International Radio Playwriting Competition 2018

web site

Would you like to win £2,200 sterling, a trip to London and have your play broadcast across the world on BBC World Service?

If so, the 2018 International Radio Playwriting Competition is now open to entries!

There are three prizes to be won.

Two first prizes – for the best radio plays by writers with either English as their first language or English as their second language. Both winners’ plays will be broadcast on BBC World Service.

In addition, there’s the Georgi Markov prize - for the most promising script, this prize gives the winner a chance to come to London for two weeks and work alongside BBC Radio Drama and with BBC World Service journalists.

Who can enter?

Anyone aged 18 or over and living outside the UK – whether you’re an established writer, completely new or anywhere in between.

How to enter

The competition is open from 3 October 2017 to 31 January 2018.

The competition is open to new and established writers, provided they live outside the UK and are 18 or over.

In order to enter you need to send:

• A script for a 53 minute radio play with up to 6 central characters - we are unable to return these, so make sure you keep a copy

• A synopsis which outlines your play is no longer than 400 words

• A completed entry form (here), attached to your play and synopsis.

Or you can complete and submit your entry online (here) by uploading your play and synopsis along with your personal details.

We are very happy to run this year’s competition in partnership with the British Council, and our co-producers, The Open University, which has allowed us to offer these three prizes.

The Dr. Floyd Gaffney Playwriting Competition 2018

web site

The UC San Diego’s Department of Theatre and Dance seeks from all enrolled undergraduate students submissions of previously unproduced, unpublished scripts highlighting the African-American experience in contemporary or historical terms. Adaptations from books and other forms are not allowed.

Prize:

A $1000 honorarium will be awarded to the winning playwright.

A staged reading of the winning script on May 12th, 2018, in the Wagner New Play Festival attended by national theatre professionals.

Travel and housing cost to and from UC San Diego to be present for the performance.

Adjudication:

Finalists and the eventual winners will be selected by a team comprised of the faculty and staff of UCSD Department of Theatre and Dance and invited judges from other theatre facilities, the professional theatre, local media or the UCSD student body.

The decision of the team of adjudicators is final. The UCSD Department of Theatre and Dance reserves the right to select no winner.


Guidelines:

Scripts must be original, unpublished, unproduced and free of royalty and copyright restrictions. Plays which have staged readings are acceptable.

Scripts must be 50 pages or longer, typed. Manuscripts must be submitted electronically.

Deadline for entry Friday, April 13th, 2018. 

The winner will be announced by April 27th, 2018.

Please include with your submission your contact details (name, college email, address, and phone number), play title, number of characters, institutional affiliation, and a one-page story summary.


Submissions:

All scripts must be submitted by email to playwritingcompetition@ucsd.edu.

Moss Hart & Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative

web site

Thank you for deciding to submit a script for the Moss Hart & Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative. We look forward to reading it soon! We hope to keep the process as painless as possible for playwrights. All you need to do is submit your script in the format described below.

Submitted scripts must be in pdf format and include a character list (with potential doubling if necessary), a short synopsis, and a title page which includes the following information:

• Name, Address, Primary Phone Number
• Title of Play
• Previous Productions (if any). Please include theater, location and dates of run.
• Please also include a short resume or bio as a separate pdf file.
• You may also include other supporting materials if you desire (reviews, etc).

All playwrights are eligible to submit one script each year.

Scripts must meet the following criteria:

• The play may not have had more than two productions.
• The play must be unpublished.
• The play cannot have had more than 10 performances in New York City.
• The play must be able to be performed with 8 performers or less.
• We’re sorry, but no musicals can be accepted at this time (this may change in later years).
• The play must have no artistic encumbrances (so no individuals contractually attached to the piece).

Please email scripts to Kevin Cochran at kevin@gtc.org.

If you don’t receive a confirmation email within a few days, please follow up to make sure your submission was received.

We will be accepting scripts through January 19, 2018.

GB Shaw on portraying women in plays

Another mistake as to my literary ancestry is made whenever I violate the romantic convention that all women are angels when they are not devils; that they are better looking than men; that their part in courtship is entirely passive; and that the human female form is the most beautiful object in nature...

...At all events, whenever an English playwright represents a young and marriageable woman as being anything but a romantic heroine, he is disposed of without further thought as an echo of Schopenhauer.

~ G. B. Shaw, preface to MAJOR BARBARA

Lotus Lee Foundation New Work Initiative

web site

New Deadline: February 18th, 2018
Welcome to the 1st year of our New Work Initiative Playwright Award! And this submission program will be an annual event. Our primary goal is to bring the best theatre from the United States to China and vice versa. And to foster and encourage new voices and share your stories. This is why we’re interested in new works from artists like you.

We have an open submission where you can submit your new work at no cost to you. This open submission will remain open until January 2018 when our panel of esteemed judges will choose 5 works. We'll produce the best one in 2019 with a significant budget for a year-long tour in China with a potential remount in the States. We look forward to reading your work! Thank you!

1st Place Winner:

Lotus Lee Foundation Contract: Fully Produced Tour in China
1st Place Certificate

2nd Place Winner:

Cash Price: $500
Professional Advice on your Play from our Judges
2nd Place Certificate


3rd Place Winner:

Cash Price: $300
Professional Advice on your Play from our Judges
3rd Place Certificate

2 Honorable Mentions: 

Honorable Mention Certificate
Professional Advice on your Play from our Judges
Fully Produced Tour in China (2019):

We will produce the full production in China
Casting help and hiring of creative team as needed
Housing/Transportation for team
VISA/passort help
Paid round-trip for creative team and cast
Paid transport of production elements


SUBMISSIONS

• Must be an original work. 
• No previous production and publication all around the world. 
• Has never granted and will not grant other individuals or entities to use the script in anyway before the the choosing outcome is issued. 
• Play must be a full-length piece. At least an hour long. 
• Can be a play, performance art, movement piece, physical theatre, dance, musical, etc. 
• No restriction on plot, content, or themes. Children’s plays accepted. 
• Submissions will only be accepted in English. The show that is chosen will be translated to mandarin for the Chinese Tour in 2019. 
• Open to making use of new technology 
• Projections, holograms, media technology, virtual reality, etc. 

Lotus Lee Foundation reserves the first right negotiation and agrees to produce the first place winner in this yearly competition. First place winners are required to sign a production contract.

1. Full script in PDF format

Please do not include your name on the script

2. A Separate PDF with following information:
Playwright’s bio
Summary of the play
Character breakdown
Production history, if applicable
Creative team and cast breakdown, if applicable

3. A short explanation, in PDF, of why you think your piece is a good fit for Lotus Lee Foundation

4. Other info: professional website link, production photos or videos, inspirations, etc.

Submit via web site

Edward F. Albee Foundation guidelines

web site

The Edward F. Albee Foundation exists to serve writers and visual artists from all walks of life, by providing time and space in which to work without disturbance.

Using only talent and need as the criteria for selection, the Foundation invites any and all artists to apply.

APPLICANTS must prepare:

• Visual Arts: 6-12 images and/or 3 media files

• Plays/Screenplays: A full manuscript (one act plays count as a full script)

• Poetry: Up to 12 poems

• Fiction: 1 short story or 2 chapters from a novel

• Non-fiction / Memoir / Journalism: 2 essays/articles or 2 chapters from a book

Please note: writers who write in a foreign language should apply with English translations of their work.

You must be able to take full credit for the creation of your work sample. No collaborations unless applying as a team!

ALL APPLICANTS must also include:

• An up to date resumé

• Email addresses of 2 professionals familiar with you and your work (your recommenders will be contacted for letters by us)

• An artist’s statement explaining your current need for a residency, as well as the details of the proposed project while in residence

Submissions are done entirely online through our Submittable page.  Click here.

Applications will be accepted beginning January 1st, 2018 with a deadline of March 1st, 2018 (11:59pm).

EMERGING ARTISTS THEATRE NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSION FOR THEIR WINTER NEW WORK SERIES

web site

In honor of Emerging Artists Theatre’s 25th anniversary, the New Work Series is making some significant changes in order to attract highly motivated artists with quality material to present. We are seeking high-quality submissions of new material that is ready to be in front of an audience. Submissions in cabaret, dance, short plays, solo performance, puppetry, and short musicals are now being accepted.

NEW for the 2018 New Work Series:

All artists now get 50% of the Box Office
Participants now will have no required audience guarantee
EAT will provide a projector for those shows using projections
A high quality video camera will be made available if interested in recording the performance
More marketing and press support
Emerging Artists Theatre will provide

• A 99 seat Off Broadway theater in the heart of Manhattan
• Professional stage manager and Assistant Stage Manager
• Piano and music stands
• Ticketing Services
• Box Office and House Management
• Two dressing rooms
• Curated talkback (where you decide what feedback you need)
• Safe and supportive environment
• Nice, friendly staff
• Simple set pieces available
• One Technical Rehearsal
• Rep light plot and sound system
• Concessions available, including beer and wine
• Large banners of series shows in lobby
• Full color program brochures

The Emerging Artists Theatre (EAT) New Work Series is a three-week developmental series that provides artists of different disciplines the opportunity to present one night of a "work in progress" with audience feedback. Successful FringeNYC, NYMF, Edinburgh Fringe, and Off-Broadway shows have been born out of this series. Emerging Artists Theatre is excited to present a new round of opportunity to local artists.

20th Annual New Work Series : February 26th – March 18th, 2018

Submission deadline: Jan 10, 2018

Informational Meeting (not required): Jan 8, 2018

Please click here to apply to the NWS and get more info on guidelines.

*For those who have a full length play or musical and want to produce it as a workshop or showcase, Emerging Artists can help present their work in our New Work Series for 3 performances a week for 3 weeks during the New Work Series Producers pay $1500(tax deductible donation) per week to the New Work Series and get a 70-30 box office split. EAT provides technical crew (SM and ASM), 99 seat professional theatre, house management, box office, ticketing service, voluntary accident insurance, and free limited rehearsal space subject to availability.

BLINDSPOT FESTIVAL (UK)

web site

Next spring we will be hosting our first major event, a week long theatre festival in the centre of Coventry that will aim to bring unseen stories, ideas, and theatre styles out of peoples blind spot.

With a focus on new writers we aim to create a platform within Coventry's creative community where new artists can develop their skills, expand their network, and see their work performed.


THE PROGRAMME: The final event will be made up of up to seven productions. Cast and crew will be made up of members of the Coventry creative communities, providing diverse opportunities for everyone to be involved.

Writing submissions are now open and will close at midnight on the 15th January 2018. 

As well as these the programme for the festival will include loads of other events: art exhibits, open mic nights, and scratch nights in various spaces throughout the city. There will be opportunities to meet the cast and crew, and the writers, in Q&A's and workshops, and learn more about Blindspot Theatre and how to get involved. It's going to be a jam packed week!

WHO CAN APPLY? Whilst we originally opened submissions to those with some link to Coventry, we've had such interest we've decided to open up! Now anyone from anywhere is free to apply. We think that bringing people from outside Coventry will not only create more diversity in the festival, but also more interest in the city - we are #CityofCulture2021 after all!

One thing we aren't concerned with is whether you got a first in your drama degree or if you haven't set foot in a theatre for years, we'll be judging you on the merit of your submission alone. Even if this is your first venture into writing or theatre, don't be afraid to send it in!

You can apply as an individual, or we'll also accept collaborations and groups! If there is more than one of you then nominate one persons email to use, don't worry if your group doesn't have a name either, if that's the case just list the names of everyone involved, with the nominated contact first.
We do however advise that those with established careers in writing for theatre do not apply, as this festival is aimed at new theatre writers.

DOES MY PIECE NEED TO BE FINISHED? Absolutely not. We'll accept scripts in any stage of development: we have a whole stage of the project set out for developing scripts that aren't complete where we will polish them to performance standard. And if you haven't even written your piece yet (or are afraid you won't have time before the deadline) don't let that put you off either, if this is the case we'll accept a detailed plot summary (minimum one side of A4, to be attached as a file.) Please be aware though that as these kinds of submissions will require significantly more development you will have to be willing to put in the time to work on it with us. If you aren't/can't then this could effect whether or not you make the final shortlist.

HOW LONG SHOULD MY PIECE BE? We say a minimum of ten minutes and a maximum of two hours.

WHAT SHOULD MY PIECE BE? Anything you want! This festival is about pulling issues out of peoples blind spots, so if there's a social issue, a story, a piece of history, or anything else that you feel isn't talked about enough, then tell people about it through your piece. We're looking for creativity, innovation, and fresh ideas, and of course that are representative and diverse. So surprise us! We're also interested in seeing pieces that are apart from the norm of usual theatre - so if there's a weird and wonderful style you like to write in, go for it! We can't wait to see it! Another thing we're keen to see is a creative use of space in your piece. Don't tie yourself down by thinking you have to have it on a stage with an audience out front...

WHAT SHOULDN'T MY PIECE BE? Though we want to keep things as open as possible, we do ask that you avoid the following unless it can be proven to be integral to character, plot, or as a device for social commentary - that means we don't want to see it used needlessly or in an intentionally negative/derogatory way:
Racism
Sexism
Anti-LGBT+
Ableism
Islamophobia
Antisemitism
Xenophobia
Nationalism
'Alt-right' themes of any kind
Your piece should also not infringe upon any existing copyright laws or royalties, and consider whether or not you are allowed to write about famous persons living or dead.

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY PIECE? At the bottom of the page there will be a submission form that you can fill in and send to us. Please make sure of a couple of things before you click send:
1.  That if it's a script it's written in the usual format and pages are portrait.
2.  Your text is written in a clear, legible, black font.
3.  The document is in .doc or .pdf format.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? All submissions will go to the Artistic Director who will handpick the pieces for the shortlist. If you are not selected you may still contact them on the email link at the top of the page to request feedback, which we are always happy to provide. Don't be too disheartened if your piece isn't selected, this doesn't necessarily mean we didn't like it. We keep a record of all submissions and may contact you to say so, and suggest producing your piece separate from the festival in the future.

INSIDER ADVICE: from Georgia Kelly, artistic director: "Be honest about yourself, your piece, where you want to take it and what you're willing to do to develop it. Try to be open about changes and new ideas, challenge yourself to think differently! If you have any questions you want to ask me, don't hesitate to get in touch: use the enquiries box on the 'contact' page to drop me a message. I look forward to reading all the submissions and wish everyone the best of luck!"

Gloria Ann Barnell Peter Playwright Competition

web site

Playwrights are invited to submit original script to the 7th Gloria Ann Barnell Peter Playwright Competition. The friends and family of Ms. Peter – a playwright, actress and lover of history – established a fund at the Morgan Opera House in Aurora, NY, to honor her memory and encourage the writing and production of theatre art.

Criteria include: the play must be an original work, previously unpublished. It must dramatize an historical event or an historical fiction. It may be no less than 45 minutes in total length, with no limit of form (musical, once actor, etc.). Please see the web site for additional clarification. Please submit both a digital and a hard copy of each script with a cover letter (see web site). The author’s name should appear on the title page only as anonymity eliminates the potential for bias among the judges.

Submissions must be postmarked by Monday, March 31, 2018. 

The winner of the $500 prize will be announced in late May and the play will be presented at the Morgan Opera House later in the year.

Mail one copy of the work to GABP Playwright Competition, P.O. Box 327, Aurora, NY 13026. Digital copies may be submitted to baumish@gmail.com.

All scripts become the physical property of the Morgan Opera House. However, in accordance with copyright law, the content of the script remains the intellectual property of the author. Both forms of non-winning scripts will be destroyed unless the hard copy includes a SASE for its return.
The MOH prefers to work directly with the author regarding production details, agents notwithstanding.

Direct inquiries to Joanne Baum baumish@gmail.com (607-345-6133)

New York City Children’s Theater’s Middle School Playwriting Competition

web site

• You must currently be a middle school student (grades 6-8) living in New York City or New Jersey to participate.
• You must submit a permission slip, signed by a parent or guardian, with your play to be considered.
• Your play must be an original work – not an adaptation of a play, book, movie or any work that already exists.
• Your completed script must be no longer than 10 minutes when read aloud.
• Scripts may have up to, but no more than six (6) characters.
• By submitting a play, the playwright and their parent or guardian, are giving NYCCT permission to make the play available online or in print for free. This includes its inclusion in any future print/electronic anthologies.
• By submitting a play, the playwrights and their parent or guardian agree to allow NYCCT to document through all methods and media all stages of the process for educational, publicity, or any other uses.

Friday, 3/9 Final Deadline for submissions

Wednesday, 3/28 Finalists announced

For More Information, please contactNicole Hogsett,
Marketing and Communications Manager
212-573-8791, ext. 18 nhogsett@nycchildrenstheater.org

Fundamentals of Playwriting at Primary Stages ESPA

If you're just stepping into the world of playwriting, welcome!

Fundamentals of Playwriting at Primary Stages ESPA

Instructor: Adam Kraar (Writer, New World Rhapsody at MTC, Wild Terrain at EST)

Wednesdays from 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Class starts February 21

In this 10-week class, Adam Kraar will help you build a toolbox of the fundamentals, so your first play (and each play you write after that!) can be built on a strong foundation.

This class might be for you if you are:

• A budding playwright who wants to get down to basics.
• A theater artist boldly crossing the line from one discipline to another and ready to start writing!

In this class you will:

• Build a toolbox of the fundamentals, including discussions of structure, character, and dialogue.
• Complete writing exercises to gain an understanding of the form and generate ideas for material.
• Start to write your own play by mid-semester.

By the end of this class you will:

• Have a strong grasp on writing for the stage, armed with the confidence you need to declare yourself a playwright and get to work on your script.
• Be ready for The First Draft!

Click here to enroll.

Our award-winning faculty, comprised of working professionals in the field, provides practical skills and expert guidance in a collaborative community atmosphere.

Primary Stages ESPA provides students easy and convenient payment plans to break up tuition. For more information, call 212.840.9705 x215 or email espa@primarystages.org.

FailSafe Festival

web site

FailSafe Festival is a five-day festival of live performance, taking place in the Times Square/Hell's Kitchen area of New York City. FailSafe Festival provides a space for artists to push beyond what they consider "safe" to present, giving them an opportunity to present work that may not have a home elsewhere.

FailSafe Festival submissions are open to live performance projects, including but not limited to theater, performance art, and dance/movement.

• Submitted projects can be finished, portions of larger/longer works, or works-in-progress.
• There are no submission fees, participation fees, or festival fees.
• Submitted projects should be between 30 minutes (minimum) and 60 minutes (maximum) in length. Sorry, submissions that are either shorter or longer in length will not be considered for participation.
• Sorry, no AEA showcases or AEA readings will be accepted.
• Live performance submissions only, please. No work that is wholly pre-recorded. For example, a film by itself will not be accepted. Live work with multi-media elements including film may be accepted.
• Submissions can come from an individual artist, group/collective, or producer. Up to two different projects from an individual artist, group/collective, or producer can be submitted. 
• A project can consist of one work from an individual artist, group/collective, or producer, or can be multiple works from multiple artists as long as it meets the time length criteria. For example, three playwrights can collectively submit three 20 minute one-acts as one project/submission (maximum time length: 60 minutes). As another example, five performance artists can submit a concert of five 10-minute pieces as one project/submission (time length: 50 minutes).

Persons submitting to FailSafe Festival should either have obtained or own all necessary presenting rights for the material submitted.
If you have any further questions, please e-mail: failsafefestival[at]gmail.com
​

Chameleon Theatre Company submission guidelines

web site

Chameleon welcomes new work by women. Please read our mission statement.
If your play fits our mission please submit your bio, a synopsis, character list and
the first 10 pages of the script to Lee Kiszonas at here: hngdwmn@yahoo.com

Mission Statement
Chameleon Theatre Company is a Philadelphia-based company producing theatre from a woman’s perspective, especially plays dealing with issues such as gender, sexuality, feminism, ageism and violence.  We tell stories from underrepresented social and political perspectives and about lesser-known female historical figures whose achievements deserve a wider audience.  Chameleon performs new work and Philadelphia premieres and pursues production opportunities nationally and internationally.

Headwaters New Play Festival in Colorado

web site

What kind of plays are we looking for? The Headwaters program is the source of new plays of the West. However, our definition of West is extremely broad. It may include plays set in the current, historic, or mythic western United States; plays that reflect the diverse cultures and experiences of the West; plays that examine the American urban/rural divide; and plays that completely re-imagine what “West” means.

To be considered for the Headwaters New Play Festival, a play must never have had a professional production and the playwright must be available to attend the workshop week (typically in late August). 

Since 2015’s festival, our goal has been to more accurately reflect the diversity of human experience by reserving one of our two slots for women and playwrights of color. We are seeking full-length plays, one submission per playwright.

2018 Submission Deadline is February 18, 2018.
Any plays submitted after this date will go into consideration for our 2019 Festival. Plays must be submitted digitally in PDF format. Hard copies will not be considered. Responses will be sent out by May 2018. CRT provides travel, a food stipend, and cozy accommodations for the two finalist playwrights. The scenic mountain beauty of this remote and quaint arts town will provide endless inspiration as you develop your work. Plays read at the festival will be considered for full production in CRT’s 2019 season.

Questions? Contact us at headwaters@creederep.com.

Submission form

First Draft! seeks plays for readings (Edmonds, Washington)

web site

First Draft! is an opportunity for playwrights to “test-drive” their completed play in front of an audience.  Actors present the piece on stage “readers-theater” style.  After the reading there is a moderated Q&A session with the dramatist.  We hope you will join us as we bring yet another exciting live arts experience to the Edmonds community!  Admission is FREE.

First Draft! dates for 2017/18 Season are planned for September 17, February 18, 2018 and June 10, 2018.

Have a finished play that you would like to submit for consideration for a First Draft! staged-reading? Here’s how:

Submission guidelines:
Original, unproduced, un-staged full-length plays. No musicals, shorts or one-acts (unless two one-acts are presented as part of a ‘companion piece’ series). Playwrights are required to be present the evening of the reading.

Please submit the following via email to: firstdraft@edmondsdriftwoodplayers.org

• A summary of the work
• An electronic version of the work in PDF format with a cover page that includes playwright contact information.
• A history of the work’s workshops, previous readings and currently scheduled readings.
• If a piece is accepted, a full production prior to this reading will void the agreement and a replacement will be chosen.

THIS PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO NEW / UNPRODUCED PLAYWRIGHTS.

Yeats on dramatic subject matter

Drama is a means of expression, not a special subject matter, and the dramatist is as free to choose, where he has a mind to, as the poet of ‘Endymion’ or as the painter of Mary Magdalene at the door of Simon the Pharisee.

~ William Butler Yeats, DISCOVERIES; A VOLUME OF ESSAYS

Rising Circle Theater Collective is accepting applications for INKtank Cycle 9

web site

Rising Circle Theater Collective is now accepting submissions for INKtank (Cycle 9), an intensive play development lab for playwrights of color.  INKtank is a 12-week lab for 3-4 writers of color who will focus on the rewrites of a new play.  Under the facilitation of INKtank alums, Raquel Almazan (La Esperanza, or The Hopefulness) and Monet Hurst-Mendoza (Lilia, Veil'd), INKtank writers will be invested in the revision process of their own work and of their fellow lab writers, with a shared intention of honest feedback and rigorous pursuit of artistic goals.

The final drafts of the INKtank plays will be presented at PlayRISE, a culminating festival event where the selected works receive a public reading.

Applicants must submit the following by Friday, January 12, 2018:

One full-length script that you would like to work on during the lab (Please note: we are not accepting one-character plays or musicals).

Resume.

A one-page artistic statement explaining your personal rewrite goals, what you feel are the strengths of the script, and what you would like to focus on for the piece during the developmental process.  Please include the developmental history of this piece, including past and/or upcoming readings and presentations of the play.

Finalists will be contacted for an interview in early February.  Applicants MUST live in the tri-state area to be considered.

Each play MUST have the following in order to comply with our culminating project vision:

•  In line with Rising Circle's mission statement, plays should give voice to the unheard stories of people of color.

• First drafts of full-length scripts. (We will accept scripts in raw and early stages of development.)

• 5-ACTOR maximum. (No exceptions. If your play has more than 5 characters, the text must support double casting.)

• We strongly encourage submission of plays that have an urgency to speak to the current social, political and cultural times.

TIME REQUIREMENTS

•    Lab meets for 12-consecutive Sundays, starting Sunday, February 25, 2017.

•    Each session is 3-4 hours, where pages are read and discussed (one hour per playwright).

LAB REQUIREMENTS & GOALS

• INKtank playwrights are expected to attend all weekly lab meetings, and participate in post-reading discussions by providing constructive feedback for fellow playwrights.

• Each playwright must read the selected scripts prior to the first meeting.

• Each playwright is responsible for generating new pages weekly (5 page min, 20 page max)

• Each playwright is expected to participate in 2 midpoint readings. The first midpoint reading consists of reading solely the first act after the first few meetings among the group. After 6 weeks, there will be a second midpoint reading of the rough draft of entire script with actors.  Playwrights will continue to refine their drafts for another 6 weeks, culminating in PlayRISE.

CULMINATING EVENT: PLAYRISE FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS

• A week of public readings of all plays in early June, 2018 (final dates to be determined during INKtank).

• All playwrights will receive an honorarium.

• Playwrights are expected to attend each reading to support their fellow lab members, and participate in any panel events that are scheduled during PlayRISE.

All submissions must be made via Submittable by Friday, January 12, 2018. For further questions, please contact info@risingcircle.org. Visit www.risingcircle.org to learn more about Rising Circle Theater Collective.

Happy New Year 2018

NYCPlaywrights wishes all its theater friends a happy new year and a wonderful
2018.

About Face Theatre is currently accepting submissions

web site

About Face Theatre is currently accepting submissions of new full-length plays for OUT FRONT: Babes On Stage, a showcase of readings of new and developmental works by LGBTQA women-identified playwrights.

Submissions for this series are open until December 31, 2017.

To Submit

Please send a PDF of your full script to us at literary@aboutfacetheatre.com with the subject line BABES ON STAGE-[Play title],[author name] (e.g. “BABES ON STAGE-A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry”), and title the pdf [PLAY TITLE][Author last name] (e.g. “A RAISIN IN THE SUN Hansberry.pdf”).

Accompanying your script, please attach a brief 1-to-2-paragraph bio, giving some of your own background as well as any production history for the play, and list any prior commitments you have in April or May of 2018

While PDF scripts are preferred, if absolutely necessary we will accept paper script submissions to 5252 N Broadway, 2nd floor, ATTN: Literary.

Any further questions can be directed to the literary office (literary@aboutfacetheatre.com)

We are still accepting submissions not related to Babes on Stage for future Out Front Series or Mainstage seasons. You may submit your play according to the following guidelines:

Query Submission – TITLE OF YOUR PLAY, Your Name (e.g. MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, William Shakespeare)

In a single PDF document attached to your email, please include the following:

The title of your play, your name, and your contact information
One-page synopsis of your play including relevant information such as casting requirements, genre, plot, etc.
Production history, beginning with the year the play was written
List of upcoming productions
Short bio for yourself, and contact information for you and your agent (if applicable)
A ten page sample of the play that you think best represents the work as whole.  Should we be interested in your piece, we will contact you for the full text.
Please include your play title (without beginning articles such as a, an, or the) and your last name in the name of your PDF file (e.g. MidsummerNightsDreamSHAKESPEARE.pdf).

Additional information:

The best times to submit materials and/or submission inquiries are July through November in order to be considered for the following season. (i.e. July – November 2014 submissions will be considered for the 2015-2016 season).
In addition to the script or script sample, your submission should include a query letter, your contact information, brief synopsis, character breakdown, and any relevant production history.
Please do not call the Artistic Director, Andrew Volkoff.
Any further questions should also be directed to the Literary Office at literary@aboutfacetheatre.com

Parity Productions seeks submissions

web site

A letter from the Artistic Director to Submitting Playwrights

Thank you for your interest in submitting work to Parity Productions.

To best protect your script, we encourage (and request) that all playwrights register their scripts with copyright.gov before submission. Please go to http://www.copyright.gov/ for more information.

We believe the next great play can come from anywhere; we read all submissions and make no judgments based on a playwright’s education or representation.

If you are a fan of our all inclusive policy, join our mailing list, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. We regularly filter and curate a variety of interesting, informative content on theatre and parity on social media which we think you’ll enjoy. We also include information and ticket offers to Qualifying Productions – shows that meet the 50% hiring standard for playwrights, directors, and designers. (As a service to the industry, we provide substantial and free support to Qualifying Productions in the form of social media, e-blasts, PR support, and placement in our online directory).

Please see the steps below on how to submit your work. We look forward to reading it.

Ludovica Villar-Hauser
Founder & Artistic Director

Submitting Your Script

When to Submit​
Please note that Parity Productions is not currently accepting scripts. Script submissions will reopen on December 1, 2017 and will close at the end of 5 weeks (January 5, 2018) or when we reach 500 submissions.

How to Submit
When submissions reopen, you may submit your script using the form. It is requested that all playwrights submit two full-length plays. Please indicate in the form which play you are submitting for Commission/production consideration and which play you are submitting as a writing sample. If two plays have not been completed, then playwrights can submit one full-length play and no fewer than 25 pages of a second play (or alternate form of fiction writing) as a minimum requirement for submission.

Is this how I submit to The Parity Commission?
The Parity Commission for Women and Transgender Playwrights is open to all women and transgender playwrights. All scripts submitted to us by women and transgender playwrights during our submission period and that fit the requirements outlined below will also be considered for The Commission, but there is no direct application for it. We award The Parity Commission to women and transgender playwrights that we have become familiar with through their submissions and subsequent meetings and interactions with us or other performances of their work. Script submissions will reopen on December 1, 2017 and will close at the end of 5 weeks (January 5, 2018) or when we reach 500 submissions.
​
Any work that is submitted for The Commission must be new and previously unproduced in a professional production capacity (both Equity and non-Equity). Submitted plays that have been previously produced will be disqualified automatically. However, works that have been read or workshopped may be submitted.

Please note:
All documents must be submitted in PDF format. Your script must be neat and formatted to industry standard (e.g., Sam French, Dramatists Guild, or Final Draft format). Do not put the play title or your name on any page but the title page. Submissions with title or playwright name on any page but the title page will not be read.
​
What happens after submission?
Once a submission is received, any information as to the playwright's identity will be removed so that the literary team can "blind" read.

What happens if my work is selected?
Playwrights whose work we want to develop or produce will be contacted by Parity Productions directly.

Leah Ryan's Fund for Emerging Women Writers

web site

All women who consider themselves emerging playwrights (as distinct from fledgling or mid-career playwrights) are eligible to apply for the 2018 FEWW Prize. Playwrights from all over the world are encouraged to apply, but the play must be written in English. Eligibility does not require that a submitted work adhere to the traditional three-act structure. One-acts, two-acts (even four-, five-, six- acts), monologues, adaptations, and any other wild (or deceptively tame) format will be considered with equal seriousness. The only absolute requirement is that the submitted text be a completed full-length work for theater.

The winner will be chosen by a readers committee selected by the board members of Leah Ryan's FEWW, and will be presented her award as part of the 2018 Lily Awards, which honors the work of women in American theater. In addition, the winner will receive a cash prize of $2,500, a workshop at the Vassar Powerhouse Theater, and a reading of her play in New York City. A stipend of up to $700 for travel and accommodation will be provided by FEWW if necessary.

The deadline for submissions for the 2018 FEWW Prize is Monday, January 8th, 2018 at 11:59pm EST.

Finalists will be contacted in early March and will have one week within which to submit their full play.

Players Theatre Short Play & Musical Festival - Sex! 2018

web site

DATES & LOCATIONS:
February 8 – February 25, 2018
The Steve & Marie Sgouros Theatre at The Players Theatre
115 MacDougal Street, New York, NY  10012 - 3rd floor

3 weeks, 4 performances weekly (Thursday through Sunday),
5 plays featured each week.

ELIGIBILITY:

Short Plays and Musicals with a performance time of 15 minutes or less, no more than 15 pages in length.  Writers are eligible to submit up to 2 plays.

THEME:   “Sex!”

A little bit naughty and slightly steamy but very sexy.  No one under 18 will be admitted to the performance so …

** Note **

1) Playwrights are responsible for producing their own play - Host provides Theatre, technicians, marketing and box office

2) If selected, there is a $100 REFUNDABLE deposit required and a $50 NON-refundable tech fee required

Plays MUST be NO MORE 15 minutes in length and no more than 20 pages

Submissions open: December 04, 2017
Submissions close: January 8, 2018 at 5p
Play selection announced on: January 15th

For more festival information and to submit visit: www.shortplaynyc.com

Breaking Through the Box seeks plays

web site

Breaking Through the Box, a New Jersey based Non-Profit Theater Company, is looking for plays written by up-and-coming playwrights (or new work by published playwrights) for our 2018-2019 season.

DEADLINE: JANUARY 1st. 

The theme of the season is “Innocence and Adolescence”, and we are looking for one to two new plays to showcase. This play will not only be produced but also have opportunities for workshopping and feedback on the script once cast and before rehearsals begin.

To Submit: You may either submit a one-act/full-length play that relates to this theme, or a sample of your work with the hope of having a piece being commissioned. The plays will be looked at by our Director of Development, Joe Piserchio, who will send the top prospects off to our Artistic Director. The playwright chosen will be contacted in late February/early March, and negotiations over the details of the process will be discussed then.

Please submit all work to  bttb.development@gmail.com

If you have any questions or comments before submitting, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Write a Monologue for Me Part I: MONOLOGUE FOR TONY WHITE by László Zsolt Fülöp

Thanks to László Zsolt Fülöp and Tony White for their great work.

Laszlo writes:

I was working on a full-length play script about an immigrant who is an engineer. The play starts with a monologue. That's when I saw the ad about the "Write a Monologue for Me" project and I thought I could send in this monologue. But it didn't work because the original monologue was an introduction to a piece and didn't stand well in itself. I could use only a few sentences from that monologue. So I started thinking about what is a "theatrical" space, when one is "on stage" in front of an audience. And there should be a lot at stake for those involved, especially the "actor." The execution/death penalty came to mind. There is a lot--everything--at stake for the "actor," who is actually not an actor at all since he or she doesn't have any agency any more. Looking at it with a European eye, the death penalty is an outmoded, cruel, inhumane form of justice-making. But I didn't want to make it political. All I wanted is to give a little bit of "agency" to the "actor" in this paradox situation. 

László Zsolt Fülöp is an immigrant. He was born and raised by Hungarian parents in the Transylvanian region of Romania under Ceausecu's dictatorship. He teaches film- and theater-related subjects at the University of New Orleans.

Tony White has appeared in many plays from classics to original works, and has directed a variety Off-Off Broadway shows including Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Romeo & Juliet, Uncommon Women, Titus Andronicus, and Lysistrata. He has enjoyed playing Rupert in Rope, Edward in Spike Heels, Deacon Crow-For-a-Day in Tambourines to Glory (nominated best supporting actor 2003 Tiffany Awards), and Reverend Drum in God’s Trombones (nominated best actor 2004 Tiffany Awards). Represented by Carson Kolker Innovative, & Avanti Talent.

Las Vegas Little Theatre's 10th Annual New Works Competition

web site

1. All plays must be full length (90 minutes or more). No musicals please.
2. Plays must have no more than 8 actors– doubling characters is allowed
3. The set must be simple or representational.
4. Ideally looking for subject matter that will appeal to an age range of 18 – 30.
5. Seeking new plays that have not been professionally produced or published.
6. Plays will be screened by the competition committee. The top 5 will be submitted to the judges.
7. Prizes – 1st prize = Production of the play in the Fischer Black box in May plus $150
         2nd prize = $75
         3rd prize = $50
8. Contestants must sign a release form(application) to authorize production
9. Scripts cannot be returned
10. Materials that are adapted from or otherwise derived from copyrighted source material must also submit permission to use the material at the time of submission.
11. The winning author agrees to the production of his/her play with no royalty payment. The author also agrees to allow LVLT to video tape the production. LVLT cannot provide transportation, lodging or other compensation for the author to travel to Las Vegas for the production.
12. Members of LVLT’s board of directors may not submit for this competition
13. Submissions will be accepted through Dec 31, 2017. The winner will be announced no later than March 30, 2018.
14. Decision of the judges is final. Any disputes will be decided by the LVLT board of directors.
15. Only 2 submissions per person please.   If more than 2 submissions are received from an individual, only the first 2 received will be considered.
16. Each submission will be assigned a number and author’s names will not be provided on judge’s copies of the script to prevent any bias.

3920 Schiff Drive
Las Vegas, Nevada 89103
(702) 362-7996
www.lvlt.org

9th annual Playwrights Festival (California)

web site

Theatre Palisades will hold its 9th annual Playwrights Festival on three Tuesdays in April 2018 and is now open to submissions of new plays.

The festival gives authors the chance to hear their works read aloud after the show has been cast and rehearsed.

Submissions to the festival may be made by emailing grantdiane04@gmail.com or by sending hard copies to:

     Palisades Playwrights Festival
     Theatre Palisades
     P.O. Box 881
     Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

Vermont Pride Theater at Chandler (VPT) requests submissions

web site

Vermont Pride Theater at Chandler (VPT) requests submissions for its eighth annual Summer Pride Festival, July 20-22 and 27-29, 2018 in the historic Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph (VT).

We are seeking full-length scripts with strong LGBTQ content that present the issues and concerns of today's LGBTQ persons, especially those living in rural areas, in a positive way. Scripts should have a mid-sized ensemble, preferably all adults. Staging in a community-theater setting should be feasible. No musicals, please.

Plays that have been previously produced or published are welcome, and their performance history would be of interest. These should be e-mailed to VPT producer Sharon Rives <kenrives@gmail.com>, no later than January 1st.

For more information about the festival or VPT, feel free to contact Ms. Rives.

Little Festival of the Unexpected

web site

Submissions for the upcoming Little Festival of the Unexpected are accepted September 1st through December 31st for consideration the following May. Only scripts and samples of full-length plays are considered for the Festival.

• Literary agents may submit complete scripts on behalf of their clients.
• Playwrights who do not have agents may submit 10-page dialogue samples for consideration. Dialogue samples must be accompanied by a synopsis, production history and character breakdown.
• Plays are eligible for development at the Little Festival of the Unexpected only if they have not previously been professionally produced or workshopped with Equity actors. This restriction includes Actors Equity showcase and waiver productions. Plays that have had readings or non-AEA productions are still eligible.
• Only one submission is accepted per playwright in a given year.
• Submissions of 10-page samples (from playwrights) must be sent by U.S. Mail only – no e-mails, faxes, etc.
• Portland Stage rarely produces scripts with more than 8 characters. When doubling occurs, a full character track breakdown should be included.

Submit by mail to:
Portland Stage Company
Attn: Literary Manager
P.O. Box 1458
Portland, ME 04104

FirstWorks: New Playwrights at T@F

web site

FirstWorks is Theatre@First's workshop program for new plays. With this program we aim to engage with Boston-area playwrights and support new works. One full-length play is chosen for each session of FirstWorks. Playwrights have the opportunity to gain feedback on their work from experienced directors and actors during the revision process, followed by a staged reading with feedback from our enthusiastic and insightful audience.

One of T@F's experienced stage directors will make a close reading of the selected script and offer feedback to the playwright. Actors will be recruited by T@F for a closed roundtable reading of the revised script with feedback offered after the reading. Following that round of revisions, this round of FirstWorks will culminate in May 2018 with a public staged reading of the revised script and a talkback session with the audience.

What are we looking for?

One full-length play will be selected. Due to logistical constraints, only shows able to be performed by a maximum of six actors will be considered. There are no subject matter criteria—we hope to be surprised and delighted. Work submitted will be subject to extensive feedback with the expectation that revisions will be performed by the playwright throughout this process.

Who should apply?

FirstWorks encourages submissions from playwrights regardless of race, color, religion, ethnicity, ancestry, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, body type, age, disability or any other identity factor. Women, LGBT and POC are particularly encouraged to submit. All workshop sessions will be held in the Davis Square area of Somerville.

What if my script doesn't need revision?

FirstWorks is intended for scripts in the draft stage that can benefit from the feedback we offer. Theatre@First has a separate program for staged readings of finished scripts. For more information about that program, click here.

What will be submitted?

The initial submission consists of contact information, a short bio, a synopsis of the play, and a ten-page sample of the script. Each playwright may submit only one play per session.

Don't you want to read the whole thing?

Yes. Finalists will be asked to submit a complete script by February 1, 2018. Finalists may be invited to interview with the FirstWorks Program Director and T@F Artistic Director before the final selection is made.

Is there a fee?

No. There is no submission or participation fee and no offer of payment of any kind.

Submissions Open:

November 16, 2017

Deadline for Submissions:

December 29, 2017

Finalists Announced:

January 2018

Deadline for Finalist Script Submissions:

February 1, 2018

Show Announced:

March 1, 2018

Staged Reading:

May 2018

Questions:

Email firstworks@theatreatfirst.org.

Submission Requirements

Please cut & paste the following form into an email, fill it out, and send it to firstworks@theatreatfirst.org with your sample. Only the first submission from any individual playwright will be considered.


NAME:

EMAIL:

PHONE:

ADDRESS:

BIO: (In 250 words or less, please tell us something about yourself and your history as a playwright, or other theatre experience.)

PLAY TITLE:

# OF CHARACTERS: (Plays will be performed by a maximum of six actors. Plays for smaller casts are welcome. Plays with larger casts that cannot be accommodated by doubling roles will not be considered.)

SYNOPSIS: (In 250 words or less, please tell us what your play is about and what happens in it.)

SAMPLE: (Please attach a 10-page sample of the script to your email as a PDF or Word document. Only the first ten pages of your submission will be read.)


Thank you very much for your interest in FirstWorks and Theatre@First. We look forward to reading your submission.

Talos II - The Science Fiction Theatre Festival of London

web site

TALOS: the Science Fiction Theatre Festival of London returns on 22-25 March 2018 at the Bread & Roses Theatre in London. The festival is seeking submissions of plays with science fiction elements (related genres such as contemporary fantasy will also be considered).

The deadline for script submissions is 31 December 2017. 

We will consider short plays between 5 and 30 minutes long as well as one act plays of up to 60 minutes.

Terms and Conditions

1. TALOS welcomes script submissions written in (or translated into) English, new or previously produced. Each script should be submitted as a PDF attachment to talosfest (at) gmail (dot) com. Please include a short bio and a synopsis in the body of your email.

2. Please include TALOS SUBMISSION: [PLAY TITLE] by [AUTHOR] in the subject line of your email.

3. One submission per category please. You may submit a short play up to 30 minutes long and/or a one act play up to 60 minutes. If submitting for both categories, send each play in a separate email.

4. If your submission is accepted, you should hear back by 21 January 2018.

In the Moment One Act Series - San Antonio Texas

Facebook page

Playwrights and Directors Wanted

Creative Circuit Studios is bringing to the San Antonio community an One Act Series Event. We want to feature talented playwrights and directors.

All works must be submitted in WORD or PDF format to CreativeCircuitStudios@gmail.com by MIDNIGHT JANUARY 5, 2018.

Playwrights must submit the following information:
(In the subject line of your email please type your name and the name of your play.)

- Your contact information (Name, telephone number, age)
- Play synopsis
- Cast breakdown
- List of previous productions/publishings or any pertinent information if applicable. (Please do not include readings)
- A copy of your script

Please attach your script in WORD or in PDF format

(One acts are not TV shows. Works should focus on the script (writing) and the acting. Your one act should be no longer than 30 minutes. Plays with extensive technical requirements will be considered but those with fewer demands will receive stronger consideration.)

Directors must submit the following information:
(In the subject line of your email please type one act director and your name)
- Your contact information (Name, telephone number, age)
- A short paragraph of why you’d like to direct.
- Resume

Please attach your resume in WORD or in PDF format.

*** WRITERS WILL RETAIN FULL RIGHTS AND CREDIT FOR ALL OF THE WORK SUBMITTED AND PRODUCED. THIS IS A NON-PAYING EVENT. ALL WORKS SUBMITTED AND DIRECTORS CAST ARE VOLUNTEERS ONLY. CREATIVE CIRCUIT STUDIOS ALSO CONDUCTS TABLE READINGS AS A TOOL FOR WRITERS TO HEAR THEIR WORK OUT LOUD AND CONTINUE THEIR ARTISTIC JOURNEY! ***

The Robert J. Pickering Award for Playwriting Excellence

web site


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 31 2017

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

Musical Theater Today is accepting submissions

web site

Musical Theater Today is now accepting written submissions for its upcoming issue. We are an eclectic publication with a sincere interest in presenting a wide variety of perspectives and styles.

We are seeking well-developed pieces that explore corners of the musical theater universe rarely discussed in print; all perspectives are welcome to submit. We welcome criticism, journalism, editorials, analysis of trends (data visualization), historical research, and any other form yet imagined!

All submissions we will be reviewed and considered.

Our focus is on well-developed pieces driven by nuanced, specific concepts. A 2,000 word minimum is suggested, but not at all mandatory. Please consult our mission statement and the previous issue of MTT to familiarize yourself with the publication.

Send all submissions and any questions to musicaltheatertoday@gmail.com with SUBMISSION followed by your name in the subject line; please also include a 100-word bio to the initial email. All submissions are due Thursday, February 15th, 2018.

We look forward to reading your work!

The Gallery Players is seeking plays for its 21st Annual Black Box New Play Festival

web site

The Gallery Players in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York, is seeking plays for its 21st Annual Black Box New Play Festival to be held in June, 2018. Each play selected will be given a black box production at Gallery Players and will be performed in a festival format with non-equity actors.

Playwrights must be available for rehearsals and use this as an opportunity to continue work on their play.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: DECEMBER 31, 2017
Submission guidelines:

• Plays must be un-produced (readings are ok); must be the play’s world premiere
• Length may be from 10 minutes to 45 minutes. No monologues.
• Pages must be numbered
• A cover page with title of the play and playwright’s contact information is required, along with a plot synopsis of the play and a character breakdown
• Submit a copy of your resume
• Playwrights may not direct their own work

Send two copies of your play, along with your resume, to:

The Gallery Players
Black Box New Play Festival
199 14th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215

We will only contact you if your play has been accepted into the festival. If you want confirmation that your mailing was received by us, please include a self-addressed stamped return postcard.

We do not accept email submissions.

We do not return scripts. Any scripts not chosen for the Festival will be destroyed to protect the copyright.

Dramatists Guild Dramatists Diary

The Dramatists Diary has been a continuous member service since 1964. It is a record of member achievements and is printed in six issues of The Dramatist magazine each year.

Most Diary listings are self-reported and are usually printed within three to four months from the reporting date. These are listings of past achievements only and do not function as advertisements for upcoming events.

If the listing you report is older than twelve months, it will not be accepted or printed in The Dramatist.

You must be a member of the Dramatists Guild to participate. 

If you are a member you can go here to view the diary submission form (you will have to log in to the Guild's web site first.)

If you are not a member there is information about joining the Guild here.

Celtic Calling Announces 2018 Playwriting Contest

web site

Calling all playwrights, storytellers, bards, jesters, minstrels and other like-minded folk!

Celtic Calling is now accepting submissions of original plays, vignettes, or one-acts, not to exceed thirty minutes, with a ‘Celtic’ theme, to be performed during the weekend of the Third Annual Celtic Calling, March 2-4, 2018, at a location to be determined.  The deadline for submission is December 31, 2017, and the winning submission will be announced no later than January 15, 2018.   A $100 stipend will be provided to the writer(s) of the winning entry.

All proposals and scripts must be typewritten and emailed to CelticCallingCopperPintPlay@gmail.com by December 31, 2017, at 5:00pm.

Multiple submissions are permitted, as are collaborations between writers.

The submission must be original, and the entrant must have the rights of performance prior to submission. Celtic Calling will be granted exclusive rights of performance from the time of submission through March 31, 2018.

The play should not exceed thirty minutes.

Celtic Calling may charge for tickets to the performance, which will go to offset the costs of production of the play and/or festival.

The submission must have a ‘Celtic’ theme, which is solely up to the interpretation of the reading committee.

The play will be selected by a committee, whose decisions are final, including the decision not to decide, should the entries not meet the requirements or other standards.

Theatre Suburbia seeks full-length plays

web site

Theatre Suburbia invites the playwriting community to submit new unpublished scripts for consideration. Deadline for submissions is January 31, 2018.

GUIDELINES
To qualify for consideration, the scripts should conform to the following guidelines:
• The script must have a running time between 90 and 120 minutes.
• The script should have 2 acts with one intermission.
• The main characters (villain, hero and heroine) should make their stage entrances within the first 10 pages of the script.
• The script should contain from 8 to 12 characters. Characters must be a minimum of 10 years old. Remember: children can be difficult to cast and this may affect final selection.
• The scripts should contain asides (in mellerdrammer fashion) for the characters. The villain should have the most, followed by the hero and heroine, and remaining cast should have a few. The asides help generate the audience responses for the main characters - boos and hisses for the villain, oohs and ahs for the heroine, and of course cheers for the hero.
• This is to be a family type show so absolutely no vulgar, offensive or suggestive language is allowed.
• Set requirements should be simple with a minimum number of locations (house, yard, street scene, etc) because the show is to be performed in the round and the popcorn must be easily cleaned after each performance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• Any agreed to production can be subject to Royalty, and will be subject to written contractual agreement between Playwright and Theatre Suburbia.
• Author may, at the theatres discretion, have limited input into the producing of the script. The director and Theatre Suburbia have final authority on the production i.e. casting, set etc.
NOTE: this stipulation is in conflict with the Dramatists Guild Bill of Rights for Playwrights.
• The script should be submitted to Theatre Suburbia, Inc., attention Doris Merten, 4106 Way Out West Dr, Suite N, Houston, TX 77092. No later than January 31, 2018. If the script is to be returned if it not accepted, please enclose a self-address envelope for the return. Scripts may be submitted via email to info@theatresuburbia.org.
• For questions or clarifications a message may be left on Line #4 for Doris, at 713-682-3525 or via e-mail at info@theatresuburbia.org. attn: Doris Merten We welcome your scripts.

Call for Submissions: Global Queer Playwriting/Queer Plays in Translation

web site

In 2018, the Arcola Queer Collective will present its fourth annual season of theatre and performance.  In 2017, we presented forgotten and rediscovered plays from queer theatre history, from Mae West’s effervescent The Drag, and a new re-imagining of Edouard Bourdet‘s La Prisonnière, to a series of plays from the activist queer theatre of the UK in the 1970s and 80s.

For 2018, we want to discover and share how queer lives are depicted and lived – and how queer stories are told – in theatre around the world.  We will stage four rehearsed readings of queer plays in translation and from parts of the world that are currently less represented on the LGBT+ stages of London.  While we welcome the increase in LGBT+ theatre in the UK in recent years, most of this theatre has represented English-language voices from the English-speaking West.  We know there is a big queer world out there and we want to learn more about it.

To achieve this, we are putting out a call to all translators and playwrights who have a play to share.  Until December 25th, we are inviting you to send us plays that tell these global stories and open our eyes to the queer world in all its breadth and variety.  They can be any length, from any period, and with any number of characters, and must be in, or translated into, English.

The four plays will be selected by a panel of our members and performed in the spring as rehearsed readings by members of the queer collective.

If you have a play that you would like to share with us, please send it to us at nick@arcolatheatre.com by December 25th 2017, along with a short synopsis and a 100 words stating why the play would be a great fit for this mini-festival.

We are looking for any play that deals with queer lives, but in particular we welcome texts that tell the stories of less-represented groups.  We are very conscious that the LGBT+ community is itself very diverse, so we especially welcome plays that show this diversity and tell stories that explore issues such as intersectionality and the queer experience within a range of settings that audiences might not otherwise see.

We look forward to receiving your play.

Note to translators and writers:  if you are submitting a play that has been translated and if the play or the translation is still under copyright, you must ensure that both the playwright and the translator (or the relevant rights-holders) give their authorisation for the translation to be submitted and to participate in this event. You must confirm when you apply that you have the permission of both the translator and the writer.

Questions?

Before applying, please take a look at the questions and answers below.

Does it have to be a new play?

No.  We are looking for great global queer stories and this could include brand-new contemporary writing or a brilliant rediscovered piece from centuries ago, or anything in between.

I’m a translator and I have found a fantastic play that would be great for this project, but I haven’t translated it yet – can I still apply?

Yes.  You can send a sample translation of a scene from the play, along with a synopsis and some comments about why you think it would be a good match for this project.  If accepted, we would need you to commit to completing the translation by [date].

I’ve written a play in a language other than English – can you help me get it translated?

No.  We’re only able to accept plays that have already been translated, or a translated scene and a synopsis.  We’re not able to translate plays or to find translators for plays that have not yet been translated.

I’m a playwright with a great idea for a play, or am writing a play at the moment that I need some guidance with – can you support me in writing a play for this event?

No.  We’re looking for plays that have already been written and are not able to offer dramaturgy or a play-reading service.  There are fantastic projects supporting new writers that you might consider, such as [list, links]

I’m a playwright from a less represented part of the world, but I write in English – can I still submit my play?

Yes.  We are very aware that the ‘English-speaking world’ represented on our stages can be overwhelmingly from a small number of countries such as the UK and the US, and that there are large areas of the English-speaking world which are almost completely unrepresented by the LGBTQ plays that are staged in our city.

I’m a playwright with an idea for a queer adaptation of a classic play – can I submit this sort of ‘translation’?

No.  We are looking to hear the voices of global playwrights so are not looking in this project for, for example, a queer reimagining of The Cherry Orchard or similar.  As a collective, we love doing this kind of work but this particular project is not aiming to do this.

When will the readings take place?

Readings will be staged on the weekend of 3rd and 4th of March 2018 at either 1pm or 5pm each day (TBC). They will be held in one of Arcola’s rehearsal studios in our building in Dalston.

Will I be paid if my play or translation is used?

No. This is an opportunity to showcase new queer work from around the world to audiences and industry in London. Arcola Queer Collective is a volunteer-led queer community theatre company, and all actors and directors are volunteers with administration provided in-kind by the theatre. We will be charging a minimal fee to attend readings (£3) which covers the basic costs of staging the readings. As such no performance fee is available. Translator and writer will retain all rights to future production, but we will invite producers, directors and representatives from theatres across the UK to attend and we hope productions are picked up for future life.

Kennedy Center 2018 VSA Playwright Discovery Program

web site

Young writers with disabilities and collaborative groups that include at least one student with a disability are invited to explore the disability experience through the art of writing for performance: plays, screenplays, spoken word poetry (for single performer or a group), or music theater. Writers are encouraged to craft short works from their own experiences and observations, create fictional characters and settings, or choose to write metaphorically or abstractly about the disability experience.

The piece may be of any genre, and scripts should be in the ten-minute play format. Entries may be the work of an individual student or a collaboration by a group of up to five students that includes at least one student with a disability. The competition has three divisions: Primary (grades 6-7), Junior (grades 8-9), and Senior (grades 10-12) (or equivalents). A panel of performing arts professionals selects the division winners.

One winning piece is chosen in each the Primary and Junior Divisions (grades 6-7 / ages 11-13 and 8-9 / ages 13-15 respectively). Winners will be featured in the press and on the Kennedy Center website.

Selected winners in the Senior Division (grades 10-12 / ages 15-18) will receive exclusive access to participate in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Washington, D.C., and the opportunity to participate in staged readings and workshops alongside the nation's premier collegiate playwrights as well as participate in the festival’s award ceremony. The Playwright Discovery Program winners will participate in the festival from Wednesday, April 11 – Saturday, April 14, 2018. Winners of the Senior Division must be present for the entire event in order to be eligible for the award.

The application deadline is Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

More on the web site.

FUNHOUSE III seeks 10-minute plays

Facebook page

FUNHOUSE III
a late-night play anthology
April 26-28
The Slate Theater, Seattle, WA
Created by Brian Toews

WHAT IS FUNHOUSE?
Funhouse is a recurring late-night play anthology inspired by The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror, Saturday Night Live, and Adult Swim. Funhouse is a collection of subversive and experimental content. Our show serves as a rotating platform for diverse, up-and-coming playwrights, directors, actors, and designers.

HOW DO I FUNHOUSE?
Submissions of original ten-minute plays will be accepted beginning November 20th, 2017.

The deadline is January 5th, 2018; late submissions will not be accepted. Writers will be notified of our selections February 2018. The selected plays will be given a full production within the capabilities and budget of the producers. A $30 honorarium will be given to all selected playwrights.

Email submissions to funhouseanthology@gmail.com. Submissions must be received by January 5th, 2018 to be considered; late submissions will not be accepted.

SUBMISSION FEE (w/No-Fee Options)
There is a $5 submission fee for each script. After submitting your script, the email listed on your submission will be invoiced via PayPal. We will read and consider your script only after we have confirmed the submission fee. Our PayPal is registered to funhouseanthology@gmail.com

NO-FEE OPTIONS
1) If you identify as a part of any historically or presently marginalized groups, we are able to waive your submission fee. Please indicate in your submission email if you would like the fee to be waived.
2) If you cannot pay the fee for any reason and still want to submit, please let us know at funhouseanthology@gmail.com and we can work something out.
3) The fee will be waived if any playwright can prove they are a member of the Dramatists Guild.

SUBMISSION FEE INTENTION
The reason we made the submission fee such a low cost is so we could help supplement our operating budget while still making submission accessible to all. We aim to create a sustainable, recurring production, and charging a small submission fee helps us reach that goal.

EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
We believe that theatre should reflect the community it serves. As such, we encourage people of all experiences, backgrounds, and identities, to submit their work. This includes people of any race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, class, or religion. If you identify as part of any historically or presently marginalized groups, we are able to waive your submission fee. Please indicate in your submission email if you would like the fee to be waived.


SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

1) Submission must be an original, unproduced 10-minute play at time of submission. Plays that have had staged readings will be accepted. Plays that have received full productions, either professional or amateur, prior to submission will not be accepted. Legal clearance of materials not in the public domain is the full responsibility of the playwright.

2) A limit of THREE plays may be submitted by each playwright.

3) Maximum length: 12 pages not including title pages. Plays should run in the 8-12 minute range. Longer submissions will not be considered.

4) Scripts may be comedy, drama, horror, fantasy, sci-fi, parody, and/or musical.

5) This is a show for mature audiences (18+). We encourage subversive and/or experimental work. Need some inspiration? Check out our Pinterest Board for images to inspire you: http://bit.ly/2ixgW11

6) Plays must be submitted with numbered pages and include on the title page the following contact and bio information:

Playwright’s first and last name
Mailing address
Phone number
E-mail address
A brief biography (100 words or less).

7) If you identify as a part of any historically or presently marginalized groups, we are able to waive your submission fee. Please indicate in your submission email if you would like the fee to be waived.

8) All scripts must be in English.

9) Preferred document format: Microsoft Word or .pdf files ONLY. No other formats will be accepted.

10) Selection will be made by Brian Toews and the Funhouse III directors and inclusion is solely at their discretion. All decisions are final.

11) All submitting playwrights will receive an email notification upon receipt of their scripts.

12) Notification of final decisions will be made by e-mail by February 2018.