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.

The Peekskill High School and Peekskill Middle School Theatre Program seek plays

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The Peekskill High School and Peekskill Middle School Theatre Program will be accepting short play submissions for their 3rd Annual New Play Festival.

Students will be in charge of selection, acting, designing, directing, and producing chosen work which will culminate in a full-scale evening of drama in May 2019. This is a quest to expose our students to outside theatre resources and make connections with worldly practitioners.  Peekskill, NY, is an artistic, multicultural community just an hour north of Manhattan (Located in the historic Hudson Valley). Please feel free to read more about Peekskill City Schools on the web at www.peekskillcsd.org or check out our Drama Club’s Facebook page at Peekskill High School Drama Company.

Guidelines as follows:
For Middle School (7th and 8th Grade) FIVE MINUTE PLAYS (or less)
For High School (9th-12thgrade) TEN MINUTE PLAYS (or less)

*Deadline: Friday, March 1st, 2019. Selected plays will be notified mid-April and performed in May.

* Three characters maximum. Gender and age non-specific.

*Please provide a cover letter. Include: contact information, a title page with character descriptions, numbered pages, and any specific production needs. Specify if your play is intended for Middle or High School (or both).

*Must be unpublished, but may have had professional productions/workshops/readings.

*All content, themes, and genres welcome. School appropriate language preferred (especially for Middle School age). Work will not be altered, censored, or cut unless the playwright does it themselves.

*Playwright may submit as many works as they wish. (Multiple copies for the actors, would be helpful and greatly appreciated.)

*Please note: We are not selling tickets or making a profit off of the plays we will be using.

Therefore, playwrights will not receive any compensation for using their work. By submitting to us, the playwright is agreeing to their work produced for classroom work, which will culminate in a full production and presented to the public.

*Mail Hard Copies of Scripts to:

Peekskill High School
1072 Elm Street
 Peekskill, NY 10566
 (Attention Terry Sandler, Theatre Teacher)

* For further questions, please email tsandler@peekskillschools.org. Thank you and we look forward to receiving your work. 

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

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New Plays for Young Audiences seeks new unpublished and unproduced full-length play scripts for young audiences for our 22nd season, June 2019. The final date that submissions for 2019 will be accepted is October 31, 2018.

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.

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: June 2-9, June 9-16, and June 16-23.

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 2019 series, send your script between July 1 and October 31, 2018, to Producer/Production Manager, Teresa Fisher - taf263@nyu.edu

We reply to all submissions within 7 days of receiving them.

Youth Theatre Press seeks submissions

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Submissions are being accepted for the 2019 catalog of Youth Theatre Press, an independent publisher and licensor of plays for young audiences.

Submissions are open to plays for children and youth (all ages) especially those with diverse genders and themes that speak to today’s young people. Contemporary topics, historical pieces and plays that break new ground are encouraged.

Playwrights are asked to submit electronically at submissions@youththeatrepress.com.
Attach a brief synopsis and the manuscript as a PDF.

For musicals include mp3 samples of the score.

 

Many of today’s youth plays are not being published and those that are find themselves lost in a large catalog of various quality. To correct this mistake Youth Theatre Press, LLC was formed to publish a select group of plays for young audiences.

Plays for all ages from preschool to teens, various time lengths and styles, no restrictions to cast size.

• Contemporary topics
• Historical pieces
• Adaptations
• Unique points of view
• Plays that break new ground

While we are interested in adaptations of classic stories, please submit only those that treat the subject in a new way or different approach.

We appreciate plays that have had previous productions. We are also interested in plays that have yet to receive their premiere production.

We look forwarded to reading your work.

Questions concerning submissions can be found at youththeatrepress.com.

Growing Stage New Play-Reading Festival Submission

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Submissions OPEN till Oct. 1st

This project is open to any unpublished and unproduced non-musical 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 2019 – 2020 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 produced, 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

Drama Notebook is accepting submissions

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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 below.

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.

The 92Y Musical Theatre Development Lab Applications

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The 92Y Musical Theatre Development Lab is pleased to announce the application process for artists to participate in the second season of "The Collective”: a group of theatre artists working on creating their own projects within a supportive and challenging environment of feedback and group attention.

Please note: this year, the collective will only be focusing on TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) pieces. If you do not possess prior experience writing, directing, choreographing for TYA, that will not exclude you. You must, however, possess a strong desire to create for this specific genre and be open to constructive feedback on your material.

Our collective is looking for playwrights, lyricists, composers, and artists who highly hyphenate any of these, or work solely in one discipline. You may apply as a writing “team”. Applications accepted on a rolling basis beginning July 1st, 2018. The deadline for applying is August 1st, 2018. 

Potential Collective Members will be asked to informally interview at the 92Y and those selected will be announced on prior to September 15th, 2018.

The forum provides resources, mentorship, performance opportunities, and community support to the artistic process. Geared towards theatre artists, the lab is a 6-month residency comprised of presentations every 3 weeks, discussions, lectures and master classes, life-after classes, and informal performances.

Musical Theatre Development Lab (MTDL) is a program devised, developed by Megan Doyle and Brian Feinstein for the 92Y, and is the umbrella for intersectional opportunities for artists. The Collective supports up to 10-12 emerging hybrid artists for a 6-month residency of educational and creative events.

For more information please email Brian Feinstein: bfeinstein@92Y.org
Please apply online: https://form.jotform.com/71855360954161

Call for Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) Play Submissions 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 it’s 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 July 2, 2018:

SUBMISSION GUIDLINES
• 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 Johamy Morales - johamy@creederep.com

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.

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

Winneshiek Theater seeks fractured fairy tales

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We’re looking for humorous Fractured Fairy Tales that change a fairy tale in an unexpected way; altering characters, adding modern language or events, changing an ending, etc.

The rules must be followed exactly, or our magic wand will make your script disappear! We don’t want you crying in the tower alone!

WHAT: It has to be based on an actual fairy tale, as our children’s theater program is literature based and we will be purchasing the book of the fairy tale to accompany the fractured play.

DEADLINE: June 1, 2018, no exceptions

HOW LONG: Up to 20 pages, excluding playwright info page. Anything longer will not be considered. Must be appropriate for children ages 9-13, G-rated!

HOW MANY CHARACTERS: A min. of 12, max of 14, all speaking roles of varying lengths. We’re cool with trees, animals, flowers, tea cups, etc. having verbal input.

SHOW ME THE MONEY: Yes, yes, we will! Two (2) winners will received $100 for the rights to perform your piece twice, after which all rights revert back to you and you can say it’s been performed on a real theatrical stage! Please submit your play using the Standard Stage Play Format.

PLEASE EMAIL YOUR SCRIPTS TO info@winneshiekplayers.org with FRACTURED FAIRY TALES in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your contact info. We will contact the two winners by mid-June.

EVCT Aspiring Playwrights 2018

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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.

Write Now New Plays Competition and Workshop seeks scripts for young audiences

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The purpose of this biennial workshop is to encourage writers to create strikingly original scripts for young audiences. It provides a forum through which each playwright receives constructive criticism and the support of a development team consisting of a professional director and dramaturg. Finalists will spend approximately one week in workshop with their development team.  At the end of the week, each play will be read as a part of the Write Now convening.

If you would like to be added to the Write Now mailing list for competition updates, please contact Jenny Millinger.

Plays should be intended for young audiences aged 2-14 (no play is expected to appeal to all ages simultaneously). Playwrights must suggest the appropriate age category on the official entry form.

• Scripts must not be committed to publication at the time of submission. Commissioned works that are not in development are eligible.
• Scripts previously produced in an educational or vocational setting are eligible, if playwrights are eager to pursue development of the script.
• Scripts previously produced professionally are NOT eligible. (i.e., productions in which the director and actors have been paid — this includes fully produced youth theatre productions).
• If the play is an adaptation or dramatization, written proof must be provided that the original work is in public domain or permission of the holder of the copyright has been granted.
• Musicals will not be accepted for the 2019 contest.
• While there is no required length, short plays (e.g. 10 minute plays) have historically proven less competitive unless there is clear intent to develop the script into a full-length play.
• Only ONE submission per playwright will be accepted.
• Playwrights must be 18 years or older and citizens or current residents of the United States.
• Playwrights give permission for their work or portions of it to be read at the Write Now convening and to be archived in the Child Drama Collection, Hayden Library, at Arizona State University.
• Finalist playwrights are expected to be in residence in Tempe, AZ throughout the workshop and Write Now convening.
• Any future production or publication of a finalist play must give the following credit:
• _____________ was a winner at the 2019 Write Now and was featured in a rehearsed reading at Childsplay in Tempe, Arizona.
• Manuscripts must be submitted electronically as editable digital files (no scans; Word Documents preferred).
• Author’s name MAY NOT APPEAR in any manner on the manuscript, synopsis or cast list.
• Each submitting playwright must also complete and send an entry form electronically. All submissions MUST include a brief synopsis and a cast list. The synopsis should be no more than one page and should include:
• list of unusual effects or technical requirements
• list of characters noting age and gender (and possible doublings).
• Supporting materials (reviews, publicity, etc.) SHOULD NOT accompany the submission.
• All submissions will be acknowledged via email.
• Playwrights whose work is being considered for full development (ie a potential finalist) will be asked to submit a brief history of the work and goals for the week of development. Subsequently, each playwright will be expected to confer with his/her director and dramaturg prior to casting.
• Submissions must be received by midnight PST on May 31, 2018.  Late submissions will NOT be accepted. Winners will be contacted in October 2018.
• Submissions not following the guidelines will be considered ineligible.

Submission form

The Chameleon Theatre Circle announces its 19th Annual NEW PLAY CONTEST

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Submission Deadline: April 30, 2018

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 is scheduled to be showcased in a concert-format festival in November 2018. All shows submitted will automatically be placed on the slate of shows in consideration for the 2019/2020 season by the Season Planning Committee.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
We are proud to announce that for the 19th 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, 2018 (in hand, not postmarked by) to:
The Chameleon Theatre Circle 19th Annual New Play Contest 7287 153rd St W # 240069 Apple Valley MN 55124 www.chameleontheatre.org newplay@chameleontheatre.org
Chameleon has produced 23 original plays over the course of 20 seasons!