UMBRELLAS FOR FISH seeks one-minute plays

Website

Deadline: October 2, 2026

Submission email:  ufjournal@aol.com

HOW TO SUBMIT

1. Prepare your manuscript according to the guidelines above.

2. Include a 50–100 word third-person author bio.

3. In the body of your email, include:

Your full name
Title of the play
Country of residence
The subtheme your play most closely relates to
A brief 1–3 sentence description of the play

4. Attach your manuscript as a DOC, DOCX or PDF file.

5. Name your file:

YOURNAME.docx

6. Send your submission to:

ufjournal@aol.com

SUBJECT LINE FORMAT

ONE-MINUTE PLAY — [TITLE] — [AUTHOR'S NAME]

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Submit original work only.
Submit manuscripts in DOC, DOCX or PDF format only.
Use a readable 12-point font.
Number all pages.
Include a title page with the title of the play and author's name.
Scripts should follow standard dramatic formatting where appropriate.
Include a third-person author bio of 50–100 words at the end of the manuscript.
Multiple submissions are welcome (in a single email).
Simultaneous submissions are welcome; please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
Please submit only work for which you hold the necessary rights.

UMBRELLAS FOR FISH
An International Journal of Absurd & Existential Drama

Umbrellas for Fish is pleased to announce a special international anthology of Absurd and Existential One-Minute Plays: ONE MINUTE BEFORE NOTHING HAPPENS

What can happen in one minute?

• A lifetime can end.
• A universe can begin.
• Someone can forget why they entered a room.
• A chair can refuse to be sat upon.
• Two strangers can wait for something that never arrives.
• A person can discover the meaning of life—just in time to forget it.
• Or, perhaps, nothing happens.

We are seeking original one-minute plays that explore the strange, comic, unsettling, irrational, and deeply human experience of existence.

This anthology celebrates the extraordinary possibilities of theatrical brevity. We invite playwrights to create worlds in miniature—moments of revelation, confusion, silence, contradiction, catastrophe, comedy, and cosmic indifference.

Your play has approximately one minute.

What will happen before nothing does?

THEME & SUBTHEMES

All submitted plays should engage broadly with absurdist, existential, surreal, experimental, or philosophically unsettling theatre.

Writers may interpret the following themes freely and imaginatively.

1. Waiting for Something That Never Arrives
Characters wait—for a person, an answer, a bus, God, death, an announcement, or something they cannot name.

2. The Meaning of Life Is Temporarily Unavailable
A search for meaning meets bureaucracy, confusion, technical difficulties, silence, or an unexpected customer-service representative.

3. One Minute Until the End of the World
The apocalypse is imminent—or perhaps it has already happened, and nobody noticed.

4. Conversations with the Universe
The universe may finally respond. Unfortunately, it may have misunderstood the question.

5. Time Has Stopped, but Everyone Is Late
Clocks malfunction, time repeats, yesterday returns, or characters remain trapped inside a moment.

6. Nobody Remembers Why We Are Here
Identity, memory, purpose, and location dissolve into increasingly uncertain explanations.

7. Instructions for Existing
Characters receive rules for life, consciousness, happiness, breathing, or being human—but the instructions may be incomplete.

8. The Last Ordinary Thing
A familiar object, habit, conversation, or everyday action becomes suddenly strange, impossible, or profoundly significant.

9. Silence Has Something to Say
What happens when silence becomes a character—or when words become less trustworthy than what remains unspoken?

10. The Wrong Person Has Been Chosen to Exist
A bureaucratic, cosmic, or administrative error has occurred. Someone may have been given existence by mistake.

11. Exit Signs Point in Different Directions
Characters attempt to escape a room, a relationship, a memory, a role, a system, or existence itself.

12. Everything Is Fine, Except for Everything
Ordinary life continues despite an unnamed catastrophe, an impossible situation, or the slow collapse of reality.

13. A Small Eternity
One minute becomes endless. A brief moment expands into repetition, memory, regret, anticipation, or infinity.

14. The Things We Cannot Explain
Something impossible happens, and everyone attempts to explain it—making the situation increasingly incomprehensible.

15. One Minute Before Nothing Happens

• The central theme of the anthology.
• Something is about to happen.
• Or perhaps something has already happened.
• Or perhaps nothing is happening at all.
• The characters may be waiting for a beginning, an ending, a revelation, a disaster, or a moment that never arrives.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• We seek original one-minute plays that are:Absurd, existential, surreal, experimental, or darkly comic
• Theatrically imaginative and stageable
• Concise but emotionally, intellectually, or philosophically resonant
• Bold in form, structure, voice, or theatrical logic
• Strange for a reason—not merely random
• Open to ambiguity, contradiction, uncertainty, and unanswered questions
• Memorable enough to leave an impression long after sixty seconds have passed

We welcome:Monologues

• Dialogues
• Ensemble pieces
• Experimental dramatic fragments
• Non-linear theatre
• Surreal theatrical situations
• Dark comedy
• Minimalist drama
• Meta-theatre
• Unconventional forms of dramatic writing

We are particularly interested in plays that take creative risks and demonstrate a strong sense of theatrical possibility.

SUBMISSION LENGTH
Each play should be designed to be performed in approximately one minute.

Maximum Length: 2 pages

There is no minimum or maximum number of characters.
A play may contain dialogue, silence, movement, stage directions, or any combination of theatrical elements.

Response Time
Approximately 1–2 weeks

Publication Date
OCTOBER 15, 2026

FEE
There is no reading fee, submission fee, or publication fee.


RIGHTS

If a work is selected for publication, the playwright retains all intellectual property, copyright, and performance rights to the work.

By accepting publication in ONE MINUTE BEFORE NOTHING HAPPENS: A Special International Anthology of Absurd & Existential One-Minute Plays, the author grants Umbrellas for Fish non-exclusive permission to publish the work as part of the anthology.

All rights remain with the author following publication. Authors remain free to reproduce, perform, publish, or republish their work elsewhere, provided that first publication in ONE MINUTE BEFORE NOTHING HAPPENS is acknowledged where appropriate.


PAYMENT

• Umbrellas for Fish is currently a non-paying market.
• As an independent literary journal and publishing initiative operating without grants, institutional funding, or regular donations, we are presently unable to offer royalties, honoraria, or other forms of monetary compensation to contributors.
• Authors whose work is selected for publication will receive publication credit and international exposure through the anthology.

EDITORIAL VISION

Umbrellas for Fish is devoted to theatre that embraces uncertainty.
We believe that theatre does not always need to provide answers.
Sometimes a question is enough.
Sometimes a contradiction is enough.
Sometimes a person standing in an empty room, holding an umbrella over a fish, is enough.

With ONE MINUTE BEFORE NOTHING HAPPENS, we want to explore what theatre can accomplish in the smallest possible spaces.

A minute can contain:
A beginning.
An ending.
A joke.
A catastrophe.
A confession.
A silence.
A universe.
Or nothing at all.

We welcome playwrights from all countries, backgrounds, and stages of their careers. We are especially interested in amplifying voices and theatrical perspectives that have been underrepresented in the dramatic canon.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
OR DON'T.

ONE MINUTE BEFORE NOTHING HAPPENS

A Special International Anthology of Absurd & Existential One-Minute Plays

PUBLICATION DATE: OCTOBER 15, 2026

The International Human Rights Art Festival seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2026

New York NY

Seeking 10-minute, 2-character (only) plays, on any human rights concern, to be a part of a special event at this year's International Human Rights Art Festival (December 12, 2026).

Five playwrights will receive $50 each and two comp tickets to see their play produced.

The International Human Rights Art Festival is pairing with And Scene to present a unique evening of theater on Saturday, December 12, 2026, 7 pm at the Wild Project, as part of a yearly Festival. The show will be followed by a party.

Specifically, And Scene Producer Mick Szal will bring together New York's top improvisers and actors from Broadway, TV and beyond perform scenes. The catch: one of the actors will be "on (your) book," while the other will be completely improvising. The actors will know their lines and the improvisers will improvise with no prior knowledge of the scenes. (The format was inspired by Stephen Rudy and was originally performed under the name "Gravid Water" at UCB.)

Please send your 10-minute, 2-character play WITH NO ATTRIBUTION (BLIND SUBMISSIONS ONLY) to hello@humanrightsartmovement.org, with the subject line of your email with your last name_play title (Beckett_WaitingForGodot) for consideration.

Deadline September 30, 2026. All decisions by November 1.

The script doctor is in the house! 🩷

Sarah Congress is an award-winning playwright and script doctor for film, TV series, theatre, and fiction here to help YOU take your script to the next level. She provides a fun, nurturing, therapeutic, environment to best suit your individual writing needs.

Script Services:

• Help clients fine-tune their scripts
• Offer rewrite suggestions to help tighten and polish your story
• Improve dialogue
• Punch up jokes and suggest opportunities for humor 
• Help you learn how to HOOK a reader's interest 
• Assist in finding submission, production, and publication opportunities 

Group Classes:

• Prefer a group setting? Join us virtually at the Hudson Valley Writers Center November 14th for "The Script Doctor Is In: With Sarah Congress"

Sarah Congress is an award-winning comedic playwright represented by Anthony Tall in Los Angeles. She is also a script doctor for film, television and theatre. Her play Dubai Chocolate is one of three new plays accepted in the 2026 All Exits New Jersey Play Lab Statewide Play Reading Series and will be produced this November at River Union Stage. Her romantic period piece Last Sunrise was produced by NYLon Fusion Theatre Co. in their Gilded Cage play festival June 2025 at TADA. Last Sunrise was presented with writers: John Patrick Shanley, Lyle Kessler (Orphans) and Migdalia Cruz (Fur). Her ten-minute play Overdose won 2nd place for BEST SHORT in the 2023 Downtown Urban Arts Festival at Playwrights Horizons.

Visit Sarah's website to learn more and connect.

Women's Work Short Play LAB '27

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2026 by 11:59 PM

SUBMISSION FORM

New Perspectives Theatre Company's WOMEN’S WORK LAB for short plays provides a supportive and nurturing environment to emerging and mid-career women playwrights while maintaining a rigorous feedback process that leads to production within six months.

Six playwright members are selected each year, along with a similar number of directors. The LAB meets monthly (the second Sunday) from February through June, allowing for time in between sessions for writers to continue to develop and revise their work in response to specific feedback from the dramaturgical team. Members are expected to bring work to each session beginning with the development of an original short play based upon an assigned theme.

Monthly feedback from the directors/dramaturgs focuses on the nuts and bolts of creating a 20-30 minute script ready for production. In a process unique to NPTC, feedback is given in a unified manner so playwrights do not have conflicting advice about what to work on, and so that the script moves forward according to NPTC's instructions as the producing entity. This approach creates a collaborative group from which members can draw inspiration and energy while modeling professional standards. Scripts are then produced in our annual MEGANNE GEORGE Women's Work Short Play Festival.

Applications are due by September 30, at 11:59 pm. Finalist interviews take place early December. The final cohort will be selected no less than two weeks after the finalist interview.

If you have any questions, please e-mail sp-apps@newperspectivestheatre.org

Playwrights First submission window open

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2026

Overall, we look for:
- Imagination and originality in both style and subject or point of view.
- Characters that intrigue and move us.
- A compelling action revealing the human condition.
- Theatricality inherent in the above.​

Rules:
One, single full-length play per playwright in English from anywhere in the world.
Not produced full-scale prior to submission. Readings, workshops, and college productions are acceptable.
No joint authorships, adaptations, translations, musicals, or shorts.​

​Award:

$1,000 first place.
Award listing of playwright and play title on our website.
Professional reading in NYC when feasible.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

In a single email provide the following 3 documents described below (Items A, B & C). Please make sure each document is its own separate PDF document, and include all 3 PDFs in the same email (as file attachments) to:
Playwrightsfirst1st@gmail.com
Note: This address is for submissions only.

Item A) Playscript in PDF format. The play should follow standard playwrighting convention and include a cover page, a character list/breakdown, page count, etc. Please, name your file using this format:Your Last name TITLE OF PLAY.pdf (Example: Shakespeare TWELFTH NIGHT.pdf)Note: The TITLE of the play is in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

Item B) Playwright/Production Resume, CV, or Narrative Biography in PDF format. Name your file like this:Your Last name RESUME.pdf (Example: Shakespeare RESUME.pdf)Note: RESUME is in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

Item C) Brief (3 paragraphs max) Summary of play in PDF format. At the top of your page, please provide your full name and the full title of your play. Name your file like this:Your Last Name SUMMARY.pdf (Example: Shakespeare SUMMARY.pdf)Note: SUMMARY is in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

IMPORTANT NOTE: Paper copies will not be accepted. PDF format ONLY.

PLEASE, BE CERTAIN TO USE THE CORRECT NAMING CONVENTION FOR EACH FILE (follow examples above). THIS YEAR, SUBMISSIONS NOT FOLLOWING OUR REQUESTED NAMING CONVENTIONS WILL NOT BE ADMITTED.

Each file MUST begin with your last name. Please leave one space after your last name -- do NOT use a dot, a dash, an underline. Please do NOT abbreviate the name of your play. Please do NOT use your first name. Please do not use your initials. We appreciate your attention to this detail as it helps our staff keep your materials organized.

Call for new works by Latina/e playwrights

Website

Deadline: September 25, 2026, at 5:00 PM (PDT)

Portland Oregon

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT FOR MUNDO DE LAS MUJERES NEW PLAY READING FESTIVAL

Call for new works by Latina/e playwrights to receive a staged reading during Mundo de las Mujeres in March 2027

Milagro is pleased to announce the Mundo de Mujeres New Play Reading Festival, a celebration of new works by Latina/e playwrights as part of Milagro’s annual Mundo de Mujeres Women’s History Month Festival. This festival seeks to amplify Latina/e voices and stories exploring themes of womanhood, gender, sexuality, family relationships, identity, motherhood, sisterhood, and other experiences central to Latina/e communities.

The festival will feature staged readings of three new plays in varying stages of development, presented on the first three Wednesdays of March 2027 (March 3, 17, 24). Selected playwrights will receive an honorarium and a staged reading featuring a director, dramaturg, and a cast of local professional actors, providing an opportunity to hear their work in front of a live audience and continue its development.

Submission Timeline

Submission Deadline: September 25, 2026, at 5:00 PM (PDT)
Selected playwrights will be notified by early January 2027.
Casting will take place throughout January and February.
Rehearsals will occur during the week leading up to each respective reading.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Open to playwrights who identify as Latina/e.
• Original full-length plays only (approximately 70–120 minutes).
• Scripts may be written in English, Spanish, or be bilingual.
• Preference will be given to plays requiring six actors or fewer.
• Plays requiring more than six actors should include the playwright’s preferred doubling plan.
• Playwrights are permitted to submit multiple scripts
• Plays that have received, or are scheduled to receive a full professional production that premiers before September 2027 are not eligible.
• Playwrights are strongly encouraged to attend their reading and participate in post-reading discussions, if possible.

Submission Requirements
A PDF of the script formatted according to the Dramatists Guild of America Traditional or Modern Play Format.

A playwright biography (maximum 90 words).
A play synopsis (maximum 150 words).
A brief development history, if applicable.

If you have questions, please contact mia@milagro.org.

Invisible Theater seeks monologues for Fourth Annual Going It Alone

Website

Deadline: October 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Tuscon Arizona

Submissions are now open for Invisible Theatre's 4th annual all-monologue show: GOING IT ALONE!

The show is a collection of monologues chosen from submissions. We celebrate the unique challenge of writing for a solo performer and performing solo.

Must be a solo piece Must be a standalone monologue. Not a monologue taken from a full-length play you've written.

• Open to all playwrights worldwide

Performance of piece must be less than 6-7 minutes. No exceptions.

Any topic

1 submission per playwright permitted

10-12 monologues will be selected.

Small honorarium paid to chosen playwrights. Selected monologues will be cast, performed and directed by Tucson theatre artists in June 2027

Murmuration Playwriting Cohort 2026/2027

Website

Deadline: September 27, 2026 at 11:59PM ET

Or until they receive 200 submissions

SUBMISSION FORM

The Murmuration Playwriting Cohort is an eight-month program dedicated to developing new work by early and mid-career NYC playwrights. A cohort of six selected playwrights will meet bi-weekly (1 in-person & 1 virtual) on Monday evenings from November 2026 to June 2027 to share work, brainstorm ideas, and receive feedback from fellow writers. Selected playwrights will have the opportunity to workshop their projects and grow in community, with access to resources and support from the Murmuration Theatre Leadership team. The program culminates in a public staged reading series in June 2027.

Because community building requires significant time and energy - we ask you to be honest with yourself and with us about your ability to commit to the program. If you already feel spread thin in terms of artistic homes/projects/etc, please make space for another artist to have this opportunity.

We will be accepting submissions through September 27th, 2026 at 11:59PM ET or until we receive 200 playwright submissions - which ever comes first. All applicants will be notified on their application status on or around October 19th.

Go Try Play Write September 2026

Website

Deadline: September 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 September 2026 is an aftermath prompt:

Two Christmas prompts. One prompt is a throw-back to the first year of the play prompt contest. For some reason, it snows in Hawai‘i on Christmas day. Write a ten-page maximum scene about the event. Why did happen? Did anyone see it coming? Does it portend anything? How do people react? How does nature react?

The other prompt is inspired by a play my daughter wrote. Write a ten-page maximum scene about an argument between Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, a Leprechaun, Cupid, Headless Horsemen, etc. The argument can be about anything: who’s more beloved; who’s more famous; who’s holiday is better; who ate the last cookie; why didn’t you take out the trash; a romantic entanglement. Anything.

Choose one prompt or write both. Only one play will win the September prompt, but all entries may be eligible to be part of a special presentation in December this year.

Premiere Stages seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: November 1, 2026

 Due to a record-breaking rate of submissions, they have closed the submission window. DO NOT SEND.

Premiere Stages will accept submissions of unproduced plays written by playwrights affiliated with the greater metropolitan area from September 1, 2026, through November 1, 2026. All plays submitted to the festival are evaluated by a panel of professional theatre producers, directors, dramaturgs, playwrights, and publishers. Four finalists are subsequently selected for public Equity readings in Spring of 2027.

Following the Spring readings, one play is selected for an Equity production in the Premiere Stages 2028 season and receives an award of $10,000. Another finalist receives a 29-hour staged reading and $3,000. The other finalists will each be awarded $1,000.

Submission guidelines can be found at https://premierestagesatkean.com/play-festival/guidelines/

- Plays must be full-length and have a cast size of no more than eight.

- Plays must be unpublished and unproduced (readings and workshops are okay), with no productions and/or publication currently scheduled through September 2028.

-Playwrights must have strong affiliations with the greater metropolitan area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware). 

- Musicals, adaptations (of existing plays or other sources), and solo shows are not eligible.

-Submissions are limited to one script per playwright.

- Please contact Premiere Stages to inquire about submitting a script that has been previously submitted.     Generally we only accept re-submissions if the play has undergone significant revisions.

- Playwrights must be available for the development of their script (see the 2027 schedule table on our website).

- Submissions are accepted September 1, 2026 through 11:59 p.m. on November 1, 2026. Submissions sent early in the submission window are strongly encouraged.

- Names and contact information are welcome on cover pages of scripts.

• Premiere Stages now accepts full manuscripts from all submitters. Submissions must include:
• Brief synopsis of the play (no more than half a page)
• History of the play’s development (or statement that it has none)
• The playwright’s bio or resume

Members of the Premiere Stages literary team will read at least 10 pages of every play submitted and will decide if the play should be further considered by the Play Festival Panel.

All plays must be submitted as a PDF via Submittable at premierestagesatkean.submittable.com/submit. Hard copies will not be accepted.

All playwrights will be notified by e-mail OR Submittable message of their status by June of 2027.

HELLO GODOT! (VOLUME 12) seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2026

Submission Details
File format: PDF or Word document (.doc / .docx)
File name: HelloGodot_YourName_PlayTitle

Each submission should include a cover page containing:
Play title
Playwright's full name
Email address
Phone number
Country
Selected subtheme
Brief biography of 50–70 words, written in the third person

Email your submission to: dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com
Use the subject line:
Submission: Hello Godot! (Volume 12) — [Your Name]

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
HELLO GODOT! (VOLUME 12)
An Anthology of Existential & Absurd Plays

Submission Deadline: September 30, 2026
Acceptance Notifications: October 05, 2026
Publication: October 2026

Fresh Words — An International Literary Magazine — invites playwrights, theatre-makers, and dramatic writers from around the world to submit original plays for HELLO GODOT! (Volume 12), an anthology devoted to the strange, comic, unsettling, and profoundly human territory of existential and absurd theatre.

Inspired by the questions that haunt Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot—without seeking adaptations or imitations—we are interested in plays about characters who wait, wander, repeat, question, forget, hope, fail to communicate, and continue living despite having no convincing explanation for why they should.

What happens when nothing happens?

What if tomorrow never comes?

What if the person we are waiting for does not exist?

What if leaving is impossible?

What if the routine is the only thing keeping us alive?

HELLO GODOT! invites writers to explore these questions through original dramatic worlds of their own.

THE SUBTHEMES

Playwrights may respond to one or more of the following subthemes:

1. THE WAIT
Someone is waiting for someone—or something—that may never arrive.

2. NOTHING TO BE DONE
Characters trapped in futile tasks, impossible situations, existential paralysis, or pointless routines.

3. NOT TODAY
Promises postponed, decisions deferred, departures delayed, and lives permanently suspended.

4. LET'S TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE
Failed communication, meaningless conversations, verbal games, awkward silences, and the desperate human need to keep talking.

5. THE SAME DAY AGAIN
Repetition, circular time, recurring encounters, déjà vu, and characters condemned to begin again.

6. WHO IS GODOT?
The absent, the unknowable, the expected, the imagined, or the person who may never have existed.

7. SHALL WE LEAVE?
Characters who want to escape—but cannot, will not, or do not know where to go.

8. MAYBE TOMORROW
Hope in the face of repeated disappointment; the strange human ability to continue waiting even after hope has become unreasonable.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking plays that explore the absurdity and uncertainty of existence through theatre.

Your play might be:

• darkly comic
• existential
• surreal
• minimalist
• philosophical
• tragicomic
• experimental
• disturbing
• playful
• dreamlike
• deeply ordinary and quietly absurd

We welcome plays involving:

• waiting
• repetition
• loneliness
• purposelessness
• identity
• memory
• death
• time
• silence
• isolation
• failed communication
• meaningless work
• routine
• uncertainty
• disappearance
• hope
• despair
• the search for meaning

But these are starting points, not restrictions.

We want writers to discover their own version of the absurd.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

1. Originality

All submissions must be original and unpublished.

We are not looking for adaptations, rewritings, sequels, fan fiction, or direct retellings of Waiting for Godot.

Your play may be inspired by existential or absurdist traditions, but it must possess its own characters, dramatic situation, language, structure, and theatrical identity.

A play about two people waiting beside a tree is not automatically an absurd play.

We are interested in what you do with the idea.

2. Length and Format

Each play should be approximately 2 pages in standard theatrical script format.

Shorter works are welcome if they achieve a complete dramatic effect.

There is no strict performance-duration requirement.

A maximum of four characters is recommended.

Minimal casts and simple staging are encouraged.

Stage directions should be concise and purposeful.

Experimental theatrical forms are welcome, including:

fragmented dialogue
repetition
non-linear structure
silence
pauses
direct address
off-stage voices
symbolic objects
circular narratives
theatrical games
unconventional characterisation

However, the work should remain recognisably dramatic/theatrical.

Please do not submit prose fiction, poetry, essays, screenplays, or academic criticism.

3. Submission Details

File format: PDF or Word document (.doc / .docx)

File name:

HelloGodot_YourName_PlayTitle

Each submission should include a cover page containing:

Play title
Playwright's full name
Email address
Phone number
Country
Selected subtheme
Brief biography of 50–70 words, written in the third person

Email your submission to:
dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com

Use the subject line:
Submission: Hello Godot! (Volume 12) — [Your Name]

4. Multiple Submissions

Playwrights may submit up to four plays.

Each play must be submitted as a separate document.

If submitting four plays, please identify the subtheme for each.

Please submit all plays in a single email.

5. Rights
Playwrights retain full copyright and ownership of their work.

Fresh Words requests one-time, non-exclusive publication rights for inclusion in HELLO GODOT! (Volume 12) and for reasonable promotional purposes connected with the anthology.

All other rights remain with the playwright.

6. Eligibility

The call is open internationally.
We welcome all playwrights
There is no nationality, age, or professional-experience restriction.
English-language submissions only for this volume.

7. Selection Process

All submissions will be evaluated by the editorial team.

The editors will consider:

originality
dramatic conception
theatricality
quality of dialogue
characterisation
structural control
imaginative use of absurdity
existential depth
emotional or intellectual resonance
effective engagement with the anthology's theme

We are especially interested in works that use absurdity as a dramatic method rather than merely as a style.

Selected playwrights will be notified by email by:

October 05, 2026

The editors' decision is final. Individual feedback will not be provided.

8. COMPENSATION

This is currently a non-paying market.

Selected playwrights will receive:

Publication in the anthology
Author/playwright biography
Publication credit
Digital publication
Social-media promotion where appropriate

International exposure through Fresh Words

CONTENT POLICY

Fresh Words welcomes challenging, uncomfortable, unconventional, and intellectually provocative theatre. However, submissions must not promote or glorify:
hate speech
racism
sexism
discrimination
extremist ideologies
terrorism
abuse or exploitation
political propaganda presented primarily for promotional purposes

Dark themes, death, despair, violence, psychological disturbance, and difficult existential questions are acceptable when they serve a genuine artistic and dramatic purpose.

Stonecoast Review call for submissions

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2026

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Winter 2027 - issue #26 call for submissions

Stonecoast Review, the literary journal of the Stonecoast MFA, is now open for submissions for our 26th issue. We are proud to be a publication that seeks to support emerging writers and underrepresented voices. While previous issues have had a theme, issue #26 has no theme. This is because we want to know what you have been moved to write as you navigate the world today. Resistance. Refuge. Joy. These are some of the things we hope that issue #26 will offer to writers and readers alike. We look forward to reading your submissions.

Genres Accepted: We solicit fiction, popular (genre) fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, dramatic works, experimental literature, and visual art. We can’t wait to see your best pieces!

Issue Format: Beginning with Issue 21, released in June 2024, Stonecoast Review assumed the form of a print/online hybrid journal. The print form now consists of a 48-page chapbook, with art throughout, as well as a QR code that directs readers to more new content on StonecoastReview.org. As such, all pieces selected for publication will be featured online but, due to page limitations, only a select number of pieces will be able to be featured in the print Issue. Please see below for new guidelines regarding word count limitations for each type of publication.

Rights: Stonecoast Review acquires First Serial Rights and First Electronic Rights for all work published in the journal. Rights revert to the author upon publication. Contributors selected for print publication will receive a complimentary copy of the Issue in which their work appears.

Our staff: We are a volunteer group of Stonecoast MFA Program alumni and current students. Most of us have experience working on numerous Stonecoast Review issues or other literary journals. Any Stonecoast alumni and current students working on Issue #26 of Stonecoast Revieware ineligible to submit.

Please include a short cover letter and bio (50- and 100-word max., respectively).

We accept one prose submission, one poetry submission (of up to three poems), or fivepieces of visual art per author, per submission cycle. Submissions that do not abide by these rules will not be considered for publication.

Your work must be previously unpublished. (Stonecoast alumni may submit already published work for consideration as reprints.)

We encourage simultaneous submissions. However, please withdraw your submission immediately if it's accepted elsewhere. If you submit multiple poems and one is accepted at another publication, please attach a note on Submittable identifying which poem is no longer available.

Please adhere to standard manuscript format: Double spaced, 12 pt., Times New Roman font. Poetry may be single spaced. (If you tell us that diverging from these rules is integral to your piece, we will consider it.)

Please do not include your name in your manuscript.
While we love to represent stories with raw, emotional truth, we ask that you refrain from submitting pieces featuring excessive sex, violence, assaults, or suicide. We also ask that you include trigger warnings when needed.

We will reject pieces determined to be written by the use of AI software.

As a reminder, all pieces selected for publication will be featured online in January 2027. Due to page constraints, only a few of these selected pieces will be featured in both the print and online Winter 2027 Issue. Please see below for word count limitations based on consideration for either Hybrid (Print + Online) or General (Online-only) publication formats.

Dramatic Works. We are seeking short dramatic works of all types. Plays, screenplays, and hybrid works including monologues, one-minute scripts, ten-minute scripts, and experimental works are all welcome. Excerpts from longer dramatic works are welcome if they stand on their own. Plays must be formatted according to these Dramatists Guild formatting standards. Likewise, screenplays must be formatted according to film industry standards, as outlined here.For consideration for Hybrid Publication: limit submissions to 5 or fewer pages. 

For consideration for Online-Only Publication: limit submissions to 12 or fewer pages. One submission per author, per submission cycle.

Theater Noir Blanc seeks full-length plays on the gay interracial experience

Website:

Deadline: October 5, 2026

Dallas TX

We are dedicated to discovering original new works that explore the gay interracial experience, and it is our vision to elevate these bold, untold stories by national and international playwrights, reflecting the richness of a diverse world.

Eligibility

• The play explores our mission statement
• We do not accept screenplays, novels, poetry, or radio plays
• Your play must be in either the Dramatists Guild Modern or Traditional Stage play format
• Please send your script in .PDF format only
• Original full-length plays and plays with Limited Production (1-2) at least 65 page
• Only one play can be submitted by the writer
• We accept submissions from September 6 – October 5
• We will respond to all submissions within 6 months

We are a new theatre company focused on fulfilling our mission statement. We encourage you to reach out to us at literary@theatrenoirblanc.org with any questions you may have about submitting your play.

The Jokes On Her Annual Comedy Prize seeks full-length comedies by women

Website

Deadline: October 1, 2026

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

The Jokes On Her Annual Comedy Prize awards the winning playwright a $5,000 grant, an industry reading of her play in New York City in partnership with WP Theater and New Georges, and a featured appearance in a “Women Writing Comedy for the Stage” Q&A at The Drama Book Shop.

Jokes On Her will further support the playwright by identifying and facilitating future development opportunities.

Submissions are now open for original full-length comedies that have never been produced or published. Developmental readings and workshops are acceptable; however, plays under option or scheduled for production, licensing, or publication are not eligible. 

The Jokes On Her Comedy Prize is open to women (identifying & femmes inclusive) playwrights residing in the United States or Puerto Rico who are 21 years of age or older at the time of submission. Plays must be the author’s own work.

FAQs

Qutub Minar seeks short plays for its October 2026 issue

Website

Deadline: September 28, 2026

For our October 2026 issue, we are looking for original and engaging literary works in the following genres:

DRAMA
• Submit up to 3 one-minute plays at a time.

Every submission must include a cover letter and a short literary bio of approximately 70 words.

Submissions are accepted by email only.

Submit your work to:
editorqutubminarreview@gmail.com

Please include the following information with your submission:

Full Legal Name:
Pen Name (if any):
Postal Address:
Email Address:

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

October 2026 Issue
Last Date: 28 September 2026
Publication: First week of October 2026

NO SUBMISSION OR READING FEE

There is absolutely no submission or reading fee.

USAGE RIGHTS

By submitting your work, you confirm that you hold the copyright to the work and that no third-party permission is required for its publication.

After publication, all copyright in the work reverts to the author.

NOTIFICATIONS

Authors will be notified regarding the acceptance or rejection of their submissions.

PAYMENT

Unfortunately, Qutub Minar Review is currently unable to offer payment for published contributions.

We look forward to reading your work and discovering new literary voices.

Obsidian seeks short work for publication

Website

Deadline: Oct 16, 2026 1:00 AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Submit one act or a collection of short scenes no longer than twenty (20) pages in the Samuel French format. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained.

Obsidian cultivates, through publication and critical inquiry, Black imagination, innovation, and excellence—supporting Black, African, and African Diaspora creatives globally.
Obsidian celebrates over fifty years of continuous publication and is dedicated to publishing contemporary poetry, fiction, drama/performance, visual and media art biannually in print and year-round online.

AUTHENTIC 10 SHOWCASE seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: September 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM

Atlanta GA

SUBMISSION FORM

Length: Submissions must be between 8 and 12 minutes in performance time and a maximum of 15 pages in length.

Format: Scripts should be formatted in standard playwriting style and submitted as a PDF.

Eligibility: Submissions must be original works. Preference is given to works not previously produced or performed.

Cast Size: Scripts must feature a cast of no less than two and no more than three actors.

Staging Requirements:

Scripts should be suitable for a minimalist staging format.

Minimal use of props, lights, sound, or other technical elements is strongly encouraged and will be considered in the selection process.

Preference given to scripts with little or no scene changes.

Originality: Scripts must be original; works with no other rightsholders than the author submitting the work for consideration. and not generated in whole or in part by artificial intelligence.

Content: Consideration will be given to scripts that align with Authenticity Theater's mission. We seek content that speaks to relevant societal themes such as mental illness, substance abuse, divorce, LGBTQ issues, poverty, domestic violence, immigration, sexual abuse, aging, grief, relationship issues, loneliness, and more.

Maximum: Submissions are limited to no more than two (2) scripts per playwright. Additional submissions will not be considered.

Prism Community Players 4th Annual Playwrights Script Reading Season for 2027

Website

Deadline: September 20, 2026

Maineville, OH

SUBMISSION FORM

Prism Community Players, formerly Lumos Players,  is thrilled to announce our 4th Annual Playwrights Script Reading Season for 2027!

We know that writing a play is a journey—and we’re here to support yours.

This is a fantastic opportunity to hear your script read aloud and receive constructive, thoughtful feedback in a supportive community of theater artists. Whether you’ve written a 10-minute play, a one-act, a full-length, a musical, a comedy, a drama—or something in between—we want to hear from you!

Chosen scripts will be announced before December 5th. The series runs once a month over Zoom, February–May 2027.

Pegasus PlayLab 2027

Website

Deadline: September 18, 2026 11:59 pm

Or after they receive 200 submissions

SUBMISSION FORM

Pegasus PlayLab is a new play festival hosted every summer at the University of Central Florida. This festival is dedicated to developing new works by MFA Playwriting candidates or emerging playwrights. 

We are seeking three full-length plays, including Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) pieces, which we will rehearse for two weeks in collaboration with the playwright and subsequently present as workshop productions in addition, the finalists of Pegasus PlayLab will be entered into consideration to be a fully produced show at UCF.

The Pegasus PlayLab spans six weeks, starting mid-May through the end of June. Selected playwrights are expected to commit to a two-week in-person residency within that time frame.

Eligibility

• Unpublished or un-produced (has not received a fully-staged production)
• Full-length play/musical: 50-100 pages
• TYA: 20-100 pages
• Musicals: Please provide a sample track for at least one song. 

Submission Requirements

An excerpt (20-30 pages) of your play or musical. Submissions should be blind - please remove personal information (name, address, phone number, etc.) from your script pages.

A brief statement articulating your goals for the two-week workshop. This might include: dramaturgical and structural questions; work on specific moments of dialogue; getting answers about big questions in your script; gaining perspective on specific aspects of the script.

No late submissions will be accepted. Playwrights may only submit ONE play, and scripts previously submitted to Pegasus PlayLab in prior years are not eligible. 

As an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, UCF encourages all qualified applicants to apply, including women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.

If you have any questions, please email ucfpegasusplaylab@gmail.com.

Queer Scare 10-minute Play Festival

Website

Deadline: September 30, 2026

New York NY

Send submissions to villageplaywrights @gmail.com

Seeking 10-minute plays from playwrights based in NYC and surrounding areas. 

Chosen playwrights must be willing to participate in the process. 

Plays must be themed for LGBTQ audiences.

Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2026

Website

Deadline: September 15, 2026

-Please send two hard copies, bound or stapled, blind submission (removable cover page with title, author and all contact information) with page numbers and the name of the play on each page to:
Sundog Theatre, “Scenes 2026”, PO Box 10183, Staten Island, NY 10301.

-Submissions should include a brief play synopsis (2-3 sentences at most), a 70-word bio, and a full resume of the writer.

Sundog Theatre in NYC is seeking one-act plays for “Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry 2026”

This is Sundog Theatre’s 25th presentation of new and original, one-act plays about our favorite boats.
This year’s theme: Anniversary!

Plays can be comedies or dramas. However, humor is always appreciated.

Writing Guidelines:

-Original plays not previously produced or published, with a signed note affirming that.

-10-25 minutes in length and set on the Staten Island Ferry.

-Set in a contemporary time period. Strong priority will be given to plays with 2 characters, however, 3-character plays will be considered. No special set pieces other than benches or railings found on the Ferry, as well as limited and easily accessible props/costumes, and no unusual sound or lighting effects.

-Avoid overt and unnecessary sexual/violence situations and language since we cater to a broad audience.

-No musicals, long monologues, poetry, rants or verse.

Theme: Anniversary!

Submission Guidelines:

-We are not accepting plays electronically. Reasons: hard copies are easier to pass around/make notes on; protects your work; can’t get lost in email chains; and…easier on reading eyes. We will let you know by email that we have received it.

-NO SUBMISSION FEE

-6 plays are chosen by a reading team; writers each receive $200 and plays are produced in five November 2026 performances in Staten Island, NY. Plays are cast in NYC, rehearsed, and performed on stage.

-Playwrights of selected plays will be contacted in September and their names/play titles listed on Sundog Theatre’s website in Fall 2026.

Please direct questions to: info@sundogtheatre.org/Susan Fenley, Producer.

Mouths of Babes Theatre Company (MoB) is now accepting submissions for the Scotopia Festival 2027

Website

Deadline:  Oct 1, 2026 11:59 PM EDT

Festival Dates: Scotopia runs March 12th - 21st
Festival Location: Various venues in Wilmington, North Carolina. 

For any questions about the submission process, please contact our team at literary@mobtheatre.com with the subject line “Literary.” Contact name: Karina Patel, Literary Associate, & Megan Parlett, Artistic Producing Associate

APPLY HERE

Scotopia is an annual new works festival produced by MoB Theatre that welcomes both fresh voices and seasoned artists, providing a platform for bold, risk-taking theatre-making and fostering creative exchange across all levels of experience. The festival is a platform for original works that engage with the community and seek to grapple with the social issues of today. MoB Theatre is a process-driven theatre company, and we are interested in providing opportunities for artists to experiment and collaborate with our ensemble.

The Scotopia Festival gets its name from the word describing “the ability to see in dim light or darkness.” The festival illuminates stories that challenge perceptions, sheds light on social issues, and are as engaging to perform as they are to watch.

Submission Categories:
Applicants should only submit one submission per category.

Short Play Fest: A central feature of Scotopia, our Short Play Festival, offers playwrights the chance to workshop material and see their work fully produced by MoB Theatre. We welcome short (10 minute or less) play submissions that explore themes of social justice, equity, community, and activism. While all plays with these themes will be considered, we are particularly excited by bold, genre-blending works with unique inspirations. We encourage material inspired by diverse theatre traditions and non-traditional forms such as commedia dell'arte, folk tales, kitchen sink realism, verse, ghost stories, magical realism, anime/manga, absurdism, and more!

Full-Length Plays (For Staged Reading): Scotopia is dedicated to developing new works through workshops and staged readings. We are seeking unproduced, full-length plays that engage with themes of social justice, equity, community, and activism. Stories that illuminate real-life experiences and amplify overlooked or untold truths are especially encouraged. The chosen submissions will receive dramaturgical support, workshops and the culmination of this work will be a staged reading at the festival.

Self-Produced Performance Proposals: We welcome proposals for experimental or devised works that move beyond traditional script formats. While we will consider any play that addresses social issues, we are particularly interested in innovative forms such as solo performances, performance art, devised pieces, immersive theatre, and more. Projects suited for non-traditional spaces are encouraged but not required. Proposals are ideal for emerging artists looking to expand their audience base or explore opportunities for developing and touring their work. Selected artists should be “show ready” for the festival. Venues will be provided (with limited rehearsal time), but production support from MoB Theatre will be limited.

Producing Priorities: While plays of any subject and theme will be considered, MoB is looking for pieces which speak to the political climate and topical issues of the moment, as the purpose of the Scotopia Festival is to illuminate stories that challenge perceptions, sheds light on social issues, and are as engaging to perform as they are to watch.

We also encourage submissions which would be challenging to produce or are experimental, as we are focused on the process of developing plays, rather than fully recognizing every complicated aspect of production.

Submission Requirements: In the submission form (attached here and above), you will be asked to submit a blind copy of your play (without identifying information), along with a current resume/CV. Submissions will be evaluated anonymously by a panel. Additional submission elements will only be taken into consideration in the final round of evaluation.

Confirmation: Selected works will be announced in mid-December, around or before December 18th

Self Produced Logistics: We offer to cover all venue costs. Tickets will be divided between MoB Theatre and the partnering artist, but the ticket split percentage will vary depending on the venue rental cost.

We recognize and affirm each artist’s right to their own work. Submissions will be shared with a small internal panel, and files from submissions not accepted to the festival will be deleted.

While we are open to submissions from artists from everywhere and anywhere, we strongly encourage theatre-makers based in North Carolina and the Southeast to submit scripts and proposals. We encourage BIPOC artists and communities underrepresented in theatre to submit work to our festival.

We are primarily drawn to plays that are compatible with MoB’s mission and values, and feature roles suitable for our associates. However, we also welcome the opportunity to be challenged to cast roles outside of our acting pool and hire actors that are historically underrepresented in theatre.

About Mouths of Babes Theatre (MoB): MoB Theatre is a grassroots, ensemble-driven company based in Wilmington, NC. Known locally for productions such as Wilmington Reconstructed; Out, NC; and A Remarkable Fraternity, MoB specializes in documentary theatre and new work development, with a focus on collaborative theatre-making that centers community voices and lived experiences. We are committed to devising theatre projects that address the social, and Scotopia is one of the key events that drives our mission forward.

46 Minutes Collective Mixed Bag show

Website

Deadline: September 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT

Brooklyn NYC

SUBMISSION FORM

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. 

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 - 628 Metropolitan Ave Brooklyn

One, 20-minute spacing rehearsal/tech 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).

A $100 stipend for your work and time.

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.

Gene Frankel Theatre Festival seeks one-act and short plays

Website

Deadline: October 3, 2026

Deadline: September 26, 2026

New York NY

Send all required materials to: GeneFrankelTheatrePlayFestival@gmail.com
Subject line: Gene Frankel Theatre Festival – Title of Play

The Gene Frankel Theatre Festival is accepting submissions for its winter edition running from November 30 through December 20, 2026.

The applicants will need to produce the work — director, casting, and all production elements. The Gene Frankel Theatre will help with setting up your technical needs such as lighting, sound, and projections.

Eligible Work

• Short plays (maximum 15 minutes)
• One-act plays (up to 60 minutes)

All genres are considered, including drama, comedy, musicals, movement-based work, and experimental forms. Submitted work should be New York premieres. (Note: We are committed to showcasing works that have never been produced in New York before December 20, 2026. Participation in festivals counts as a production. Staged readings, private workshops, and brief excerpt presentations do not count as productions.) All work MUST be unpublished.

Each play should have 1 - 5 actors. No more than 5 actors will be permitted. Cast and crew should be non-union and 18 and older. The applicants will need to produce the work - director, casting, and all production elements. The Gene Frankel Theatre will help with setting up your technical needs such as lighting, sound, and projections.

Selection Criteria

Pieces will be selected based on artistic merit, originality, clarity of vision, and suitability for festival programming. The goal is to present a high-quality, varied lineup. Submission does not guarantee selection.

Playwrights, whose plays have been selected, will be contacted by September 29.

Submission Materials

Full script in PDF format

Brief synopsis

Character breakdown (Each play should have a maximum of 5 actors)

Indication of category: short play (up to 15 minutes) or one-act (up to 60 minutes)

Production history, if applicable

Please confirm this is a New York Premiere (Note: We are committed to showcasing works that have never been produced in New York before December 20, 2026. Participation in festivals counts as a production. Staged readings, private workshops, and brief excerpt presentations do not count as productions.)

Limit two submissions per applicant.

Optional: Playwright bio, director, cast, brief tech/staging notes, prior production photos or media (if available), and social media or website links may also be included to support your submission.

Participation Details

No submission fee. All participants must be available for all festival dates from November 30 through December 19. 

A $100 participation fee for short plays and a $150 participation fee for one act plays for selected works will apply.

Awards

Selected productions will be eligible for awards, including Best Play, Best Script, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director. Awards will be given in both short play and one-act categories.

Festival Format
Each selected play will be presented in one of several curated blocks. Each block will run approximately 90 minutes (including intermission) and receive three performances during the three-week performance schedule. The Festival will conclude with a Gala event, on December 20, featuring guest performances and an awards ceremony.

The 29th Magazine seeks short plays for February 2027 issue

Website

Deadline: October 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

We're drawn to writers and artists who came up on their own — no formal training, no mentors greasing the wheels, no built-in network. We'll never ask where you studied, or if you did.

We prioritize women, the queer community, the mentally ill, the chronically ill, and the neurodivergent. If you belong to any of these groups, we want to hear from you first.

Submission Guidelines

• Plays: Short plays, one act, intended to be read in a single sitting (Up to 20 pages - soft limit).
• Formatting: 12 pt Times New Roman or Courier. Single-spaced dialogue, with a line break between speeches. Character names in caps above their lines; stage directions in parentheses or italics. PDF/doc/docx formats.
• Please include your name, the piece's title, and page count on the first page.

Note: We don't store your personal data beyond your submission. We will only use your email to contact you about the status of your submission.

Free tickets - THIS IS NOT A DRILL

Daria Miyeko Marinelli’s This is Not Not a Drill

directed by Dominique Rider

Kicking off The Playwrights Realm’s 20th anniversary season, this interactive experience will take you deeper into the history of Downtown Manhattan, and then pull you into the current moment. 

What do you do in these five-alarm fire days? Every time you look there’s another news alert about something terrible. Your to-do list is overflowing, and you want to help but… how and what exactly can you do about it anyway?!? You know what, let’s take a walk.

GET TICKETS VIA THIS FORM

This is Not Not a Drill is an audio-guided walking tour of Downtown Manhattan’s rebellious past meets interactive resistance training. And by resistance training, we mean an offering to help you strengthen the muscles needed in this flood-the-zone semi-fascist mess. Explore the tactics used by this city’s past activists and practice a skill (aka a drill) to add to your tool belt in these very Not a Drill times. Lace up your sneakers, baby. This is a go.

To learn more about This is Not Not a Drill, or to buy tickets, visit our website.

A TICKET FOR EVERY BUDGET: Tickets are available at three different price levels:

Welcome, Regular, and Pay it Forward but all levels grant entry to the same experience. Please select the price level that best suits your budget.

For Parents & Caregivers: As part of the Realm’s Radical Parent-Inclusion project, qualifying attendees are offered reimbursements toward caregiving costs incurred by coming to this event.

KNOW THEATRE 23RD ANNUAL PLAYWRIGHTS AND ARTISTS FESTIVAL seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: September 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM

 

This submission must include 2 copies of your play in either word or PDF, one “blind” version without name but including which artwork you were inspired by and one with a full title page. If you could paste the painting onto the cover page that would be great. They must be submitted to playwrightsfestatknow@gmail.com. 

Please use the title of your work in the file name and whether it is the blind or named copy Sample file name: Title_ artwork _blind or Title_ artwork_ name. This makes it easier on the person coordinating the files and sending them on to the adjudicators. 

Each year we take three works of art and ask writers to fashion a play, and musicians to compose a piece as they are moved or inspired by the artwork. 

The play must be inspired by one of the works of art below.

We blind-read the submissions, select the best and produce them. The art is exhibited, we perform the plays on the KNOW Theatre stage and ask the audience for feedback. 

It is our annual mixed media event that draws inquisitive art and theatre lovers to KNOW. 

The prizes are awarded are: 

• The Edward Allan Baker Prize for Best of Festival ($300), 
• Artistic Merit ($200) and A
• Audience Favorite ($100). 

Each night from Friday through Sunday we will feature one artwork and the pieces associated with it.

The artwork will follow a refresher on the rules. 

• The play length needs to be between 15 - 20 minutes
• Cast size maximum, 4 characters. Set should be implied.

Plays submitted MUST be a complete play and must include a beginning, middle and an end and contain a conflict. Our judges will be adhering to strict parameters during the adjudication process.

Playwrights may only submit one play for the festival.

The playwright would need to attend at least one of the two weekend performances (which take place in November). In person is preferred but we have in the past Zoomed with playwrights. As our festival is starting to reach a greater number of people in wider locations, we feel that we must take this into consideration. We always hope our playwrights can attend in person and feel the energy and excitement of having their work performed onstage for the first time, but we understand that sometimes this is not logistically possible.

KNOW Theatre Facebook submission event page

The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers Fellowship 2027

Website

Deadline: September 25, 2026, 5 p.m. EDT. 

Applications cannot be accepted after this deadline.
Notification: March 2027
Award Period: September 7, 2027–May 26, 2028
Stipend: $90,000

Online registration required to submit

The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers supports projects that draw on the research collections of The New York Public Library's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (formerly the Humanities and Social Sciences Library). The Center seeks top-quality writing from academics as well as from creative writers and independent scholars. Visual artists whose projects require extensive use of Library collections are also encouraged to apply. Visit www.nypl.org/research-collections for detailed information about the collections of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.

The Library expects Fellows to work at the Cullman Center five days a week, Monday through Friday, for the duration of the Fellowship term, which runs from September through May. Successful candidates will need to work primarily at the Schwarzman Building rather than at other divisions of the Library. Applications from those working in languages other than English are welcome; however, the applicant must be conversant in English, and application materials must be in English. Fellowships will not be granted for academic projects to post-doctoral fellows or to applicants doing graduate-school dissertation research.

The Center seeks diversity in race, ethnicity, age, gender, field, and type of project. The Center aims to promote dynamic conversation about the humanities, social sciences, and scholarship at the highest level—within the Center, in public forums throughout the Library, and in the Fellows' published work.

In order to avoid real or apparent conflicts of interest, the Cullman Center does not accept applications from New York Public Library staff members or their partners, or from people active on the Library’s Board of Trustees, Board Advisory Committees, or Library Council.

Fellows may not accept other major professional obligations during the term. Fellows may have a few prior commitments but must limit research trips, attendance at scholarly meetings, and speaking engagements to short periods of time. Anyone who needs to be away for more than two days must notify the Center's Director or Deputy Director. The Library will pro-rate stipends for Fellows who spend excessive time away from the Center.

The Cullman Center will not accept dossier letters in place of new letters of recommendation.Completed applications and supporting materials—research proposal, curriculum vitae, letters of recommendation, and creative writing sample or art work sample—must be submitted by September 25, 2026, 5 p.m. EDT.

The Cullman Center is made possible by a generous endowment from Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman in honor of Brooke Russell Astor, with major support provided by Mrs. John L. Weinberg, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Estate of Charles J. Liebman, The von der Heyden Family Foundation, John and Constance Birkelund, and The Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation, and with additional gifts from Helen and Roger Alcaly, The Rona Jaffe Foundation, The Arts and Letters Foundation Inc., William W. Karatz, Merilee and Roy Bostock, and Cullman Center Fellows.

Radcliffe Institute Fellowship 2026

Website

Deadline: September 10, 2026, at 5 PM ET

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program offers scientists, writers, scholars, public intellectuals, and artists a rare chance to pursue ambitious projects for a full academic year in a vibrant interdisciplinary setting amid the resources of Harvard University.

We welcome applications proposing innovative work that confronts pressing social, scientific, and policy issues and seeks to engage audiences beyond academia. Reflecting Radcliffe's unique history and institutional legacy, we welcome—but do not limit eligibility to—proposals that focus on women, gender, and society or draw on the Schlesinger Library’s rich collections.

We also invite proposals relevant to the Institute’s multiyear focus area, which for 2024–2029 is academic freedom and connecting across difference. Proposals should address intellectual virtues, free and open inquiry, and diversity of thought, as well as political polarization, inequality, religious pluralism, religion and public life, and other policy issues as they relate to institutions of higher education. Within this focus area, we also welcome proposals that constructively challenge disciplinary orthodoxies or advance new and potentially transformative perspectives or approaches.

In addition, we welcome proposals in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics directly impacted by federal research funding cuts.

Get Started

The application for 2027–2028 fellowship program is now available. Please visit our application portal to access the application.

Application Deadlines

The deadline for applications in the humanities, social sciences, creative arts, and nonfiction and journalism is September 10, 2026, at 5 PM ET.

The deadline for applications in science, engineering, and mathematics is October 1, 2026, at 5 PM ET.
How to Apply

To begin an application, you will need to register as a new user by creating a new account with your name, email address, and password. Once you have registered, you may log in to the Online Fellowship Application Portal and select an application area: Humanities and Social Sciences; Creative Arts; Nonfiction and Journalism; or Science, Engineering, and Mathematics.
Eligibility Criteria

We accept applications in a wide array of disciplines across the humanities, social sciences, and creative arts and applicants must meet discipline-specific eligibility criteria. This fellowship program is not intended to serve as a postdoctoral fellowship, and those currently enrolled in a degree program are ineligible to apply. We accept applications from individuals across career stages and do not require academics to have tenure to apply.

Former Harvard Radcliffe fellows (1999-present) are ineligible.

Application Materials

The fellowship application consists of an application form, curriculum vitae, 1,400-word project proposal (with bibliography when appropriate), a writing or work sample, and the contact information of three references who will be prompted over email to upload letters of recommendation in support of your application. All materials must be submitted via our online application portal.

Black Cat Theatre seeks full-length scripts

Website

Deadline: September 15, 2026

THEY ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS

Chicago, IL

Full-length scripts, ideally 75-100 minutes in length

aligned w/ BCT values, especially those:

• from queer playwrights
• telling queer stories
• playing with form and/or language

Playwrights from anywhere may submit, but this season we will be prioritizing submissions from Chicago-based writers. Playwrights may submit one script for this opportunity.

The Staged Reading+ process has typically comprised of 4 virtual table-work rehearsals, 4 in-person rehearsals, and 4 hours of tech. Depending on the needs of the individual script, this process could shift slightly. Ideally, the playwright will be able to attend all rehearsals. Performances will take place in Spring 2027 at The Edge Off-Broadway, on the set of Idle Muse Theatre Company's Spring production.

If you have any questions, please contact BCT's Literary Manager, Cori Lang, at literary@blackcattheatrechi.com

Utah Shakespeare Festival Words Cubed seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: when they receive 200 submissions
THEY HAVE REACHED THEIR LIMIT - DO NOT SEND

Our Mission

As part of an ongoing commitment to create a diverse body of work, Words Cubed, the new play program at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, nurtures and develops openly-submitted and commissioned-based new plays by providing a professional platform for readings, workshops, and fully realized productions.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Unproduced scripts ready for development. We are not looking for the ‘best’ play submitted, rather a great one that will benefit from our process.

We love big epic casts, but we’ve found the streamlined development process is best suited to smaller cast shows (6 actors or less). We are open to Shakespeare-adjacent works, however, we are interested in all genres. If you are submitting a Shakespeare-adjacent work, it must be able to stand on its own for audiences that don’t know the original.

Part of our selection process is how the two selected plays complement one another and the season of which they are a part (in this case, the 2027 season). Additionally, a play that is similar in theme or plot to recent Words Cubed selections is less likely to be chosen.

WHAT WILL WORDS CUBED DO FOR YOU?

Words Cubed and the Utah Shakespeare Festival will provide travel to Cedar City, Utah and offer a stipend, lodging, and tickets to our currently running shows. We will provide you with a cast, director, and stage manager, four days of concentrated script work (12 hours total), and four public readings with audience feedback.

WHAT WILL THE READING LOOK LIKE?

Words Cubed readings are simple in scope. This choice is both artistic, as the goal is to focus on the story and allow the playwright to hear it in front of an audience, and practical, as there is limited rehearsal time. We encourage teams to utilize stage directions to paint the fuller picture for the audience. These are “music stand readings”, so lines are not memorized. There are no design elements.

FINE PRINT

No fees. The only thing we require is a signed contract with the following agreement: After your play leaves our process, any subsequent production or workshop will contain the following language: “PLAY TITLE was developed, in part, through Words Cubed, Utah Shakespeare Festival’s new play development program.”

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION

You will be notified by July 1, 2027, whether or not your play was selected. 

FAQ

• You may only submit one play per year.
• If a script was submitted to Words Cubed in the past, it cannot be re-submitted. 
• We only accept unproduced plays.
• Straight plays only, please. Words Cubed is not designed to support a sufficient development process for musicals.
• We only accept updated script drafts if your play makes it to the finalist pool. We will notify you if you become a finalist.
• The two selected playwrights must be available for the Cedar City in-person workshop during the week of August 2 or 9, 2027.

If you have additional questions, please reach out to words3@bard.org.

Runway Theater seeks Vignettes for Valentines

Website

Deadline: September 25, 2026

Grapevine Texas

SUBMISSION FORM

Runway Theatre brings back a beloved tradition with Vignettes for Valentine's, an evening of original short plays celebrating love in all its forms. Selected works will be presented as part of a special Valentine's Day fundraiser on February 13, 2027, with both a matinee (3pm) and evening performance (7:30pm). Whether your story is funny, romantic, bittersweet, heartwarming, awkward, or completely unexpected, we want to read it! Submitted plays should explore themes related to:

• Love
• Relationships
• Romance
• Friendship
• Heartbreak
• Family connections
• Dating
• Marriage
• Second chances
• The many ways people connect with one another

Writers are encouraged to think creatively. Not every story must be a traditional romance. Authors retain ownership of their work. By submitting, playwrights grant Runway Theatre permission to produce
the piece as part of Vignettes for Valentine's should it be selected.

The submission deadline is September 25, 2026, and authors will be notified of their acceptance status in November.

Propsect Musical Theater Lab seeks writers for annual musical theater developmental program

Website

Deadline: September 10, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Since 2008, Prospect has offered an annual musical theater developmental program which brings together 8-10 teams of writers, challenging them to create short (10 minute) musicals in response to a curated assignment. The Musical Theater Lab is a high-impact generative opportunity for writers that serves a broad network of artists, providing a platform to share work, create in community, and build professional relationships. In Fall 2026, we celebrate the 20th lab cycle!

From the start of the lab process, writers have one month to write the first draft of their piece. During this month, they meet with Prospect's Associate Artistic Director, Dev Bondarin, and fellow lab writers to discuss their project and the culminating lab performance. This is followed by a two-week process during which each piece is developed and rehearsed with a cast. The short pieces are presented in a culminating concert performance for the general public.

What is Prospect's Musical Theater Lab?

• Monday, September 28: First group meeting of writers in evening (please hold this evening open.)
• Friday, October 2: Show concept pitches due.
• Wednesday, October 7: Cast breakdown due.
• Monday, October 12: Second group meeting of writers in evening (please hold this evening open)
• Thursday, October 15: Libretto first draft due 
• Between Thursday, October 15–Thursday October 23: Individual writer team meetings with director to be scheduled
• Monday Oct 26: Completed rehearsal drafts of script and score due
• Between Wednesday October 28–Wednesday November 11: Rehearsals for each piece scheduled during this period
• Thursday, November 12: Afternoon technical rehearsal & sound check at Symphony Space, 7:30pm performance

COMPLETE LAB TIMELINE:

Lab participants are selected through an open application process. A panel of Prospect's artistic staff members review each application. Applications are open now through Thursday, September 10 at 11:59pm.

Selected Lab writers will be invited to pitch three show concepts. With curatorial input, writing teams will select one of these ideas to develop into an 8-10 minute long musical. The short, new works will be written between September 28 and October 26, workshopped and rehearsed between October 28 and November 11, and presented as a single evening's concert which will take place at Symphony Space on Thursday, November 12. The culminating Lab presentation will be directed by Dev Bondarin, Prospect's Associate Artistic Director.

​How It Works

THE FINE PRINT

• Writers receive a modest honorarium for their participation in the Lab
• Writers retain all copyright/ownership of their work
• Writers may only be part of one lab application
• Writers who have previously participated in the Lab are welcome to re-apply, but not in the cycle immediately following their participation. (Ie: Writers may not participate in two back to back Labs, they must take one year off before re-applying.)

The culminating concert presentation will be performed by a versatile and diverse cast of actor-singers, drawn from Prospect’s network of alumni performers and other recommendations. 

For the Fall 2026 Lab, cast size will be targeted to 1-4 principal performers for each piece. Actors will be shared amongst the projects and appear in two different 10-minute pieces. Additionally, there will be a large chorus of voices available to be shared across the projects, through a special partnership with musical theater students at Manhattan School of Music. Writers are encouraged to attend rehearsals, which take place over a two week period at studio locations in Manhattan. The rehearsals will be a combination of day and evening time slots based on availability schedules submitted by the writing teams.​

The Logistics

Prospect's Musical Theater Lab intentionally operates on a compact timeline and incorporates random, playful elements in order to encourage writers to make bold and in-the-moment choices in their creative process. We invite writers to be as fully engaged with the Lab process as possible. As a first step, please review the timeline to confirm your team’s availability for this project. If you or your collaborators will be unavailable for much of the planned process, it is best to wait for a future cycle to apply. Teams will be notified of the application process outcome by Mon 9/21/26.

This fall, Prospect is celebrating the 20th Cycle of our musical theater lab. We've connected with more than two-hundred emerging writers through the lab... who have generated as many new short musicals featuring the talents of many more hundreds of performers, which have been experienced by thousands of audience members! It's an expansive community.

This year's theme centers storytelling through the use of many voices. Lab participants will be invited to explore how the concept of a "chorus" or ensemble of voices can be used dramatically. In each short musical, this year's writing cohort will be challenged to incorporate the use of a chorus (8 or more voices) in a compelling dramatic context, alongside a core of principal cast members. Whether evoking an ancient Greek chorus, an anthropomorphic concept, a philosophical abstract, or a group of many humans changing the tide of history -- we are excited to see how this creative assignment comes to life on Thursday, November 12, at Symphony Space!

We strive to keep our open application process simple and efficient with a quick turnaround.

Please submit the name, role (composer, lyricist, bookwriter) and a brief bio / info for each member of the writing team.

Writers should apply with their intended collaborator(s). Individual "team of one" writers who wear multiple hats may also apply. New collaborative teams may also apply. (Prospect doesn't create teams or pair writers.) Also, writers may only be part of one application.

Writers are asked to include links to 3 sample songs (either mp3s or videos are acceptable) along with a brief scene sample. Work samples that are representative of the collaborative team applying are best. If the application marks a new collaboration, please be clear in describing the relevance of each sample to the application.

Madlab Theatre Roulette 2027 seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: November 1, 2026

Or until they receive 500 submissions

Email all submissions to andyb@madlab.net.

Scripts should be 5-20 minutes in length.

Include a short synopsis and production history in the body of the email.

If you are an Ohio playwright, please put "Theatre Roulette Submission - Ohio" in the subject line.
If you are a Columbus college student playwright, please put "Theatre Roulette Submission - College" in your subject line.

All other playwrights, please put "Theatre Roulette Submission" in the subject line.Scripts must be in .pdf or .docx format.There is a limit of 2 submissions per playwright.

MadLab Theatre is seeking short play submissions for the 28th annual Theatre Roulette festival.
Theatre Roulette has 3 separate nights of plays. One night will be reserved for Ohio based playwrights. One night will be reserved for Columbus based college playwrights. And the third night will be reserved for anyone and everyone else.

Submission deadline is November 1, 2026 or until we reach our 500 submission cap.

The production will take place from March 18-April 3 of 2027.

All playwrights will be notified of our decisions no later than December 1st, 2026.

Complimentary tickets available: IS THIS THING ON?

Complementary tickets are available for Adam Bradley's autobiographical solo show, Is This Thing On? - a 60-minute piece combining storytelling and live music, exploring identity, responsibility, and what happens to the parts of ourselves we put aside along the way.

A deeply human solo show about the version of yourself you put down — and whether it’s ever too late to pick it back up.

Tickets at Eventbrite.
Use complimentary code: COMP

Complimentary tickets are offered on a first-come, first serve basis for the performances on Friday September 19, 7PM and Sunday September 20, 2PM. (The Saturday performance is sold out.)

TIP: your best chance for available tickets is the Sunday performance.

Chain Theatre

312 West 36th Street
#4th floor New York, NY 10018

10th annual PlayGround Solo Performance Festival

Website

Deadline: September 15, 2026 by 11:59pm

SUBMISSION FORM

PlayGround invites submission of proposals for the 10th annual PlayGround Solo Performance Festival, to take place at PlayGround’s San Francisco venue, Potrero Stage, with live online simulcast, January 15-February 7, 2027. 

PlayGround is interested in diverse voices and approaches, including storytelling, clowning, music, dance, multimedia, comedy, etc. In addition to new works by individual writer-performers, we are also interested in collaborations between separate writers and performers as well as adaptations of existing material in the public domain, historical biographies and/or historical events. BIPOC, trans/gender-nonconforming, and artists with disabilities encouraged to apply. 

Running time for proposed pieces can be up to 50 minutes without intermission.

FESTIVAL GUIDELINES

PlayGround will select up to 20 performers to each receive 3 public performances at Potrero Stage with live online simulcast within the festival period. Performers will each receive 2 hours of technical rehearsal (date and time TBD). PlayGround will provide the theater, simulcast setup and digital platform, front-of-house and technical staff, marketing, publicity, and box office services.

– Selected projects will receive three performance slots over the course of the festival

– Selections will be determined by lottery; up to 15 slots will be guaranteed to PlayGround-affiliated artists and up to 5 slots will be offered to non-PlayGround artists

– Projects must culminate in the off-book public presentation

– Performances in the 2027 Solo Performance Festival must run be between 30-50 minutes with setup/strike of no more than a half-hour on either side.

– Projects must participate in PlayGround’s radical accessibility program, including free admission (with PWYC donation option) and online simulcast.

– Projects involving union artists will have the opportunity to be presented under PlayGround’s SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement (deferred) and all performers, regardless of union status, would then be expected to sign a SAG-AFTRA agreement; projects are solely responsible for the terms of artist compensation and for fulfilling those terms.

– Upon selection, projects will be responsible for remitting to PlayGround a $600 facility licensing fee for three performances, due by October 1, 2026.

– PlayGround will provide the following: fully-equipped Potrero Stage, Technical Director, House Manager, Board Operator, Streaming Broadcaster, as well as co-marketing, production management consultation (1 hr), and box office services;

– PlayGround will split box office proceeds 50/50 with producing teams.