Theater for the New City Free Memorial Day Weekend Festival

MAY 22-24, 2026

Memorial Day weekend

Artistic output of this fabled neighborhood will be showcased in three days of free showings for live audiences.

In and around Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. (at E. 10th Street)

FREE (donations accepted)

Info: www.theaterforthenewcity.net, (212) 254-1109

Lineup of performances: http://www.jsnyc.com/season/LES-2026.htm

More information here.

Theatre Off the Square 2026 New Works Contest

Facebook page

Deadline: May 31, 2026

Send scripts to: info@theatreoffthesquare.org

Please submit scripts without identifying information (Playwright's name, address, etc.)

Each entry must be an original, unpublished work.

Final work must be submitted by May 31. No additional edits can be submitted for consideration after this date.

We are not considering works commissioned by another theater.

Playwrights must be willing to travel for a staged reading (Weatherford Texas) and, if selected, will be recognized as a special guest on opening night.

Scripts must be between 30 minutes and an hour in length and able to be performed in one act. 

Genre and theme open to the playwright.

The theme does not have to be overt; it can be symbolized throughout.

Community standards will play a role in selecting shows for the staged readings, so please keep content in mind.

The person responsible for the submissions will ensure total anonymity and will not be a reader in the first round of judging.

Please ensure that your name is not on your script

Plays will be judged in two separate categories-Youth for playwrights 17 and under and Adult for playwrights 18+. The category is based on age as of July 3lst, when submissions are due. 

Up to 6 plays will be chosen for staged readings on October 4th, where final judging will occur. This group will include one show from the Youth category and up to 5 from the Adult category. In the event that there are no qualifying Youth participants, all readings will come from the Adult category.
The top two plays will be performed together as a single production at Theatre Off The Square in 2026. The playwright may or may not be consulted for production. 

If interested and approved by the Directors Selection Committee of Theatre Off The Square, winners may also be involved in the production up to directing. 

Winners will each receive $200 and 5 comp ticket

Discount tickets - $10 student tickets available at the box office.

Join us for a series of short comedic plays on May 22. Work from Matthew Moore, Madeleine Brigman, Madison Fargo, and Kimberly Alu; directed by Anna Item, Hee-Young Shin, Lillie Wojcik, and Joshua Folsom ~ Company Instagram  

Second Annual International Human Rights Art Festival Queens seeks 10-20 minute productions

Website

Deadline: June 15, 2026

Send submissions to: costanza@humanrightsartmovement.org 

The performances must be fully produced by you; IHRAF is a presenting platform.

Considering performances 10-20 minutes long.

We accept just one proposal for each application.

***This is an open call for Queens-based artists only***

Send:

• A brief description of your piece, including approximate running time - we’re accepting 10-20 mins works.
• A cover letter, including details regarding the piece’s discipline, issue of concern treated and a brief summary of your artistic goals
• Your bios or resumes and the names of any collaborators already on board
• A sample of work (scripts, pics, videos, songs, any other links or file that could help us to know more about your project)
• As email subject, please type IHRAF Queens 2026, then add Association-Company-your name (i.e. IHRAF Queens 2026, Joan Doe)

Please note: Work may not have been produced within the last year in NYC, or be scheduled in the next six months of September 20, 2026. 

Also, let us know if you already had part of our previous festivals as a performer or in the audience.

We are jurying work with the following interests, for performance blocks:

• QUEENS-oriented stories
• Climate Change Action
• Immigration
• LGBTQIA
• Celebration of Women/Women in Power
• Celebration of Black Men/Undiscovered Women
• With Love from Africa
• Any other social justice concerns you might have

All accepted performers will receive:

Performance stipends of $200 total (per project)

PR and marketing support

30-minute tech rehearsal

Festival TD and SM

Free photographic documentation of the performance

Any questions, email our Festival Assistant Producer Costanza Bugiani at costanza@humanrightsartmovement.org

Veterans' 10 Minute Playwrighting Contest 2026

Website

Deadline: June 30, 2026 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Designated a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs, a Top College and University by Military Advanced Education, and a Best for Vets College by Military Times, Salem State values our military connected students and their families and the sacrifices they have made for our country. Salem State is committed to supporting Veterans’ voices on and off campus. The arts create unique and powerful opportunities for individuals and groups to share experiences and constructive dialogue. As such, Salem State is proud to announce its seventh annual Veterans Playwriting contest which will culminate in staged readings of selected plays in November 2026.

All playwrights, regardless of military affiliation, are invited to enter Salem State University’s 10-Minute Playwriting Contest. However, preference will be given to those with a direct military connection. This includes active-duty military, reservists, National Guard, Veterans, and direct family of any of these.

The theme of the play should directly touch on military service and/or how military service affects a community. The contest and festival look to recognize and celebrate those that have served and currently serve. We are looking to bring together a variety of voices exploring both the challenges and the victories and positive influences that Veterans have on our community.

Judges will select finalists, whose plays will be part of a series of staged readings in November 2026.

Important Dates

June 30, 2026 - Entry deadline

August 15, 2026 - Notification of finalists

November 2026 – Staged readings with post-performance discussions. Additional details forthcoming.

Contest RulesOnly submissions through Submittable will be considered.

• One submission per playwright.
• Only original plays, not-yet produced or published, are eligible.
• All plays are judged blind. Do not include any personal, identifying information anywhere on your submission.
• Musicals and adaptations are not eligible.
• Simultaneous submissions are allowed. If your play is accepted elsewhere, please let us know immediately. If your play is chosen to be performed, you agree to withdraw your play from all other places where it is under consideration.
• By submitting, you agree to allow Salem State University to produce the first staged reading of your play.
• Scripts meeting the rules and submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by judges.
• Judging will be done by SSU faculty and members of the SSU Veterans’ community.

Judging Criteria

StoryPlot seems fresh, intriguing and original
Something happens; sufficient conflict and tension throughout the play
Plot is active, vital and dramatic on stage
Story moves along; pace is engaging

VoiceStrong, interesting writing style
Clear viewpoint that’s well integrated into the play

CharactersInteresting and compelling characters
Characters seem credible and real
Main character evolves or develops through the course of the play

DialogueDialogue suits the characters
Dialogue sounds natural and credible for the plot and location
Each character has own unique voice
Dialogue seems fresh and compelling (not dull, boring, or generic)

AppropriatenessThe play can be staged in the 10-minute time allotment in a black box theatre with limited set, sound, and design.

Overall effectPlay is transformative and memorable

Submitting Your Work

The script must be in standard playwriting format with 12-point Courier font. Use double spacing when changing from one character to another. Use single spacing everywhere else. If you are unfamiliar with standard playwriting format, please check out this example.

PLAYS THAT FAIL TO MEET THESE CRITERIA WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Questions: email arts@salemstate.edu

Lolwe Magazine seeks one-act plays from the African diaspora

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2026 7:00 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Lolwe: From Nam Lolwe, the original or traditional Luo name for Lake Victoria meaning “endless lake/water body”. Therefore, Lolwe meaning endless, meaning “having or seeming to have no end or limit”.

Lolwe is a Pan-African literary arts platform that publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid writing, orature, drama, translation, and visual art. Founded in January 2020 by Troy Onyango, the magazine has a focus on amplifying the work by writers, poets and visual artists from Africa, Caribbean and the Black diaspora. Lolwe aims to publish more work by Black creatives as this is a way to ensure greater visibility for stories by Black people and to give a platform and space for the “Black imagination.”

Lolwe is looking for work that is bold, different, and pushes boundaries: play with form and language, ignore limitations and classifications, send in your fears and joys, your doubts and faiths, your curiosities and silences.

General submissions from the public are open once a year across all genres.

Lolwe Academy alumni and solicited contributors may submit at any time of the year across all genres.

We accept submissions in English and French across all categories.

We also accept translated fiction from any language used in Africa and the Caribbean.

Please read the submission guidelines carefully and submit your work to the appropriate category via Submittable. Any work sent via email or to the wrong category will not be read and will be automatically rejected.

While not mandatory, we recommend that you read our past issues before submitting.

For queries, please email info@lolwe.org.

Submission Guidelines Length: 1,000-10,000 words for prose. 3 – 5 poems contained in a single document. 5 – 10 images/artworks in one document alongside 200-500 words about the work. (If you’d like to submit an image for the cover, just submit a single high resolution file).

Format: Word document, Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced.

Payment: At the moment, Lolwe is not funded so we will offer a £50 voucher redeemable towards a Lolwe Academy course or at Lolwe Books.

Award submissions: Lolwe nominates work for awards such as Caine Prize, Pushcart Prize and The Best Short Stories: The O. Henry Prize.

Bio: Send a brief bio alongside the submission.
Queries: Send any queries to info@lolwe.org. Only queries sent to this email will be replied to. Please don’t send social media DMs.

Dear US.: One-Acts to Bridge the Divide

Website

Deadline: June 20, 2026

SUBMIT VIA SUBFOLIO

Dear US is a compilation of solicited plays, performed as staged readings near Tampa, FL, followed by a facilitated conversation with audience, actors, and any playwrights that may be present.

Blind Submission

Anonymity: Your name, address, or any identifying information must not appear anywhere on the script, including the title page, headers, footers, or filename.

Filename: Name your file only with the title of the play. (e.g., Title_of_Play.pdf)

Identification: Any identifying marks will disqualify the script. Please, please, remove it all -- even initialed page numbers -- so that the process remains entirely blind.

General

Length: No more than 10 pages, excluding title and character pages. Run time less than 10 minutes. Monologues are welcome: ideally, 3-5 minutes run time. No musicals.

Format: Upload as a single PDF file.

Originality: Work must be original and not previously published. PLAYS USING AI WILL NOT BE READ.

Script Formatting

Font: 12-point 

Margins: at least 1- inch margins on all sides.

Pagination: Start with "1" on the first page of the dialogue.

PDF Document Order 

    1. Title Page: Do not include your name or contact information.    

    2. Character/Setting page: brief descriptions and time/place.

     3. The Script: Max 10 pages, not to exceed 10 minutes playing time.

To submit, you'll need to make a free account with Subfolio, which will walk you through the entire submission process. Art of Freedom LIVE uses Subfolio to guarantee that the process is blind and fair. 

Questions? Feel free to contact me, but do not share with me the title or other identifiers of your play/monologue: mary@artoffreedom.live

CHESTNUT STREET PLAYHOUSE 6TH ANNUAL PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

Facebook page

Deadline: June 15, 2026

Please email a summary and sample of your script (first or best 10 pages ONLY) to submissions@chestnutstreetplayhouse.org

Be sure to number your pages and submit your document in PDF format. 

This festival is designed not only as a performance opportunity, but as a collaborative workshop experience focused on helping writers develop the next best version of their piece.

Selected scripts will receive:

-A staged reading/performance as part of the festival
- Dedicated rehearsal and workshop time with directors and actors
- Facilitated feedback sessions
- Audience response opportunities
- Post-festival support and guidance for future development/submissions

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

Original plays (finished drafts only)
Works in any genre
Pieces with strong storytelling, compelling characters, and developmental potential

HOW THE PROCESS WORKS:

Reading & Selection

A panel of readers which include theater artists, directors, actors, and playwrights will review submissions. The panel will read each summary/submission anonymously. Selected pieces will be chosen based on voice, theatricality, storytelling, and potential for development. If selected, you will be asked to submit your entire script for final review. 

Workshop & Rehearsal Process

Each selected playwright will collaborate with a director and cast through a workshop-style rehearsal process focused on exploration, discovery, and refinement. Additionally, Connecticut playwright Scott Stephen Kegler will be participating as our Dramaturg for the festival working with each selected play to help with script analysis and development.

Festival Performances

The selected works will be presented before live audiences as staged readings. The CSP PlayFest will be held Sept. 11-13 (TBD based on selections)

Audience Feedback

Following performances, audiences will have opportunities to provide guided feedback and participate in post-show discussions designed to support the playwrights’ ongoing development process.

Continuing the Journey

Chestnut Street Playhouse hopes to help playwrights continue developing their work beyond the festival by providing resources, festival recommendations, and encouragement for future productions and workshops.

We can’t wait to discover and help develop new voices and new stories.
Scott Stephen Kegler, Co-Chair & Dramaturg
Derek Corriveau, Co-Chair & Coordinator
Lisa Bono, Managing Artistic Director & Festival Administrator

Perlberg Festival 2027 seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The 2026 Perlberg Festival of New Plays at Palm Beach Dramaworks is accepting submissions through May.

What are we looking for?

• Comedies and Dramas (no musicals)
• Cast sizes between 2 and 5 (doubling is okay)
• Plays that really explore relationships/deeper ideas/the human condition
• Plays between 70 and 120 minutes (full-length but not epically long)
• One submission per writer -- if you're trying to decide which to send, send the one that seems like the best "fit" for Palm Beach Dramaworks
• UNPRODUCED, with no productions scheduled before April of 2027

Great Commission Theatre seeks short plays and monologues

Website

Deadine: June 26, 2026

Email a PDF copy of your script to scripts@greatcommissiontheatre.org
Include a brief synopsis of the play/monologue

Provide us insight into who you are with a personal biography

The Great Commission Theatre invites writers, artists, and storytellers to explore holiness through the power of theatre.

Saints for Today is an intimate evening of staged readings featuring original short plays and monologues

inspired by the lives of the saints and the human journey toward God. Through story, voice, and guided reflection, this experience seeks to create space for encounter, renewal, and meaningful dialogue within today’s world.

Theme
How do the lives of the saints help us live our holiness today?

We are seeking stories that are:

Human and honest
Spiritually resonant
Reflective and emotionally grounded
Rooted in themes of struggle, grace, conversion, hope, or encounter with God

Submissions may include:

Stories inspired by the lives of the saints
Contemporary stories reflecting saintly virtue today
Defining moments of faith, doubt, surrender, or transformation
Monologues or scenes exploring the human journey toward holiness

What is a Staged Reading?

A staged reading is a simple theatrical presentation where actors perform with scripts in hand and minimal staging.

Rather than focusing on elaborate production elements, staged readings emphasize:

The power of the written word
Authentic performance and storytelling
Imagination, reflection, and audience connection

This format creates an intimate experience that invites audiences to listen deeply and engage personally with the stories being shared.

Call for Submissions

Length

Works should be approximately 8–10 minutes in length (about 8–10 pages in standard play format).
Format

Submissions may be:

A short play
A monologue

Cast Size

Pieces should be written for 1–5 performers.

Staged Reading Format

Selected works will be performed as staged readings with scripts in hand and minimal movement.

Technical Requirements

Please keep technical needs simple and avoid complex staging or production elements.

Original Work Only

Submissions must be original, unpublished works that are free of copyright restrictions.

Important dates
Submission deadline: June 26, 2026
Staged Reading Showcase: August 15, 2029

Performance will be held at Whitley Event Center in San Antonio, TX

46 Minutes Collective seeks short works for Mixed Bag

Website

Deadline: May 25, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST

SUBMISSION FORM

Mixed Bag Application - July 13, 2026 Performance

Description: Mixed Bag is a variety show for first drafts. We provide artists working in a variety of mediums with a low-tech space and audiences to further develop their works. We hope this will be an opportunity to learn about your piece and discover the next steps in your process.

Performance Date: July 13, 2026 from 4:30-9 PM, Performance at 7:30 PM

Location: Brick Aux (628 Metropolitan Ave)

What we are looking for: 

• In-development work that has not yet premiered. One or two developmental readings or showings is okay, but we are looking for work in the earlier stages of development. 
• Works in any medium: performance art, dance, theater, film, music, poetry, multi-media, interactive art, magic, mime, juggling, etc. (these can be excerpts of longer works).
• Artists who are looking to investigate or discover something about their work.
• Cast: Up to 10 performers
• Length: Up to 15 minutes

We Can Offer: 

• A low-tech performance space at Brick Aux to share your work .
• One, 20-minute spacing rehearsal the hour before the show.
• A Stage Manager to assist with the run of show.
• Photos and video of your piece.

An audience of fellow artists and creatives to share in your developmental process with the option for feedback from the audience if that is helpful for your process.
Marketing through the 46 Minutes Instagram and mailing list. If selected, we will ask for additional marketing materials from you/your team.

Brick Aux space capabilities (basic sound system, clip lights, projector, tables and chairs) (learn more here).

Box Office Split: Please note that tickets are donation-based, so we cannot guarantee a profit from this event. Once we have covered the space rental via donations, all additional ticket funds will be split evenly amongst the performers and the collective.

What You Bring:

• Collaborators and creative team.
• Any desired props, costumes, lights, design elements, etc. beyond what exists in the Brick Aux space.
• An understanding of what you need to present your own work at whatever stage it's at in your process.
• An openness to the liminal space that is in-process work and a desire to discover what can be learned when presenting a rough draft.Please Note: The artist is responsible for all rehearsal process needs. We are unable to provide any rehearsal space or financial assistance at this time. This is designed to be an in-process showing, so we encourage you to come as you are with whatever you have created at this point in time. 

Each artist may only submit one piece per Mixed Bag showing.

If you have any questions please reach out to us at 46mincollective@gmail.com

We at The 46 Minutes Collective are committed to making our programming accessible to all who wish to participate, so please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 46mincollective@gmail.com with any ways we can support you.

Go Try Play Write May 2026

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

We're proud to announce a new monthly playwriting contest in collaboration with Bamboo Ridge Press. Every month, Kumu Kahua's artistic director Harry Wong III will select a writing prompt on the first day of that month. We're looking for 5-page monologues or 10-page scenes based on that prompt; the due date for submissions are always the last day of the month. 

All entries must be written in traditional play format; instructions on this format can be found here (https://www.dramatistsguild.com/script-formats), courtesy of the Dramatists Guild.

There will be one winner each month. Scripts will be submitted to the judges anonymously. Winners will receive $100 and a subscription to Bamboo Ridge Press. Woo!

The prompt for May 2026 is an incitement prompt:

Write a 10-page maximum scene of the moment a bully loses their effect / power over their victim. Kids, adults, chimpanzees, protozoa, roses, any group where bullying can occur. Also, the effect / power the bully has over their victim can be physical, mental, spiritual, social, monetary, whatever you can imagine.

SEEKING MONOLOGUES FOR VIRTUAL HALLOWEEN SHOWCASE

Facebook page

Deadline: June 10, 2026 at 11:59pm PST 

Please send your submissions to rainydayrevue@gmail.com. 

Rainy Day Artistic Collective is planning our fall monologue showcase - this year it will be Halloween themed (like our very first monologue showcase was) and we're looking forward to bringing that back. 

It will have one livestreamed performance in October (exact date TBD) and be 100% Virtual.

Though we will be putting out a call for actors this summer, we need some monologues to work with first!

If you're interested in submitting a monologue to be considered for this showcase, please review the guidelines below:

Submission Guidelines:

Submissions can only feature one speaker.  

We have included poetry and short stories in past showcases, but typically prefer to feature theatrical monologues. 

Each monologue must be approximately 2-5 minutes in length.

Piece(s) must be inspired by Halloween in some way - scary or cute, happy or sad, dramatic or comedic, let your imagination run wild!

Excerpts from longer works are acceptable, but they should be able to be performed as standalone monologues with minimal to no additional context required for the audience.

Tech needs should be simple - keep it livestream friendly. Some sound cues are okay (even encouraged, if it fits the mood). We can also use virtual backgrounds to enhance/suggest the setting. 

No more than two pieces submitted per playwright, please! Joint authorship of a piece counts towards all contributing playwrights.

Please list any content warnings in your submission.

We are not able to offer stipends for selected playwrights/pieces, but this event is also 100% free for any audience member to watch.

The deadline for submissions will be June 10th, 2026 at 11:59pm PST - no pieces submitted after that will be considered. Please send your submissions to rainydayrevue@gmail.com. 

Our mission at Rainy Day Artistic Collective is to "make the theatre you wish to see." We are an inclusive; LGBTQIA+, minority, and disabled-run; hybrid company  headquartered in Seattle, Washington. We ally against racist, sexist, classist, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, and otherwise bigoted practices. As such, we will never consider submissions that contradict our values. 

The script doctor is in the house! 🩷

Award-winning bicoastal playwright and screenwriter Sarah Congress is offering her coveted script doctoring services online, for a limited time.

Whether you are a producer with a screenplay/series that needs reworking, a fiction writer in need of inspiration, or a playwright with a new play, Sarah is here to help you take your script to the next level. Many clients that have worked with Sarah have won major awards in film festivals as well as prestigious theatrical opportunities.

Visit Sarah's website to connect with her.

Script Services:

• Help clients get “out of their own way” and fully realize their work and writing potential
• Offer rewrite suggestions 
• Punch up jokes and humor
• Improve confidence 
• Fine-tune material to hook a reader’s interest
• Assist in finding submission and publication opportunities as needed
• Marketing strategy help 

Bio

Sarah Congress is a playwright and script doctor with LA representation. Her play "Last Sunrise" was produced by Nylon Fusion for their Gilded Age/Cage Festival at TADA Theatre (June, 2025). "Last Sunrise" was presented with writers John Patrick Shanley, Lyle Kessler, and Migdalia Cruz. Sarah’s play “Delulu” was a semifinalist for Centre Stage's 23rd Annual New Play Festival (1 of 40 plays from 800 submissions). "Delulu" was read at the Episcopal Actors' Guild October 2025 and published by Feels Blind Literary and read at AWP 2026. She co-wrote the screenplay "I Can't Hear You!" which won BEST COMEDY in the 2024 Jersey Shore Film Festival. Her play “Overdose” won 2nd place for BEST SHORT in the 2023 Downtown Urban Arts Festival at Playwrights Horizons.

Teaching Experience

Sarah has taught writing classes for the Hoboken Historical Museum, Project Write Now, The Knowledge Project, RTA and the Hudson Valley Writers Center - as well as private teaching.

Testimonials - many clients find that working with Sarah is like "therapy"

"Sarah Congress is a wonderful teacher. She's supportive, intuitive, knowledgeable about writing and the landscape of theatre, film and TV. She asks the right questions, gives great notes and the sessions are enjoyable and productive. If you want to take your writing to the next level I can't think of a better coach/script doctor. The sessions fly by but the lessons you learn endure. She's great."

~ Jeff Perlman, Playwright & Non-profit CEO

"I had a breakthrough in my playwriting after working with Sarah. Her coaching made me realize I had the bad habit of undermining the power of my words.. I saw that after she pointed out one line in my play BIG FAT BABY IN HIS MOTHER'S ARMS which I went on to rewrite immediately and submitted for a serious Playwrights Fellowship. Just yesterday I heard from the UCROSS Foundation that I am the Alternate Fellow in the event one of the winners cannot attend in Spring 2025. I am honored to be acknowledged for the Fellowship and thank Sarah for her important coaching. Sarah will have you grow as a playwright/screenwriter in front of her eyes."

~ Tino Juarez, Playwright

"Sarah is a wonderful coach and mentor. She is tough and challenging and fun and really pushes me as a writer into places I didn’t know I was able to go. I have learned so much working with Sarah, not just as a writer, but also as a teacher, as I transition from novelist to playwright. I could not give a higher recommendation working with her. But I assure you, if I could, I would."

~ Jon Papernick, Novelist and Assistant Professor at Emerson College

Playwrights Round Table seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2026 at midnight

Please email all submissions to submissionsprt@gmail.com

Playwrights' Round Table of Orlando, Florida is seeking original, unproduced full-length plays for its PREMIERE production.

For this call, Central Florida's longest-running theater company focused solely on the development of playwrights and their new work is seeking a new full-length play of roughly two acts/two hours' length for its Premiere Series in 2027. The selected play will receive a yearlong full development program with our professionals and receive a full production with us.

This script call is open to ALL playwrights. We STRONGLY encourage Black, female, and LGBTQIA+ writers to submit their work, and are especially interested to see plays from Florida-based playwrights.

Plays MUST be unproduced and unpublished in order to be eligible; however we will accept submissions by Central Florida writers that have not been performed in Orlando and have not previously received more than 1 production (staged readings are fine).

Please send TWO (2) PDF or Word copies of your script – one with full name and contact info, optional personal info (gender/pronouns, ethnicity, etc.), and an acknowledgement that the play is new and unproduced; the other “blind” – this copy will go to the readers. 

Please also indicate that your play was not written using AI.

There is no submission fee; however, the selected playwright must join PRT for a one-year membership term. The base level is free, with priced tiers with member benefits above that. You may only submit 1 play per writer.

Please keep your set minimal, preferably a unit set – we perform in a small black box. Please also limit the number of characters – no more than 6.

The selected playwright will receive a stipend of $250 and a full production in spring 2027.

We look forward to reading your submissions!

New Musical Monday Season 5 Submissions

Instagram

Deadline: none listed

SUBMISSION FORM

WE ARE BACK AGAIN and seeking submissions for the fifth season of our digital series New Musical Monday!

Do you have a new musical that you want to share with our global audience? Do you have a musical that you wrote that you think needs more exposure? Do you want to have a digital way to present your musical to producers/directors for consideration?

New Musical Monday is a series that features new and lesser known musicals from around the globe. Launched in 2021, NMM was born as a spin-off of our New Musical November event in 2020. The episodes feature selections of songs from the musical as well as some insight from the creators. 

NMM is presented on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and a podcast version available on Spotify.

Questions: Send us an email at thornhilltheatrespace1@gmail.com

Free theater: LOCUST by Daniel S. Park

 

Half price tickets: HEY, I HEARD YOU'RE BLACK! by Alicia Whavers

A new play by Alicia Whavers presents black couples, strangers, neighbors, and co-workers discussing the intricacies of everyday life.

What began as a monologue titled “Busted Tailight,” accepted to the Columbus Black Theatre Festival in Ohio, has expanded into a full-length play featuring an anthology of interconnected monologues and scenes that explore the day-to-day aspect of being black in America. These are the stories that never make the headlines, but constantly affect black Americans. 

 

Act in the next week, and get tickets at half-price!

Tickets can be bought at:  

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hey-i-heard-youre-black-tickets-1985065944677 

 

Location: The Burgdorff Center For The Performing Arts, 10 Durand Rd, Maplewood, NJ 07040.

The Trans History Project Residency & Commission

Website

Deadline: May 29, 2026

The Trans History Project is a revolutionary national initiative created by Bo Frazier, Baltimore Center Stage’s Artist-in-Residence. Led by Baltimore Center Stage and Breaking the Binary Theatre, this project aims to commission, develop, and publish 10 new plays about the real history of gender non-conformity which has existed across all cultures since the beginning of time. There will be 10 Trans and Gender Nonconforming playwrights (TGNC) commissioned by BCS who will subsequently be placed into 2-year development residencies at theaters across the country in 2 cohorts.

Each Selected project will receive:

• $10,000 Commission Fee (per project)
• Dramaturgical/Research Support
• A 2-year residency at a theatre that will include:
• 1 Reading in the 2026/27 Season
• 1 Workshop in the 2027/28 Season
• Travel/Housing to our Annual Summer Convening beginning Summer 2027
• Regular Share-Out/Support Zoom Meetings with fellow cohort members throughout 2-year residency

ABOUT TRANS HISTORY PROJECT

MISSION: 

• Tell the history of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming people across all cultures who have existed since the beginning of time 
• Commission and pay 10 TGNC playwrights/creators/writers
• Create a cohort of theaters to develop and program TGNC stories in their seasons 
• We hope to publish a TGNC canon/anthology of the 10 plays
• Enable Regional Theaters to engage, uplift and empower their local TGNC Communities

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: OUT OF THE BOX – A Celebration of New Plays

Website

Deadline: May 15, 2026

Send submissions and inquiries to: pelliscult@gmail.com

The Empty Head Theater Company is seeking new work for our annual Out of the Box Short Play Festival, taking place: August 28–29 & September 3, 4, 5 at The Ellis – Newburgh, NY

We are looking for original plays 30–40 minutes in length. Selected works will be developed in collaboration with our ensemble through a workshop process leading to full production.

We are specifically seeking plays of a social and political nature, engaging with issues affecting the local community of Newburgh as well as the broader challenges we face globally—think global, act local.

This is an opportunity for playwrights interested in:

• New work development
• Collaborative, ensemble-driven process
• Socially engaged and innovative theater

The Ephemeral Players presents REALLY REALLY by Paul Downs Colaizzo

The Ephemeral Players present our first fully staged production - Really Really by Paul Downs Colaizzo, directed by Hailey Vest, running May 14th - May 16th at 7:00PM and May 17th at 2:00PM. Featuring: Sabrina-Belle Dorrien, Kassidy Monique Charles, Tariq Kateeb, Kareem Lasheen, Joe Wood, Vance Washington, and Danielle Barrett.

We would love to have the NYC Playwrights community join us at the show this weekend and learn more about our company!

About Really Really:

At an elite university, the fallout of the party of the year leaves more questions than answers. As rumors spread and loyalties fracture, students are forced to decide what’s true, what’s convenient, and what it costs to survive.

Really Really explores class divides, self-preservation, and the dangerously thin line between truth and perception.

The Ephemeral Players is a 501(c)3 non-profit theater company dedicated to creating accessible theater, uplifting emerging artists, and partnering with organizations whose social causes are reflected in the work we produce.

The Ephemeral Players have partnered with The NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault on this production to illuminate the work NYCAASA does in both prevention and response to sexual violence in our NYC community, and statewide. NYCAASA has a free and publicly available Sexual Violence Survivor Resource Guide. Our opening night performance will be followed by an engaging talkback with Scarlett Thompson from NYCAASA where the play will be used as a model to discuss prevention of and response to sexual assault.

As a Non-Profit organization whose mission is to create accessible theater, we offer our tickets at a minimum price of $20. Any purchase of a ticket above this price point helps support our ability to produce this and further productions.
Join us: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/really-really

Really Really will take place at 122CC, Second Floor Theater, 150 1st. Ave, NYC 10009 - a short walk from the 1st Avenue stop on the L train. The venue is between E 9th St. and E 10th St. on 1st Ave in the heart of the East Village.

For more information, visit our website at www.ephemeralplayers.org, follow us on instagram @ephemeralplayers, or reach out to us directly at contact@ephemeralplayers.org

Content Note (CONTAINS SPOILERS)

This production includes: homophobic and sexually violent language, discussion of sexual assault, victim blaming, reference to domestic violence/relationship abuse, and stimulated sexual assault on stage.

There’s something for everyone at The Playwrights Group

There’s something for everyone at TPG!

Script Consultations

If have a script you want feedback on — just send a PDF of your script and you’ll get a critique via email and/or video conference. See website for rates.

Richard Caliban has worked with individuals on their scripts from all over the world — Indonesia, China, Greece, Australia, Serbia, as well as right here in New York. A script consultation will provide you with feedback on the structural soundness of your story, the dramatic arc of your protagonist, thematic unity and much more.

Online One-on-One Courses

If you’re looking for more, check out our One on One Online Playwriting Courses:

• The Art of Playwriting
• Write a Play in 10 Weeks
• 3 Hour Short Course

All are with instructor Richard Caliban, and since it’s One on One, the courses can be adjusted to fit your level of experience.

The Weekly Workshop

Join our nationwide community of playwrights on Zoom. It’s a great way to stay con-nected and motivated.

Participating in a weekly workshop can give you the kick you need to see your script through from beginning to end. You can bring in anything you’re working on — a full length script, a musical, a TV pilot, whatever. And when your script is ready — we’ll present it in a Public Reading. We also bring in Guest Speakers, like Pulitzer Prize winner Margaret Edson (Wit).

Sit in on a session and see for yourself!

Thursdays 7 - 9:30pm EST

Please visit our website for further Info and Rates:

www.theplaywrightsgroup.com

Contact us at

scripts@theplaywrightsgroup.com

Dixon Place HOT Festival: NYC Celebration of Queer Culture

Website

Deadline: May 14, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

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

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

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

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

🔥 What HOT FESTIVAL Will Do for You:

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

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

🔥You must also provide a stage manager.

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

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

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

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

SkyPilot Seeking One-Act Submissions

Website

Deadline: May 20, 2026

 (Fee waived for members of the Dramatist Guild with proof of membership)

Theatre Company Welcomes Submissions for Chosen Theme,

“It’s The Holiday Season”

SkyPilot Theatre Company, a non-profit ensemble company of actors, directors and designers producing provocative, compelling and challenging new works for the Los Angeles theatre-going audience, will once again present a selection of original one-act plays this Winter. Playwrights are invited to submit works based on the theme “It’s The Holiday Season”.

The holiday season is a busy, festive, often emotional time of tradition, family gatherings, and gift giving across many cultures. It can be joyful and nostalgic as well as hectic or stressful. Whether with friends and family or alone, this time of year brings up many emotions both positive and negative. Comedic or Dramatic. Playwrights are asked to submit one-acts based on any December holiday.

• Length – 25 minutes maximum
• 6-8 characters maximum (no children)
• Original, never produced material only, no adaptations
• No musicals 
• Minimal location and set pieces/props 

Submission fee is $10 (Through PayPal or Venmo: SkyPilotSubmissions@gmail.com) (Fee waived for members of the Dramatist Guild with proof of membership)

Once again this year, there will be two awards given out to playwrights. The Audience Award and the Producers Award will include a cash prize of $50 each and will be voted on and awarded to two of the overall plays selected for the festival at the end of the run.

Please submit plays with “One Act Festival” in the subject line to SkyPilotSubmissions@gmail.com by May 20th. In your submission, please include a synopsis, how it fits the theme, and any performance history. For more information on SkyPilot and its upcoming productions, visit www.skypilottheatre.com.

Equity Library Theater of New York Summer 2026 Play Festival

Website

Deadline: June 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Submissions are now being accepted for the Equity Library Theater of New York Summer 2026 Play Festival. Seeking short plays (no more than 10 pp/minutes), from playwrights from around the town and around the globe. Also seeking monologues (no more than 4pp/minutes). Musicals welcome! One submission per playwright. No submission fees. Please include name, address, telephone number and email address on your submission. We do not produce your work; we provide a venue in Manhattan for you to present actors performing your play.

There are no costs involved for anyone. Seeking actors and directors, too! Submit by June 1st, 2026. 

Email: equitylibrarytheater@gmail.com.

The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award 2026

Website

Deadline: June 16, 2026 5PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award is open to New York State playwrights and screenwriters, including those who live within the five boroughs of New York City.

Applicants must:

• Be a working playwright or screenwriter. Acceptable forms of playwriting or screenwriting include stageplays, screenplays, teleplays, libretti, radioplays, audiodramas, puppet plays, and experimental web series. While librettists may apply, audiotapes are not eligible.
• Self-identify as LGBTQ+.
• Be a current full-time resident of New York State for a minimum of 12 months at the time the application closes.
• Be the originators of the work, i.e. screenwriters or playwrights, not interpretive artists such as actors. Collaborations are not eligible.
• Be at least 25 years of age at the time the application closes.
• Not be enrolled in a degree-seeking program of any kind.
• Not have received The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award previously. Past recipients of other NYFA grant programs are eligible to apply.
• Not be a NYFA employee, members of the NYFA Board of Trustees or Artists’ Advisory Committee, and/or an immediate family member of any of the above.

Jersey Central Theatre Company seeks plays involving New Jersey history

Website

Deadline: May 29, 2026

Please email scripts along with a short cover note by May 29th to jerseycentraltc@gmail.com

Jersey Central Theatre Company seeks new scripts of plays or screenplays (finished or in progress) involving New Jersey history for consideration for a staged reading, to be presented in celebration of the country’s Semiquincentennial, on Sunday afternoon, August 2nd at the Patricia M. Kuran Cultural Arts Center in Fanwood, NJ. 

The reading will be produced with professional actors under the AEA 29-Hour Reading Agreement. Ideally, scripts should be full-length or long one-acts (approximately 30 – 60 minutes) with a cast of 5 or less. 

We are especially seeking new works by regional area writers, as we prefer to have authors in attendance to participate in a talk-back/Q&A with the audience following the performance. 

There will be a $50 stipend paid to the selected author. 

Lakewood Playhouse FESTIVAL OF NEW VOICES 2026

Website

Deadline: May 18, 2026

We are only able to accept the first 100 entries

Do not send they have closed submissions.

Following the overwhelming success of our inaugural new writing festival last year, Lakewood Playhouse is delighted to announce the return of the Festival Of New Voices and submissions are now open!
​
We are seeking exciting new works that celebrate new voices and diverse perspectives for our 2026 festival. Up to six new works will be selected by a team of local arts professionals to be given readings during the festival in July. These readings are developmental in nature and should be seen as works in draft. A playwright and cast talkback will follow each staged reading.

Submission Guidelines:
1. Submissions must be new theatrical works.
2. Musicals will be accepted but must contain original compositions and nothing that requires external licensing.
3. Scripts must be completed drafts. No incomplete drafts or treatments.
4. Submissions must be unproduced and unpublished. Previous readings and/or workshops are acceptable.
5. The playwright(s) must be the sole owner of the script copyright.
6. Submissions are limited to one work per playwright.

Submissions must include the following:

The SCRIPT, including on the cover:
- NAME OF PLAY
- PLAYWRIGHT'S NAME(S)
- CONTACT INFORMATION (Address, Phone Number, Email Address)

Supporting materials:
- COVER LETTER (including full contact details)
- BIO OF PLAYWRIGHT(S)
- SCRIPT SUMMARY (Character Breakdown, Setting, Time Period)
- A QUESTION YOU HOPE THE READING WILL ANSWER ABOUT THE WORK

All files should be in PDF format.

Due to the high volume of submissions expected, we are only able to accept the first 100 entries. Any submissions that do not contain all of the elements listed above will not be eligible for consideration.

Submission Deadline: May 18th, 2026
Rehearsal Dates: June 29th-July 14th, 2026
Festival Dates: July 15th-19th, 2026

Email submissions to newvoices@lakewoodplayhouse.org by May 18th. The deadline may close earlier if our submission limit is reached.

The Kleban Prize for Musical Theater 2026

Website

Deadline: May 15, 2026 at 11:59pm EDT

LIBRETTIST SUBMISSION FORM

LYRICIST SUBMISSION FORM

Edward Kleban, the lyricist of A Chorus Line and other extraordinary works, created the Kleban Prize in his Will, which is given annually to writers of extraordinary promise – to a librettist and a lyricist, respectively. Kleban designed the prize based on his personal experience as a promising writer. He was acutely aware that, though composers and musicians may often work within the theater, lyricists and librettists generally have to work outside the theater in order to support their writing. He wanted a prize of sufficient size to allow promising writers the time to simply write; his creation of the prize flowed from his desire to help other worthy artists like himself.

The prize is administered by New Dramatists on behalf of the The Kleban Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors. To ensure a robust and equitable adjudication, applications (including work samples) are submitted and reviewed blind by an independent panel of musical theatre artists and industry leaders. The Kleban Foundation Board sets the amount of the Prize annually. In recent years, a sum of $100,000 in each category has been paid in two annual installments to Prize recipients.

Eligibility

Kleban’s instructions, as interpreted by the Board, specify that applicants must meet either of the following criteria: 1) The applicant must previously have received a production of one of their works on a stage or in a workshop performance; or 2) The applicant must be or have been a member or an associate of a professional musical workshop or theater group, i.e., ASCAP, BMI Theater Workshop or the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program.Any individual whose work has been performed on the Broadway stage for a cumulative period of two years prior to the opening of the application window is not eligible. In the case of multiple Broadway productions, the sum of the lengths of the runs must not exceed two years.

If the material is co-written (written by more than one lyricist or more than one librettist) all writers must apply as a team. (This does not include the composer unless s/he has also contributed lyrics or text.) Each applicant must be eligible in their own right to apply.

Applicants may apply in both categories, but must submit a separate application for each category and may win in only one such category.

Applicants may only apply once per category per year.

Applicants may win in only one category.


Application Materials

Submissions are coded and reviewed blind. The name(s) of the writer(s) must NOT appear on any submission materials, including in the file names or file author information. Do NOT include hyperlinks in your files. Failure to meet this requirement may render the applicant ineligible. Only work from musical theater will be considered. Materials must be in English.

LYRICIST CATEGORY

Submissions must include lyrics for a minimum of five and a maximum of eight songs.
The lyrics may be from one or various shows.
Audio files/recordings of each song are strongly encouraged but are not necessary. Acceptable formats are mp3, ogg, and wav.

LIBRETTIST CATEGORY

Submissions may consist of a full-length musical book, or one act from two separate shows.
Lyrics should be included in the libretto even if they were written by someone other than the librettist.
Submission files must be in either word or PDF formats. Audio files are not accepted in the librettist category.

Application Step-by-Step

You will no longer be required to have an account on the New Dramatists website to complete a 2026 application.

It is in your best interest to prepare your materials for upload in advance, and to complete the application in one session. Your progress will be saved automatically if you continue in the same browser, but there is not an option to save.

1. Click the appropriate button below to begin your application. If you are applying in two categories, simply return to this page.

2. You will be asked to confirm you are eligible to apply. In the text field you must provide details substantiating your eligibility. Optionally, upload a resumé.

3. Fill in your full name, address, phone number and email address. If you have a co-lyricist or co-librettist, enter their information here.

4. For a Lyricist application, upload a text document for each song. You will also have the option to upload audio files for each song. For a Librettist application, upload your Musical text file. If you are submitting two acts from separate musicals they must be combined into one file. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME ON ANY OF THESE SUBMISSION MATERIALS.

5. Check the box that you have read and agree to our Privacy Policy, and click “Submit Your Application” to complete the process. You will receive a confirmation that your application has been received.

The People’s Theatre is seeking playwrights for the New Horizons Reading Festival

Website

Deadline: May 15, 2026

or when 100 submissions are received

SUBMISSION FORM

The People’s Theatre is seeking playwrights whose work engages with stories, experiences, and perspectives that have been historically underrepresented in the American theatre. We are especially interested in uplifting work that reflects the voices and lived experiences of immigrants, People of Color, Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ communities, while welcoming applications from playwrights of all backgrounds.

ELIGIBILITY:

• The applicant must have completed at least 1 full-length play or at least 2 one-act plays.
• Local NYC and its surrounding areas. If not living in the NYC metropolitan area, you must be willing to travel to NYC for in-person sessions.
• Must be available to attend in-person workshops and Reading Festival.

Three playwrights will be chosen to develop new plays each under the mentorship of award-winning playwright Marco Antonio Rodriguez. The culminating plays will be showcased at New Horizons Play Reading Festival in December 2026, for inaugural season at our new brand new home The People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante - at 419 West 206th Street, New York. We would like the program and the New Horizons Play Reading Festival to align with the themes of Purpose, Home and Belonging.

YOU WILL RECEIVE:
Ongoing Support to Develop Your Play: 

• Develop your work-in-progress into a 90 min play in workshops led by award-winning playwright Marco Antonio Rodriguez.
• Actor Readings and Feedback: 
• Have actors read your latest writing during workshops and receive supportive feedback.
• Insight on the business of show business and resources to access: 
• Gain show business insights and resources from well-recognized industry members to advance your career.
• Director and Actors for Staging: Have your play directed and staged by professionals.
• Showcase your work: Present your play at New Horizons Play Reading Festival at our new brand new theater The People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante.
• Industry Professionals: We invite agents and industry professionals to attend your play reading.
• Shared Dinner: Enjoy meals provided during each in-person workshop
• Compensation includes a $1,500 participation award and a $100 commuting stipend

The People's Theatre will receive:

• The right of first refusal to produce the selected plays within three years.

SCHEDULE:
Developmental Workshops

• 8/11/2026, 5:30-8:30pm (In-person)
• 8/25/2026, 5:30-8:30pm (In-person)
• 9/8/2026, 5:30-8:30pm (In-person)
• 9/22/2026, 5:30-8:30pm (In-person)
• 9/29/2026, 5:30-8:30pm (In-person)
• 10/13/2026, 5:30-8:30pm (Zoom)
• 10/27/2026, 5:30-8:30pm (In-person)
• 11/3/2026, 5:30-8:30pm (In-person)

Location: The People's Theatre, 419 W 206th St, New York, NY 10034

New Horizons Reading Festival
Nov 30- Dec 6, 2026

Each play will receive 10 hours of rehearsal over two days, culminating in two public staged readings.

Venue: The People's Theatre Studio Theatre

Reflection meeting
1/26/2027, 5:30-8:30pm, Reflection (In-person)

SUBMISSION SCHEDULE
May 15, 2026: Submissions Close, or when 100 submissions are received
The week of June 22, 2026: Finalists invited to online interviews
The week of July 13, 2026: Participants Selected

For any questions regarding The People’s Theatre Playwrights Unit 2026, please email sinny@peoplestheatreproject.org.

Ruby Slippers Theatre CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS ADVANCE THEATRE FESTIVAL: 2026/27

Website

Deadline: May 15, 2026

Open to anybody but they give preference to people in the Vancouver area.

For over ten years, Ruby Slippers Theatre’s Advance Theatre Festival has developed and showcased five dramatic readings over five days of new works written and directed by equity-deserving artists. Many of these plays go on to be fully professionally produced.

If you are a playwright and your play is chosen to participate in the Advance Theatre Festival, Ruby Slippers Theatre, in partnership with The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, will cover the costs of all rehearsals prior to the day of the reading, your technical rehearsal, promotion, theatrical venue, and all artists’ fees.

If you are a director interested in participating, please submit your resume and cover letter for consideration.

Playwrights: please send your play synopsis, brief bio, and a maximum fifteen-page script excerpt to info@rubyslippers.ca by May 15, 2026. 

One submission per person, please. Successful candidates will be notified by June 15, 2026.

The 2026/27 Advance Theatre Festival will take place in January/Feb of 2027. Exact dates TBD.

Our Curator for ATF 26/27 is Faly Mevamanana. You can read about her here: https://www.rubyslippers.ca/about/artist-in-residence-2025-2026/

Priority will be given to inclusivity, considering all cultural backgrounds, orientations, identities, abilities, and ages.

The Advance Theatre Festival is brought to you by Ruby Slippers Theatre in partnership with The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and Playwrights Guild of Canada. It takes place in Vancouver, B.C., on the unceded lands of the Coast Salish People.

The Peoples Improv Theater seeks productions for Spring/Summer 2026

Website

Deadline: none given

SUBMIT VIA GOOGLE FORM

The PIT is holding an open call for scripts to program in one of its four spaces. Available for readings, workshops, or fully staged plays/musicals!

The length of plays wanted: 10 minutes to 90 minutes

Access to venue, tech time marketing, front of house team, and ticketing. Space to present your latest work and invite your community

We also recommend you include the following: 

The playwright may submit more than one play.

Instagram

THE TENS FESTIVAL 2026 seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: May 23, 2026 at midnight EDT

Email Scripts to: Pancho@ParishPlayers.org 

Email Subject Line: Use the title of the play as the subject line of your email. 

File name: Name your PDF with the title of the play, a hyphen, and your own last name,
e.g. Hamlet-Shakespeare.

Types of Plays: Comedies or Dramas must be no more than 10 minutes in length.

Setting: Simple; the festival will offer 6 to 8 plays, and minimal set changes are required.

Notification of Selection: No later than June 20th, 2026.

Performance Dates: October 2026.

Producer: Beata Isaacs Randall

How to submit your script:

File format: PDF ONLY!

Please Note: No more than one script per playwright. We prefer new, unproduced plays; however previously produced and already published original plays will be considered. We will also give preference to "local" (New England) playwrights.

Questions? Email Pancho@ParishPlayers.org using the subject line: TENS QUESTION.

LOL Short Play Comedy Festival 2026

Website

Deadline: May 8, 2026 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

Now seeking COMEDY pieces from 8 – 15 minutes. If it makes us laugh, it’s fair game! Pieces can be short plays, short musicals, or comedy sketch pieces (can be more than one skit combined).

All pieces submitted must be comedies.

DATES & LOCATIONS: July 16 – 26 2026 The Steve & Marie Sgouros Theatre at The Players Theatre: 115 MacDougal Street, New York, NY 10012 - 3rd floor walk up: 3 weeks, 4 performances weekly (Thursday through Sunday), 5 new plays featured each week. Each play performs four times in its selected week (Week 1 or Week 2). 

 ELIGIBILITY: Short Plays, Short Musicals, Short Comedy Sketches (minimum 8 minutes, can be more than one skit combined) with a performance time of 15 minutes or less, no more than 15 pages in length (not including title page). Writers are eligible to submit up to 2 plays/pieces.

PRIZE: Each week a audience favorite is selected by audience vote. The winner of each week will receive $100 prize. If you are the winner, you must submit a PayPal account to receive your prize. THEME: "LOL" Make it all about the laughs! All pieces must be comedies. 

 1) Playwrights are responsible for producing their own play - Host (us) provides theatre, technicians, marketing and box office. 

2) If selected, there is a $50 NON-refundable tech fee required Pieces MUST be NO MORE 15 minutes in length, which equals approximately 15 pages of script (not including title page). Submissions open: April 10, 2026 Submissions close: May 8, 2026 Piece selection announced soon thereafter (it may take a few weeks after the close of the submission window).

Stage Left Theater Queer Voices Festival

Website

Deadline: April 29, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Our ode to pride Month, we are thrilled to present staged readings of queer-written works presenting by our strong and proud LGBTQIA+ community. Lift every voice. Share every story. Shine together.

Open to Queer and Trans writers.

Accepting monologues, short two or three person plays, and songs. All pieces must run no longer than 5 minutes.

Submissions must be original works.

Join us in celebrating the voices, stories, and creative power of the Queer community.

Each piece will be presented with minimalist design of acting blocks and basic wash of lights. Any additional staging elements would be up to the director of each piece to provide. The festivals at Stage Left live somewhere between a full production and a fully staged reading as the focus will be on the words and not the spectacle.

This opportunity will be limited to 14 pieces.

Selection Notification: May 8th, 2026

Performance Dates: June 4th- 7th, 2026

This is an unpaid opportunity, but all playwrights will be provided with a filmed performance of their piece within a month of the show.

Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights 2026

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026

Please send play and a brief synopsis to:  apfestival@bartertheatre.com

Plays must be written by an Appalachian playwright (currently living in a state that contains the Appalachian Mountain Range— which, for our purposes, run from New York to Alabama.)

OR 

The plays must be set in the Appalachian region.
Plays must be unpublished and must not have had a full professional production.
Plays must be full length.
Plays must be submitted electronically.

Six new Appalachian plays are chosen from the submissions to be given public readings by Barter’s company.

The playwrights are brought in at the beginning of the festival week to be a part of the rehearsal process. Each play is given about 8 hours of rehearsal time with the focus being on clarity of story.

After each reading, there is a moderated discussion between a panel made up of three regional theatre professionals and, most importantly, the audience, for their feedback. That way, the playwright receives feedback from three separate groups: artists, panelists, and audience.

Playwrights have found this to be a very useful step in developing their plays, as well as a wonderful opportunity to meet other artists, make new friends, and enjoy the beauty of Southwest Virginia!

AFPP 2027 Submission Deadline: May 1st, 2026

Surfside Playhouse Readers’ Theatre - CALL FOR 10-MINUTE PLAYS & MUSICALS

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026
Only the first 100 submissions will be considered

NOTE: they are no longer accepting "straight plays" - only musicals will now be accepted from now until May 1.

Summer Stories – Readers’ Theater

Submit to: NancyMaticanBock@gmail.com

Surfside Playhouse is seeking summer-themed 10 minute scripts for an upcoming Readers’ Theater production.

Musicals strongly encouraged. Plays welcome.

Theme examples include:
beach days, vacations, summer camp, family reunions, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, road trips, romance, friendships, coming-of-age moments, bonfires, sunshine, and more.

Submission Window: April 20 – May 1

One submission per playwright

Requirements:

• 10 minutes max
• 6 characters or fewer
• Title page with playwright name, email, city
• Musicals must include book, music, lyrics (with cities)
• First page must include character breakdown + 2–3 sentence synopsis
• Musicals must include score + demos (with and without vocals)

Selected works will be presented as part of Surfside Playhouse Readers’ Theatre on May 30th at 2pm in Cocoa Beach.

Go Try Play Write April 2026

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

We're proud to announce a new monthly playwriting contest in collaboration with Bamboo Ridge Press. Every month, Kumu Kahua's artistic director Harry Wong III will select a writing prompt on the first day of that month. We're looking for 5-page monologues or 10-page scenes based on that prompt; the due date for submissions are always the last day of the month. All entries must be written in traditional play format; instructions on this format can be found here (https://www.dramatistsguild.com/script-formats), courtesy of the Dramatists Guild.

There will be one winner each month. Scripts will be submitted to the judges anonymously. Winners will receive $100 and a subscription to Bamboo Ridge Press. Woo!

The prompt for April 2026 is an “Are you ready to order, yet?” prompt:

Write a 10-page maximum scene or an eight-page maximum monologue about a restaurant where the food is great, but the service sucks. It could be a sit-down restaurant, plate lunch counter, food truck — wherever you go buy food that you no can resist. (This prompt was inspired by the cast of Blu’s Hanging!)

Nomad Theatre seeks 6-10 short plays set in a bar

Website

Deadline: April 27, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Nomad Theatre seeks 6-10 short plays to be a part of our upcoming show in August 2026. Submissions will open on March 2nd and closes on April 27th, 2026, at midnight. Selected playwrights will receive notification by June 30th. If you have not received notification from us by that date, we did not choose you for the production.

Nomad Theatre returns to its roots with the Bar Plays.

A bar is a special kind of crossroads...a place where strangers become confidants, where regulars guard their favorite stools, where celebrations and heartbreaks unfold under the same low light. It’s a sanctuary, a confessional, a stage for small truths and big revelations.

Pull up a chair and take a glimpse into the lives of characters navigating conversations, secrets, and emotions within the intimate confines of a local watering hole. Belly up to the bar for an evening of short plays that all take place in “The Bar”, where anything can happen, and often does.
Selected plays must take place in a bar. We encourage you to use the space creatively. They must be unpublished and unproduced at the time of submission.

This call is open to all playwrights worldwide. Selected playwrights receive a $25 honorarium, full production of their show and a ticket to attend. We encourage anyone to submit, even if you’ve never written a play. We want to support underrepresented playwrights, including women, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, disabled, neurodiverse, etc, and encourage you to submit.

Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• How well it meets the theme of the Bar
• Overall writing quality (Plot - we like different or quirky, weird, out-of-the-box theatre; Character Development; Dialogue)
• Suitability for our actors and space - low tech, 1-4 characters, flexible castingSubmission 

Guidelines:

• One submission per playwright
• A running time of 10-12 minutes long, or roughly 8-15 pages
• A cover page should include the title, the playwright’s name, contact information, a brief synopsis, and character descriptions.
• Pages should be numbered.
• Minimum of 1, maximum of 4 actors (characters may be double cast)
• Label your document as TITLE OF PLAY_LastName
• Must take place in a bar.
• No musicals.

We suggest formatting similar to the Dramatist Guild Guidelines: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/sites/default/files/2020-01/General-SFI-Formatting-Guidelines-Complete.pdf

If you have questions or need any accommodations for submission, please email nomadtheatresubmissions@gmail.com

Nomad's mission is to provide an immersive theatre experience by exposing audience members to eclectic and moving stories, taking theatre outside of a traditional theatre space and into site-specific locations.

Tiny Beautiful Letter Project

Website

Deadline: May 11, 2026 by 7:00 PM (PDT)

SUBMISSION FORM

We invite you to take part in a meaningful, community-wide initiative inspired by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire and our production of it, as part of our Immersive Experience program, which seeks to highlight and explore the key themes of each production.

Through the Tiny Beautiful Letter Project, we are collecting anonymous letters that are raw, vulnerable, and honest, exploring the feelings most people don’t know how to express: grief, death, heartbreak, loss, identity, loneliness, love, and everything in between. Selected letters will be part of a culminating special event, where some may be read aloud to an audience or shared in creative ways.

Submission Guidelines

Stay Anonymous: Do not include personal identifying information; you may sign with a pseudonym or phrase.

Word Count: While there is no strict limit, we encourage letters of at least 500 words.

Be Honest & Thoughtful: Share your truths while being mindful of your words.

Themes We Seek: Grief, loss, resilience, identity, vulnerability, or questions seeking guidance.

Why Participate?
The Tiny Beautiful Letter Project celebrates the beauty and depth of human experience. Your unique contribution will help highlight the small yet powerful connections that sustain us all.

Regardless if you submit or not, we invite you to join us on Saturday, June 6 for the live reading of selected letters and encourage you to also attend a performance of Rabbit Hole and engage with our immersive events.

Together, let’s celebrate the power of storytelling, honesty, and connection.

Together, let’s celebrate the power of storytelling and connection.

EksenaPH Workshop seeks 10-minute & short plays

Instagram Account

Deadline: April 26, 2026 at midnight

SUBMISSION FORM

Eksena PH Workshop, based in the Philippines, seeks “What If” stories. Original works that explore possibilities, alternate paths, and questions that start with “Paano kung…?”

Fresh ideas, unfinished thoughts, and works-in-progress are very welcome.

SCRIPT GUIDELINES

• Length: 10–15 minutes
• Language: Tagalog / English / Regional Language
• *If Regional Language, please include a Tagalog version
• Unfinished / Work-in-Progress scripts are highly encouraged
• Basta never pa na-staged in any form

 WHO CAN JOIN

• Writers without prestigious awards
• First-time writers (no experience needed)
• No age limit
• Maximum of 3 scripts per writer