, second and third place winners are chosen.

Production:

Branch County Community Theatre reserves the right and agrees to produce the first place winner in this yearly competition. First place winners are required to sign a production contract.

Production House:

BCCT productions are staged in the historic Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater, Michigan. Built in 1882, Tibbits is a completely restored 500-seat proscenium theater.

Send submissions to:
Branch County Community Theatre
14 S. Hanchett St.
Coldwater, MI 49036

Rising Sun Performance Company seeks plays for young audiences

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Submissions for Plays for Children/ Theatre for Young Audiences for their 2020 season on Governors Island.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 8TH 2019

$150 ROYALTY PAYMENT FOR SELECTED WORK

Rising Sun Performance Company will be curating and presenting a full season of new work in partnership with Governors Island and NYC Parks Department. Our House will be being a flourishing Artist Residency acting as a hub for new work development and artistic creation. Allowing Audiences and Creators to Meet, Merge and Share ideas and dialogue.

Performances will be held in Governors Island, NYC
(Permit Pending)
May through October 2020 (two to three times weekly)
These performances will be presented to the public for Free, (Donations accepted)

We are looking ONLY for Plays that fit the needs and requirements for Theatre for Young Audiences/Family Friendly plays.

Plays will be vetted by Literary Team and Ensemble Members.

Seeking Family Friendly works that meet the following criteria:

• Material should be intended for and appropriate for young audiences and Family friendly
• Play should be adaptable to both inside and outdoors performances
• Cast Age range should be adaptable, understanding our ensemble is 20s-40s
• Especially looking for plays with strong female characters
• Especially looking for plays with diverse characters in race, gender identity and age
• Cast size should be no larger than 4-6 people.
• Running time should be 30-50 Minutes in length
• No more than 50 pages in length

We are not seeking musicals at this time, but are open to plays with musical elements

Plays that do not fit this most of these criteria will not be read

Submission Guideline; Please include the following:

Cover Letter, including your contact information
Play Synopsis
Cast breakdown
Script in word or PDF format
Any other pertinent information (Playwright bio, list of previous productions, etc)
Please resubmit even if you have submitted in the past.

Electronic Submissions only. Please No Phone Calls or Direct Mail

To Submit your work: Email Script as attachment to rspliterarymanager@gmail.com

Subject Line should be formatted as: Children’s Play- Title, Author Name
Deadline for Submission is December 8th 2019

Writers retain full rights and credit for all work produced.
A signed rights agreement granting RSP permission to produce is required for selected work.
A One-time Rights/Royalty Fee of $150 will be given to selected Play/Playwright

IV INTERNATIONAL PLAYWRITING CONTEST

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Editorial DALYA announces the IV International Playwriting Contest, which aims to encourage authors in the creation of bold and powerful plays for young people.

Contest Rules:

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, ‘author’ means either a single author or a group of authors in a collective work.
b) The participation of an underage author must be authorised by the legal guardian.

2. The competition is restricted to plays for the young audience i .

a) We do not accept plays for children or adult audiences, other literary genres or musicals.

3 The participation of a play is restricted to one of the following options:

a) The play must cater for a performance time of no less than 60 min. and no more than two hours in category A.
b) The play must cater for a performance time of no less than 30 min and no more than one hour in category B.

4. In both categories, the entry may consist of a collection of independent plays, either of the same author or different authors.

a) Hereafter, 'play' means either a single play or a collection of plays.
b) The collection may be submitted as it is a full-length play for the category, taking into account each play must be 15 min. long or more.

5. Plays can be written in any European official languages.ii

6. The play must be a new and original piece of work. The play must not have been published in any form, or awarded, previously and its copyright 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.

7. The competition opens on Sunday 15 September 2019, with the deadline for
entry being on Sunday 15 December 2019.

8. Awards. The author of the winning play will be awarded:

a) Category A (5000 € iii): A cash prize of 2400€, plus the translation to
another language, publication and public reading or dramatization of the play
b) Category B (3500 €): A cash prize of 1000€, plus the translation to another
language, publication and public reading or dramatization of the play.
c) Awards cannot be shared or reduced, and the award must be given at least
in one category.
d) The shortlisted plays will be published. Editorial DALYA can publish these
plays in any of the official languages of Europe.
e) The Jury may award Honourable Mentions without cash prizes to any play
of the contest.

9. There is no fee to enter and no hidden costs for the entrants.

10. We do accept up to three plays for authors. Each entry must contain only one
play.

11. The play may be submitted via links provided in ytpwc.edalya.com or in
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 iv.
3) Contact e-mail.

b) Second and subsequent pages: The play.
c) Include the authorisation of legal guard, if applicable.
d) The author's name must be deleted to facilitate fair, anonymous judging.

12. An updated list of the plays submitted to the competition will be published on
the website of Editorial DALYA.

a) The organization will send an email to confirm the author that the entry has
been accepted.
b) Authors whose plays are not listed or have not received the acceptance of
the entry should notify the organization this by email.
c) The entries with no contact email or this is incorrect will be discarded on
Sunday, 22 December 2019.

13. The judges will assess each play independently and anonymously in
accordance with the following criteria:

a) Quality of dramatic text and audience appeal (characters, dialogue, story
development, style, rhythm…).
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...
d) Innovative language and plot.
e) The play has not been staged v.

14. Short-list. A short list of 3-6 plays per category will be selected before Tuesday,
31 December 2019. vi

a) The authors of these plays will receive an email after selection.
b) The author must be re-submit the shortlisted play, including in the front
page personal details (name, address, nationality...) and CV.
c) The shortlisted plays and the name of the authors will be announced then.

15. The Jury shall announce the verdict before Wednesday, 31 January 2020.

a) The Jury’s verdict will be announced through the website of Editorial
DALYA (www.edalya.com), its social network and the media.
b) The Jury’s verdict is final.

16. The payment of prize money will be made in the year 2020.

17. Editorial DALYA retains the right to produce any of the awarded plays in years
2020-2021 without payment of royalties.

18. The awarded participants commit making mention of the award in their future
publications or performances of the play.

19. Awarded entrants commit themselves to sign a Publisher-Author agreement vii
with the customary terms of Editorial DALYA.

20. By entering the Prize, the awarded entrants grant non-exclusive permission to
Editorial DALYA, its sponsors and any members of the media to use their name
and CV, and extracts from the submitted work in publicity and reporting.

21. Entrants are bound to inform the organisation about award or publication of
their plays before the announcement of the Jury’s verdict.

22. By entering into the competition, each entrant agrees to be bound by the
contest rules. No communication or correspondence will be entered into
regarding the non-awarded plays.

23. By entering into the competition, entrants warrant their plays will not infringe
any copyright or intellectual property rights, it does not violate any personal
privacy regulations, and it does not violate the rights of any person or entity.

24. The competition is subject to applicable laws and regulations about tax rates.

25. The competition and its rules will be governed by Spanish law.

Notes:

• i Suggested: ages 12 -21; at this stage of life a certain kind of freedom or legal right (civil, sexuality, to work…) is obtained, although parental dependence is held. In practice, this coincides with secondary and university studies. However, subjects such as marriage with girls, child prostitution, child soldiers or the like may be acceptable for the contest.
• ii The spirit of this competition is the participation of any author in terms of equality, regardless of nationality, age, gender or language
• iii Prize worth is estimated. Style revision of play translation is included. The prize does not count royalties for the author of the publication.
• iv The Jury may change the category in its sole discretion.
• v Performed plays can be submitted. In the event of being awarded, this release contest organization of the obligations in 8.a or 8.b
• vi The awarded participants authorise the Jury and the contest organisation can read their personal details.
• vii Plays will be published in the book series of theatre, named “Antonio Mesa Ruiz”

Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking short scripts for young audiences

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Ghostlight Ensemble is seeking short scripts (a maximum of 15 minutes) with strong female characters that are geared toward young audiences (under 12).

Priority will be placed on scripts that are ethnically and culturally diverse, that do not require complicated sets or costumes and that fit our mission.

This is open to playwrights in any geographic area.

NO FEE.

Selected plays will be produced as part of a festival of theatre for children under our Nightlight banner in early February.

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 November 1, 2019.

The Growing Stage Theatre New Play-Reading Festival Submission 2019

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Submissions OPEN till Oct. 1st.

This project is open to any unpublished and unproduced TYA scripts to be considered as one of four plays to be featured in the New Play-Reading Festival this coming season at The Growing Stage Theatre – The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey.

The New Play-Reading Festival is a wonderful opportunity for artists to have their unpublished works presented before an audience, in a play-reading scenario, by a cast consisting of both professional and amateur actors on two separate rounds during our season.  After each reading, there is a dialogue among the audience, performers and playwright, if present. After 2nd Round of play readings, one of the four scripts are then selected to be presented as a fully mounted production in The Growing Stage’s 2020-2021 season!

Plays should be intended for young audiences through high school age and have a minimum performance length of approximately 45 minutes.

Scripts may be previously workshopped, but must be unpublished and not committed to publication.
Supporting materials (resumes, photos, reviews, etc.) should not accompany submissions.

Playwright may submit up to two scripts.

We do ask that scripts be submitted via email as a PDF to Danny Campos, New Play-Reading Festival Director at newplays@growingstage.com

The playwright’s name must not be visible anywhere on the script.  Please include the playwright’s name, address, phone, and play title in your email submission.

If you choose to send a manuscript via mail please note that the script cannot be returned.  Playwrights should include a self-addressed, stamped postcard for confirmation of receipt of their scripts.

Musicals are eligible.  Submissions must include a sample recording of the music and lyrics.  Please do not send a written score.

Playwrights shall allow the release of their names, addresses, and play titles to The Growing Stage.
If your script submission is an adaptation, we do ask that you also please include proof that you have permission from the author to adapt their work.
Mailed submissions should be sent to:

Danny Campos
The Growing Stage – The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey
PO Box 36
Netcong, NJ 07857

newplays@growingstage.com

Creede Repertory Theatre’s Headwaters New Play Program

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One-third of CRT’s productions are new works, and every year CRT commissions a new show for its celebrated Young Audience Outreach Tour (YAOT). The goal of this program is to bring theatre to thousands of kids in rural and underserved communities throughout the Southwest while creating an exciting opportunity for emerging playwrights. Bilingual (English/Spanish) plays are preferred, but not required. With 35 years of successful productions we are looking for playwrights interested in working among a collaborative artistic team.

We are accepting submissions for the 2020 Young Audience Outreach Tour and if you would like to be considered for a commission, please, submit the following by September 1, 2019:

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
• Cover sheet with your name, contact info, and a synopsis
• 10-20 page excerpt
• Cover letter that indicates experience in the following: touring shows, theatre for young audiences, and/or plays that have been produced.
• Please specify whether you are submitting for YAOT or The KID Show
• Electronic versions are preferred
• Email materials to CRT’s Education Director Brittni Shambaugh Addison

The Young Audience Outreach Tour develops plays with two actors and based on core curriculum subjects. The following are past curriculum subjects: history of US Presidents, the science of flight, the geography of the United States, the water cycle, the importance of math and literacy, history of the Southwest. For more information on previous productions check out our YAOT page.

YAOT MAIN PAGE

For questions or to submit materials contact Education Director Brittni Shambaugh Addison at brittni@creederep.com.  Electronic versions are preferred. Hard copies should be mailed to: Creede Repertory Theatre, Attn: Brittni Shambaugh Addison, P.O. Box 269, Creede, CO 81130.

New Plays for Young Audiences seeks new unpublished and unproduced full-length play scripts

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Beginning July 1, 2019, New Plays for Young Audiences seeks new unpublished and unproduced full-length play scripts for young audiences for our 23rd season, June 2020.

The final date that submissions for 2020 will be accepted is October 31, 2019.

Submission Guidelines:

In your email submission, please include your name, the name of the play, and where we can contact you.

Also include in your submission your goals for the week of development – questions about the script you hope to answer, characters you want to further develop, story areas you want to look closer at, etc. Scripts received without goals are automatically disqualified, as this is an important part of our process.

Also include in your submission how you see your script fitting into the TYA field as we are dedicated to nurturing and encouraging the continued development of TYA. If your script is not specifically intended for a young audience (any range that falls between ages 5 and 18 such as 5-9, 11-15, etc.) or otherwise appropriate for youth and family audiences, we encourage you to seek out a more appropriate venue.

If you are submitting an adaptation, we ask that you include proof that the original author has agreed to you adapting their work.

Finally, also rank, from most to least preferred, the development week that works best for you. We cannot guarantee a preferred slot, but this information will help facilitate the scheduling process once scripts are selected. The 2019 series is slated to run in three one-week segments: May 31-June 7, June 7-14, and June 14-21.

Please note that we only accept previously unpublished and unproduced full-length play scripts. If your script has had a fully produced production, we cannot accept it. We accept musical submissions, but do not generally develop a musical every season. If you are uncertain if your script meets this requirement or believe there is cause for an exemption, feel free to contact us (David Montgomery or Teresa Fisher).

We welcome scripts of any cast size, but are limited to 10 actors due to the size of our stage. If your script requires more than 10 actors, include doubling suggestions with your submission.

To submit your new previously unpublished and unproduced play for young audiences for consideration in our 2020 series, send your script between July 1 and October 31, 2019, to Producer/Production Manager, Teresa Fisher. We reply to all submissions within 7 days of receiving them.

Find out more
Find out more about the Series History and Course Offerings. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Drama Notebook submission guidelines

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Have you written plays for kids and teens and simply want to have them used and performed?
Drama Notebook is accepting 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 online.
2. See an example of a formatted script.
3. Download our handy script template (optional).
4. Fill out the play submission form.

We will contact you immediately to let you know that we have received your submission, and our team will get back to you within one week to let you know whether or not we’d like to add your script(s) to our library.

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. Currently, we are back-logged due to a huge influx of scripts that we are currently formatting and publishing on the site. We appreciate your patience, and if your play is accepted, we will give your script the same attention to detail as we are with our current playwrights. We estimate a maximum wait-time of 60 days and we appreciate your patience.

Notre Dame College Performing Arts New Play Festival

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Deadline July 15

Notre Dame College Performing Arts will host an annual National Playwriting Festival, showcasing unproduced plays and musicals for young adults and children, beginning October 2019.

A national search will commence in March of 2019 looking for the best and most promising theatrical works relevant to young audiences today. The weekend-long festival will consist of 4-5 staged readings of previously unseen theatrical works, and will take place in the Regina Auditorium on the Notre Dame College campus. A winner will be chosen through committee/audience voting and will receive a $500 prize, as well as the opportunity to present fully-staged production during the subsequent NDC Spring Semester.

Hosting such a festival allows Notre Dame College Performing Arts to fulfill and enhance its mission of enriching the community and the appreciation of the arts through live performance. By utilizing the talents of the Notre Dame College students, Mercury Theatre Company professional actors, and additional regional artists, the festival furthers our efforts of utilizing the stage as a platform to educate, enlighten and entertain the Greater Cleveland Community.

The Notre Dame College New Play Festival will join the ranks of Penn State, the University of Iowa and the Yale School of Drama as platforms for unproduced works while maintaining the distinction of hosting the only New Play Festival in the Mid-West solely dedicated to new theatrical works for children and young adult audiences. Finally, utilizing the annual festival as a launch-pad for such unproduced theatrical works will distinguish NDC from other area organizations and promote the programming at Notre Dame College to a nationally recognized level.

Process
On March 1 of each year, the Notre Dame College New Play Festival will begin taking digital-copy submissions of new plays and musicals. The Director of Theatre will ensure the submitted materials follow specified criteria (see below) and will pass the play to 7-person panel who will judge the merits of each work. Panel members will include the NDC Director of Theatre, a member of the NDC Performing Arts Faculty, a member of the NDC English Department, a playwriting scholar, and 3 NDC Theatre Entrepreneurship majors. Through individualized and joint adjudication, the submissions will be narrowed down to a selection of 4-5 plays and musicals deemed ready for a reading. All playwrights will be notified of the status of their submission in September and promotion about the chosen material will begin thereafter.

The festival will take place on a Saturday and Sunday in late October/early November. Three productions will be showcased in a reader’s theatre format open to the public on Saturday and two will play Sunday. The winner will be chosen by the selection panel, with consideration given to an audience vote, and announced at a reception upon conclusion of the festival.

The winner of each season’s new Playwriting Festival will receive a fully-developed and produced show as part of the NDC Spring Semester.

A cash prize of $500 will be awarded to the winner dependent upon funding.

Criteria

- There is no submission fee for the Notre Dame College New Play Festival

- Submission deadline is July 15 of each year. Scripts received after that date will be considered the following year.

- 4-5 finalists will be selected on September 1 of that year and their names will be posted to the Notre Dame College website and social media platforms at that time.

- Must be a full-length play/musical for children or young adults without a prior production

- A brief synopsis must be sent together with a complete digital manuscript. Submission must include a contact phone number and e-mail address on the play’s title page. No hard-copy submissions will be accepted.

- The play must be at least 1 hour and no longer than 90 minutes.

- The play must be appropriate for audiences of all ages

- Dramas, comedies and farces (with or without music) are welcome.

- Cast size limited to no less than 4 or more than 22.

- The plays selected will be acted by our student actors with a mix of regional artists where necessary. Plays that can be effectively cast within our market will be considered favorably.

- Playwrights who are questioning whether or not their play is a good match for the Notre Dame New Play Festival are strongly encouraged to contact Director of Theatre Pierre Brault at theatre@ndc.edu before submitting.

- All plays that are not selected for the festival will be held on file for 2 years.
Contact Information
Pierre Brault
theatre@ndc.edu

Lotus Lee Children’s Play Initiative

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The Children’s Play Initiative aims to highlight new works that inspire and engage children audience. Previously, we have showcased numerous successful productions in the cultural exchange between China and the United States which stands as the basis for the Lotus Lee Foundation. Winning entries will display a distinct understanding of the unlimited possibilities of theatre through compelling and dynamic stories with intriguing plots, fascinating characters and an informed global perspective.

Submission Rules

There is no entry fee. Please follow these guidelines in preparing your manuscript:

This contest is restricted to only plays written in the English language.

Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays written in English. Translations and adaptations are not accepted.

Plays that have been professionally produced or published are not eligible. Only plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production or that have been published as an actor’s edition will be considered.

Plays may not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission.

Plays must be typed/word-processed, page-numbered, and in professional play format.

The Lotus Lee Foundation reserves the right to reject any manuscript for any reason.

The Lotus Lee Foundation reserves the right of the judge to not choose a winner for any given year of the competition and also reserves the right to determine the ineligibility of a winner, in keeping with the spirit of the competition, and based upon the accomplishments of the author.

Electronic submissions for the 2019 competition must be submitted no later than 11:59PM EST on July 1, 2019. You will receive a confirmation of your successful submission within two business days.

If you are submitting your play electronically, please omit your name and contact information from your manuscript. The manuscript must begin with a title page that shows the play's title, a 2-3 sentence keynote description of the play, a list of characters and a list of acts and scenes. Please enter the title of your play, your name and contact information (including address, phone number, and email address), and a brief biography where indicated in the electronic submission form.

We will only represent material for which we can be the exclusive licensing agent for the mainland China territory.

Timeline

Submission deadline: 11:59PM, July 1, 2019 EST.

Winner announcement: September 1, 2019

Prize

The winner will be offered a licensing contract for the submitted play to be translated and produced in mainland China.

SUBMISSION FORM ONLINE

A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers

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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 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.

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 by email or by calling 800-333-7262.

20th Anniversary Winneshiek Players Children's Theater seeks plays

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We are looking for adaptations of children's books in the public domain, for our children's theater stage.

We will select two plays from the submissions and each winner will receive $100 for the rights to perform on our stage.

THE RULES

• Must be speaking parts for 17 - 20 children
• Books MUST be from the Public Domain
• Appropriate for ages 9-13, G-Rated, No Violence, NO Gore, NO SExuality
• Up to 25 pages - no more

Deadline: June 1 2019 - no exceptions!
Email info@winneshiekplayers.org
Put "CT BOOK ADAPTATIONS in email subject line

The Chameleon Theatre Circle's 20th Annual New Play Festival

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Submission Deadline: April 30, 2019

The Chameleon Theatre Circle (located in the Twin Cities area in Minnesota) is seeking original works that have never been produced.  All styles and genres are welcomed (i.e. one-acts, musicals, full length dramas, etc.).  The winning plays are scheduled to be showcased in a concert-format festival in the fall of 2019.  All shows submitted will automatically be placed on the slate of shows in consideration for the 2020/2021 season by the Season Planning Committee.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
We are proud to announce that for the 20th consecutive year we are not charging a submission fee!  To enter you must complete an entry form, which can be found on our website at www.chameleontheatre.org/newplay, and submit it along with three (3) copies of each script to the address below.  We request that copies of the plays be printed double-sided to save on paper, mailing costs, and storage.  If you are submitting a musical, also include 3 copies of the music on a CD or flash drive.

Do not bind any author identification with your scripts.  We will distribute the scripts “blind” to our readers for complete objectivity.  Include the show’s title on at least the first bound page.  Once the winning scripts have been chosen, we will disclose the playwrights’ identity to our readers (and the world).

We do not accept plays that have been previously produced.  We do accept plays that have had workshops and other readings.  Receipt of play(s) will be acknowledged by e-mail only upon request.  Scripts are non-returnable.

As in past years, this year’s contest will have multiple categories.

TEN-MINUTE PLAYS
Three to five winners will receive $25 each plus a reading at the New Play Festival.  All short plays will be entered in this contest.  Generally, scripts of about 15 pages or less will fall into this category.

ONE-ACT
One to three winners will receive $50 each plus a reading at the New Play Festival.  Any play that can be joined with one or two other shows of similar length to make up a complete evening of theatre will be entered in this contest.  Generally, scripts of about 20-60 pages will fall into this category.

FULL-LENGTH
One to two winners will receive $100 plus a reading at the New Play Festival.  Any play that can constitute a complete evening of theatre will be entered in this contest.  It is important to note that these shows can be one, two, or more acts, as long as it makes up a complete evening of theatre.

MUSICALS
If five or more musicals are submitted, the theatre reserves the right to create a “musical” category.  Musicals are defined as any original play using original or rights permitted musical dialogue to further the story and/or the characters.  Winners, if any, will be awarded a prize amount based on the length of the musical i.e. full-length, one-act, and 10-minute.  In the absence of enough qualifying scripts, or if the theatre determines not to create an additional category, any musical will be entered into the appropriate category as defined above.

THEATRE-FOR-YOUTH
If five or more plays intended for and/or by youth are submitted, the theatre reserves the right to create a “theatre-for-youth” category.  Theatre-for-youth plays are defined as any original play intended for young audiences, young participants, or both.  Winners, if any, will be awarded a prize amount based on the length of the play i.e. full-length, one-act, and 10-minute.  In the absence of enough qualifying scripts, or if the theatre determines not to create an additional category, any theatre-for-youth submission will be entered into the appropriate category as defined above.

OVERALL CONTEST WINNER/AUDIENCE FAVORITE WINNER
At the theatre’s discretion, we reserve the right to designate or not designate an “Overall Contest Winner” from any category and an “Audience-Favorite Winner” from any category at the conclusion of the New Play Festival.  No additional prize money is awarded, just bragging rights.

Each playwright may submit up to two plays in any combination.  Please submit three (3) copies of each script (plus 3 copies of the music on CDs or flash drives for musicals) and the required entry form(s) by April 30, 2019 (in hand, not postmarked by) to:

The Chameleon Theatre Circle
20th Annual New Play Contest
7287 153rd St W # 240069
Apple Valley  MN  55124

The 22nd Annual Aurand Harris Memorial Playwrighting Award

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A CONTEST FOR NEW FULL-LENGTH PLAYS for YOUNG AUDIENCES
ENTRY DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2019 
WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT: OCTOBER 2019

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, 2019, and that it is not under option for publication or professional production and will not be under such option as of May 1, 2019.
• 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.

Beverly Hills Theatre Guild - Youth Theatre Competition

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The Beverly Hills Theatre Guild annually sponsors the Competition for Youth Theatre to discover new theatrical works and to encourage established or emerging writers to create quality works for youth theatre. The Play Competition for Youth Theatre represents grades 6-8 and grades 9-12 and offers two prizes:

FIRST PRIZE: $1,200
SECOND PRIZE: $600

Entries must be accompanied by the application form and in accordance with the submission policies and procedures. We accept scripts from January 15th to February 28th for this competition. No scripts will be accepted after these dates and all scripts received after the deadline cannot qualify and will not be returned.

Rules for the Play Competition for Youth Theatre

1. The Michael J. Libow Awards consist of two (2) monetary prizes for plays suitable for grades 6-8 (middle school) or for plays suitable for grades 9-12 (high school). The two prizes will be awarded on the merits of the play scripts, which includes its suitability for the intended audience. The plays should be approximately 45 to 75 minutes in length. There is no production connected to any of the prizes, though a staged reading is optional at the discretion of the BHTG.

2. Authors must be U.S. Citizens or legal residents. Co-Authorships are permissible.

3. The plays must be written in Standard American English. Slang, jargon, and regional dialects, etc., may be used only to establish necessary characterization.

4. Authors may enter up to two (2) scripts in the Play Competition for Youth Theatre.

5. Entries must be unpublished, theatrical works written for the living stage and suitable for the grades designated. Play scripts may have had one (1) non-professional or educational theatre production. But the play may not have been produced on a professional level for which authors, actors or staff were paid.

6. Entries may be original plays, adaptations and/or translations. Authors of adaptations and/or translations of works that are under current copyright must provide (upon request) proof of permission from the copyright holder(s) or their legal agents to use such works.

7. Plays shorter than approximately 45 minutes are not eligible; musicals are not eligible; and plays entered in previous BHTG Competitions are not eligible. (Please note: plays with music, i.e. plays with an occasional interpolated song, are eligible: works that are designated as musicals are not.)

8. Submissions received with postmarks BEFORE January 15th or AFTER the last day of February of the contest year will not be accepted, read or returned. Authors will be notified of ineligible submission and the reasons why.

9. Submissions in noncompliance of these Rules and the Submission Procedures will be ineligible.

10. BHTG has the right to accept or reject any entry without explanation, and will not correspond with, or discuss with, any person the results of the competition, or the acceptance or rejection of any entry.

11. The competition judges' decisions are final in all respects.

12. BHTG has the following rights which it may exercise at its sole discretion:

a. To declare any entry ineligible if prior to Competition's close (June 1) the entry is in violation of rule #6. Authors must notify the BHTG of any change in status.

b. To reproduce as many copies of an entry as are necessary for distribution among the judges.

c. To use the author's name and title of any entry receiving an award for publicity about this Playwright Award and the results of the competition.

d. To present one script-in-hand, rehearsed readings of an award winning entry to an invited, nonpaying audience. No royalty payment will be due to the entry's author for these readings.

13. Each award winner will, at all times, in connection with publications, production, publicity, advertisements, etc. about the award winning entry, designate that the play is an "Award Winner of The Beverly Hills Theatre Guild/Youth Theatre Competition."

14. Each entry will be free from copyright restrictions relating to this Award, and the author will hold the BHTG, its officers, and directors free and harmless from all copyright claims and violations.

15. The BHTG is not a producing organization. No production is connected with the competition nor any prize awarded.

16. Sorry, the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild - Youth Theatre Competition does not sponsor scholarships, fellowships, educational grants, or loans to students or private individuals. Nor does the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild as an organization.


Submission Procedures

1. Each entry must be accompanied by an individual, completed application/entry form. Application forms may be duplicated as necessary. Application forms and Competition rules and Submission Procedures may be obtained by sending #10 business-sized SASE to the address below.

2. Each author must personally sign the application. Entries must be legible and signature clearly the name of the writer(s). The author(s) must sign the entry form. Proxy or agent signatures are not accepted and will lead to disqualification.

3. Bind your entry securely and include a title page with the name of the play, whether it is an "original" or an adaptation/translation from another work, and, if desired, copyright or registration information and date (instead of the author's name, please use "by the author.") On the second page list all characters, time, place, number of acts and scenes, and any other pertinent information such as whether the scripts make use of special effects, e.g., puppetry. Scripts must be bound. A clip holding pages together unfortunately doesn't constitute being "bound". (This is insisted upon for the protection of the script and benefit of the writer. Loose scripts may have pages become misplaced or lost. The competition is not responsible for loss or damage to entries or parts thereof.)

4. Do not show your name, address or any identifying information on any page of your entry. Attach with a removable paper clip, a sheet containing the title of your entry, your name, address, phone number and any other information.

5. To preserve anonymity, all entries will be identified by numbers for judging. All identifying marks will be removed.

6. Submissions will not be returned. This includes either eligible or ineligible submissions. Enclose with your submission a #10 business-sized SASE for our response.

7. You may enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard for acknowledgment of receipt of your entry. Competition winners to be announced on this web site in June.

8. The BHTG is not responsible for loss or damage to entries.

9. No script will be accepted by fax or e-mail. No electronic submissions or correspondence.

10. No entry is returned.

Address All Inquiries and Submissions To:
Candace Coster, Competition Coordinator
Play Competition for Youth Theatre
P.O. Box 148
Beverly Hills, CA 90213

East Valley Children’s Theatre (EVCT) is searching for aspiring playwrights

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East Valley Children’s Theatre is searching for aspiring playwrights to become a part of the theatre’s future seasons of performances. Contest rules and prizes are listed below.

• All plays must be submitted to East Valley Children’s Theatre no later than March 1, 2019.
• Playwrights must include a cover sheet with name, address, phone number and email address
• Plays must be suitable for children to perform and for an audience of children. (Plays with small casts are not as likely to be chosen for performance; casts of 15 or more are preferred)
• Plays must be 60-90 minutes in length. Shorter plays may be submitted but will not be considered for a seasonal theatrical production.
• Plays and musicals must not have been previously performed. They must be original and unpublished.
• Musicals must include a copy of the music in either manuscript or audio recording format.
• Playwrights are not required to pay an entry fee.

* The first place entry will receive a $500 cash prize, a stipend for travel, and will be produced by East Valley Children’s Theatre in its upcoming season, if it meets all the criteria for performance. Second and third place winners will be announced and recognized.

• Winner will be announced in April 2019.

Send entries to:
East Valley Children’s Theatre
P.O. Box 20514
Mesa, AZ 85277-0514
Or email them to: Karen@evct.org
For more information or questions call EVCT at 480-756-3828.