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Screenplay Competitions

American Cinema Foundation
9911 W. Pico Blvd.
#510
Los Angeles  CA  90035		 They're looking for short theatrical productions or TV scripts that promote traditional social values and the positive impact they have on society.
 
ARTS & LETTERS PRIZES April 1 $15 $1000
Arts & Letters Journal of Contemporary Culture
Campus Box 89
GC&SU
Milledgeville  GA  31061		 Fiction, poetry, and drama (one-act play). Fiction and poetry winners will attend a weekend program in October, and the drama winner will attend a Spring festival that includes a production of the prize-winning play.
 
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts
800 Brickell Ave., Suite 500
Miami  FL  33131		 For high school seniors in dance, music, jazz, photography, theater, film & videos, visual art, voice, and writing. Applications available on website or by phone request. Individual awards range from $100-10,000 in an awards package totalling $900,000--$3 million in scholarship opportunities and the chance to be named Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
 
BAKER'S PLAYS HIGH SCHOOL PLAYWRITING CONTEST Jan. 31 None 1st $500 2nd $250 3rd $100
Baker's Plays
P.O. Box 699222
Quincy  MA  02269-9222		 Annual competition for unpublished theatrical presentations of any length by a high school student. Entries must be accompanied by a signed nomination by a sponsoring English or drama instructor.
 
BIENNIAL PROMISING PLAYWRIGHT AWARD Ongoing None $750
Colonial Players, Inc.
Box 2167
Annapolis  MD  21404		 Offered every 2 years for unpublished full-length plays and adaptations. Open to any aspiring playwright residing in any of the states descendant from the original 13 colonies (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia), West Virginia, or Washington, DC. Next contest runs September 1-December 31, 2004.
 
BIG BREAK INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITING COMPETITION March 15 $50 1st $10,000 2nd $3,000 3rd $1,000
Final Draft, Inc.
26707 W. Aguora Rd.
Suite 205
Calabasas  CA  91302		 Screenplays of any subject. Open to any writer.
 
BUNTVILLE CREW'S AWARD BLUE May 31 None Varies
Buntville Crew
118 N. Railroad Ave.
Buckley  IL  60918-0445		 Annual award for any unpublished play or script under 15 pages written by an Illinois high school student. Award may include production of play in Buckley or NYC.
 
CAA CAROL BOLT AWARD FOR DRAMA Dec. 15 $35 $1,000
Canadian Authors Association 
320 S. Shores Rd.
P.O. Box 419
Campbellford  ON  K0L 1L0
Canada		 Annual competition for the best English-language play written by a Canadian citizen. Submission must have been previously published or performed on stage to be eligible.
 
CHARLOTTE FESTIVAL/NEW PLAYS IN AMERICA Ongoing None Production
Charlotte Repertory Theatre
129 W. Trade St.
Suite 401
Charlotte  NC  28202-5307		 Up to four plays selected each year for production by the theatre. Small honorarium accompanies prize to offset expenses of the author to travel to the production.
 
Coe College
1220 First Ave. NE
Cedar Rapids  IA  52402-5092		 Competition for full-length non-musical stage production. No one-act plays. Winning entrant will spend one week at Coe College as a writer in residence.
 
DAYTON PLAYHOUSE FUTUREFEST Oct. 30 None $1,000
The Dayton Playhouse
1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave.
Dayton  OH  45414-5357		 Three different plays will be selection for production by the Dayton Playhouse. In addition to the prize, authors will be given travel and lodging expenses to attend the festival.
 
DUBUQUE FINE ARTS PLAYERS ANNUAL ONE-ACT PLAY CONTEST Jan. 31 $10 1st $600 2nd $300 3rd $200
Dubuque Fine Arts Players
1686 Lawndale
Dubuque  IA  52001		 Selects three plays a year. The first prize entry is produced on the stage in August.
 
ESSENTIAL THEATRE PLAYWRITING AWARD April 15 None $400
The Essential Theatre
P.O. Box 8172
Atlanta  GA  30306		 Open to Georgia writers only. Looking for full-length stage productions. Winning entry is produced by the Essential Theatre.
 
Pioneer Drama Service, Inc.
P.O. Box 4267
Englewood  CO  80155		 Award available for plays that have been produced, but not yet published. Prize acts as a non-returnable advance again royalties in a publishing contract.
 
The Firehouse Theatre Project
1609 W. Broad St.
Richmond  VA  23220		 Looking for full-length theatrical scripts. All submissions must be accompanied by a signed letter of recommendation from a literary director, manager or must be submitted by an agent.
 
FULL-LENGTH PLAY COMPETITION Dec. 31 None $500
West Coast Ensemble
P.O. Box 38728
Los Angeles  CA  90038		 Open to previously unpublished scriptwriters. Winning entry to be presented by the West Coast Ensemble.
 
New England Theatre Conference
PMB 502
198 Tremont St.
Boston  MA  02116		 Open to all writers in New England, or non-New England residents who are members of NETC. Annual award for a full length stage presentation.
 
The New England Theatre Conference, Inc.
PMB 502
198 Tremont St.
Boston  MA  02116-4750		 Open to all New England residents as well as any member of NETC regardless of residency. Judging is on full-length theatrical scripts targeted at a young audience.
 
W. KEITH HEDRICK PLAYWRITING CONTEST May 1 $5 $500
Hudson River Classics
P.O. Box 940
Hudson  NY  12534		 Open only to residents of the northeastern US. Competition for unpublished and unproduced plays between 60 and 90 minutes.
 
HUDSON RIVER CLASSICS ANNUAL CONTEST May 1 $5 $500
Hudson River Classics Inc.
P.O. Box 940
Hudson  NY  12534		 Annual award for a play written by a resident of the Northeastern US.
 
JEWEL BOX THEATRE PLAYWRIGHTING COMPETITION Jan. 15 None $500
Jewel Box Theatre
3700 N. Walker
Oklahoma City  OK  73118-7099		 Annual award for a full length script.
 
Arkansas Repertory Theatre
P.O. Box 110
Little Rock  AR  72203-0110		 Award offered every second year. All entries must be sponsored by a theatre professional or an agent. Entries must be unpublished and unproduced full-length comedy stage plays.