SUBMIT A PLAY
Submit your play for consideration to be part of the Playwriting Competition
Submissions for the 2023/24 playwriting competition will open October 9, 2023.
For questions please contact education@dcpa.org.
Submissions must be:
High School:
- An original, unpublished one-act play
- Previously unproduced
- Limited to no more than 35 pages
- Limited to no more than 8 characters
- Typed in standard play-style format (12pt. Times New Roman font with numbered pages)
- Submitted online or postmarked no later than Saturday, December 7, 2024 at midnight
- Excellent opportunity to write a play from your experience and one that honors your story
Middle School:
Submission of a ten-minute play. This ten-minute play must:
- Involve no more than four characters
- Have a unit set – one location
- Be no more than 10 pages and no less than 6 pages
- Address personal or social issues that is Classroom appropriate in theme and language
- Excellent opportunity to write a play from your experience and one that honors your story
- Submitted online or postmarked no later than Saturday, December 7, 2024 at midnight
Submissions must not:
- Be a translation or excerpt
- Have the playwright’s name anywhere on the manuscript
Submissions are read blindly. Students submitting online enter their contact information separately from their manuscript. If submitting by mail, please include all of your contact information on a separate sheet of paper.
Playwrights must:
- Be currently enrolled in a Colorado middle or high school or home school
- Limit submissions to one entry per year
Playwriting Competition FAQs
How should I format my play?
Standard Play Format is the universally accepted way to format an unpublished play. Here are the basics:
- Use 12 point Times New Roman as your font.
- Dialogue should begin 1.5 inches from the left side of the page and be single spaced.
- Character names should be in all caps, centered on the page.
- Stage directions should be indented five spaces and enclosed in parentheses. Hit return for a blank line before and after them. If a character name appears in the stage directions, make it all caps.
What is the difference between a screenplay and a play?
A screenplay is a script written exclusively for television or film. It is written with the camera in mind. A one-act play is for the stage and is written for a live audience. A successful play focuses on dialogue and discovery through dialogue. A screenplay focuses on visual story telling through action and multiple locations. This is successful in films because of the role of editing.
Can I submit an adaptation?
We are looking for original work. However, if you are inspired by a well-known story but are creating your own original interpretation, we’ll consider it. For example, West Side Story is inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet but is an original work.
What kind of subject material are you looking for?
You have stories to tell. Trust your own experience and know that it has value. We don’t need you to re-write Hunger Games for the stage. We want original work with your authentic voice. We will not dictate subject matter; however, gratuitous violence, adult language or adult themes do not necessarily make a great play.
How many pages can I write?
High School: The maximum is 35 pages. Middle School: The maximum is 10 pages and the minimum is 6 pages. Please use the Standard Play Format for your script so that your page numbers are accurate.
Should I write my name on my manuscript?
No. Manuscripts are read blindly. If you submit online you can fill out contact information separately on your profile. Your uploaded document should be free of any identifying information. If you choose to mail-in or hand deliver your manuscript, please include your contact information, including your high school and parent/guardian name and phone number on a separate piece of paper.
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