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2008 GUIDELINES
PLAYS FOR THE
21ST CENTURY
Plays For The 21ST
Century is an ongoing international play competition sponsored by
Playwrights Theater, Inc. We are incorporated in the State of Texas and have been recognized
by the IRS as a 501 (c) (3) organization. Finalists will be selected and
may receive a full production, funding permitting. Judges reserve the right
to make neither award nor production if, in their opinion, no plays so
merit. There are no restrictions on theme, style or genre. Plays are
accepted from all countries. Please read the guidelines below and follow
the instructions to prevent disqualification of your application.
1. Plays must be
either FULL LENGTH or ONE ACT and in English.
2. FULL LENGTH
plays may be one act long with a common theme or continuing characters
which, collectively, constitute an evening (approximately 90 minutes) are
acceptable. One character plays also are acceptable if they meet the
minimum playing time.
3. ONE ACT PLAYS must
have a running time from 35 to 40 minutes. The running time is the only
limitation. The format is purposefully vague to allow for creativity. You are free to combine a set of short vignettes. These segments do not have to be related in subject nor is it necessary that the segments use the same characters. When calculating the number of actors, use the figure needed to perform the vignette with the largest cast. We
created this new category to accommodate those writers whose works were not
long enough to qualify as FULL LENGTH plays.
3. Play must be
original. No adaptations. No children or youth plays. No musicals. No
exceptions. Play must not have been professionally produced or
published at time of submission. It may have had developmental readings,
workshops or a non-professional production.
4. Plays must be
submitted electronically via email to either 2.act.play@sbcglobal.net for
FULL LENGTH plays or 1.act.play@sbcglobal.net for ONE ACT plays.
5. Each email
submission must include:
-A play in standard
playwright format saved as a Word document [.doc] or RICH TEXT [.rtf] or
HTML [.html] or HTM [.htm] file. No Other Format Is Acceptable!
-Indicate whether the play is Full Length or One Act.
-Indicate whether the play is a Drama, Melodrama, Comedy, or Mystery.
-Indicate the Minimum number of actors needed to produce the play. Use the
following breaks: (1-4), (5-7), (8-10) or (More).
-A brief synopsis in the body of the email
-Play is an attachment to the email
-Playwrights' name, address and phone number in the body of the email
-Submissions lacking ANY of these requirements will be rejected. Due to the
large number of anticipated submissions, we may not be able to contact you
to explain the rejection so please be sure you have provided all of the
necessary information!
6. Playwright
login: Once we receive a completed email submission, we will create a
user ID and login password for the submitting author. This login
information will be sent to the email address from which the play was
submitted. Note: Even though a playwright login account has been
created, a play will NOT be reviewed until an application fee has been
processed.
7. No graphics,
borders or other visual enhancements, please. Plays are evaluated
solely on literary merit and anything other than text detracts from its overall
value in our contest.
8. An application
fee of $20.00/US must arrive at our physical address no later than June 15, 2008. Checks or money orders must
be made payable to "Playwrights Theater, Inc." DO NOT SEND CASH.
DO NOT SEND THE LETTER BY CERTIFIED MAIL. Plays without an application
fee will be disqualified. Returned checks will disqualify a play.
9. Mail your
application fee to Playwrights Theater Inc., Plays for the 21st
Century, PO Box 395 Four Oaks, North
Carolina 27524. Include the name of the play,
the author's name, physical address, phone number and email address with
the application fee.
10. Playwrights
may submit more than one play. A separate email application and
$20.00/US fee must accompany each submission.
11. Contest
winners will be posted on the web site;
http://www.playwrightstheater.org. Reader critiques/comments will be
available to the submitting author on the web site.
12. Two or more
authors may submit a play. In such a case please indicate one person as
the primary contact for administrative purposes.
13. Copyright
license always remains with the author[s], however submitted scripts
will not be returned. Always retain your own original copy.
14. Collaborating with theatrical groups.
The Playwrights Theater Board of Directors will work with established
theater companies to promote all
works submitted to our competition, not just our winners. If a theater
group demonstrates an interest in a play in our database, the author will
be informed and the two parties will be free to arrive at an agreement.
Without exception, ALL submissions will be included in the database
automatically.
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