CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Live & In Color
INFO: Live & In Color is looking for playwrights, composers, and lyricists of color and/or other underrepresented communities interested in developing their new musical or play. The work must be able to be performed with a multiethnic cast.
The winning musical submission will have a two-week workshop this fall at The Bingham Camp in Salem, Connecticut culminating in a staged presentation to an invited audience.
The winning play submission will have a one-week development period this fall at The Bingham Camp in Salem, Connecticut culminating in a reading for an invited audience.
MUSICALS
The musical must be able to be performed with no more than 8 actors, although preference will be given to smaller casts.
All submissions should include:
Single page synopsis
Single page character breakdown
Demo of score (2-3 songs)
Sample of dialogue (5-10 pages)
Brief production/development history (properties with prior full productions not accepted.)
PLAYS
The play must be able to be performed with no more than 5 actors.
All submissions should include:
Single page synopsis
Single page character breakdown
Script sample (10-20 pages)
Brief production/development history (properties with prior full productions not accepted.)
DEADLINE: March 1, 2020
https://www.theatreincolor.org/submissions
CREATIVE RESIDENCY
Millay Colony for the Arts
INFO: The Millay Colony for the Arts is one of the oldest multidisciplinary artist residencies in the world. Since its inception by Norma Millay in 1973, we have invited thousands of writers, poets, visual artists, screenwriters, playwrights, filmmakers and composers to come to Steepletop, the estate of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and activist Edna St. Vincent Millay to reflect, refuel and create in quiet solitude. Most residencies are month-long but we do offer shorter stays several times a year, especially to accommodate the special needs of parent creators.
In addition, we partner with local and regional schools and other organizations for unique and compelling public programs and community outreach initiatives.
The seven-acre Colony is located in the Hudson Valley in the foothills of the Berkshires. The Millay Society, our neighbor, oversees Millay’s house and gardens. There are designated trails for hiking and bicycling as well as nearby lakes, rivers and streams. In the summer, wild blueberries and other delicacies abound, while in the winter, there is excellent crosscountry skiing. Nearby Harvey Mountain State Forest draws visitors year-round. We are within 30 minutes of Chatham, New York and Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Other attractions include The Mount, Tanglewood, Norman Rockwell Museum, Chesterwood, MassMOCA, Naumkeag, Jacobs Pillow, PS21, the Columbia County Film Festival and Berkshire Shakespeare & Company.
We provide groceries and Chef Donna cooks delicious family-style dinners weeknights. We accommodate all dietary restrictions; we also have a bbq grill and firepit (burgers and s’mores anyone?).
Our beloved historic Barn (built from a Sears-Roebuck kit in 1926) features four private bedrooms and studios. The Main Building (fully ADA-accessible) features 3 private bedrooms and 2 studios, as well as shared living/dining/kitchen space. In addition, the Main Building houses the Nancy Graves Memorial Library, a Yamaha U1 upright piano and the Martha Dupee Darkroom. Other amenities include washer/dryer, WiFI, printer/computer/copier/fax.
DEADLINE: March 1, 2020
https://millaycolony.submittable.com/submit
THIS IS HOW WE QUEER THEATER
The Parsnip Ship
INFO: The Parsnip Ship is always looking for new plays and new voices, and for Season Six, we are looking for plays exclusively written by Queer (LGBTQIA+) playwrights. As we believe there are as many distinctive styles and voices as there are playwrights, we remain open to a wide range of plays that will engage audiences in an intimate setting and on a podcast format. We see our recordings as a fun collaborative effort among us, the playwright, the directors, the musicians and the actors! Queer People of Color and Trans + Non-Binary folx are highly encouraged to apply!
Before you send in your play for consideration, please either attend a live episode recording or take a listen to one of our episodes AND read our FAQs on submissions.
The Parsnip Ship is a podcast play company that amplifies bold artists for audiences who crave accessible stories and storytellers. Our live events and audio podcasts are eclectic and transformative, creating communities in person and digitally. Through our work, we revolutionize the way you hear theatre.
The Parsnip Ship re-imagines the concept of the radio play by specifically focusing on stories that differ in form, content and plot by emerging playwrights. The series features new plays and new music performed live and released as a free podcast. This live event and podcast series highlights diverse voices in both theater and music and brings awareness to inspiring artists. No other theatrical event provides a free live event with our format: curation of live independent musicians and a personal interview with the playwright. Hosted by Iyvon Edebiri and recorded live every month in Brooklyn, The Parsnip Ship is available on iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher.
What are we looking for in a TPS produced audio drama/radio play?
Does the play not only work, but excel in an audio only format?
Is the play exciting and unexpected?
Does the play express diversity in its perspective, voice, or content?
Is this play engaged in socially conscious and civic dialogue?
What would the world be missing if it didn’t have this play?
How does the two-round submissions process work?
Due to an overwhelming volume of submissions in past years, The Parsnip Ship does a two-round submission cycle for applicants. We are asking playwrights to only submit the first 15 pages of their plays for consideration of Round One evaluations. If selected to go forward, playwrights will be asked to send their full length draft or complete script for Round Two evaluation.
What are the logistical elements you should know before applying:
The Parsnip Ship episodes are comprised of 3 major parts: the play, the music, and the interview with the playwright.
Your play must have an estimated run time of no less than 50 minutes and no more than 90 minutes.
Minimum 50 pages for the full script in standard format, text and font
Maximum 90 pages for the full script in standard format, text and font
We can ONLY accommodate up to 6 readers (this includes a reader for stage directions). Please do NOT submit a play that will require more than 6 readers.
We do not accept 10-minute play submissions. Please do not send in 10-minute plays.
We do accept plays with music as long as the music is either original or does not infringe on the copyright of the original artist
Selected playwrights in the NYC area are required to come to an episode prior to their scheduled episode, especially if they’ve never attended a live recording of The Parsnip Ship.
You are only able to submit one play for consideration for this season.
We prefer New York City or locally based playwrights.
Unfortunately, as a young arts org we cannot afford to pay for or reimburse travel expenses related to attending rehearsals/the live recording.
Our playwright must be present for the live recording (and usually rehearsals too). Please DO NOT apply if you live outside the NYC area and you can not travel for the live recording.
We can accommodate 3 inputs for our musical guest, i.e. 1 mic and 2 instruments/2 mics and 1 instrument/3 mics.
It is strongly encouraged to listen to a previous episode via http://www.theparsnipship.com/#listen-in
Does The Parsnip Ship work on an AEA, SAG or SDC contract?
The Parsnip Ship does not work on an AEA or SAG contract or any union contract. Due to our hybrid format of storytelling and music, our focus on voluntary artistic collaboration, along with our free admission for the live recording, and free downloads of our episodes, none of the unions have found reason to have jurisdiction over our operations. Even though we are not beholden to a union, The Parsnip Ship believes in creating and fostering a fun, collaborative and respectful environment between our team and our artistic collaborators.
Who does the casting for each episode? What about a director?
The Parsnip Ship believes in being as playwright-led as possible. This means that you (the playwright, and/or director) are free to cast and collaborate with whomever you would like with The Parsnip Ship’s approval. If help is needed with casting a particular role or finding a director, The Parsnip Ship team has a wide network of actors and collaborators to reach out to. Playwrights should consult with us about public casting calls and other methods, should the need arise. Although we love when playwrights are excited to confirm their collaborators, it is important to speak with us before confirming the cast, director or musician for the live recording.
DEADLINE: March 9, 2020
SPECIAL ISSUE: VISIONS AND WORDS FOR CHILDREN OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, FALL 2020
Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora
INFO: Founded in 1975, Obsidian supports—through publication and critical inquiry—the contemporary poetry, fiction, drama/performance, visual and media art of Africans globally. Recognized by the National Endowment of the Arts as one of the premier journals dedicated to Africa and African Diaspora Literatures, Obsidian is published biannually in print and year-round online and hosted by Illinois State University.
This special issue of Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora is dedicated to creative artistry for children of the African Diaspora. We invite original textual and multimedia submissions devoted to interdisciplinary and creative approaches in African Diaspora Children’s and YA Literature. Submissions must focus upon literature, visual, and audio artistry created by people of the African Diaspora. Submissions may include scholarly papers, audio and/or visual presentations, interviews, and creative/artistic works.
Guest Editor: Nancy D. Tolson
Manuscript Guidelines:
Include a short cover letter noting the title(s) of the work(s) submitted and citing major publications and awards, as well as any association or past correspondence with a guest or staff editor.
Upload your text submission only as a Word (doc, docx), portable document format/PDF (pdf) or rich-text format (rtf) file.
**NO Pages, txt, or Open Office Documents.Typed, double-spaced pages (Note: Poetry may be single-spaced)
Numbered pages.
Scholarly papers should follow the Chicago Style for grammar and MLA format for citations and works cited, and the Obsidian Stylesheet (The style sheet is available to download as a pdf file here at this link : Obsidian Style Sheet The link opens in a new page.
Margins should be set at no less than 1” and no greater than 1.5”.
Poetry: submit up to five (5) poems totaling no more than eight (8) pages.
Fiction, Hybrid genre and critical essays: 12-point font. No more than twenty (20) pages or 5000 words (whichever is achieved first). Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained.
Drama/Performance: submit one act or a collection of short scenes no longer than twenty pages (20) following Samuel French or the Dramatists Guild suggested formatting. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained.
Translations are welcome if permission has been granted.
DEADLINE: March 15, 2020
https://obsidianlit.org/how-to-submit/
28th ANNUAL NATIONWIDE BLANK THEATRE YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
The Blank Theatre
INFO: Every June, The Blank Theatre produces the 12 best plays by playwrights ages 9 to 19, chosen from a nationwide competition.
In the past 27 years, we’ve produced 332 plays by these young writers. Nowhere else in the nation can young playwrights receive the prize of seeing their vision come to life on stage in a professional production featuring known actors from film, television and theatre.
The Young Playwrights Festival is a 27 year-old nationwide playwriting competition for writers ages 9 to 19. The 12 best plays are chosen by a panel of theatre professionals from submissions across America.
Winning playwrights are provided careful mentoring and direction from industry professionals to help prepare their work for public performance and hone their skills, talent and confidence.
Nowhere else in the nation can young playwrights receive the prize of seeing their vision come to life on stage in a professional production featuring known actors from film, television and theatre. The plays are crafted by seasoned professional directors and each is given several public performances in a month-long Festival.
The Festival plays a critical role in training and supporting the next generation of theatre artists. There are no submission fees for this program.
This Festival is unique in the United States. While there may be other young playwrights programs, YPF differs from the rest in two ways:
(1) we fully produce the winning plays, and
(2) we provide the playwrights a professional experience from beginning to end; they are never considered “students,” they are the playwrights.
What began in 1993 as a one night only reading, with scripts submitted from Los Angeles County, has become a month-long festival of 12 plays professionally staged for full weekend runs, with submissions from 31 different states.
YPF plays a critical role in training and supporting the next generation of theatre artists. Many of these playwrights have gone on to successful writing careers in and out of the theatre. As we say in our curtain speech each evening, ”These kids are the future of the theatre. If we don’t support their work today, we won’t have a generation of artists tomorrow.”
Under the direction of The Blank’s Founding Artistic Director Daniel Henning, The Blank’s Annual Nationwide Young Playwrights Festival will be presented at the LA City College Theatre Academy in Hollywood, CA in June.
Rehearsals also take place at The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre in Hollywood. The 12 winning plays are professionally produced for weekend-long runs.
As a result of winning YPF, these exciting writers all made their professional stage debuts in Los Angeles. Along with 332 others over the years.
DEADLINE: March 15, 2020
http://www.theblank.com/young-playwrights-festival/
Princess Grace Award in Playwriting
New Dramatists
INFO: New Dramatists is now accepting applications from early-career playwrights for the Princess Grace Award in Playwriting and one-season residency at New Dramatists.
We encourage emerging playwrights to apply at the beginning of their careers so that through the New Dramatists Fellowship, they can develop their work as well as benefit from being a part of a unique, diverse, dynamic community of professional playwrights. An applicant’s status as an emerging playwright is evaluated during the adjudication process.
AWARD:
A grant in the amount of $7,500
A one-season (September – June) artistic residency at New Dramatists, Inc. in New York City (For Award recipients living outside of the New York metro area, your on-site residency can be adapted according to your schedule with reimbursement provided for transportation costs to/from New York.)
Inclusion of the winning script in New Dramatists’ library
Advocacy for the recipient and their script to New York and National theatre communities for the duration of the fellowship, including opportunities to gather with the Princess Grace community, New Dramatists writers, and other theatre professionals
Mentorship from a New Dramatists resident playwright for the duration of the fellowship
Opportunity for winning play to be licensed and published by Samuel French, Inc.
The Foundation is looking to identify and support original, authentic, unheard voices in the theater. The panel will consider the submitted play in terms of the originality of the storytelling, quality, and offering of new perspectives.
DEADLINE: March 16, 2020 at 5pm
https://newdramatists.org/princess-grace
Van Lier New Voices Fellowship
The Lark
INFO: The Lark is accepting applications for its Van Lier New Voices Fellowship program, supported by The New York Community Trust’s Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund and additional support from the Jerome Foundation.
The Van Lier New Voices Fellowship supports playwrights of color age 30 and under, who demonstrate financial need. During a year-long residency, Fellows will work on multiple artistic projects through an individually-tailored program of Lark play development programs, and form relationships with other theater makers at various career stages from all parts of the world. The Fellowship includes a cash award of $35,000, plus access to a $5,000 Opportunity Fund and to a wide range of Lark resources, including artistic program participation, office and rehearsal space, and staff support.
In the 2020-21 cycle, the Lark will award two Fellowships.
Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2020. Finalists will be notified early June 2020.
The 2020-21 Fellowship period begins July 1, 2020 and ends June 30, 2021.
VISION: The Van Lier New Voices Fellowship program, with support from the Jerome Foundation, is a critical component in The Lark’s acclaimed portfolio of fellowships. The portfolio is designed to engage a diverse community of extraordinary playwrights—at various places in their careers—who represent, collectively, a contemporary national vision. The Lark believes that targeted support to early-career playwrights from underrepresented backgrounds is essential to a culture of equity, access and inclusion, and a national theater that represents the vibrancy of our collective cultural voices. Van Lier New Voices Fellows will be in residence at The Lark as part of a community of artists at various career levels from across the country and around the world, gathered to explore and illuminate the most important issues of our time.
ACTIVITIES:
Work with Lark staff to identify individual artistic goals for the fellowship year, toward generating and developing new plays through a series of Lark programs appropriate to those goals;
Meet, collaborate, engage and work with a community of other professionals in the field, including playwrights, directors, actors, agents, producers and other industry leaders as appropriate;
Participate in and/or observe a variety of Lark’s play development processes, whether on or offsite, including retreats, workshops, readings, etc.;
Receive support for the advancement and advocacy of work generated during the Fellowship year, along with continued access to Lark development programs beyond the fellowship period.
AWARD:
$35,000 fellowship stipend
$5,000 Opportunity Fund for the purposes of travel, research, and other expenses related to creative and professional expenses (the Fellow will request these funds in writing to the Artistic Director and no reasonable request will be refused).
Please note that the fellows will receive a Form 1099 for both the 2020 and 2021 calendar years and be responsible for their own taxes. All stipends are taxable.
ELIGIBILITY:
Be legal residents of New York City;
Identify as playwrights of color, age 30 or under at the time of application;
Not be enrolled in a college, conservatory or advanced training program during the fellowship period;
Not be a previous recipient of a Van Lier Fellowship at The Lark or any other organization;
Demonstrate financial need; and
Make a case for how the Fellowship and participation in The Lark’s community would promote transformative artistic and professional growth.
DEADLINE: March 31, 2020
https://www.larktheatre.org/get-involved/submit-play/#VanLier
Fade To Black Play Festival 2020
INFO: Fade To Black, Houston's first national play festival to showcase the new works of African American playwrights, is currently accepting script submissions.
TO QUALIFY:
Playwright must be the sole author of the submitted work.
Playwright must publicly and openly identify themselves as African-American, Black, or of the African diaspora.
Previously published or produced work by the author or theatre/company is not allowed (See definitions below).
Play must run no longer than 8-10 minutes long on stage. Consider conducting an informal reading to ensure.
Play should accommodate a “bare-stage” set requiring only a minimum of removable stage props and require basic lighting and sound cues.
Play must not be a musical.
Play must not be written for children or youth.
Play must not contain characters that are under 17 years old.
Play must not be a re-submission of previous Fade To Black play festival seasons.
Play must not be considered a translation or adaptation.
Play must not be a film. Screenplays will not be accepted.
Play should be "stand-alone", separate body of work that has not been extracted from a larger, previously written play.
Author must be at least 18 years of age.
Play must be submitted in a PDF format.
SUBMISSION FEE: $0
DEADLINE: APRIL 1, 2020
https://monologuebank.submittable.com/submit/158649/fade-to-black-play-festival-2020
Writing Residency Program 2020/21
Liberation Theatre Company
INFO: Liberation Theatre Company (LTC) for our fourth year, is proud to announce Writing Residency Program 2020 – 2021 (supported by NYSCA and A.R.T. NY); furthers our commitment to the development of new Black playwrights for the American theatre.
The Writing Residency Program will select four early-career playwrights and provide them with dramaturgical and professional support over a ten-month period, during which time they will each be required to complete a new full-length play.
Beginning in May 2020, selected playwrights will attend monthly group meetings to share and refine their works-in-progress in a collaborative, energized setting; meet individually with LTC’s Artistic Director and staff who will provide additional support for their artistic needs, concerns and process; and have the resources of a director and professional actors during a table reading as their play begins to take shape.
Additionally, through connections with the larger New York City theatrical community, LTC will provide access to theatre tickets (when available) and seek to support, inspire, and assist playwrights in any way a small and dedicated company can.
The Residency will conclude in February 2021 with public readings of each playwright’s finished play. Upon successful completion of the program, each playwright will receive an honorarium.
ELIGIBILITY: To be considered for the Writing Residency Program all applicants must be a) residents of New York City at the time of participation (May 2020 – February 2021). b) Applicants must have written at least two full-length plays or three one-act plays. c) The applicant must not have received a production of any of their work that was more developed than a Showcase presentation under the Actors’ Equity Association production code.
DEADLINE: April 1, 2020
BRTW ARTIST SUBMISSIONS: MELANATED MONDAYS
Black Revolutionary Theatre Workshop
INFO: Each month, Black Revolutionary Theatre Workshop (in New York) producers curate a selection of new works by the hottest up-and-coming Black writers around a new theme. On the 3rd Monday of each month, BRTW’s ensemble brings these pieces to life and facilitates a conversation with the audience about the underlying societal issues highlighted in the pieces and potential solutions to those challenges.
If you're a writer [plays, poetry, music, screenplays] of African heritage who would like to share your work that directly relates to Black experiences with our audience, please submit your work.
HONORARIUM: $50
DEADLINE: Ongoing
https://airtable.com/shr9KOsK68EZX9K8E
SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITY
San Diego REPertory Theatre
INFO: San Diego REPertory Theatre is happy to accept scripts from agents and theater professionals with whom we have an existing relationship. In general, we no longer accept unsolicited scripts from unrepresented writers. However, we continue to offer an open submission policy for plays and musicals from Latino(a) writers across the country because we are committed to supporting today’s Latino(a) voices. In addition, local writers residing in the Southern California area may submit a query letter about their new work that includes a current email contact and:
A brief biography of your writing history, noting awards and production history
A paragraph about why your play is a good match for the San Diego REP
A one-page synopsis of the play including number of cast, genre & run-time
For musicals, please also include a CD with sample songs from the score
Our six-show season can include full-length plays, musicals with a small cast and band, solo pieces, and adaptations performed on one of two stages (250-500 seats) for about 4 weeks. Past programming has highlighted voices of the Latino, African-Americans, and Jewish communities. Before submitting, please make sure that your script is aligned with our mission. It is also advised that you attend some of our productions to become more familiar with our sensibility.
If we are interested, we will contact you to request a copy of the full script within a few months.
Send to:
San Diego REPertory Theatre
Literary Department
79 Horton Plaza
San Diego, CA 92101
DEADLINE: Ongoing
https://www.sdrep.org/opportunities.php