Seeking submissions for:
BEGINNINGS: A Short Play Showcase
July 26 & 27, 2024
About: Sock & Buskin Theatre Company is producing its inaugural short play showcase, which aims to bring together the Central PA theatre community, showcase the talents of aspiring and established Pennsylvania playwrights, offer development opportunities for local actors and directors, and entertain and inspire audiences through live theatre.
Theme: Beginnings
Submission Guidelines: Submission will be done online via our submission link.
- Currently accepting scripts from Pennsylvania playwrights* only. We will only review the first 100 scripts to be submitted.
- Only 1 submission per playwright.
- We will accept previously-produced works, but encourage submissions of new or minimally-produced works.
- Technical requirements:
- 10-15 minutes in length
- One scene, single-set preferred
- Maximum cast size of 4
- Must fit the festival theme, “Beginnings” (broadly defined)
- Minimal tech (lights up/down, few sound cues, simple props and set), small stage
- Preference given to those with no or limited use of adult themes and language
*This includes those who currently reside in PA, those born and/or grew up in PA, or have lived a significant portion of their life in PA.
Play Submission Process:
- Submissions open on February 19, 2024 and close on March 18, 2024, or when we reach 100 submissions, whichever comes first.
- Submit script without identifying information (name, address, email, phone); this information will be asked on the form. Please put the title of the script, and only the title of the script, in the file name. (Example: “This is the Title.pdf”)
- Please include character list in your script.
- No submission fees.
- Plays will be produced as submitted.
- We will select 8 plays to produce for the festival. A minimum of 3 slots will be reserved for central PA playwrights, defined as those residing in Centre County or surrounding counties (Clinton, Cameron, Clearfield, Cambria, Blair, Mifflin, Juniata, Snyder, Union, Lycoming.)
- Playwrights will be notified by April 15 if their play was selected.
Selected Playwrights will receive $25 total compensation and 2 tickets to the festival performance of their choice. Attendance at the festival is not required and no travel allowance is provided.
Judging criteria:
- Plot and characters
- Intriguing and original plot?
- Sufficient conflict?
- Interesting, compelling, and real characters?
- Main character(s) take a journey during the play?
- Characters are distinct?
- Writing
- Interesting style?
- Well-written, natural dialogue?
- Characters have unique voices?
- Theme
- Clear use of the theme?
- Original and interesting use of theme?
- Overall effect
- Enjoyable? Satisfying and memorable?
- Likely to be of interest to a general audience?
- Production requirements
- Able to be produced according to technical specifications?
- Appropriate for venue?
- Likely to be 10-15 minutes in length?