Juilliard-trained playwright Lia Romeo offering dramaturgy and script notes

Lia Romeo is a Juilliard-trained playwright offering dramaturgy and script consulting services. 

Her plays have been produced off-Broadway, regionally, and internationally, and developed at the O'Neill, the Lark, La Jolla Playhouse, and elsewhere. She has been teaching playwriting and adaptation at the graduate student level for the past ten years, and has served as an independent script consultant on plays, screenplays, pilots, and essays. She is represented by Paradigm Talent Agency and Gotham Group. Her essays have been published in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and other national publications. She holds a graduate degree from Juilliard and an undergraduate degree from Princeton University.

For a full-length play or screenplay, Lia charges a rate of $300 to read the script, send detailed notes by email, and do a follow-up call or meeting to answer any additional questions. Please check in directly about rates for shorter plays, musicals, and pilots. For more on Lia, visit http://www.liaromeowriter.com or contact her at liaromeo@yahoo.com.

Lib-Lab Productions is seeking absurdist and/or experimental plays

Website

Deadline: May 3, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Lib-Lab Productions is seeking playwright submissions for our upcoming Fall 2026 production. We are looking to fully produce a new absurdist and/or experimental play. The deadline to submit is May 3rd. 

Preference will be given to NYC-based playwrights.

Plays must require a small amount of performers. Plays requiring 2-4 performers are ideal.

Plays must require minimal technical elements.

Plays must be complete (minimal edits are permissible).

We are specifically seeking absurdist and/or experimental plays.

Please format your script as a PDF.

Plays cannot exceed 90 minutes.

If selected, compensation will be provided for your work.

There are no restrictions on eligibility and no fee to submit.

Manhattan Theater Mission Festival of New Musicals

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026

WHO: Manhattan Theatre Mission

SEEKING: The Manhattan Theatre Mission is accepting submissions for our Festival of New Musicals.

REQUIREMENTS: Submissions must include:

• A Brief Cover Letter from the Playwright/Composer/Lyricist. Your cover letter should introduce yourselves and give us some insight into how your play came about. Please also address specific technical requirements should the play be produced in its entirety.
• A Brief Synopsis of the entire play.
• A 20 minute selection of material from the script. Excerpts may be chronological, or a selection of scenes. At least 2 songs should be submitted in selected material. Please include links or attachments of recordings and/or sheet music. Submissions with lyrics only will not be considered.

Up to 5 shows will be selected for Staged Readings of their submission in New York City. Several Awards will be given to those selected. The First Place Musical will be produced in its entirety by the Manhattan Theatre Mission in its following season.

*All submissions must be unpublished, original works.

WHEN: Submission deadline is May 1st. Those who are admitted into the festival will need to submit the entire script by September 1st for judging.

PAY: N/A

HOW TO APPLY: Please send all materials to: manhattantheatremission@gmail.com, with the subject: New Musical Submission.

RAINY DAY ARTISTIC COLLECTIVE Seeking Scripts for Queer Voices Virtual One Act Festival

Facebook page

Deadline: April 25, 2026 by 11:59 PM

Email a blind copy - no identifying info in document to rainydayrevue@gmail.com

THEME: Short plays written BY AUTHORS WHO IDENTIFY AS QUEER IN ANY WAY. 

Although queer stories, characters, and themes are encouraged, they are not absolutely mandatory 

To be produced digitally and live-streamed the weekend of June 26-28, 2026. 

Actors will be performing from their homes, audiences will be tuning in from their homes. Scripts should be about 8 to 15 minutes long with 2-3 speaking characters. 

Plays can have been produced before, though we welcome and encourage never-before- produced work.

No experience required. No submission fees. Unfortunately we are not able to provide a stipend at this time. This event is free. TO BE CONSIDERED: Email a BLIND COPY (NO IDENTIFYING INFO IN DOCUMENT) to rainydayrevue@gmail.com by no later than 11:59pm on April 25th. Limit 1 play per writer. LATE SUBMISSIONS, OR THOSE THAT DO NOT FOLLOW ALL GUIDELINES, WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS FESTIVAL.

The Voices of Democracy: A Festival for Ten-Minute Monologues

Website

Deadline: April 20, 2026 11:59 PDT

SUBMISSION FORM

In Samuel Beckett's groundbreaking play, Waiting for Godot (1953), Lucky, enslaved by Pozzo, remains silent throughout. But with one exception: when allowed by his master, Lucky utters a long, incoherent monologue that sheds light on his experience with unfreedom. Lucky is no exception in the history of playwriting and theater: Monologues have been used across history to give voice to the unheard and remain one of the most common genres for expressing challenges to free expression.

In the United States, there has been a long tradition of organizing festivals for ten-minute plays that gather actors, directors, and playwrights from across the country each year. This project, funded by the Valuing Open and Inclusive Conversation and Engagement (or VOICE) Initiative of the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement, will organize the first festival of this kind in the University of California system.

Three monologues will be selected for staging at UC Irvine in May 2026. Each author will receive a $500 stipend to participate in the in-person event (date to be determined).

The call is open to all, not only members of the University of California community.

Ten-minute monologues can be submitted by April 20th, 2026 (11:59 PST) using the form above.

Guidelines:

1. Length: Length is flexible, but monologues are expected to be suitable for a ten-minute performance.

2. Theme: Monologues should broadly explore the festival's theme, The Voices of Democracy.

3. Formatting: Please follow these formatting guidelines.

4. File: Please submit a .docx or .pdf version of your monologue.

5. Multiple submissions: Each author may only submit one (1) monologue for the contest.

6. Language: Pieces in both English and Spanish will be accepted.

7. Cap: Submissions are capped at 100 monologues. We advise authors to submit their work earlier rather than later.

For any questions, please contact Eraldo Souza dos Santos (eraldo.souzadossantos@uci.edu)

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.

Bicoastal playwright and film script doctor Sarah Congress is offering writing coaching online

Whether you are a producer with a screenplay that needs reworking, a fiction writer in need of inspiration, or a playwright, Sarah is here to help you get your work out there!

Visit Sarah's website to connect with her.

Script Services:

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

Bio

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

Teaching Experience

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

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

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

~ Tino Juarez, Playwright 

"My biggest takeaway from last night is that anything can be made funny. That really dovetails beautifully with my deep gratitude for a healthy sense of humor, even in the darkest moments…."

~ Gay Norton Edelman, Author/Editor

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

~ Jon Papernick, Novelist and Assistant Professor at Emerson C

The Democracy Cycle Commission 2026

Website

Deadline: April 28, 2026, 5:00 PM ET

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Over a 5-year period, The Democracy Cycle – a collaboration between the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) and Civis Foundation – will commission and develop a total of 25 new performing arts works across the fields of theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance that express themes related to the nature and practice of democracy, particularly as it is practiced in the United States. This is a national and international open call.

Purpose

• Our hope is that the commissioned projects will enrich and expand discussion of and participation in democracy – be it in the national, state, regional, or hyperlocal community realm – as it is practiced within the United States and worldwide. The Democracy Cycle project is inspired by the following beliefs:Democratic values are a global expression of humanity’s striving to live with one another with respect and in peace.
• Democracy, as practiced in the United States, includes a history of founding exclusions. It has been, and must continue to be, the ongoing work of our society to expand upon the ideals of inclusivity embedded in our founding documents.
• Democracy faces significant perceived and actual threats in the current moment, both domestically and internationally.
• The Intersection of capitalism and democracy creates both opportunities and tensions.
• Artists are the beating heart of democratic values because of their ability to imagine new worlds, envision new possibilities, and provoke meaningful discourse across divides.

The primary focus of The Democracy Cycle will be on democracy as it is currently being practiced in the United States. However, commissioned projects may include references to democracies worldwide provided they have potential for informing and deepening our understanding of American democracy.

The Commission

Each selected artist will receive $60,000 in support, consisting of a commission of $30,000 to create the new work as well as an additional $30,000 in support of the work’s development process (research, readings, workshops etc.).

• May-September 2026: Applications are screened for eligibility by TDC staff. Eligible proposals are reviewed by a minimum of two Readers. Using Readers’ evaluative scores, a list of finalists is developed.
• Fall 2026: A peer panel drawn from the fields of performing arts, and the study and practice of democracy reviews finalists’ proposals and selects 8 projects to receive the 2026 commissions.
• Winter 2027: All 2026 Open Call applicants notified of their project’s status

Eligibility Requirements

• Eligible applicants must:Be generative artists who are currently creating new work in theater, dance, music, opera, or multi-disciplinary performance
• Have created, completed, and premiered at least 2 full-length prior works of live performance publicly, as evidenced by their bio, CV and/or work samples (Note: Staged readings and/or workshop showings are not premieres.)
• Propose a new live performance work which may be at any stage of development, but may not be planned to premiere before May 1, 2027. (Remounts of previously completed/premiered works are ineligible.)
• Propose a new live performance work which is planned to be completed in 2027 or 2028.
• Be prepared to manage the income-tax implications of accepting a commission from a U.S.-based arts organization. (U.S. citizenship is not a requirement, this is a national and international open call.)
• Proposals are not eligible ifThe lead artist is enrolled as a full-time student in a degree-granting program. Ph.D. candidates need to have completed their course work by the application deadline to be eligible
• The lead artist is under the age of eighteen
• The main purpose of the project is the curation or documentation of existing work(s)
• The proposed work advocates by name for the success or failure of a current partisan candidate for office or a political party
• The lead artist or any of the main collaborators are employees or immediate family of employees of PAC NYC or Civis Foundation

Selection Criteria

• Readers and panelists will consider the following in selecting the commissioned projects:
• How does the proposed work expand, critique, or celebrate democracy, the practice of democracy, and democratic ideals?
• How has the artist or artists identified and responded to ideas or themes related to democracy, including core democratic principles and values (ex. political equality, majority rule, minority rights, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, among others.)
• Does the work demonstrate clear potential for generating meaningful reflection and discourse on democracy as demonstrated by project narrative, samples of prior work, and artistic history of its collaborators.

SPRING 2026 Online Classes in Writing the Ten-Minute Play with Arianna Rose

Online classes in Writing the Ten-Minute Play are open for enrollment.

"Writing for the Stage: The Ten-Minute Play" 

Six Sessions, 3 hours each:

1. Thursdays, 1:00 – 4:00 pm OR 6:30 – 9:30 pm EDT April 23 – May 28

2. Mondays, 1:00 – 4:00 pm OR 6:30 – 9:30 pm EDT May 4 – June 15 (no class 5/27)

Tuition: $299 early bird through 4/20 (Thursdays) 4/30 (Mondays); $349 after

Course Repeaters Tuition: $175

Minimum 3 participants per section; maximum 8.

Recent Participant Testimonials:

“Arianna’s mastery of the 10-minute play form is undeniable, and her passion for the craft is contagious… The “writer’s group” portion of the class became a highlight for me; it created a supportive space to share work, give and receive feedback, and learn from one another. Arianna’s organization and commitment to equity in the Zoom room created a safe, thoughtful, energizing space that didn’t just help me write a play—it helped me grow as a writer.” 

~ Laura Thoma 

“I’ve taken more than a few playwriting classes, both in-person and online, and your class was by far the most productive and useful…I have a newfound appreciation for the plays I’ve read and how to write them, thanks to you.“  

~ Tom Cocklin, 2-time participant

“I enjoyed the class immensely and learned a lot. I would definitely recommend it to playwrights of all levels. The course was well organized, it's clear you are passionate about the subject, care for your students and have deep knowledge that you are so generous to share…

~ Jeff Perlman

“Arianna is extremely skilled at sharing insightful, individualized feedback in a supportive environment. Her focus on dramatic structure was particularly helpful, and the course also offered invaluable and specific real world advice for writing and submitting short plays to festivals…

~ Donna R. Boyd, 2-time participant

Course Description:

Ten-minute play festivals dominate submission opportunities. While short-form plays share similarities with full-lengths, the dramatists who excel in this form write into the differences. You’ll learn the tools to write to the highest level of craft and make your work more producible.

The course combines lecture, reading, discussion, and in-class sharing of your writing for feedback. Topics: elements of a successful 10-minute play, dramatic structure, generating ideas, character development, giving and receiving constructive feedback, effective rewrites, formatting your play, submissions, and log-keeping.

Arianna has taught this course since 2023 at the Dramatists Guild Institute, PlayPenn Theatre, Delray Beach Playhouse, and independently. Her short plays have been presented in 37 states and 11 countries to date; won numerous awards; published in Smith & Kraus Anthologies, Applause Books, Ghostlight Publications, Theatre Odyssey Publications, Purple Light Publications.

Contact Arianna Rose at rockawayrose@gmail.com, or via the website where there is more information:
https://ariannarose.net/playwriting-classes-and-other-workshops

Interested but not available?
Email rockawayrose@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list.

One-on-One Private Dramaturgy/Script Consulting

Prefer one-on-one coaching? Member, Dramaturg and Literary Managers Association of the Americas (LMDA) and the Dramatists Guild Plays-in-Progress Mentor Program. More information:
http://ariannarose.net/dramaturg-for-hire

VOX NOVA Playwright Festival - 2026 seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: May 15, 2026 at 6PM PST

DO NOT SEND - they have reached their submission limit!

Welcome to the 2nd annual VOX NOVA Playwright Festival! We are thrilled to invite submissions for this year’s competition, which honors the craft of storytelling through live theatrical performance. The Festival aims to foster the art of playwriting, support emerging playwrights, and showcase new works.

Eligibility Criteria:

Age requirement: Submitting playwrights must be 18 years or older.

Location requirement: Submitting playwrights must be currently from the United States. No plays from outside of the U.S. will be considered.

New Works Only: We accept only new, original works that have never been fully produced. Previous staged readings (including online via Zoom, etc) are permitted, but the play must not have been presented in a fully realized production. Adaptations of other works are not accepted, unless the work is based on public domain material or the playwright's own unrestricted work from another medium.
Plays Only: No musicals will be considered.

Play Length: Submissions must be plays with an estimated running time of no less than 75 minutes. One or two acts are preferred, but multi-act plays will also be considered.

Submission Limits: We will accept only one play per playwright per year. We only accept plays submitted directly by the playwrights, not through agents, theater representatives, or recommenders. We do not accept plays that were previously submitted to the VOX NOVA Playwright Festival.

Production Agreement: If selected for first prize, the playwright must agree to have their work produced within 18 months of the award announcement as a live stage production, with no additional fees paid to the playwright beyond the $400 prize. The playwright agrees to not allow their work to be produced anywhere else during the 18 month period, or until the stage production produced by Theatricus has finished its run, whichever comes first. In the unlikely event that the work is not produced by Theatricus within the 18 month period (due to unforeseen circumstances or "force majeure"), all rights to produce the work as a live stage production revert back to the playwright and a $200 fee in lieu of a production will be paid to the playwright by Theatricus.

Submission Details:Submission Launch: We will begin accepting submissions on April 15, 2026 at 9am Pacific. Any submissions received before that date and time will not be accepted.

Submission Deadline & Limit: All submissions must be received by the end date of May 15, 2026 at 6pm Pacific. Late submissions will not be considered. We will stop accepting submissions either by the end date, or once we have received a total of 50 submissions, whichever comes first.

Format: Submissions must be in PDF format, with the play’s title and the playwright’s name clearly indicated on the cover page. A list of characters page is also greatly encouraged. Please ensure the script is properly formatted for stage plays. Please see the Dramatists Guild's guidelines for preferred play script formats: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/script-formats

Submission Fee: There is no fee to submit your play.

Judging Process:

Initial Review: Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of theatre professionals, including directors, playwrights, actors, and/or producers. Each work will be read by at least two (2) panelists during the review process.

Selection Criteria: In this First Round, plays will be judged based on writing format, character development, plot development, dialogue, and overall impressions. Semi-finalists will be judged using a more robust criteria.

Semi-Finalists Announcement: A shortlist of semi-finalists will be announced on July 15, 2025. A minimum of six (6) semi-finalists will be announced, with a maximum of twelve (12) semi-finalists possible.

Final Decision: Three (3) winners will be announced on August 31, 2025 (see Prizes).

Prizes:

First Prize: $400 and a live stage production of the playwright's work within 18 months of the award announcement, produced by Theatricus. If the work is not produced by Theatricus within the 18 month period, all rights to produce the work as a live stage production revert back to the playwright and a $200 fee in lieu of a production will be paid to the playwright by Theatricus.

Second Prize: $200 and a live, informal staged reading of the playwright's work.

Third Prize: $100 and a live, informal staged reading of the playwright's work.

Live Stage Production: Though a primary goal of the Festival is a fully designed live stage production of the first prize-winning work, the type of production and number of performances will be solely at the discretion of Theatricus, depending on budget and theatre availability. Ideally, the winning work’s live stage production would have at least four (4) shows, with as many as twenty-four (24) shows possible.​As an example, the First Prize winner of the 2025 VOX NOVA Playwright Festival will enjoy a three-weekend, 14 performance production at Moving Arts in Atwater Village.

Rights: The playwright retains all rights to their work, with the exception of the live stage performance rights within 18 months of the award announcement.

Revisions: The production company may suggest/request revisions during the production and rehearsal process, but final approval and rights remain with the playwright.

Travel and Accommodation: The Festival does not cover any travel or accommodation expenses for the playwrights.

Quick Review of Important Dates:April 15, 2026: We begin accepting submissions.

May 15, 2026: We no longer accept submissions. If we reach 50 submissions before June 1, we will no longer accept submissions at that time.

July 15, 2026: Semi-finalists announced.

August 31, 2026: The 3 finalists are announced.

CONTACT FORM FOR QUESTIONS

PlayZoomers Seeks 10-20-minute Scripts for Online Production

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026 

PlayZoomers, a live, online theatre company, seeks short (10-20 min.) scripts for online production in 2026 and 2027. We seek humorous or serious, clever plays on the following themes:

• Imperfect love
• Winter holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve/Day)
• Comedies (any subject)
• Theatre

Scripts should be suitable for online production. No script submission fee is required. If we produce your play, you will receive a small stipend. Scripts can include up to six characters. 

Please email scripts (PDFs only) to playzoomers@gmail.com. In the email’s subject line, put “(Theme) play submission: [title of play] by [playwright].” If you are submitting multiple scripts, send each one in a separate email. Please do not submit a script you have previously submitted to us. 

On the first page of your script, include the title, playwright name, estimated run time (no longer than 20 minutes), and contact information. On the next page, include a logline/synopsis, a detailed character breakdown, production history, and a short playwright bio. At the end of the script, describe production details, such as backgrounds, costumes, props, music, and sound effects. For additional script formatting guidance, go to https://www.dramatistsguild.com/script-formats 

The deadline for this round of submissions is April 30, 2026. As we read through scripts, we will acknowledge your submission and reach out to you only if your script is selected for production. 

With 147+ professionally produced plays since 2020 - involving hundreds of playwrights, directors, designers, and actors - PlayZoomers is a national online theatre company and an international theatre community. 

We feature plays of different genres and lengths, work closely with playwrights to adapt their work to a digital platform, and welcome theatre artists and audience members of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. 

Baylor New Play Initiative seeks full-length plays

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Questions? Contact bnpi@baylor.edu

The Baylor New Play Initiative at Baylor University in Waco, Texas is seeking submissions of full-length plays for development in preparation for the 2027 BNPI Festival of New Works. 

Plays must be no more than 120 pages in length and require no more than 8 actors. 

Any subject or genre is welcome.

Questions? Contact bnpi@baylor.edu

BNPI 2026/2027 Cycle

Selection and Development Calendar

2026

April 1 - May 1 —Submission window open

August –Finalist plays selected and playwrights notified (festival attendance is required)

2027

January - July—Playwrights work with assigned dramaturgs in monthly meetings

July - August—Directors added to the collaboration and professional actors cast

September/October—Rehearsals for staged readings, the BNPI New Play Festival

More About the Baylor New Play Initiative

The BNPI is a biennial program designed to assist playwrights in developing new works for the stage. The BNPI committee selects 4 plays and matches the authors with experienced dramaturgs and directors who support them in writing, revising and editing their works as they progress toward completion.  The BNPI culminates in a festival of staged readings with professional talent from across the nation, and representatives from at least a dozen professional theatres across Texas will be in attendance. Finally, each selected playwright will receive a stipend in addition to having all expenses paid for travel and attendance. 

The top adjudicated play will be awarded the Preston Kirk New Play Prize and a check for $15,000.

Oswego Players seek one-act plays from New York State residents

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026 11:59 PM EDT

Submissions can be sent either electronically to osweplay@yahoo.com or through the mail, Donald J. McCann Memorial Playwriting Contest, P.O. Box 183, Oswego, NY 13126. 

The Oswego Players were established in 1938 as a non-profit community theater organization dedicated to live theater productions and theater education for New York State residents. Consistent with those goals, a playwriting contest was established to promote the creation of original, one-act plays by contemporary authors.

PLAYWRITING CONTEST GUIDLINES 

The contest is FREE and open to playwrights 18 years and older residing or attending college in the state of New York. 

All plays must be based on original concepts (no adaptations of any works or no verse plays), unpublished and unproduced. 

Only the first 100 submissions received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, May 1, 2026, will be considered for this year's contest. The Oswego Players, Inc., is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, postage due or illegible entries.

Playwrights can submit one play per contest year.

By submitting a play, playwrights grant permission to Oswego Players, Inc., to produce said play at the organization's discretion with no remuncration to the playwright beyond the contest cash prize. While it is the intention of the organization to produce the winning play, it does not guarantee a staged production.

The content, theme, and time-period of the play are at the discretion of the playwright.
Since a live production of at least one of the prize winners is planned, simplicity is highly recommended:

One act, single set, with a run time of 20 to 30 minutes.
Written so it can be staged with minimal set, props, lighting and sound effects, and limited period costume design.
The play should require no more than eight actors. One actor playing multiple parts is acceptable.

All entries must include a cover page which includes the name of the play, name of the playwright, and a street address, phone number, and email address.

Provided there are enough entries, the following cash prizes will be awarded:
- 1st Prize: $250.00 - 2nd Prize: $150.00 - 3rd Prize: $75.00 

The prize-winning authors automatically give permission to the Oswego Players, Inc. to make copies of the script for rehearsal purposes. 

Submission of an entry will constitute agreement by the playwright to the terms described herein.

Babes with Blades Joining Sword & Pen 2026-27 Competition

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026 at midnight CDT

Please email your JS&P pitch submission in a PDF file to swordandpen@babeswithblades.org. 

(The filename must start with “Pitch for -” and the title of the proposed play (ex. “Pitch for – Patchwork Drifter.pdf”). If the title of the play begins with “the,” “a,” or “an,” please place that article at the end of the title (ex. “Pitch for – Last Daughter of Oedipus, The.pdf”). We understand in many cases these will be working titles.)

For this round of the competition, we’re looking for submissions from playwrights of underrepresented genders. This includes cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and those who are otherwise marginalized based on gender.

Inspirational Image for JS&P 2026-2027 Competition:

We’ve chosen a new inspirational image to be incorporated into the 2026-27 contest and this year we’re seeking commissions and asking for script pitches.

IMPORTANT: This will be a BLIND SUBMISSION PROCESS.

THE PITCH:

• Please send us a pitch for your script. Full length scripts will not be accepted this year.
• Please include the following in your pitch:What is your idea for this play?
• How will you incorporate the contest image into the play specifically?
• How does your idea fit Babes’ mission?
• A 10 page sample of a currently existing play (not previously submitted to BWBTC) that you think best showcases your work and style*. Please do not include any self identifying information (ie. Name, email, website, etc.) as this is a blind submission process.

*If you would like to submit some actual exploratory/rough draft pages of the moment where the contest image occurs, rather than describing it, you may do so, but it is not required to write new pages at this point of the contest.

Script submissions for JS&P accepted between March 2, 2026 and May 1, 2026.
Want more info? Contact swordandpen@babeswithblades.org.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. The moment depicted in the inspirational image (above) must be physically dramatized/incorporated into the play. We want to (literally) perform that moment on stage. We will not accept pitches that do not include the imagery and we will not contact you.

2. Pitches/stories must be inclusive of the BIPOC community. Whether the story lends itself to characters being played by actors of any race/ethnicity or whether it includes stories that are race-specific, BIPOC characters must not be limited to secondary or background characters. “Open gender” is an option. If it’s important that a character is cisgender or transgender, please specify this in your pitch. If it’s important that a character is of a particular racial/ethnic background (including white), please specify this in your pitch. Characters of unspecified racial/ethnic background will not be automatically assumed to be white. If you choose to include a list of potential characters in your pitch, please follow these guidelines.

3. Joining Sword & Pen (JS&P) submissions are due NO LATER than midnight (CST) on May 1st, 2026.

4. All JS&P pitch submissions must be for new, full length, original works, inspired by the artwork that is the focus of the contest. Previously written, workshopped, published or performed submissions will not be considered for the contest and we will not contact you. Please do not insert the contest image into an existing script.

5. Please email your JS&P pitch submission in a PDF file to swordandpen@babeswithblades.org. The filename must start with “Pitch for -” and the title of the proposed play (ex. “Pitch for – Patchwork Drifter.pdf”). If the title of the play begins with “the,” “a,” or “an,” please place that article at the end of the title (ex. “Pitch for – Last Daughter of Oedipus, The.pdf”). We understand in many cases these will be working titles.

6. The winner of the contest agrees to participation in the Fighting Words new plays program (workshops and festival reading – dates TBD), and grants Babes With Blades Theatre Company rights to produce the world premiere production of the winning play. Production dates are TBD for 2028 (subject to change).

Things to consider:

• Our mission statement: Babes With Blades Theatre Company uses stage combat to tell stories that elevate the voices of underrepresented communities and dismantle the patriarchy. Through performance, script development, training and outreach, our ensemble creates theatre that explores the wide range of the human experience, and cultivates broader perspectives in the arts community and in society as a whole.
• We do not accept or produce musical scripts.
• Both our venues and our budgets tend to be small.
• If your play does not pass the Bechdel Test, it is unlikely to fit our mission.
• If your play does not include stage combat, it does not fit our mission.
• Characters fight as a realization of high narrative stakes. Scenes of characters training to fight are usually lacking in stakes.
• If your script includes sexualized violence, consider whether the sexualization is truly necessary to the story. Sometimes it is; often it’s not.

Click here to learn more about Joining Sword & Pen

Elliot Hayes Award 2026

Website

Deadline: April 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

Please upload your essay without identifying information in PDF format and a separate PDF with all of the identifying information outlined here using the form.

If you don’t receive an acknowledgement of your application within 72 hours, please contact awards@lmda.org.

Named in honor of Elliott Hayes, the former dramaturg and literary manager at The Stratford Festival and a dual citizen of Canada and the USA, this award recognizes excellence in dramaturgical work on a specific project over the past two years. Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to, production, season planning and implementation, educational programming, or advocacy for the profession.

The recipient of the 2026 Elliott Hayes Award, presented at the annual LMDA conference, will receive $1000 USD and a $500 USD travel stipend to the LMDA conference held in New Haven, Connecticut.

There is no application fee. Applications will be evaluated through an anonymous application process. The application is open to all.

• All applicants will be notified of the panel decision and the winner will be notified by the end of April. However, the public announcement will be kept private until the presentation of the award at the LMDA Conference in Summer 2026.
• Application GuidelinesFor the purposes of this application, if you self-identify as a dramaturg, you are a dramaturg. If you come from a culture that does not view dramaturgy as separate from other parts of the creative process, or does not have a word for dramaturgy, and you feel your work fits within the rubric above, please contact us at admin@lmda.org to speak further.
• All applications must meet the above-mentioned standards for eligibility.
• Only one application per person.
• Although we welcome applicants from anywhere in the world, the application must be in English.
• The application must be a minimum of 500 and a maximum of 4000 words. The length of the application essay will not be a factor in awarding decisions. Within the already stated boundaries, the essay should be exactly as long as it takes for you to make a strong, clear, and cogent argument for the nomination you are putting forth.

At this time, we do not have the capability to review secondary materials such as videos or slideshows. Although their inclusion will not disqualify an application, they will not be reviewed. No letters of reference are needed – nor will they be read if sent. Please do not include a resume in your application, as we are concerned with only the strength of your proposal and what currently engages you, not your history.

In order to facilitate the anonymous application process, you must provide two separate documents in.doc or.docx format – the first discussing the work with no identifying information (including the name of the work, your name or the name of the person you are nominating, or the city, state or country in which the event took place. In other words, nothing can be included which is searchable on Google or any other search engine. The phrases “the work”, “the director”, and “the process” are all fine substitutes. The second document will include all of the identifying information not present in the first, including your name and contact info or the name and contact information of the person/work you are proposing. Your application will be reviewed by a panel of dramaturgs who represent the extraordinary talent and diversity found within our profession. Only the VP of Grants & Awards, who collects applications, will see the identifying information. The panelists will not know the identity of the winner until after a decision has been reached.

Although you are welcome to propose the work of others, that other person must be known to you, you must have had a real-life interaction with said person, and you must be able to provide contact information for them.

Any project you propose cannot have been completed before July 1, 2025. It is fine if the project is still underway. Ideally, it should be completed by December 31, 2026, though exceptions may be made for extraordinary work.

Each project may only be proposed once for the Elliott Hayes Award. While there is no limit to the number of years in a row one can apply (see note below), each year must feature a new project.
The winner of the award must appear at two conferences, either in person or virtually (using an application such as Zoom.) The first appearance would be to accept the award, and the second to present it to the next year’s winner.

The winner of the Elliott Hayes Award is required to sit on the next year’s adjudication panel.

Note: If you have won or received a special commendation for the Elliott Hayes Award, you may not reapply for three years.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact Alexandra Juckno, VP of Grants & Awards, at awards@lmda.org.

The ONE Festival accepting submissions

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026

APPLICATION FORM

Full (Maximum length -1 hour/ Minimum length - 45 minutes)

Short (Maximum length - 30 minutes)

Things to Attach

• Playwrights bio
• Synopsis of theatrical work
• Script
• Actor/director/crew bias, if available
• Description of Set and Props


For purposes of these Official Rules and the Contest, the Winner shall be collectively referred to as the “THE ONE”. All potential Award Winners are subject to review of eligibility and confirmation of their compliance with these Official Rules. If any Award Winner is found to be ineligible or does not comply with these Official Rules, it will be disqualified and the Entry with the next-highest vote’s score will be named a potential Award Winner. Decisions of the Sponsors are final and binding.

Prizes and Approximate Retail Value

WINNERS: There will be one winner, who will receive from the Sponsor a prize valued at USD 5,000.00, including a portion of the prize in cash of up to 1,500.00.

The winning piece if it receives 400+ Votes will receive an additional $1,500.

The winning piece will move to a 50/50 revenue share of streaming pay-per-view revenue post-competition.

(All entries share in the streaming revenue their shows pay per view buys. at a rate of 30% of the cost to the consumer.)

Inclusion in The ONE FESTIVAL promotional ad Books,

Recognition at The ONE Festival Award Presentation (date & location to be determined

the at sole discretion of the Sponsor.

Texas State University New American Play Festival 2026

Website

Deadline: April 15, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Play scripts may be delivered by regular mail, in person, or using the submission form on our website.

For in-person or mailed-in submissions, please include a stamped self-addressed envelope if you wish your manuscript to be returned.

FOR MAIL-IN SCRIPTS:
School of Theatre, Dance, and Film | Texas State University
601 University Drive San Marcos, Texas 78666
ATTN: New American Play Festival

• Only unproduced and unpublished scripts are eligible for consideration. No musicals.
• The submission must include a synopsis and character list/breakdown.
• The playwrights are expected to attend the rehearsals and reading presentations.
• Playwrights from across the country are encouraged to submit.
• Manuscripts must be typed in the standard play format and must include the playwright’s contact information.
• You must submit the consent/information form.

Notification of selected writers by June 30, 2026.

Gi60 NYC & Gi60 Houston: Call for Play Submissions 2026

Website

Deadline: May 1, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

Gi60 NYC is accepting submissions for one minute plays for our 2026 fall festival. We'd love for the following blurb and link to be shared with your community:


GUIDELINES:

• Submissions must not last longer than 60 seconds
• Your submission needs your name, play title, geographic location, and contact information in the document as well as filled out in this form
• You may submit as many one minute plays as you wish, but only one submission per form entry
• All work must be totally original and the author's own work
• Plays should not have been previously produced
• Please do not submit plays that have been submitted to Gi60 prior to 2026 for consideration
• Entries from schools should include a teacher's contact and the school name, as well as that of the author
• For consideration in Gi60 Houston and Gi60 NYC, plays must be submitted by May 1, 2026

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

• There is no submission fee, prize or payment for Gi60 participation
• Copyright remains with the author
• Plays lasting longer than 60 seconds may not be considered
• The organizers may use individual plays to promote the Gi60 festival
• Final play selection will be announced on the Gi60 city websites and social media
• Gi60 NYC is staffed and created by professionals who are volunteers and give their time free of charge
• The organizers reserve the right to cut scripts without notification where necessary. (E.g. if a play is running significantly longer than 60 seconds, we may delete some small lines if their intention is communicated elsewhere in the script)
• Gi60 festivals may be recorded and made available for viewing on the Gi60 International YouTube Channel. To view past plays: Gi60 Channel YouTube or the Gi60 International Channel YouTube.
• Gi60 is a Screaming Media Production (c) 2004

PLEASE NOTE: We annually receive between 700-900 submissions. Due to the high volume of plays we receive each year we are unable to write to individual playwrights to notify them if their play has not been selected.

We look forward to reading your play!

MIDTOWN INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL 2026 SHORT PLAY LAB seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: April 11, 2026

Play MUST be 10 minutes or under to be considered.

Please send scripts to mitfxq@gmail.com.

29th Annual Festival of Originals

Website

Deadline: April 15, 2026 11:59pm 

The TSW-FOO is FREE to enter and will once again be calling for short one act (20 minute) plays in any and all genres from all over the country and the world. 

• Each playwright may submit up to 2 plays for consideration.
• All entries should be unpublished and not previously produced in the Houston area.
• All Genres are accepted. But Light comedies are encouraged.
• Monologues or One Actor plays are not accepted.
• Plays should be 20 minutes in length (give or take a minute or two).
• Page count should be no less than 17, but no more that 22 pages. 12 point font (Courier, Arial, or Times New Roman) and use Standard Playwriting Format.
• There is no maximum limit of characters or sets, but common sense should be used as 5 plays will be produced in one evening.
• Number all pages of the script(s) and they MUST be securely bound by three hold punch with braids or three hole punch folder. NO STAPLES!
• Scripts must be submitted by postal mail ONLY. Emailed PDF or Word files will not be considered.*
• Scripts (heard copies) cannot be returned.

NOTE: *We apologize for the inconvenience of mailed in hard copies for all domestic entries, but the TSW-FOO does make exceptions for overseas entries. if you are entering from a country outside of the United States you may email a PDF to: mimiholloway@gmail.com

This is also the email to address any questions.

Be sure to include your contact information; phone number, email, and mailing address on the title page of each script.

List all characters with a brief character description.

Please include a one paragraph synopsis of the play.

Make sure all mailed entries are POSTMARKED by April 15, 2026.

Overseas entries must be emailed before 11:59pm April 15, 2026.

One hundred dollars will be paid to all playwrights selected for production.

Scripts should be mailed to:

Theatre Southwest
3939 Hillcroft Ave STE 160
Houston, Texas 77057-7759

Attn: TSW-FOO