The Pittsburgh New Works Festival (PNWF) is now accepting one-act plays that have never before been produced. Twelve one-act plays will be selected to be performed as Mainstage productions for the festival’s 29th season, which begins in September; an additional six will be selected for our LabWorks staged reading series, to be performed the last two Sundays of August.

Each of the 12 playwrights whose plays are selected for Mainstage production will receive a $50 honorarium.

The playwright who receives the most votes for Outstanding Contribution by a Playwright in the balloting for the Donna Awards will receive $500, to be awarded at the Gala in October.  All playwrights will receive brief comments from at least two readers.  For more information, please contact us at info@pittsburghnewworks.org or call 412-944-2NEW (2639)

Guidelines

• To be considered for inclusion in the festival, playwrights must submit ON OR BEFORE April 5, 2019.
• All submissions must be made through the online submission form. There is a $15 administrative fee. (why is there a fee?) that will be collected at the time of submission, payable online (all major credit cards accepted).
• All scripts must be uploaded in pdf format.
• Please be sure that your name does not appear anywhere on the submitted script. The judging is done anonymously.
• Plays previously submitted to the Festival may be resubmitted; plays reworked based on commentary received in previous years are particularly encouraged.
• Additional criteria for play submission include:
  • No less than 15 minutes long
  • No more than 45 minutes long
  • Limited number of scenes and simple scene changes
  • No more than eight actors
  • No musicals
  • Simple sets, costumes, and props
  • Plays may have been “read,” but never produced (workshops and readings are acceptable)
  • Playwrights are limited to one submission each year

Submit Your Play