The Chirp

Wrote a play? Check out these playwriting submission opportunities with upcoming deadlines. All submission-fee-free!
The Detroit New Works Festival
Deadlines: November 15, 2018
The Detroit New Works Festival aims to showcase playwrights, promote new plays and musicals which focus on the subjects of equality and diversity, mental health, and/or social issues, and encourage community in the theatrical process. Through the DNWF, Outvisible Theatre Company produces five staged readings of new plays, holds post-show discussions for play development, and one show will be given the opportunity be produced as a World Premiere the following season. MORE INFO
The Caltech│Pasadena Playhouse Festival of New Science-Driven Plays
Deadline: November 15, 2018
MACH 33: The Caltech│Pasadena Playhouse Festival of New Science-Driven Plays energizes the conversations about scientific, mathematical, and technological questions by staging readings of new, unpublished, unproduced, science-based plays. The readings are open to the public and present a discussion with Caltech/JPL scientific panelists after the show. Our casts and crews feature professional actors and directors as well as students and members of the Caltech/JPL community. Festival playwrights have the unique opportunity to work with science advisors from Caltech and JPL and dramaturgs from the Pasadena Playhouse. MORE INFO
Sundance Institute Theatre Lab
Deadline: November 15, 2018
The Lab welcomes theater artists from the United States and the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) for a 21-Day residency in Utah. For artists applying from Arabic-speaking countries, projects may be submitted in Arabic, English, or French. The Lab offers an opportunity to focus on unfinished new work needing time and space in which to rewrite and take artistic risks. Sundance will provide an acting company, a “day-on, day-off” rehearsal schedule, and dramaturgical support, as well as underwrite all expenses. MORE INFO
SETC & Stage Rights Ready to Publish Award
Deadline: November 20, 2018
The Ready to Publish Award is a program dedicated to developing, publishing, and licensing new works. SETC and Stage Rights are seeking completed full-length pieces that are either unproduced or have had one world premiere production or produced staged reading, suitable for professional, educational, and amateur venues. One winner will receive: Publication of the winning play in the Stage Rights catalog of plays and musicals; A panel reading of the play at SETC 2019; Prominent display of the final published play by Stage Rights at SETC 2020; $400 Royalty Advance. The author of the winning piece must attend the 2019 SETC Convention in Knoxville, TN (with convention registration waived). MORE INFO
Campfire Theatre Festival
Deadline: November 30, 2018
A three day festival created to strengthen the fabric of the American theater community by creating a theater hub in Boise, Idaho. Campfire Theatre Festival is accepting submissions for two programs: the Staged Reading Series and the Spark Program. The Staged Reading Series accepts plays by emerging playwrights and offers them a fully staged reading. The Spark Program accepts plays by emerging playwrights for a twenty-hour workshop process that culminates in a seated reading. MORE INFO
Kentucky Women's Writers Conference
Deadline: November 30, 2018
The Kentucky Women Writers Conference awards a biennial Prize for Women Playwrights to bring more scripts by women to the stage, through a collaboration among our program, partnering director Eric Seale, and a guest judge tba. (Fun Fact - Last year's guest judge was former Lark Fellow Martyna Majok!) The winner receives a world premier production for a paying audience in November 2019, with royalties, plus a cash prize of $500. MORE INFO
The Eric H. Weinberger Award for Emerging Librettists
Deadline: November 30, 2018
A juried cash and production grant given annually to support the early work and career of a deserving musical theater librettist. It commemorates the life and work of playwright/librettist Eric H. Weinberger (Wanda’s World, Class Mothers ’68). The winner will receive $2,000 to help pay cost-of-living expenses and will receive development assistance in our 2019 New Works Development Program. MORE INFO