Green Lung Studio seeks work for Spring 2026 season

Website

Deadline: none given

SUBMISSION FORM

Green Lung Studio is excited to announce that we are now accepting submissions from playwrights and theater-makers for our Spring 2026 season! We are seeking artists eager to share work-in-progress readings, first-look premieres, or full-length pieces in an environment designed to support experimentation and creative risk.

About Our Space:
Green Lung is an artist-run incubator and creative refuge located in Red Hook, Brooklyn. We are not a traditional theater; rather, we are a studio, a lab, and a gathering space for artists across various disciplines. Our programming is dedicated to uplifting new voices and embracing the "mess and magic" of work live performance.

Opportunities Include:
Readings Series: Share up to 25 minutes of new or in-process work on Monday nights, presented alongside 2–3 other artists. These evenings may also feature musicians or poets.
First Look + Full-Length Presentations: Present finished or evening-length work with flexible weekend scheduling and technical and performance support.

Key Details:
Performances can be held in Studio A (75 seats) or Studio B (40-50 seats).
We offer a 50/50 ticket split and provide front-of-house support.
There are no restrictions on plays that have been previously produced or published.

How to Apply:
Please complete our short submission form at [greenlungstudio.com/theatersubmit](https://greenlungstudio.com/theatersubmit).

We welcome submissions from artists at all stages of their careers. If you have any questions before applying, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at programming@greenlungstudio.com. 

You can also find us on Instagram: @greenlungstudio.

We look forward to reviewing your submissions!

The Solidarity Project: a Celebration of Historical Nonviolent Resistance

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Atlanta Dramatists is producing The Solidarity Project: a Celebration of Historical Nonviolent Resistance. They seek plays ranging from 10 minutes to 30 minutes which illustrate nonviolent resistance throughout history and all over the world. For the purposes of this project, scripts should be inspired by events that occurred prior to 2015. The focus of this festival is history, and the overall themes will be hope and empowerment. Scripts may be historically accurate, historical fiction, historical fantasy, etc. provided they are inspired by actual events.

The resistance depicted must be non-violent, but the play may contain violence in other aspects, such as if there were a violent reaction to a non-violent protest. Atlanta Dramatists is open to the use of music, puppetry, and dance as well as traditional “straight plays.” No projections or elaborate sets; this is a festival of plays that will all share the same set, though chairs, benches, blocks, and tables may be added or removed between pieces.

Each script may utilize up to 5 actors. Unless ethnic specificity is vital to the plot, please allow for flexible yet diverse casting.

Playwrights will receive royalties for the scripts selected. Performances will be at The Academy Theatre in Hapeville, GA, in 2026. (There is a chance the show will tour to other venues, as well.) Playwrights will receive 2 comp tickets. Playwrights may submit up to two scripts each.

Some examples to inspire your research (but you’re not limited to these!):

• Haiti 1946
• Indian Independence Movement
• Women of Liberia Mass Action For Peace
• South Africa: Anti-apartheid movement
• Scotland: 
• Anti-nuclear power protests 
• Holy Loch protests 1960-61
• Ireland: 
• Irish Non-cooperation Movement
• 1879 Boycott (Irish Land League)
• France:
• Coup of 18 Bromaire
• Jewish Refuge (le chambon-sur-lignon)
• America:
• Declaration of Independence
• Civil Rights Movement
• Children's Crusade
• Trail of Broken Treaties
• Kaho’olowe
• Montgomery Bus Boycotts 
• Women's Suffrage parade 1913
• Poland:
• Solidarity 
• Orange Alternative
• White Rose Resistance
• Arab Spring 
• Singing Revolution (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
• Korea: March 1st Movement

And many more!

Locally Grown Theatre is now accepting play submissions for its 2026 Season

Website

Deadline: December 1, 2025

Submit your script to: artistic.director@locallygrowntheatre.org 

We’re a small but mighty community theatre based in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, performing under the open sky — so we’re looking for scripts that thrive in the great outdoors!

What We’re Looking For:

Plays 50–90 minutes long

Simple tech and set requirements (we perform outside!)

Flexible cast sizes, ages 10–100

Family-friendly stories — think adaptations of classic literature, folklore, fairy tales, or even spooky season tales!

 Royalty: $50 per performance (we typically do 6 performances)

Our Mission:
The mission of Locally Grown Theatre is to plant the seed of theater; to cultivate the inner artist in youth; to nurture the love of theatre arts within the community; and to grow artists, of all ages, through experimentation in multiple theatrical forms.

If your play aligns with our mission and style, we’d love to read it!


Let’s grow something beautiful together — on stage and in our community.

BREAK A LEG PRODUCTIONS seeks 20-40 minute plays for our 2026 Love Fest: Love on Location

Website

Deadline: December 1st, 2025

Email your script as a PDF to plays.balproductions@gmail.com. 

The subject line should be "Love Fest: Title of Play – Playwright's Name."

We are looking for plays about love, set in a location that plays an integral part in the plot.

Submission Rules

- One submission per playwright
- No children's plays or musicals
- All characters must be performed by adult actors (18 years or older)
- Length must be 20-40 pages (any more and you will not be considered.)

ENCORE Theatre Playwriting Competition 2025

Instagram

Deadline: December 30, 2025

Submit your entry by email to arinvanjari@yahoo.com

ONEJARI Arts Crafts & Music (Plainfield NJ) is happy to announce their third ENCORE Theatre playwriting competition.

We encourage creativity and to continue the activity started by Ashok Vanjari, we are inviting talented playwriters to submit their work. We will be accepting applications in two categories:

• Ten-minute plays

• Thirty minute plays

Plays may be written on any subject in English, Hindi or Marathi.

• Winning plays will be staged during an evening of Encore Theater Festival in April 2026

Please Note - Our last competition's selected playwrights plays were staged during our 2024 & 2025 Encore Theater festival.

• Winning Ten minute and Thirty minutes plays will be produced by ONEJARI Arts Crafts & Music or by invited Theater Institutes, to be staged during an Encore Theater Festival.

Prizes will be made possible through the generosity of ONEJARI Arts Crafts & Music

If any individual or Institute wants to be a part of this project please contact: Dolly Vanjari at arinvanjari@yahoo.com

**Both categories will be awarded cash prizes! **

Submission details:

• Entries containing all content are welcome, but please note that preference will be given to those that would be appropriate for most audiences and can be staged. 
• Entries must be received by the deadline to be considered. 
• All entries are final, but playwrights will have the opportunity for feedback and revision if selected as winners. 
• Entries will be judged by a panel of judges. 
• The winners will be notified by email and announced publicly. 

• Please be sure to submit with followings....
• Your Name
• Your Email
• The title of your work
• Duration of your play
• Only original work that has not been previously staged will be permitted to participate

• IMPORTANT - Please make sure that your name is not on any part of the play except the Cover Page as we submit our shows to a panel, blind. for selection...

Las Vegas Little Theater’s 2026 ANNUAL NEW WORKS COMPETITION

Website 

Deadline: December 31, 2025

APPLICATION FORM

1. All plays must be full length (90 minutes or more). No musicals please.

2. Plays must have no more than 8 actors – doubling characters is allowed.

3. The set must be simple or representational.

4. Ideally looking for subject matter that will appeal to an age range of 18 – 30.

5. Seeking new plays that have not been professionally produced or published.

6. Plays will be screened by the competition committee. The top 5 will be submitted to the judges.

7. Prizes – 

1st prize = Production of the play in the Fischer Black box in May plus $150

2nd prize = $75

3rd prize = $50

8. Contestants must sign a release form(application) to authorize production

9. Scripts cannot be returned

10. Materials that are adapted from or otherwise derived from copyrighted source material must also submit permission to use the material at the time of submission.

11. The winning author agrees to the production of his/her play with no royalty payment. The author also agrees to allow LVLT to videotape the production. LVLT cannot provide transportation, lodging or other compensation for the author to travel to Las Vegas for the production.

12. Members of LVLT’s board of directors may not submit for this competition

13. Submissions will be accepted through Dec 31, 2025. The winner will be announced no later than March 30, 2026.

14. Decision of the judges is final. Any disputes will be decided by the LVLT board of directors.

15. Only 2 submissions per person please. If more than 2 submissions are received from an individual, only the first 2 received will be considered.

16. Each submission will be assigned a number and author’s names will not be provided on judge’s copies of the script to prevent any bias.


3920 Schiff Dr. Las Vegas, Nevada 89103
(702) 362-7996

Free tickets: ISAAC'S EYE by Lucas Hnath

Isaac's Eye 

by Lucas Hnath 

is a sharp, funny, and deeply human play about science, legacy, and the lengths we'll go to be remembered.

GO HERE FOR FREE TICKETS

At Open Arts Studio in Brooklyn.

Join us for an intimate in-person event at Open Arts Studio, Inc where you can immerse yourself in the world of Isaac Newton and experience his captivating story as he navigates love, science, and ambition. Don't miss this unique opportunity to witness a brilliant performance by 5 SCAD grads in the heart of Dumbo. Reserve your ticket today!

Show dates:
Friday, November 21st at 7pm
Saturday, November 22nd at 7pm
Sunday, November 23rd at 7pm

Location: Open Arts Studio, 68 Jay St, Studio 406A, Brooklyn NY

Cast:

• Steven Smith as Isaac Newton
• Alyssa Bianca as Catherine Storer
• Melissa Mitchem as Actor/Dying Man
• Rob Love as Robert Hooke

Directed by Chris Naughton

ELevated Productions NYC seeks full-length productions

Instagram

Deadline: rolling basis

All pitches must be submitted to this Google Form: https://forms.gle/Nx952TnEkyPqqPqq6. 

ELevated Productions NYC is booking our March-June 2026 programming

We are looking to fill these spots with a variety of new works that support our mission to give voice to the unheard by uplifting those who are underrepresented and overlooked within the theatre community.

Productions must be full-length, lasting at least 1 hour. Writers will receive a percentage of the profits from all ticket sales. There is no fee to submit.

Pitches will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all programming slots are filled. We will be in touch to set up a virtual meeting if we are interested in moving forward.

Please email theatrelevated@gmail.com with any questions and follow @elevatedproductionsnyc on Instagram to stay connected!

Barter Theater: Black Stories Black Voices

Website

Deadline: November 15, 2025

Send submissions (and questions) to Co-Directors James Jiggetts and Geovonday Jones at bsbv@bartertheatre.com

By submitting your work to Black Stories Black Voices, you are helping Barter Theatre curate a Black Appalachian Canon of both the past and the present. Whether you reside in Appalachia or not, we welcome any and all Black writers to submit relevant works.

Submissions sent in prior to November 15th, 2025 will be considered for a staged reading during Barter’s 5th Annual SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories in Spring 2026.

If you already have a piece of work set in Appalachia, we encourage you to submit it. If you do not have any Appalachia-inspired works but would like to write one, please consider a topic from our official Shine 2026 prompts list.

For any and all questions or content submissions, please email our Co-Directors James Jiggetts and Geovonday Jones at bsbv@bartertheatre.com

APPALACHIAN STATES: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Monologue Submission Guidelines

Playwright must be Black.
Monologues must be set in Appalachia. 
Monologues must be 3-5 minutes in length.
Monologues must be unpublished and not have had a professional production.
Monologues must be submitted electronically.

Scene Submission Guidelines
Playwright must be Black.
Monologues must be set in Appalachia. 
Monologues must be 5-10 minutes in length.
Monologues must be unpublished and not have had a professional production.
Monologues must be submitted electronically.

Full Length Play Submission Guidelines
Playwright must be Black.
Plays must be written by an Appalachian playwright or the plays must be set in the Appalachian Region.
Plays must be full length.
Plays must be unpublished and not have had a professional production.
Plays must be submitted electronically.

Apricity Magazine seeks short plays for the 2026 issue

Website

Deadline: January 4, 2026 1AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Apricity accepts submissions from the performing arts, including but not limited to original music, short film, short play, and dance. Scores, scripts, and screenplays count although live versions are encouraged. Please upload or include a link (of a Youtube video, a webpage, or a Google Drive file) to your submission as well as a brief description of your piece and how you arranged your performance. The maximum time allotted for videos is 15 minutes each. Simultaneous submissions are permitted.
Before you submit, please note the following:

NOTIFICATION: You may expect notification of your acceptance or rejection within three months of submitting your piece. As our staff is composed entirely of university students, however, we do not operate from the end of May through the end of August. Any pieces submitted in April and May may not receive a response until August. 

 NON-PROFIT: We are a non-profit student organization. We intend to direct all net proceeds towards publication improvement and charitable donations focused on education.

FEES: There is no submissions fee, nor is there any payment for publishing your work (currently). However, should you be published in the print publication, you will receive a free contributor’s copy. If you are published online and would like to receive a print edition, you will receive a 60% discount.

We welcome comprehensive use of English and other languages. If your piece contains non-English languages, please include an English translation. Though we are an international magazine, our staff’s common language is English.

We also welcome works previously published elsewhere. If a piece you submit has been accepted by another publication, we will credit the other publication.

If we accept your piece before it has been accepted by another publication, we request that the other publication credits Apricity Magazine upon publication of the piece.

If a piece you submit is accepted by a publication that claims sole publishing rights, please let us know so that we may remove it from consideration. (Do note, however, that most publications allow re-prints as long as the original publisher is credited.)

Works are considered on a rolling basis. All pieces submitted will be considered for online publication. After the deadline for print publication passes, we will consider all pieces submitted before the deadline that were accepted for online publication for print publication.

Kindly keep author bios to under 50 words.

Please note that Apricity Magazine is not active during the summer (from late May to late August). Any pieces submitted during this time will not be evaluated until the fall.

We will not tolerate any form of plagiarism.

Glass Ceiling Breakers: 2026 A Festival of Short Plays by Women Artists

Website

Deadline: January 17, 2026 at 11:59pm

Plays must be submitted here: https://forms.gle/nm27B6khACXkT6YbA

Theatre Revolution is proud to announce submissions are open for  Glass Ceiling Breakers: 2026 A Festival of Short Plays and Films by Women Artists

GCB 2026 is scheduled for June 5, 6 and 7, 2026 at the Philipstown Depot Theatre in Garrison NY.

Plays must be written by female or female identifying playwrights.

They can be produced or unproduced plays. Feel free to send us plays that were produced years ago that you'd like to revisit! Plays that are currently being workshopped are also welcome.

Plays should be no more than 10 minutes (we mean it!) 12 pages max (excluding the title page) in standard play format. Type size (12) with 1” margins.

If the play is 12 pages but longer than 10 minutes (lots of text) playwright may be asked for revisions if selected.

Save File as follows in PDF only: LAST NAME_TITLE OF PLAY_GCB26

Monologues are accepted but we prefer plays. Monologues should not be more than 3 pages.

BIPOC playwrights are strongly encouraged to submit.

Theatre and/or Playwrights will be informed in Early March.

If selected, playwrights and/or theatre companies are responsible for producing their play. There is no compensation for plays. Theatre Revolution may provide some production assistance (not financial) by connecting producers to possible actors, directors, and props. 

Only non-union actors may be cast in plays.

In all cases, Theatre Revolution will provide limited set pieces, lighting and sound equipment, and production staff. There will be a mandatory pre-production meeting via ZOOM for all playwrights or their representatives in March 2026. 

Questions? Email us. theatrerevolution1@gmail.com We are looking forward to reading your work!

Rover Dramawerks 10-Minute Comedies Contest

Website

Deadline: none - only the first 300 10-minute plays will be accepted

SUBMIT VIA GOOGLE FORM

Rover Dramawerks announces the return of our annual 10-Minute Comedies Contest! We are seeking 10-minute comedies to be a part of our 26th Season.

Comedies only! No musicals. No dramas.

No one-person plays. Other than that, no cast size limit.

Plays may have been produced previously but not in the DFW Metroplex.

Plays may not be published.

Playwrights may submit only one 10-minute play. Additional plays submitted by a single person will result in disqualification.

Only PDF files will be accepted. Other formats will not be read.

A cast list and brief synopsis must be included, but we ask that you do not include a cover page.

Any play longer than 12 pages will not be read.

Name and contact info must not appear anywhere on the script (i.e. this is a blind submission process).

Please do not submit a play you have sent to us in the past!

Up to ten plays will be chosen to be a part of Rover’s 10-Minute Comedies, running July 30 – August 15, 2026, with all winners receiving a $150 prize. The audience will also vote on the “Best of the Fest,” and that overall winner will receive an additional $100.

Rover Dramawerks performs in a small theatre with little wing space that seats about 85. Please take this into consideration when presenting your work to us. We strongly recommend that you check out our website at https://www.roverdramawerks.com/ to see the types of plays we generally produce.

Please note: The judges reserve the right not to award prizes or productions if they feel the caliber of plays received does not warrant a winner.

Clockhouse open for submissions for the Summer 2026 issue

Website

Deadline: November 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

​CLOCKHOUSE is a national literary journal published by Clockhouse Writers’ Conference, whose editors are MFA alumni of Goddard College.
​
We accept works of poetry, fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction, and ​dramatic works for stage or screen. We also accept submissions for cover art. We encourage submissions from both established and emerging writers.

We’re looking for work that beckons us to listen, share, and engage. Send us your best!

Before submitting, carefully read the general AND genre-specific guidelines. 

• All submissions must be original, unpublished work written by the author or, if you are submitting artwork for cover consideration, original artwork created by the artist
• Follow genre-appropriate formatting; Word documents preferred; double-spaced for fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction​
• Include a bio of approximately 100 words or less
• Simultaneous submissions are welcome as long as you withdraw them if accepted elsewhereSubmit only through Submittable. No email or mailed submissions will be accepted
• Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will be discarded unread. 

Dramatic Work for Stage or Screen

• Short plays and screenplays in traditional and experimental styles
• Standalone work only (not part of a longer work); no monologues
• Submitted work should be written with the audience in mind
• Submit up to 10 pages plus cover page with title and character breakdown
• Follow the industry-standard formatting guidelines appropriate for the plays/screenplays including paginations

Discount tickets: BAMMY AN' BUXOM

BAMMY AN' BUXOM

by Tyla Harris

A young second-generation Jamaican-American, Jai, spends her precursor of Thanksgiving dinner attempting to bind a “duppy” that her great-grandmother believes is coming to collect her soul.

Use this link to receive the discount which will automatically be applied to the ticket price: 

Bammy an' Buxom 10% Off!

One of four plays to be shown at the CSP show! A ticket gets access to the other shows in the same night :) !

In celebration of her new-found independence, Jai, a young second-generation Caribbean-American artist invites her matriarchs to have Thanksgiving dinner at her new apartment. Over the course of a confusing night, Jai’s life changes as she finds herself entangled with grief and guilt in attempting to resolve her great-grandmother’s newfound battle with a “duppy” coming to claim her soul.

Tyla Harris is an Afro-Carribean Latina born, raised, and creatively crafted in Atlanta, GA. Tyla is a multi-hyphenate, most-notably recognized for her decade of work as an actress onscreen in commercial, television, and film, starring in various projects such as “For Life” (ABC), “Six” (History), “Tales” (BET), “Fantasy Football” (Nickelodeon), “Coins for Christmas” (BET), and more. With a Bachelors in Political Science (concentration in International Affairs) and over a decade in the entertainment industry, Tyla focuses her artistry on community-driven projects, producing, writing, and directing entertainment aimed at uplifting underrepresented communities while pushing the conversation on sociopolitical evolution through kindness and consideration. “Bammy an’ Buxom” is her first playwright work in the discipline of theater. TylaHarris.com

Theatre Southwest is accepting short play submissions

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM

Please email scripts to: heaton_it_up@hotmail.com

Please mail scripts to:
Theatre Southwest
3939 Hillcroft 
Suite 160
Houston, TX 77057
Attn: TSW-RTM
Postmarked by: December 31, 2025

Theatre Southwest is accepting short play submissions starting November 1st, 2025 thru December 31st, 2025 for its Annual Readers' Theatre Matinee!

This year the TSW-RTM will happen on Sunday, January 18th, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. and our event producer Brian Heaton will be accepting 5-10 minute scripts till the end of 2025.

Selected plays will be read and voted on by the audience in attendance and the Audience Favorite will receive a $100 cash prize!

Guidelines for this this year's event are as follows:

Scripts will be accepted via snail-mail and email.

Scripts entered should be in PDF format for email. Printed entries should be in standard play format and bound in a 3-hole punch folder or with brads.

Limit of 1 entry per playwright of an original work that is unpublished, and unproduced.

There is NO ENTRY FEE.

ALL scripts should be numbered with title, list of characters, brief synopsis of play and playwright's contact info on title page.

No Monologues or one man/woman plays will be accepted.

ALL genres of plays will be accepted.

ALL plays should be able to be read within 5 to 10 minutes, no longer, no exceptions. If using standard play format a good gauge would be if the play's text is 4 to 11 pages long (excluding title page).

Please make sure the play you are submitting is conducive to Readers' Theatre, simple stage directions, story mostly expressed through dialogue, not action.

Approximately 8-12 plays will be selected to be given a performance level read, and the playwrights selected will be informed prior to the event.

Discount tickets: TODAY IS A GOOD DAY, NEW YORK NEW YORK

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY, NEW YORK NEW YORK

a one-woman show written and performed by Sonja Devi 

Running through November 22nd at Gene Frankel Theatre! 

Use code NYCPLAYWRIGHTS for 25% off tickets at http://www.todayisagooddaynewyorkny.com/

2026 Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize (9th Edition)

Website

Deadline: April 30, 2026

Send your submission to info@premiocarloannoni.eu

The Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize is now open for submissions with topics concerning the LGBTQ+ community, including love, diversity, and identity in a time of gender fluidity

Submissions of any length are accepted: full-length plays, as well as short plays, 10 minutes, including those already performed.

1000 € Awarded to the two best plays (English and Italian), ceremony in Milan, September 2026, and special jury mentions on multiple categories.

PICK OF THE VINE – Season 24 - seeking short plays

 Website

Deadline: November 15, 2025

SUBMIT VIA SUBMISSION FORM

Little Fish Theatre is accepting scripts for our 24th Annual PICK OF THE VINE short play production to be produced in August 2026. 

This season’s theme is “The Unexpected Guest.” All Plays should relate to this theme

There will be a $100 flat fee royalty payment to playwrights per play produced.

Submission Guidelines:

1. Only ONE play may be submitted per playwright. There is no submission fee.

2. Submissions accepted starting Nov 1, 2025. (Two Weeks only) Submission deadline is Nov 15, 2025.

3. Submissions via google form only 2026 : https://forms.gle/UZux1nJqhYEJBimw5

4. Plays must include contact info (name, phone number, email address, home city and state, country) on the cover sheet.

5. Plays will require no more than 6 actors.

6. Plays will run no more than 12 minutes, no exceptions.

7. Plays will have minimal set, costume, prop, and special effect requirements.

8. Plays must include a title sheet with Title, Playwright, cast of characters (with brief description), and setting.

9. Playwright must submit a short response on how your play relates to our theme.

Timeline:

1. We will notify semi-finalists via email by Jan 3, 2026. Only those playwrights whose pieces have progressed to the semi-final round will be notified.

2. Playwrights whose pieces have been chosen for Production will be notified via email in late January.

THE ALEXANDER NDERITU PRIZE FOR WORLD LITERATURE (2025) seeks short plays

Website

Deadline: November 15, 2025

All entries are to be submitted in Adobe PDF format to: submissions(at)theafricangriot.com. 

In the subject tab, type: ‘2025 Alexander Nderitu Prize for World Literature Submission’. In the body of the e-mail furnish the following information:

- Title of your play
- Your full name 
- Your nationality
- Your age
- Your daytime telephone number
- Your preferred email address
- A brief bio (300 words max)

Add your short play as a PDF attachment. (Remember not to include any identifiers in the attachment.) The Judge’s decision is final. The winning entry will be published in The African Griot Review.

The African Griot Review is proud to announce the return of the Alexander Nderitu World Literature Prize! The 2025 Edition will honour original, one-act stage plays from anywhere in the world. 

A single winner will be chosen by the founder of the prize, Kenyan-born writer and critic Alexander Nderitu. 

The longlist will be announced in December 2025. 

The shortlist will be announced in February 2026 and the eventual winner will be unveiled at a literary event in April 2026. The winning playwright will walk away with a cash prize of Kshs 50,000, a one-year online promotion campaign by IT form Websoft Interactive and grace the cover of The African Griot Reviewmagazine. 

The 2024 winner of the prize was Nigeria’s Haliru Ali Musa, for his short story, The Pregnant Ghost. There is no entry fee.

ELIGIBILITY AND RULES

Territories: The contest is open to writers anywhere in the world, aged over 18.

Language: All entries must be in English. Translations and adaptations are not eligible.

Work: The entry must not be optioned, commissioned, performed or been previously published anywhere, including online. Simultaneous submissions are fine but please inform us if your work is published or staged elsewhere during the judging process. We’re looking for a play that is roughly 10 – 15 minutes long. A minute of dialogue is roughly one page of script. The playwright’s name must not appear anywhere on the submitted document. One may submit up to three different plays. Each play must have only one writer, no collaborators. Plagiarism and assistance from Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tools are grounds for instant disqualification.

While not essential, the Standard Stage Play format is recommended. Free guide available here: https://caryplaywrightsforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/CPF_play_formatting2.pdf

Judging: This year’s contest will be judged by award-winning writer and critic Alexander Nderitu. Apart from penning his own stage plays, he has also authored two non-fiction books on the theatre business - Kenyan Theatre: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and This Time With Feeling.

For any inquiries regarding the Prize, please email: admin(at)theafricangriot.com

NYLon Fusion seeks 10-minute plays

Website

Deadline: November 12, 2025 ​

All submissions should be sent to nylonfusion@gmail.com 

NYLon Fusion is back and so is “This Rounds on Us”!
We’re excited to present: LIFE IN TRANSITION.

Please submit any scripts that speak to the following themes (each will have a separate festival within the 2025-26 season)

The Great Society

Each submission should be no longer than ten pages or approximately 10 minutes in length. Not have been previously produced.

We are accepting new works for our 2025/ 2026 This Round’s On Us festivals, each of which will focus on certain broad eras.(see below). But the plays do not necessarily have to be set in these time periods, but they should at least be informed by the social, cultural and/or political happenings of the time. Whether you find inspiration in the movies, music or theater of a particular era, the major events that formed the historical narrative or which have been ignored by history, or the everyday lives of people in the bygone days of the not-so-long-ago, you can send your 10-minute play to NyLonFusion@gmail.com

To be considered This Round's On Us please submit/email the following: A cover letter, brief synopsis, resume and full script to nylonsubmissions@gmail.com Please be specific as to which project you are submitting to. Write on the SUBJECT LINE For example: This Round’s On Us: The Gilded Age/ Cage.

NOTE: accepted plays are produced (including casting) by Nylon Fusion Theatre Company. Playwrights are encouraged to attend rehearsals. 

The Artistic Home Call for Submissions: Cut to the Chase

Website

Deadline: November 18, 2025
Or after 300 plays are received.

DO NOT SEND THEY HAVE RECEIVED 300 plays

This legendary one-act play festival showcases six new plays with moment-to-moment acting in an intimate theater space.

This year's festival will present the theme: I'm Still Here.

Performances will take place February 19-22, 2026 at The Den Theatre in Chicago.

Play submission must meet the following requirements:

• One-act plays of no more than 12 minutes (no musicals) 
• Previously unproduced in Chicago 
• Only one submission per playwright 
• Please do not submit a play previously submitted to Cut to the Chase 
• Writers are encouraged to submit plays that generally fit this year's theme: I'm Still Here 

Important format requirements:

• PDF files only 
• Include play title and playwright's name on the script 
• File name for the PDF should be as follows: "[play title] by [playwright's full name]" For example: The Tempest by William Shakespeare (No underscores, draft numbers, festival name or any other information in the file name please.) 

TYPE! Open for short plays

Website

Deadline: none given

SUBMISSION FORM

Thank you for considering sharing your work. TYPE! is free to read — we cannot pay for submissions or chosen work, but we will work with authors to promote the piece and their other writing. We also require written confirmation that submissions are original work.

Please note – due to the high number of submissions we receive we will only respond to those we wish to publish, however we do read EVERY submission. Submission also carries no guarantee of inclusion or feedback. Read this to find out what happens when you submit.

Seeking  Micro-plays - 1-2 pages long

Please send in your writing via the submission form.

LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Rough Draft Festival

Website

Deadline: November 20, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

The Rough Draft Festival offers artists a supportive environment to develop their work and provides students and community with the chance to witness the creation of new theater pieces.

Rough Draft Reading Festival: An open call inviting professional and student
playwrights to apply, running in MARCH. Applications are accepted from October through mid-December, with a committee selecting five professional and five student playwrights.

Work-in-Progress Festival: Taking place in the fall, featuring two of the professional plays chosen based on audience surveys. This component provides a platform for both professional and student playwrights to develop their work further.

Workshops: The Rough Draft Festival offers workshops aimed at community engagement and artistic development:

Artist-Led Workshops: Professional artists lead workshops on various theater production aspects and thematic explorations.

After completing the interest form, email your full proposal package (including your script, budget, and any supporting materials) to lpacresident@lagcc.cuny.edu

ellipsis… literature and art open for submissions for the 2026 issue

Website
 
Deadline: December 16, 2025 at 2AM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

ellipsis… literature and art is a nationally and internationally recognized journal published by the students of Westminster University since 1965.

We accept original English language submissions in poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, drama, and art. Submit poems in one document, please. Our submission period is August 1 through December 15 for poetry, short fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction. We accept art submissions from August 1 through January 31.

Please include a 75 word contributor’s note and your address, telephone number, and email address.

Simultaneous submissions are welcome but withdraw your submission immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Note that we do not republish pieces, including work online.

We usually pay $10 per poem and page of visual art, and $3 per page of prose, plus two free copies of the issue. We cannot pay international contributors.

New issues of ellipsis… literature and art are published each April.

Drama 2025-26 submission: Please submit one English language drama piece per year, up to 8,000 Words. Use 12 point font.

NAMT's Festival of New Musicals 2026

Website

Deadline: December 16, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM VIA SUBMITTABLE

Now in its 38th year, NAMT’s Festival of New Musicals is the cornerstone of NAMT’s mission to be a catalyst for nurturing musical theatre development and production.

In 1989, the Festival of New Musicals was created to provide a forum to celebrate the new musicals that were being produced and presented around the country. Since then, the Festival has introduced musical theatre producers to 300+ musicals and 600+ writers from around the world. More than 85% have gone on to subsequent readings, workshops, productions and tours; been licensed; and/or recorded on cast albums as a direct result of the Festival!

Held over two days in New York City every fall, the Festival produces 45–minute presentations of eight new musicals before an audience of over 800 industry professionals with the experience and resources to move the work forward. We look for new musicals at all stages of development from the broadest possible range of voices.
Festival Purpose and Goals

The Festival’s immediate goal is to connect writers with producers, particularly NAMT Members, and extend the development trajectory of presented musicals by establishing new creative partnerships. Over time, the long–term goals are to expand the musical theatre repertoire, advance the musical theatre art form and support the field.

QUALITY & RANGE

Showcase quality new musicals by musical theatre creators of all identities and backgrounds with a wide breadth and depth of stories, styles, sizes and stages of development.

CONNECT WRITERS & PRODUCERS

Encourage a forum to spark new collaborations and ventures.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provide musical theatre artists with a professional networking & breakthrough opportunity showcasing their creative talent.

DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTIONS

Encourage future development and productions of selected new musicals.

Our 38th Annual Festival of New Musicals will take place on October 22 & 23, 2026.

We never take any royalties from our writers or ask them to pay for their participation in the Festival. The Festival is funded solely through sponsorships, grants and donations contributed by government agencies, foundations, organizations and individuals.

Step 1: Is Your Show Eligible?

Any new musical can be submitted for consideration as long as it meets the criteria below.

Must-Haves:

• The Musical must be complete and ready for readings, workshops and/or productions. No placeholder scenes or songs. No abbreviated or summarized scenes or songs.
• The Musical should have a demo that is an accurate representation of the music and style of the show and at least 50% of the score (meaning half of all of the music) must be available to submit on demo.
• The Musical must have full underlying rights clearances for any pre-existing material used (music, source material, etc.) in the script.
• The Writers must be ready for readings, workshops and/or productions at the time of submission and available for presentations in October 2026 at the Festival.

Your Project is Ineligible to be Submitted if: 

• The Musical is already being licensed through a professional licensing house.
• The Musical has been produced on Broadway. [Shows that have had readings, workshops and/or productions (including regional or Off-Broadway) are still eligible.]
• The Musical has already been submitted to the Festival three times. Each project can only be submitted three times for review by the committee.
• The Musical has already been selected for the NAMT Festival of New Musicals as one of our main presentations (excludes shows presented as part of our supplementary programming including concerts, cabarets & showcases).
• The Musical is not complete, missing songs or scenes.

You should also consider:

• Writers are writers-only for the NAMT Festival process and may not direct, music direct or star in their presentations. No exceptions.
• Writers must be available for all rehearsals in person in New York City. Rehearsals may begin as early as October 11, 2026. NAMT does not provide housing or travel assistance.

Still have questions? Check out the Eligibility FAQ.

Step 2: Compile Your Information

Please note the following deadlines for the 37th Annual Festival of New Musicals:December 16, 2025: Early Deadline for All Submissions
January 6, 2026: Late Deadline for All Submissions ($40 fee applies)

Shows submitted by the early deadline require no fee for submission. Shows submitted after the early deadline will be charged a $40 late fee, which must be paid by credit card on the submission portal. No exceptions.

Deadlines expire at midnight PST (west coast time).

All the information you need about the writers and (if applicable) agents, production/development history and more is outlined in the application, but you should read this entire page before prepping your materials.

You may save and return to your application without having to complete it all in one sitting.

11th Annual Pyro PlayFest 2026 Call for Plays Theme: "Spark of Creation: Humanity, Invention, and Expression"

Facebook page

Deadline: January 12, 2026

 SUBMISSION FORM

Paris Junior College Department of Drama's 11th Annual Pyro PlayFest is now accepting submissions!

In a season celebrating new voices, we are looking for bold, original short plays that explore the heart of creativity — the human spirit, invention, imagination, and the drive to express. Whether you tackle these ideas literally, abstractly, or metaphorically, we want to experience the spark that fuels your storytelling!

The chosen submissions will receive a full production on our 3/4 thrust stage space performed by students and community members in late April 2026, right here in Paris, Texas, on the Duane Allen Stage in the Ray E. Karrer Theater.

Please note: This is a non-paying opportunity. While we are unable to offer financial compensation at this time, selected playwrights will have the opportunity to have their work brought to life in front of a live audience by a dedicated team of emerging artists and community members.

Submission Guidelines

• Unpublished, minimally produced plays (readings okay; no full productions).
• Length: 10 minutes or less.
• Page Limit: 10 pages max (standard format, 12-pt font, with page numbers).
• Cast: No more than 6 characters.
• Technical Requirements: Keep it simple — minimal sets, basic lighting, and modest props.
• Theme Connection: Must explore creation, humanity, invention, or expression in some form.

Content Note: Please keep language and themes suitable for a general adult audience.

Important Dates:
• Submission Deadline: January 12, 2026
• Festival Dates: April 22-26, 2026

How to Submit:
Please submit your scripts (Up to three) in PDF format through this Google Form: New Works Submissions

Include a cover page with the following information:
• Play title
• Playwright's name
• Contact email
• Short synopsis (2-3 sentences)
• Character breakdown

Please make sure that your name is not on any part of the play except the Cover Page as we submit our shows to a panel, blind.

Free show ~ SEA WALL by Simon Stephens

SEA WALL 

by Simon Stephens

Performed by Peter-William Jamieson

Friday, November 14th, 2025
7:00 PM (doors 6:30pm)
AP Space Gallery, 54 W 28th St, New York, NY

Free tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sea-wall-a-play-by-simon-stephens-at-gallery-ap-space-tickets-1804254175809

Sea Wall is an intimate and emotionally raw one-man play by Simon Stephens that explores love, loss, and faith through the eyes of Alex, a photographer whose world is shaken by tragedy. Performed inside a contemporary art gallery, this production reimagines the theatrical experience by breaking away from the traditional stage, blending performance and visual art in a powerful, immersive setting.

Eight Annual Eric Weinberger Award for Emerging Librettists

Website

Deadline: November 30, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Only one submission per playwright/librettists will be accepted. The winner of the Award is announced in Spring 2026.

Amas Musical Theatre will not ask for any fees for entry or for any fiduciary involvement

from the playwright/librettists at any point of the process.

Submission Requirements:

The musical must:

• Be a full-length show (at least 80 minutes)
• Have no more than eight actors (actors may play multiple roles, if so, please include a suggested breakdown of role distribution)
• Be complete and ready for readings, workshops and/or productions
• Have a demo that is an accurate representation of the music and style of the show (at least five songs)
• Have full underlying rights clearance of any pre-existing material used in the script (music, source material, etc.)
• Not have had a full production or be published in any way, even if with a different name.

​​
What to submit

All documents must be submitted as PDF files and they should be named with the part of the submission it refers to and the title of the show in the format of PART_TITLE, i.e.: for Tea for Three; BIO_TEA-FOR-THREE, SYNOPSIS_TEA-FOR-THREE, etc.

1. Biography and resumes of the creative team like writer, composer, lyricist (if applicable)
2. History of the submission’s development, and any previous titles it has gone through (if applicable, maximum one page)
3. Brief synopsis (maximum 150 words)
4. Brief artistic statement on the piece itself, including all source material, inspiration, goal, message, etc. (maximum one page)
5. Proof of rights (if applicable)
6. Demo and track listings (Demo selections to be posted as a Dropbox or Google Drive link)
7. PDF document of the full-script and sheet music, if available (no writers named)

Guidelines for Materials

All submissions must adhere to the following or your application will be disqualified before reaching our selection committee.

PROOF OF RIGHTS

If the musical contains any copyrighted material, please submit a signed letter from the authors and/or underlying rights representative stating that underlying rights have been secured.

FULL SCRIPT

The full script must include:

1. Title page (which should only have the title on it and absolutely no other information)
2. Character breakdown (maximum one page)
3. The complete script with page numbers

​
For the anonymity of your submission, the full script and sheet music cannot include any information on playwright/ librettist or contractually attached people, previous casts, or any agents. All submissions will go through a blind evaluation process, any personal information you provide will only be available to Amas Musical Theatre staff.


Demo Tracks

• The recording should be a significant representation of the songs in the show that accurately highlights the style and character of the score and lyrics.
• Demo tracks should:

1. Include at least one song from the first 25 pages
2. Have at least five recordings available – they do not need to be professional or studio quality, but they must be clear enough to hear lyrics, melody, and accompaniment
3. Have singers of appropriate vocal types for their respective roles
4. Be full songs only, no medleys of spliced songs


For the anonymity of your submission, tracks cannot include any personal identifiers for playwright/librettist(s), the performers recorded, or contractually attached people.


The Selection Process

Scripts will be read and evaluated through a blind submission process by Amas Musical Theatre’s literary team. A group of finalist plays will be read and evaluated by a selection committee, comprised of distinguished artists and playwrights, using a blind evaluation process. Committee members will not be given any additional information beyond the title of the show, the script, and the demo tracks.


Any personal information you provide in the application is seen by the Amas Musical Theatre staff only, not the selection committee.

Our process is based on the quality of the work submitted.


Round 1 (September-December)

1. Our literary team reads the first 25 pages of the book and listens to the demo for any track related to these pages.
2. The team fills out evaluations for each show, which determine the submissions that continue to Round 2.
3. If selected as a finalist, the show’s application primary contact is notified via email.



Round 2 (January-March)

1. The selection committee reads the scripts in full and listens to all demo tracks submitted.
2. Committee members write their evaluations to determine which one is best suited for the Award.
3. The winner is announced in the Spring of 2025.
4. The application’s primary contact is notified and a development schedule is created with the winner.



We will not be able to provide feedback regarding why a particular piece was or was not selected.



The Winner

• Will receive $2,000 to help pay for cost-of-living expenses.
• Will receive development assistance in the 2025 New Works Development Program of Amas Musical Theatre.
• Will have the selected show rehearsed and performed by New York theatre professionals in an Amas Lab production.
• Must be present in New York City for the development process.


• Must give the right of first refusal for a world premiere of the selected show that will expire 90 days after Amas Musical Theatre presents the Lab production.

SEEKING Submissions for the 2026 Women in Theatre New Play Festival‍

Website

Deadline: November 7, 2025 at 11:59 pm

ll submissions and correspondence should be sent to womenintheatre@duluthplayhouse.org

‍The Women in Theatre, New Play Festival celebrates new, short plays by women playwrights. Duluth Playhouse in Duluth, MN, created the festival as an opportunity for women playwrights, directors, and actors to have a focused space to express themselves and showcase their stories through theatre.

‍The Women in Theatre, New Play Festival will feature a collection of short plays and monologues written by playwrights who have experienced womanhood in all its intersectionality, including cisgender, transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming individuals. The festival aims to amplify the voices of those historically marginalized, celebrating the richness and diversity of women’s stories and experiences.

Additionally, as this is a New Play Festival presenting multiple plays on the same stage, the technical elements will be kept simple. For plays with complex requirements, stage directions will be read as part of the performance. Our focus will be on exploring the words and story, and less so on creating a full production.

Selection will be based on relevance to the spirit of the festival and excellence of work. Priority may be given to playwrights with regional ties.

Submission Requirements:A playwright may only submit one (1) piece.

• Plays should require no more than 5 actors.
• Works should have been written within the last 5 years.
• Submissions must be no more than 20 pages with a font no smaller than 12 pt. 
• Submissions must include a brief synopsis and character description.
• Submissions must include a title page with the following information: 
• Playwright Name
• Playwright city of origin 
• Playwright's current contact information
• The submitted piece must be unpublished but may have been previously workshopped or produced. 

To Submit: 

The script must be submitted electronically in PDF format to womenintheatre@duluthplayhouse.org

You will receive confirmation that submissions have been received. No other contact will be made unless the script is selected for production.

Selected Playwrights will receive: $100 prize

2 complimentary tickets to the public performance on June 12, 2026

Correspondence: All submissions and correspondence should be sent to womenintheatre@duluthplayhouse.org 

Please allow up to two weeks for follow-ups to any questions.
When submitting, make sure you’ve attached your play as a PDF.

Oakland Review: Inaugural Playwriting Prize [Vol. LII - "Gibbous" Issue]

Website

Deadline: December 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

Inaugural Playwriting Prize [Vol. LII - "Gibbous" Issue]

Playwriting Prize: A competition for twenty-minute stage scripts. Only one playwriting piece will be accepted per issue. The final round will be judged by CMU Drama faculty (ranked #4 globally by The Hollywood Reporter in their 2025 list of best drama schools).

One piece per submission. Your name should not be printed anywhere on your submission, save the document title. Prize pot is $250.

Titles should follow the format “Name, Genre”.

Editors’ Foreword:

Having recently published our half-century issue, the Oakland Review is growing, working, waxing. Taken on its own, “gibbous” represents a concept still in the works, under construction, nearly-there. Perhaps this is what it means to live in a gibbous phase of the decade: something swollen, marked by tension and possibility. How do you—and your work—handle the half-light?

Downtown Urban Arts Festival/DUAF 2026 is Open for Submissions

Website

Deadline: December 8, 2025

Please submit to https://www.duafnyc.com/submit

Downtown Urban Arts Festival (DUAF) is seeking theatrical works (plays, musicals, and solo performances) for its 24th Annual season to be held in June 2026 in downtown New York City.

DUAF supports diverse, new, and emerging voices from America’s burgeoning multicultural landscape. Over 200 playwrights have participated in DUAF and some have gone on to greater success on Broadway and have claimed top prizes such as the Pulitzer, Tony and Obie awards and nominations.

Submission Categories:

Short-length play (under 45 minutes)

Full-length play (up to 70 minutes)

Eligible Projects: 

• Plays do not exceed 70 minutes
• Plays should be new or existing work with minimal exposure 
• Plays should not have any other production in New York City during the 30-day period before and after the 2026 festival 

Playwright’s Supports: 

• No submission or participation fees 
• $800 (short) and $1,200 (full) playwright stipends
• Actor and director stipends
• Casting support 
• Technical design and operation 
• Reimbursed rehearsal space rentals
• Actor’s Equity Showcase Code application administration
• $1,000 awards for best full, short and audience

Submission Checklist: 

• Playwright's bio with contact info including name, address, phone # and email
• Photo of playwright
• Synopsis of theatrical work
• Complete script of theatrical work
• Estimated running time of work

Please submit all attachments as .pdf. Photos must be in either .jpg or .jpeg.

For more info about DUAF, visit: duafnyc.com.

Call for Submissions: "Hello Godot" – A One-Minute Existential Play Anthology (Volume 11)

Website 

Deadine: November 28, 2025

Email your submission to dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com with the subject line: Submission: Hello Godot – [Your Name].

1. Theme and Tone

Plays must explore existential themes such as meaning, futility, waiting, hope, despair, or the absurdity of existence.

Tone can range from darkly humorous to poignant or tragic, but should align with the spirit of existential literature (e.g., Beckett, Camus, Sartre).

Submissions should resonate with the idea of "waiting for Godot" or the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe.

2. Format and Structure

Each play must be exactly one minute in length when performed. This typically translates to 1-2 pages of dialogue or action.

Plays should be minimalist, with a focus on concise, impactful dialogue and action.

Maximum of 2-3 characters per play to maintain simplicity and focus.

Stage directions should be minimal but clear.

3. Originality

Submissions must be original, unpublished works.

Plays should not infringe on any existing copyrights or intellectual property.

Adaptations or reimaginings of existing works (e.g., Waiting for Godot) are acceptable as long as they are transformative and original.

4. Submission Details

Submit your play as a PDF or Word document with the file name: HelloGodotYourNamePlayTitle.

Include a cover page with:

Play title

Your full name

Contact information (email, phone number)

A brief bio (50-70 words)


5. Rights

Playwrights will retain copyright to their individual works.

6. Deadline

Submissions must be received by November 28th, 2025. Late submissions will not be considered.

7. Selection Process

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of editors and theatre professionals.

Selected playwrights will be notified via email by December 5th, 2025.

We look forward to receiving your one-minute existential masterpieces! Let’s explore the absurd, the profound, and the fleeting moments that define our existence together.

For questions, contact dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com.

THE 2026 MEANWHILE PARK PLAYWRIGHT PRIZE

Website

Deadline: November 30, 2025

Submissions should be sent via email to info@meanwhilepark.com

Meanwhile Park is a small, private park in Salt Lake City, UT. The Park hosted its first performing arts evening in 2022. Since 2023, Meanwhile Park has produced and presented a new, one-act play chosen through our Playwright Prize competition. Submissions for the 2026 (and possibly 2027.)

Entries into the MPPP should consider the following:

• Plays should run between 30 minutes and one hour including any required or desired breaks.

• The “cast” should be limited to no more than six people. Cast can include actors, musicians, or other artists required to tell the story directly to the audience.

• Plays should not have been produced elsewhere. We are looking to present world premiere plays. Previous staged readings or workshops are allowed.

• As an outdoor, summer theatrical experience like no other in Utah, entrants are invited to consider stories and genres suitable to the occasion. Ideas include but are not limited to:

o Campfire tall tales
o Backyard ghost stories
o Summer love stories
o Action-packed adventures
o Musical comedies
o Local histories

• Meanwhile Park celebrates the diversity of humanity and welcomes stories from diverse races, ethnicities, cultures, genders, and sexualities.

THE RULES

• Submission for the 2026 Meanwhile Park Playwright Prize are now being accepted.

• The deadline for submissions is November 30, 2025. Submissions should be sent via email to info@meanwhilepark.com

• The winner will be announced no later than January 31, 2026. All entrants will be informed of the winning entry via email.

• The winner will be awarded a $500 honorarium no later than March 1, 2026 via Venmo or check.

• The winning play will be performed eight times during July 2026.

• Entries will be judged by Jeff Paris and a panel of theatre experts and enthusiasts.

• The production will be granted the following:

o A significant production budget including paid onstage performers, directors, and creative staff.o Each performance will feature a pre-performance reception/party with drinks and snacks sponsored entirely by Meanwhile Park. For this reason, ticket sales are limited to individuals 21 and older.

• You may submit a bio with your play, but it is not required. Our initial cuts are based on the plays without consideration for who the playwright is.

• Meanwhile Park reserves the right to cancel the competition or the production at any time for any reason.

• To learn more about Meanwhile Park visit our Instagram account: @meanwhilepark. Or visit our website at www.meanwhilepark.com.

FOREWORD 2026 New Work Series seeks

Website

Deadline: October 31, 2026

SUBMISSION FORM

FOREWORD, which started in 2020, is our annual program devoted to the development of new works of theatre.

There have been different formats of the program through the years, and this year we are returning to an open call format which means any interested playwright (18 or older), who is available to work with us here in Arlington, VA during February/March of 2026, can submit their script for consideration.

How does the process work?

Each of the submitted scripts will be evaluated by members of our review team and up to three new plays will be selected to be part of the 2026 cohort.

Selected playwrights will be paid to spend two weeks working on their script with us - plus a paid team of a director and performers.

Prologue Theatre will be selecting up to three (3) new plays to be workshopped in person, at our Arlington, VA rehearsal space, in February and March 2026. Scripts will be reviewed by a team of readers and the playwrights selected for the workshop will be contacted in December 2025.

 

We employ a blind initial review process to avoid unintentional bias on the part of our team of readers. Scripts that move into the semi-final round will be reviewed by the team who will have access to all information regarding the submitted play.

 

WORKSHOP DETAILS:

Each selected play will be workshopped for two weeks in February/March of 2026 (pursuant to team availability).

The workshop team will consist of a Director and Performers who will also be paid for their participation.

Selected playwrights will receive a stipend of $2000 for the entire workshop process.

Non-local playwrights are encouraged to apply. Housing and travel not provided.

At the end of the workshop period, selected works will have two (2) public readings and may be considered for a full production with Prologue Theatre.

PLAY SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Playwright must be 18+ years of age and be currently authorized to work in the United States.

The play must be the playwright’s original work.

Must be a previously unproduced work. (Workshops or readings do not count as productions. However, any staging by a theatre [including non-Equity, regional, or community theatre] where actors are off-book and admission is charged does count as a production.)

Must fit one of the following thematic categories: Geography; Entertainment; History; Arts & Literature; Science & Nature; Sports & Leisure.

Must be a full length play and should have a complete running time of between 1 hour 25 minutes (85 minutes) to 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes) - No musicals.

Must be able to be read with a maximum of 6 performers. (Doubling is permitted, provided performer tracks are submitted with the script’s cast list.)

Only one (1) script per playwright may be submitted for consideration.

To submit your play for consideration, you will be prompted to enter:

Your contact information

Play title and a brief synopsis (max 100 words)

Any workshop or reading history of your piece

Number of performers required & number of roles in your play

If there are more roles than performers, you will need to enter the roles played by each track (e.g. Nancy/Clerk; David/Barista/Trainer)

A short bio/something about yourself (max 150 words)

An artist statement reflecting on your goals for the workshop and how your play reflects one of the prescribed themes (max 150 words)

You will upload a PDF version of your script in the submission form

Please do not indicate the name of the playwright on any page - including the title page.

Please make sure the PDF includes page numbers.

The Fine Print

Submissions are limited to one script per playwright. Once a script has been submitted and enters the review process, we are not able to accept revisions. Revisions to the final scripts are welcome as part of the development process. Please note that Prologue Theatre does not provide feedback on unselected scripts.

If you have any other questions, please contact Daniel Niewoehner (He/They) at DanielNie@prologuetheatre.org.

Theatre Now Soundbites festival seeks 10-minute musicals

Website

Deadline: December 1, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

​

Theatre Now defines a 10-minute musical as any piece that can be performed in 10 minutes or less; has a beginning, middle, and end story arc; and includes music. Having produced over 100 pieces, we want musicals that are diverse and current, that test the musical form and communicate a well-crafted story. We accept musicals across all styles and genres and are happy to consider foreign language and/or bilingual scripts. 

We strongly encourage submissions from female, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ writers as well as writers with disabilities.

​​

Please review the following criteria thoroughly before sending your submission:

• Ten-minute musicals will be accepted from July 1st, 2025 - December 1st, 2025 at midnight.
• Submissions will not be considered before July 1st or after the deadline.
• Musical theatre writers can submit no more than two scripts during the current submission period.
• The story must have a beginning, middle, and end.
• We accept submissions in foreign languages or that are bilingual. Although the application process is in English, the work itself may be submitted and performed in any other language if selected.
• Each piece must include music.
• All submissions must be submitted via the submission form. No physical copies.
• Each musical must not exceed ten minutes when performed. If accepted, cuts may be required.
• Longer one-acts or full-length musicals will not be considered, although the submission may be a 10-minute portion of a longer piece as long as it tells a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end story arc.
• A musical may be a previously-produced work with a production history.
• We have no formal script formatting guidelines, but all scripts should be easy to read.
• The volume of submissions prevents us from providing feedback on all submissions.
• If your piece is visual (i.e. choreography-heavy), please include video footage or detailed descriptions. 

We expect to contact all writers by mid-February, 2026 on the status of their submission with one of the following emails:

 

An acceptance email into the festival that will include additional information to confirm their involvement. 

A waitlist email. In the event an accepted musical declines their participation, a selected waitlisted musical will be notified to serve as a replacement.

The remaining musicals will receive a "not selected" email and are encouraged to submit again next year.

 

*All criteria is subject to change*

NYCPlaywrights seeks monologues on the theme "Black Woman Genius"

NYCPlaywrights seeks monologues.

THE DEADLINE IS SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

The theme is "Black Woman Genius."

In November 2024, NYCPlaywrights began the "Resisting Fascism" project. The winning piece was a monologue, THE 92% by Bryan-Keyth Wilson that highlighted the fact that 92% of Black American women voters did not vote for Trump - and their intelligence and wisdom are increasingly clear.

The murder of Charlie Kirk was horrific, but that does not erase the fact that he said hateful things like this:

“If we would have said three weeks ago [...] that Joy Reid and Michelle Obama and Sheila Jackson Lee and Ketanji Brown Jackson were affirmative-action picks, we would have been called racist. But now they're comin' out and they're saying it for us! They're comin' out and they're saying, "I'm only here because of affirmative action.

Yeah, we know. You do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously. You had to go steal a white person's slot to go be taken somewhat seriously.”

Kirk dropped out of community college to become a full-time political pundit, while the Black women he attacked graduated from Harvard and Princeton and Yale.

And so this call for submissions seeks monologues on the theme of Black Woman Genius. 

SEMI-FINALIST SCRIPTS

NYCPlaywrights will select as semi-finalists as many of the scripts that we like and which meet the submission guidelines.

The semi-finalists will be listed on this blog and an excerpt from each monologue (if permission is granted by the playwright) will be displayed in a blog post, one per day, along with any website links or other contact information the author wishes to share. 

The semi-finalist script selections will be announced Sunday, January 4, 2026. 

THE WINNING MONOLOGUE

The winning monologue will be selected from the semi-finalist monologues. The winning monologue will be recorded with an actor and an excerpt of the recording will be posted on NYCPlaywrights.org and on the NYCPlaywrights YouTube channel (if permission is granted by the playwright) along with author and actor contact information, biographies, etc.

The author of the winning monologue will receive an award of $100. 

The award-winner will be announced Sunday, January 18, 2026. Excerpts from the semi-finalist scripts will begin posting that day one monologue per day, and the winning monologue will be posted after all the semi-finalist monologues have been posted.

💡 THE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 💡

Failure to follow guidelines will result in your script being rejected.

As always, there is no fee for submissions. 

• The deadline is November 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.

• All rights will remain with the playwright.

• Monologues must be no more than two pages long, using standard 12-point text size and line-spacing.

• Send only one monologue script per author to genius@nycplaywrights.org.

• The monologue script must be submitted by the author of the script, no agents or others may submit. 

• The monologue script submission should be sent by email, with the script itself as a file attached to the email.

• The file format of the monologue script should be .pdf because it will retain your original script formatting.

• Make sure you have your name and your email address on the script.

• Plays can be submitted by anybody, from anywhere in the world but must be primarily in English (a few non-English phrases are acceptable, but the phrases must include English translations in production notes or stage directions.)

• A play that has had a production is acceptable.

• A play that has been published is not acceptable.

• There will be no money awarded for selected scripts except for the winning monologue.

• NYCPlaywrights' decisions are final.

• Any questions email info@nycplaywrights.org

PLEASE NOTE: when you submit your play, you should get an automatic response that says:

***

Thank you for sending your monologue to the NYCPlaywrights “BLACK WOMAN GENIUS” project.

The semi-finalist script selections will be announced Sunday, January 4, 2026.

The award-winner will be announced Sunday, January 18, 2026.

Nancy at NYCPlaywrights

***

If you don't receive the automatic response, email us at info@nycplaywrights.org to check if we received your script.

Please note:

• The monologues must be dramatic - we love facts, but the monologue must not simply be a lecture on some aspect of history or current events. A dramatic monologue should have an emotional impact and often will tell a story. We'd like to see creativity and invention.

• The call for submissions is open to any person, anywhere in the world. 

• Although the theme is Black Woman Genius, the character speaking in the monologue does not necessarily have to be a Black woman.

• Although this is a serious subject, you do not have to be grim. We welcome humor and playfulness, and we are just as interested in hopeful monologues, and anticipating a brighter future as much as we are in the injustices of the past and present.

DATE RECAP

• November 30, 2025 - submission deadline
• January 4, 2026 - semi-finalists announced
• January 18, 2026 - the winning monologue will be announced and then each day an excerpt from one of the semi-finalist monologues will be posted. 

Some genius prompts:

• Ida B. Wells, investigative journalist, sociologist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement.
• Aretha Franklin, voted Rolling Stone's greatest singer of all time - "a work of genius" (#2 is Whitney Houston)
• Valerie Brown, the first Black woman animated character on American television, resident genius of  the 1970s cartoon "Josie and the Pussycats"
• Alena Analeigh Wicker, in 2021, became the youngest person to intern for NASA
• Simone Biles, athletic genius
• Wanda Sykes, stand-up comedian, actor and writer
• Angela Davis, philosopher and political activist
• Dr. Ayda Mensah, character performed by Noma Dumezweni, the brilliant team leader and "favorite human" of Murderbot, from the sci-fi books and AppleTV+ series.
• Lorraine Hansberry, the young, gifted and Black playwright
• Kamala Harris, America’s first woman, Black and South Asian vice president, became the Democratic presidential candidate half-way through the 2024 campaign when Biden bowed out. She drew record-breaking crowds during her campaign and accurately predicted that Trump would use the US military against US citizens.