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.

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.

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.

The Greenhouse seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: August 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Seeking 10-minute plays on the theme of "Lovely and Temperate."

• Submissions should be inspired by the current quarter's theme. 
• Submissions must be original works. 
• Scripts must be free of identifiers of the author (e.g., headers, footers or a title page with author's name) for the purpose of anonymous selection. Your name will be attached to your submission via the submission form, and you will be fully credited for your submission if selected. 
• Script should included a list of characters on the first page. 

Selections will be made on two major criteria:

1. Strength of storytelling 

• Clear beginning, middle, and end 
• Obvious conflict and climax 
• Does the story grab you quickly? 
• Are the characters interesting? 

2. Format appropriateness 

• Approximately 10 minutes 
• No more than 5 characters 
• Minimal technical needs

Swan Dive Theater Collective seeks submissions of 10-minute plays by women, non-binary, and trans playwrights

Facebook
Instagram

Deadline: September 1, 2026

DO NOT SEND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR SUBMISSION WINDOW

The NJ-based Swan Dive Theater Collective seeks submissions of 10-minute plays by women, non-binary, and trans playwrights from New Jersey and the New York City metropolitan area for its Third Annual Short Play Festival, to be held on March 7, 2027.

Past festivals have sold out and featured two performances in the event space of a lively Montclair Tavern, offering food, drinks, and an intimate, festive atmosphere. Selected playwrights will receive a dinner stipend.

Swan Dive is a Montclair theater collective dedicated to advancing the stories of women and other marginalized gender identities by introducing new works and fostering community.

• Plays must be 10 minutes or less.
• Cast size must be between 2 and 4 actors.
• All plays should follow the Samuel French Standard Playwriting Format.
• Page One should include a cover sheet with title, name, contact info and pronouns. 
• Eligible playwrights must identify as women, non-binary, or trans and reside in New Jersey or the New York City metropolitan area.
• Submissions will be accepted through September 1, 2026 and be capped at the first 100 entries received.
• The subject line must read: Short Play Submission 2026–2027.
• Previously produced or published plays are welcome.
• Plays should require minimal set, technical, and production elements.
• Limit one submission per playwright.
• Accepted playwrights will work collaboratively with the director and cast throughout the rehearsal process.
• Plays that do not meet the submission requirements will not be considered.
• Plays written with AI assistance will not be considered.

Vidalia Theatre Company seeks 10-minute plays for Summer Harvest

Website

Deadline: September 7, 2026

The Vidalia Theatre Company in Atlanta, is accepting submissions for its annual Summer Harvest show of 10-minute plays to be produced in July 2027.

The theme for this show is “Dating… the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly.” We’re looking for plays that explore the full gamut that is the world of dating. Stories that deal with the fun and the pain in trying to find a romantic partner. We are only seeking plays that fit this theme at this time.

Submissions should contain 2-4 characters, simple set and prop requirements, and provide opportunity for diverse casting.

Adult language and content are permitted as long as it is relevant to the story and not gratuitous.

Submissions cannot have been previously produced in the Atlanta Metro Area.

Limit 2 submissions per playwright.

PAY: A $30 stipend is paid to the playwrights whose plays are selected.

***PLEASE READ THE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY***

If submitting two plays, send each submission in a separate email

Email submissions to: vidaliatheatre@gmail.com

In the subject line type: Playwright Name - Title of Play - WY27

Be sure to include the following information in the body of the email:

your email and telephone
city, state (or country if outside USA) in which you reside
Number of characters
Comedy or Drama
A brief synopsis
All scripts must be attached as a PDF. No other file types will be accepted.

Note: *We do not utilize blind submissions in our review process*

**ANY SUBMISSION THAT DOES NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED**

OPEN TO ALL NORTH AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHTS

(with special consideration for those who reside in Georgia)

Somerset Community College seeks short plays

Facebook page

Deadline: August 31, 2026

Email submissions to: scctheatre@kctcs.edu 

Script CANNOT exceed ten pages

Plays can be any genre or setting, but must implement fairytale or medieval fantasy elements

Onstage/Offstage Podcast 2026 seeks short plays for Halloween

Website

Deadline: August 31, 2026

Or when they receive 100 submissions

SUBMISSION FORM

Onstage/Offstage Theatre Podcast s looking for 10-minute plays to produce and air on its podcast.

It's a HALLOWEEN theme! And it must be a COMEDY.

Please read all requirements below, especially noting the dates and times during which submissions will be accepted. If you send a submission outside this timeframe, it will not be read!

By submitting, you agree to all the following:

1. Selected plays will be cast and produced by Onstage/Offstage Theatre Podcast artists. If selected, you agree that performances of your play will be broadcast on WRFI 88.1 Ithaca Community Radio, podcasted at www.onstageoffstage.org and Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify (and others). Your name as playwright will be prominently displayed. We will also share a link to your website and other pertinent URLS, if you like.
2. **Playwrights agree to do a short interview to accompany the episode airing their play.**
3. ****SUBMISSIONS ARE WELCOME BY THIS FORM ONLY FROM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, TO MONDAY, AUGUST 31****. OR WHEN WE REACH 100 SUBMISSIONS. 
4. Remember this is audio! Don't submit plays that require extensive reading of stage directions. The work should be overwhelmingly dialogue.
5. Comedies BETWEEN 8 and 10 MINUTES. **THREE (3) characters maximum.** **No monologues.**
6. No excessively offensive language. Not that we are against strong language in a work, but we have to bleep it for broadcast and that's more work for us. The recording remains au naturel for the podcast.
7. Format: Submit your play IN PDF FORMAT ONLY with playwright contact info, synopsis/teaser, cast info on cover page, and pages numbered. (You'd be surprised. No, really, you would.)
8. ONE PLAY PER PLAYWRIGHT. 
9. Follow this format for file names: LAST NAME Play title: SHAKESPEARE Hamlet Goes Camping
10. NO FEE TO APPLY.

Has your play been produced before? Good for you!!. Send it anyway!!

I'd love be able to remunerate you for your creativity, talent, and efforts in writing and submitting your work, but I am a very small operation (me, that's it) and my funding is nil. Best I can offer is a chance to talk about yourself as an artist and a audio recording of your play produced on air.

**We exuberantly encourage playwrights from historically marginalized communities to submit!**

Woodward/Newman Award 2027/28

Website

Deadline: August 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

The Woodward/Newman Award is an exclusive honor offered by Constellation Stage & Screen, started through the support of Joanne Woodward, Newman’s Own Foundation, and the Newman family, celebrating Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward’s tremendous history of work on stage and screen. It presents the best unpublished play of the year with a cash prize of $3,000 and a full production as part of Constellation’s Mainstage season.

Please note that there are significant changes to our submission and selection process from previous years. In order to make the Woodward/Newman Award accessible to all, we have eliminated submission fees as well as the contest format. The Woodward/Newman Award will continue to be awarded to an unpublished new play once per year and come with a $3,000 cash prize and a full production. 

Submissions will be accepted and reviewed by our literary team on an ongoing basis, and will be considered for the award as well as for all 7 production slots in our season. So a play that is not selected for the Woodward/Newman slot in our season, may still be considered and selected for production. 

This will allow us to now accept open submissions for all types of plays (including TYA shows). Plays submitted by midnight, August 31st, 2026 will be considered for the 2027-28 season, while plays submitted beyond that date will be considered for the 2028-29 Season. All submissions will be kept on file for 2 years after submission.

If you have questions regarding submissions to the Constellation Stage & Screen, please contact the Literary Manager at literary@seeconstellation.org.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS

We are currently accepting submissions for the 2027-28 Woodward/Newman Award. The award recipient will be announced by May 15, 2027. 

The winner will be awarded $3,000 and a full production.“Full-length” plays should have a complete running time of between 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes) to 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes). TYA shows should have a complete running time of over 40 minutes.

Plays submitted must be unpublished at the time of submission (independently published is acceptable).
Each play should be individually submitted at the following link: CONSTELLATION STAGE & SCREEN PLAY SUBMISSION.

You will be asked to submit your play as an attachment and all other information (bio, history, synopsis, character breakdown) will be entered into a form. Musical submissions may upload demos as an attachment or include a link to a shared folder.

Limit of 2 play submissions per year.

$3,000 cash prize is in lieu of royalties for the full production. Housing & transportation will also be provided.

Any unpublished play submitted to Constellation regardless of method (e.g. online form, agent submission, direct contact) may be considered for the Woodward/Newman Award.

Please note that we are moving away from a “finalists” model in lieu of keeping all plays under consideration for extended periods (2yrs). We will only announce a winner.

If you have any questions, please email literary@seeconstellation.org.

Theater for the New City presents HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DARLING!

Crystal Field 

(Artistic Director)
presents

Happy Anniversary Darling!
As part of the Dream Up Festival

Cabaret Theater
Sunday - August 23 - 2 pm
Monday - August 24 - 6:30 pm
Tuesday - August 25 - 9 pm
Wednesday - August 26 - 6:30 pm
Thursday - August 27 - 9 pm

Tickets only $15!
https://ci.ovationtix.com/35441

A collection of wacky spirits visits a bored couple celebrating their anniversary.
Can they find love lost? Watch their transformation!

Written and directed by Darcy H. Sternberg

With:

Kamron Tursunboev
Andrew Barlow
Rachel Christianson
Grace Lyons
Yun Gao
Herut Ashkenazi
Doug Bachelis
Kelly Gentilo (stage manager)

Eighth Annual International Human Rights Art Festival

Website

Deadline: August 23, 2026

Please email our Festival Assistant Producer Costanza Bugiani at costanza@humanrightsartmovement.org with the following, and any questions:

• 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 Festival 2026, then add Association-Company-your name (i.e. IHRAF Festival 2026, Joan Doe)

December 7th - 13th, 2026
The Wild Project
195 E. 3rd Street, New York, NY 10009

Results announced by September 15, 2026

Work may not have been produced within the last year in NYC, or be scheduled in the next six months of December 13th, 2026.

Please note:

• 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.
• Submit all work to costanza@humanrightsartmovement.org

New York and Tri-state area based artists Call - The submission window is now open for live performance work in any form - every discipline.

International Human Rights Art Festival

December 7th - 13th, 2026

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

• Climate Change Action
• Immigration
• LGBTQIA+
• Celebration of Women/Women in Power
• Celebration of Black Men/Undiscovered Women
• Shalom/Salaam
• With Love from Africa

Plus:  Ten Minute Play Festival and a Ten Minute Performance Festival

… Any other social justice concerns you might have

All accepted performers will receive:

• Performance stipends of $250 total (per project)
• PR and marketing support
• 30-minute tech rehearsal
• Festival TD and SM
• Free photographic documentation of the performance
• Free video documentation of the performance

We are encouraging New York and Tri-state area based artists. Unfortunately we cannot cover any travel/lodging expenses.

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.

2027 Lamoise New Works - MOXIE Theatre seeks plays by women

Website

Deadline: August 25, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

San Diego, California

Seeking 

- Four (4) ten-minute plays

- Two (2) full-length plays that will receive a workshop and undergo a short development process with the actors and creative teams.

- And one (1) full-length play that will be performed as-is, will be selected for a staged reading.

- All playwrights of full-length works will be provided travel and housing for the duration of the festival weekend (not including the workshop process).

Play must be written by women+ playwright(s).

Works submitted must be unpublished, unproduced, and available for production.

Only one (1) submission is allowed per playwright.

Character/Casting Limit:

Festival selections are limited to works that can be performed by a maximum of six actors total: five actors covering principal roles and one actor covering stage directions and/or minor cameo roles. Plays with larger character lists are still eligible, provided the material can reasonably be performed within this casting structure through doubling or multi-role casting. If you are considering multiple works for submission, we encourage you to keep this limitation in mind. Writers are still welcome to submit works that exceed this structure if they feel strongly the piece should be considered.

Every playwright who submits to the festival will receive a response by email, regardless of the outcome.

We anticipate notifying playwrights of their semi-finalist status by September 2026, with final festival selections informed in November 2026.

Submitting is free and playwrights are not required to self-produce. Production of selected works happens in-house with MOXIE, and there are no participation fees for festival selections.

See the FAQ for more information.

MACH 33 Call for Submissions

Website

Deadline: September 14, 2026

Theater Arts Caltech invites Greater Los Angeles playwrights to submit to two science-driven play development programs for the 2026–27 season. 

MACH 33: The Caltech Festival of New Science-Driven Plays supports complete, full-length plays through collaboration with Caltech and JPL science advisors, culminating in public staged readings and post-show discussions. 

MACH 33 Launchpad: The Caltech Early-Development Lab for New Science-Driven Plays is designed for works in the earliest stages of development, providing playwrights with a collaborative environment to explore and strengthen the scientific ideas driving their plays. Both programs connect playwrights with scientists from Caltech and JPL to deepen the scientific dimensions of their work.

Submission deadline: September 14, 2026. For eligibility requirements, submission guidelines, and complete program information, visit the MACH 33 website: https://tacit.caltech.edu/mach33/

Eligibility and Submission Guidelines (for both programs):

• Playwright must reside in the Greater Los Angeles area.
• Only one submission per playwright.
• Plays must not be published or professionally produced. (Previous readings are acceptable.)
• Plays must center on real-world scientific, mathematical, or technological themes.
• Maximum cast size of 8. Doubling is permitted; include a doubling plan with the cast list.
• Scripts must be submitted in PDF format, with standard formatting (12 pt font, numbered pages, character names above dialogue).
• Science must be integral to the story, not just metaphor or setting. 

See below for more on what we mean by “science-driven.”

Your submission must include:

• Blind Script PDF – Title only, no author name
• For Launchpad only:
• a brief summary of unfinished scenes or ideas for how you’re imagining the play might develop
• if the play includes music, you may also attach sheet music or demo recordings
• Playwright Info PDF – Title, author name, contact info, date of most recent revision
• Artist Statement PDF – Brief explanation of how a science advisor from Caltech or JPL could help you develop the scientific dimensions of your play (blind – no author name)
• Provide cast list and doubling plan (if applicable)
• Synopsis (max 200 words)

What is a science-driven play?

• Places real science, math, or technology at the heart of the dramatic conflict
• Features characters—often scientists, mathematicians, or engineers—whose work and thinking are central to the story
• Helps audiences gain a better understanding of how science works, how it impacts our lives, and how it intersects with broader human concerns
• Broadens the cultural imagination around science, challenging clichés or assumptions
• Grounds its content in real-world inquiry rather than speculative or science fiction (no aliens, time travel, or futuristic tech)

These plays are driven by curiosity, grounded in research, and open up new ways of thinking about science and society. A panel of readers from both scientific and theatrical communities will review submissions. We look forward to reading your work!

For questions or submissions email:
MACH 33: arden.e.thomas@gmail.com
Launchpad: coleremmen@caltech.edu

The Distillery New Works Festival seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: September 7, 2026

Or until they receive 600 submissions

SUBMISSION FORM

The Distillery New Works Festival is a celebration of emerging theater and an opportunity for playwrights to gain valuable feedback on new work. Each play in the festival receives a live reading by a cast of professional actors, allowing it to live and breathe off the page. The readings conclude with a discussion of the play with the playwright, giving writers the chance to receive feedback from Seattle audiences and providing a platform for audiences to help shape new works in process.

Play criteria

Before submitting, please make sure your play meets the following criteria:

Full-length plays. We are currently only accepting submissions for full-length scripts of any genre. Shorts and one-acts will not be considered.

One play per playwright. We will only consider one script per playwright for this year's Distillery Festival.

New works, development mindset. The Distillery Festival is intended to promote new works and help playwrights who want to actively update and improve their scripts. Selected playwrights are expected to approach the festival with a development mindset, and to attend/participate in the festival to the best of their ability. If you are completely finished with your script, the Distillery process is not for you.

Feminism - your play passes the Macha Test. This year Distillery is being produced by Seattle Public Theater in association with Macha Theatre Works, and we are excited to use the festival to help lift up feminist works. Please review the Macha Test and make sure your play passes before submitting. We will not consider plays that do not pass the Macha Test.

Festival Attendance

Festival attendance is an important part of Distillery and is required for all playwrights. If you are from out of the Seattle area, a travel stipend will be provided.

Submission Process

We will review the first 600 scripts submitted to Distillery this year. Submissions will close when we reach the 600 play cap, or on September 7th, whichever comes first. If we reach the cap before September 7, all additional plays submitted will be waitlisted for consideration, and playwrights will be notified by email. If you are on the waitlist, we will reach out to you if your play is selected for consideration by the end of September. Note, last year we had 500 plays submitted total.

We will then review submissions and select a group to move on to the next round. This first review can take some time, so we thank you in advance for your patience. As we narrow down our play selection, we will announce which plays have made it to the next round both via email and publicly on our social media. Here is a rough timeline. While we may diverge this year, it will hopefully give you a framework for setting expectations about this process for 2026-2027:

August: Submissions Open
September: Submissions Close (unless cap has been reached)
September-December: Submission Review/Reading Period
December: Release of the LONG LIST (around 50 plays)
End of December: Release of the SHORT LIST (around 20 plays)

January: Playwright Interviews: Short-listed playwrights are expected to participate in a virtual interview with members of the Seattle Public Distillery team. After interviews, release of the SEMI-FINALISTS (around 10 plays)

February: Final review/director matching process. Release of the OFFICIAL SELECTIONS.

In the end, we expect to choose 6 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS from the process to participate in Distillery, along with one play from a Seattle Public Theater resident playwright. Last year we received ~500 Distillery submissions and included 7 plays in the final festival. We will be looking for an eclectic group of feminist plays to round out this exciting new works festival. We will prioritize playwrights local to the Pacific Northwest and those from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in theater.

Selected playwrights will be expected to attend the festival in June, as part of the Distillery 2027 Playwright Cohort. They will be expected to attend the full festival, including all play readings and supplementary playwright events. Many playwrights share that meeting each other and participating in this way is their favorite part of the festival experience!

Princeton Arts Fellowship 2026

Website

Deadline: September 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT

Apply for the Princeton Arts Fellowship

The Princeton Arts Fellowship, funded in part by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will be awarded to artists whose achievements have been recognized as demonstrating extraordinary promise in any area of artistic practice and teaching.

Eligible applicants are early career composers, conductors, musicians, choreographers, playwrights, designers, directors, and performance artists. We are only accepting applications for the Program in Dance, Program in Theater and Music Theater, and the Department of Music for this cycle.

Successful candidates would find it beneficial to spend two years teaching and working in an artistically vibrant university community. The department is committed to fostering an academic environment that acknowledges and encourages community. The successful candidate will pursue academic excellence in University settings.

Non-US citizens are welcome to apply.

There is no age limit to apply.

Those who hold a Ph.D. degree from Princeton University are not eligible. This fellowship cannot be used to fund work leading to an MFA, Ph.D., or any other advanced degree.

Past recipients of the Hodder Fellowship and individuals who have had a sustained and continuous relationship with Princeton University are not eligible to apply. Those who have had an occasional and sporadic relationship with Princeton may apply.

Princeton Arts Fellows may not hold concurrent teaching positions at other institutions for the duration of the fellowship.

MORE INFORMATION

Steppenwolf Play Submission window is open

Website

Deadline: August 24, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

We strive to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. Submit your script for consideration as part of our main series or future workshops & commissions.

We are grateful for your interest in sharing your voice with us. With the hope of creating a streamlined and transparent process, we offer the following information to give you a sense of what to expect when you do.

Our mission at Steppenwolf Theatre Company is to strive to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We seek work that sparks curiosity, empathy and joy to help artists and audiences navigate our complex world together.

Steppenwolf plays contain collision. This manifests itself in many ways: collision of ideas, events, personalities, ideologies, etc. It is essential that stakes are high and that the central plot has the potential to inspire nuanced conversation. Rich character work is especially appealing to our ensemble members. We are interested in modes of storytelling that help expand our audience’s idea of what to expect when they come into our space and we welcome work that is brave, complex, intersectional and bold.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company accepts full-length scripts year-round from literary agents and theatre professionals with whom we have an existing relationship; if you are a represented writer, please have your agent send us your material directly. 

We regularly attend virtual and in-person readings, festivals and productions. We have strong relationships with play development centers, other theaters and writing programs that result in many submissions each year. In addition, we research and actively solicit new work from local writers and/or unrepresented artists who are not yet on the national radar.

For many years we have accepted unsolicited submissions for a period each summer from Chicagoland writers only, but starting in 2021, we now accept unsolicited submissions from unrepresented talent everywhere, which has greatly increased our pool. In recognition of our commitment to fostering unrepresented voices, we invite unrepresented writers to submit a sample of their work to the Steppenwolf Literary team using the form below. The submissions window is August 10-24, 2026.

Please note that scripts received via this portal will be considered for Steppenwolf membership series and any potential future workshop or commissioning opportunities.

TO BE CONSIDERED, PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING VIA THE FORM BELOW

• Brief biography
• One paragraph play synopsis
• Ten pages of sample dialogue
• Brief statement (no more than 200 words) detailing why you see Steppenwolf as the right home for your project

SUBMISSION PARAMETERS

• Because we are an ensemble theater, we do not consider one-person plays.
• Plays that require a cast of more than 12 performers cannot be considered, and plays with casts of six or fewer will have a greater chance of fitting into an upcoming season.
• We do not accept submissions of musical projects.
• Work written explicitly for the virtual platform will not be considered.
• Due to our limited staff and in an effort to consider as many new projects as possible, please do not resubmit work that has already been reviewed.
• We only accept unsolicited submissions via the portal on this site; no hard copy submissions, please.
• Please submit only one project per year. 

Due to the number of submissions we receive and our limited capacity, we cannot personally respond to every submission. Please know that every submission is read by trusted and paid literary personnel within 4 - 6 months, and if we are interested in requesting the full script, you will hear from us in that time. If you do not hear from us by then, please know that your work has been given careful consideration and that we won’t be requesting the full script.

We look forward to reading your work!

Wicked Cat Productions is seeking short plays for a new evening of work exploring kink, fetish, and/or desire

Instagram

Deadline: Monday, August 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

SUBMISSION FORM

We are looking for plays that are bold, curious, theatrical, and respectful of the communities they engage with. The hope is to build an evening that surprises the audience, subverts expectations, and treats desire as something complex, funny, strange, tender, powerful, awkward, joyful, dangerous, sacred, unserious, deeply serious, or all of the above.

Plays may be any genre: comedy, drama, horror, romance, fantasy, or something harder to name. We are especially interested in work that moves beyond cliché and refuses easy assumptions about kink, fetish, fantasy, and the people who participate in them.

Come for the fantasy. Stay for the humanity inside it.

We are seeking:

• Short plays between 10 and 15 minutes
• Plays up to 20 minutes may be considered, but longer pieces may affect how many plays we are able to accept
• Plays with 1 to 4 characters
• Plays centered on or meaningfully engaging with kink, fetish, and/or desire
• Any genre or tone
• Newly written work
• Work that can be staged with minimal technical needs

Content and Representation

Because this evening centers kink, fetish, intimacy, and desire, we ask that submitted plays engage with their subject matter thoughtfully and respectfully.

We are not looking for work that treats abusive relationships as healthy BDSM, presents consent violations as romantic, or uses kink/fetish communities only as a punchline or shock device. Conflict, discomfort, danger, bad behavior, and complicated power dynamics can absolutely exist in the work, but the writing should understand the difference between consensual kink and abuse.

In short: no Fifty Shades of Grey. No Joker/Harley Quinn dynamics presented as aspirational kink. We are more interested in work that approaches kink with curiosity, specificity, humor, care, and complexity, closer in spirit to pieces like Secretary or Bonding, where kink can open the door to character and vulnerability.

Nudity and intimacy are welcome, but anything staged must be something that can be rehearsed and performed safely with appropriate coordination. This will be a consent-forward rehearsal process.

No performer will be asked to do anything intimate or physically exposing that has not been clearly discussed, choreographed, and agreed upon.

Due to venue restrictions, submitted plays should not require:

• Glitter
• Confetti
• Fire
• Haze/fog
• Smoke
• Sand
• Open flame
• Any unsafe or difficult-to-clean materials

If your play includes a restricted element that could be adapted or suggested theatrically, please feel free to note that in your submission.

Production Details

Selected plays will be produced as part of a three-performance short play evening at The Tank in New York City.

Performance dates:
Thursday, December 10, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 11, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.

The evening will likely include four to six plays.

There is no submission fee and no participation fee.

Wicked Cat Productions is committed to paying artists whenever possible. Selected playwrights will receive a guaranteed $50 stipend, with the hope of increasing stipends depending on the production budget and fundraising.

Scripts will be read without playwright names attached during the first round. Please remove your name, email address, bio, and any other identifying information from the script PDF and file name. You will still provide your contact information through the submission form, but that information will be kept separate from the script during the first round of review.

Script Consulting for Stage Plays and Musicals with Arianna Rose ~ Summer Sale!

20% off my regular rates 

August 18 - 31

In need of a pair of eyes on your stage script in your rewriting process? Desire assistance with structure, character arcs, dialogue or plot? The play doctor is IN! I’ve helped playwrights and musical theatre writers with scripts of all lengths.

“Arianna provided terrific advice as dramaturg on my new full-length drama… She was thoughtful and professional… Her comments were astute, perceptive and creative, and she never held back from challenging me in a positive manner… Her analysis has been rich and in depth…Long after I received her report, I continue to reflect on her analysis and be enriched by it. ”  

~ Elan Garonzik, playwright

“Arianna!!!! Thank you so much. Genius. This is exactly the type of feedback and actionable brainstorming I was hoping for. I truly appreciate your thorough and thoughtful work. My mind is already drumming up ways to “show, not tell” this story…I'm going to spend some super quality time with your write-up and notes.” 

~ Karen Campion, Award-winning Playwright and Screenwriter

“…[Arianna] excels in the kind of focused dramaturgy that supports AND stimulates a writer’s process. She is completely adept at breaking down, honing-in, and explaining (with clarity) wherever there may be issues or problems in the story. Her skill at examining details is only exceeded by her innate ability to ask the right questions that stimulate a writer to find and understand their path to making rewrites/corrections that stay true to their own style and voice… She IS the real thing!” 

~ Jack G Hyman, playwright, author, actor, musical theatre writer

Summer Special Dramaturgy Rates August 18-31:

1. $80 for 1 ten minute play and rewrites.
2. $160 for 2 ten-minute plays and rewrites.
3. $220 DG members/ $240 non-members for up to three 10-minute plays or short play less than 30 pages.
4. $240 DG members/ $260 non-members for a one-act play (up to 60 pages)
5. $260 DG members/$280 non-members for a full-length play (up to 120 pages)
6. $280 DG members/$300 non-members for a full-length play (121 -150 pages)
7. $300 DG members/$320 non-members for a full-length play (150+ pages) ‍
8. Musicals of any length: $300 DG members/ $320 non-members.

For all “Second Look” projects, the fee is the original consultation fee less 50%.

MY CREDENTIALS

• M.F.A., NYU Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program
• Alumna, BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop
• Member, LMDA (Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of the Americas)
• Playwriting Instructor: Dramatists Guild Institute, PlayPenn Theatre.
• Dramaturg: “Plays in Progress” program for plays and musicals, Dramatists Guild
• Founder & Moderator, Plays on Purpose/New Musicals (Weekly Stage Writers Group)

SUMMER SPECIAL RATES

You can find my current rates, code of ethics, dramaturgical process, more testimonials and a contact form on my website page: http://ariannarose.net/dramaturg-for-hire

You can also email me at rockawayrose@gmail.com I look forward to helping you with your play or musical!

‘Live & Spooky’ A Halloween Scratch Night seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: August 23, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Anybody can submit work - the performance is in London, UK

‘Live & Spooky’ A Halloween Scratch Night - 27th October; 7pm to 8pm

Five writers. Five ten-minute scripts. One very haunted evening.

Flame Tree Publishing is stepping off the page and onto the stage. This is our first foray into live theatre, and we're kicking things off exactly how you'd expect: with a Halloween scratch night.

We want short, sharp, spooky original work that can hold a room in ten minutes flat. Ghosts, curses, folk horror, cosmic dread, the thing under the bed. If it unsettles us, we want to see it. This is a scratch night, which means we're looking for early-stage, low-tech, high-impact writing. Think fewer props, tighter casts, bigger scares.

We will select five pieces to be performed live on 27 October at Etcetera Theatre in Camden, London.

Important Notice about Submissions and Guidelines:Ten minutes scripts, max, per piece
4 characters maximum

• Minimal tech - no elaborate set or lighting cues 
• Genre: horror, gothic, folk horror, supernatural. Anything that fits a Halloween night of storytelling 
• Performance date: 27th October. Venue: The Etcetera Theatre, 265 Camden High St, London NW1 7BU
• Please provide your legal name (and pen name if applicable) to help with quick contracts/acceptances
• If providing an author bio or pitch/synopsis for your story, we strongly advise against using AI to write these

Terms:

• All selected writers (directors and actors) will be paid a participation fee of £50 
• This is a stage performance. If you would like to direct your piece or have a company that wants to perform your piece please mention it in your submission. In that case we will not have a call-out for director/actors for your piece
• The event will be at The Etcetera Theatre, 265 Camden High St, London NW1 7BU. No travel or accommodation provided 
• Submission does not guarantee selection; all pieces will be read and shortlisted by our team 
• Stories that use AI for planning, editing, modifying or generating text will not be accepted. Please confirm in your submission email that you have not used AI in these ways. The contracts for accepted writers all require signatures declaring AI has not been used
• We will aim to read each story and confirm its status within 2 weeks of the submission deadline
• Payment for the chosen works will be made within 30 days of the performancea