Welcome Playwrights!
The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival National Playwriting Program (NPP) is dedicated to supporting student playwrights in the development of their original work for the stage, with dramaturgical and performance opportunities that emphasize respect for the written word and for the playwright's contribution to the theatrical process. The NPP Mandate is:
If you have questions or need guidance in any way, please contact your Region 5, NPP Leadership team:
- To offer progressive mentorship of student playwrights that honors the integrity of individual voice, and is aimed at nurturing students into professional playwrights.
- To strive to create links with individual artists and institutions in the professional sphere, and to provide opportunities for the production of student work.
- To advocate for theatrical text and to preserve the integrity of the playwright's intent within all stages of the collaborative process.
- To engage and support faculty members who are developing new work in their theatre programs.
If you have questions or need guidance in any way, please contact your Region 5, NPP Leadership team:
Aaron Scully, Region 5 NPP Chair: [email protected]
Cat Gleason, Region 5 NPP Co-Vice-Chair: [email protected]
Laura Gold, Region 5 NPP Co-Vice-Chair: [email protected]
Cat Gleason, Region 5 NPP Co-Vice-Chair: [email protected]
Laura Gold, Region 5 NPP Co-Vice-Chair: [email protected]
SUBMIT YOUR PLAY
Guidelines
If you submit a Full-Length Play prior to Nov. 1 for regional consideration, you do NOT need to submit your play again by Dec. 1 for it to be considered at the national level. It will automatically be considered at both levels.
Students who meet eligibility requirements may enter up to 5 ten-minute plays, 5 one-act plays, and 5 full-length plays for the festival and/or Michael Kanin awards.
Faculty members may submit a full length play for The Musical Theater Award, The David Mark Cohen Award and Rosa Parks Award.
Professional Playwrights who have produced their work at a KCACTF affiliated school can submit their work for the David Mark Cohen Award.
A playwright who has graduated is still eligible to submit his/her work during the 12 months after the date of graduation or if his/her plays is entered as a participating production within 24 months of graduation.
- 10-Minute Plays: A play 10-pages or fewer in length (12 point font)
- One-Act Plays: A play more than 10 pages in length with a running time less than one hour.
- Full-Length Plays: A play more than one hour in length.
If you submit a Full-Length Play prior to Nov. 1 for regional consideration, you do NOT need to submit your play again by Dec. 1 for it to be considered at the national level. It will automatically be considered at both levels.
Students who meet eligibility requirements may enter up to 5 ten-minute plays, 5 one-act plays, and 5 full-length plays for the festival and/or Michael Kanin awards.
Faculty members may submit a full length play for The Musical Theater Award, The David Mark Cohen Award and Rosa Parks Award.
Professional Playwrights who have produced their work at a KCACTF affiliated school can submit their work for the David Mark Cohen Award.
A playwright who has graduated is still eligible to submit his/her work during the 12 months after the date of graduation or if his/her plays is entered as a participating production within 24 months of graduation.
Rules and Regulations for all Playwriting Awards and Prizes
(Please read these carefully to ensure that you are submitting your play in all appropriate categories.)
(Please read these carefully to ensure that you are submitting your play in all appropriate categories.)
DEADLINES
NOVEMBER 1st
ALL REGIONAL SUBMISSIONS, including 10-minute plays, one act plays, and full length plays
DECEMBER 1st
NATIONAL SUBMISSIONS (full-length plays only)
Full Length Plays submitted by Nov. 1st will automatically be considered at the regional and national level.
Full Length Plays submitted after Nov. 1st will only be considered at the national level and are not eligible for regional awards.
Full Length Plays for national consideration must be submitted by Dec. 1st.
If you submit a full-length play prior to Nov. 1, you do NOT need to submit your play again prior to Dec. 1st unless you have made significant changes to your draft.
If you have any questions, please contact Region 5 NPP Chair Dr. Aaron Scully, [email protected]
NOVEMBER 1st
ALL REGIONAL SUBMISSIONS, including 10-minute plays, one act plays, and full length plays
DECEMBER 1st
NATIONAL SUBMISSIONS (full-length plays only)
Full Length Plays submitted by Nov. 1st will automatically be considered at the regional and national level.
Full Length Plays submitted after Nov. 1st will only be considered at the national level and are not eligible for regional awards.
Full Length Plays for national consideration must be submitted by Dec. 1st.
If you submit a full-length play prior to Nov. 1, you do NOT need to submit your play again prior to Dec. 1st unless you have made significant changes to your draft.
If you have any questions, please contact Region 5 NPP Chair Dr. Aaron Scully, [email protected]
ARE YOU READY?
All scripts must be submitted blind: No Author or School Affiliation on document.
Scripts are accepted in .pdf, .doc and .docx format only.
All scripts must be submitted blind: No Author or School Affiliation on document.
Scripts are accepted in .pdf, .doc and .docx format only.
Entry for all NPP events is now closed.
Greetings Region 5 Playwrights!
We are very excited to celebrate the wonderful work of Region 5 playwrights this year!
As we gear up for Festival 57 in January 2025, we wanted to give you some updates and info about our National Playwriting Program events in Region 5:
10-Minute Play Festival
This event will be student-directed, rehearsed and presented in-person at the festival! We will present the top 6 (or 7) plays in Region 5!
10-Minute Play Lottery
Additionally, there will be a 10-Minute Play Lottery in which 6 more plays will be selected at random to be responded to by a professional playwright!
One-Act Play Festival
The top 3 one-act plays selected will be rehearsed by the home institution and brought to the festival as a staged-reading!
Regional Full-Length Play Awards
At the regional level, full-length plays submitted by Nov. 1 will be considered for various regional awards. These awards are separate from the awards considered at the national level.
(A note regarding play selection: Top ranked plays are chosen by a panel of professionals and faculty readers from outside of Region 5. This year our colleagues in Region 8 will be reading and ranking all of the submitted Region 5 plays.)
Collaborative Theatre Challenge
Working with a single play and playwright, designers and dramaturgs will have the opportunity to meet with the playwright in collaborative sessions to create realized designs for the play.
Monologue Festival
Early in the festival, students may write and present a monologue to an audience! Get your monologues ready! This is a celebration of creativity and individuality - no responses will be given except the response of the live audience!
One-on-One In-Person and/or Zoom Mentorship Meetings
Any R5 playwright who submits a play for consideration will also have the opportunity (if they so choose) to meet in a one-on-one in-person or Zoom setting with a professional playwright to discuss their play. Please indicate this interest when submitting your play.
Workshops
Playwriting workshops, led by R5 faculty playwrights and special guests, will focus on all aspects of playwriting. If there are specific workshops that you are interested in seeing or facilitating, please reach out to the R5 NPP leadership team!
As we gear up for Festival 57 in January 2025, we wanted to give you some updates and info about our National Playwriting Program events in Region 5:
10-Minute Play Festival
This event will be student-directed, rehearsed and presented in-person at the festival! We will present the top 6 (or 7) plays in Region 5!
10-Minute Play Lottery
Additionally, there will be a 10-Minute Play Lottery in which 6 more plays will be selected at random to be responded to by a professional playwright!
One-Act Play Festival
The top 3 one-act plays selected will be rehearsed by the home institution and brought to the festival as a staged-reading!
Regional Full-Length Play Awards
At the regional level, full-length plays submitted by Nov. 1 will be considered for various regional awards. These awards are separate from the awards considered at the national level.
(A note regarding play selection: Top ranked plays are chosen by a panel of professionals and faculty readers from outside of Region 5. This year our colleagues in Region 8 will be reading and ranking all of the submitted Region 5 plays.)
Collaborative Theatre Challenge
Working with a single play and playwright, designers and dramaturgs will have the opportunity to meet with the playwright in collaborative sessions to create realized designs for the play.
Monologue Festival
Early in the festival, students may write and present a monologue to an audience! Get your monologues ready! This is a celebration of creativity and individuality - no responses will be given except the response of the live audience!
One-on-One In-Person and/or Zoom Mentorship Meetings
Any R5 playwright who submits a play for consideration will also have the opportunity (if they so choose) to meet in a one-on-one in-person or Zoom setting with a professional playwright to discuss their play. Please indicate this interest when submitting your play.
Workshops
Playwriting workshops, led by R5 faculty playwrights and special guests, will focus on all aspects of playwriting. If there are specific workshops that you are interested in seeing or facilitating, please reach out to the R5 NPP leadership team!
FESTIVAL REGISTRATION
Be advised that you MUST register as an attendee for the Festival in order participate in any of the Playwriting events or any other portion of the festival. Register yourself or ensure that a faculty member is registering you as part of the group from your institution.
REGION 5 FESTIVAL MENTOR PROGRAM
We will once again offer the opportunity for a one-on-one mentorship session to every student playwright in the region who:
- Properly submits at least one play to Region 5.
- Registers for both the mentorship program (when submitting their play) and the regional festival at-large (see above).
- Attends the regional festival in January to meet with her/his mentor.
STUDENT DIRECTORS AND DRAMATURGS
We are excited to bring students together who will work during the festival week to develop a play. For the 10-Minute Play Festival - 6 ten-minute plays, 6 directors, 3 dramaturgs, 6 stage managers, actors and faculty mentors will collaborate for auditions, 4 hours of rehearsal, and a festival of concert readings.
DIRECTORS and ASSISTANT DIRECTORS - apply under Directing Initiatives
DRAMATURGS – apply for the Dramaturgy Fellowship (be sure to indicate your interest in serving as a 10-Minute Play Dramaturg)
FACULTY MENTORS: send an e-mail of your mentoring interest to [email protected].
DIRECTORS and ASSISTANT DIRECTORS - apply under Directing Initiatives
DRAMATURGS – apply for the Dramaturgy Fellowship (be sure to indicate your interest in serving as a 10-Minute Play Dramaturg)
FACULTY MENTORS: send an e-mail of your mentoring interest to [email protected].