There is no shortage of works, especially by unpublished playwrights. But how do theatres find the time to read them and cull out the ones their communities will enjoy? Many theatres have new play contests, but few produce the winning scripts and talk to other theatres about them. Yet a script is not likely to be published unless it is produced and creates a buzz-- and it is not likely to reach future audiences if it is not published. So how do playwrights get their work produced and published?

Stethoscopes are instruments used to closely and carefully listen to the heart, and that is exactly what transpires here at Stethoscope Stage. The ultimate heart to heart, this one-of-a-kind national play festival is born out of the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic and inspired by the recent advent of narrative medicine. We are dedicated to facilitating open and honest conversations between patients and medical care providers — both seeking truth, to be heard, and understood. Brought to life through the transformative power of live theatre, the voices of those navigating illness are amplified...

Down for #TheCount features six short plays by women of all backgrounds. The purpose of the festival is to amplify the female voice in American theatre. This event will bring exciting, humorous, and heartbreaking stories by local and national celebrated playwrights. Currently, approximately 22% of American theater productions have been written by women, for women of color the numbers are even lower – a dismal 3%. Now in its 3rd year, this event is a call to action to change those numbers locally and nationally and to give a platform to the voices and perspectives of women on the American...

Est. 1990. Selected scripts receive 15-20 hours of rehearsal, one public reading in June, and a $100 honorarium for the playwright. We are using the New Play Exchange exclusively for submissions for our New Works Festival. Playwrights may submit only one script. An eligible script aligns with the mission of our theater and has never received a full professional production.

FronteraFest is five weeks of alternative, offbeat, new, and just plain off-the-wall fringe theatre. Too bad there's no actual way to expect the unexpected, because that is your only hope. FronteraFest is produced in collaboration with ScriptWorks, a group dedicated to supporting emerging playwrights and developing new dramatic works.

At Austin Film Festival, our mission is to champion all writers across mediums. Our Playwriting Competition (open to full-length plays) gives playwrights a chance to explore our film and television conference. It will also allow film professionals to discover storytellers who have mastered the art and craft of stage drama. AFF has always promoted story as the most important element of film and TV. So giving playwrights their own story exposure and a chance of crossover into film and TV only advances our mission. Plays that make the Final Round will have readings during the Conference....

The Austin Latinx New Play Festival, produced annually by Teatro Vivo in collaboration with ScriptWorks, brings together playwrights and audiences for staged readings and rich conversations about new works of Latinx theatre. Each reading presents a different full-length work.

Theatre Southwest of Houston, Texas has extended their submissions deadline to April 5th, 2018 for the Annual Theatre Southwest Festival of Originals! The TSW-FOO is FREE to enter and will once again be calling for short one act (20 minute) plays in any and all genres from all over the country and the world.

Luminaria is a dynamic nonprofit arts organization dedicated to producing and promoting the arts to the city of San Antonio by managing the annual iconic Contemporary Arts Festival, the Luminaria Artist Foundation grants program, and culturally driven creative placemaking.

The New American Voices Playwriting Festival has been an annual Houston theatre event since 2012. Winning Playwrights will be notified in mid-February if their script is selected for the 2020 Spring Festival. Selected playwrights must attend the readings. A stipend of $100 will be awarded to each winning playwright. Playwrights must cover their own travel expenses.

The New American Voices Playwriting Festival is now in partnership with Monologue Bank, a non-profit online organization seeking high caliber monologues from original plays.

Established in 1982 at Stages Repertory Theatre by Stages' founder, Ted Swindley.