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2012 One-Act Play Contest

  • Our Annual One-Act Play Contest accepts submissions by mail and online from June 1st through November 1st each year.

    Grand Prize:

    1. $1,500
    2. Staged reading at the next Festival
    3. Full production at the Festival the following year
    4. VIP All-Access Festival pass for two years ($1,000 value)
    5. Publication in Bayou


    Top Ten Finalists

    1. Names will appear on website. Finalists will also receive a panel pass ($75 value) to attend the next Festival.


    Eligibility:

    1. Plays must not have been previously produced, published, or performed, including in a formal staged reading.
    2. “Workshopped” readings are accepted provided that the audience was limited to participants of that workshop.
    3. Students and faculty of the University of New Orleans FTCA and Creative Writing Workshop are ineligible.
    4. Plays that won this contest in previous years are ineligible; their authors remain eligible but must submit new work.
    5. Plays submitted to this contest in previous years that did not win are eligible.
    6. Plays that have won or placed in any other playwriting contest are ineligible.
    7. Plays from United States and international playwrights are accepted.
    8. Simultaneous submissions accepted; please notify the Festival if your play is accepted elsewhere.


    Deadline:

    1. The deadline for digital and mailed-in submissions is November 1 (postmark).
    2. Winner will be announced by March 1.


    Entry Fee:

    1. $25 per entry. Unlimited entries per person.
    2. Submission fees are non-refundable.


    To enter online:     Electronic submissions are preferred and must be in .doc, .rtf, or PDF formats. If you are using the latest version of Microsoft Word, please save your submission as .doc and not a .docx file before sending it to us. We accept entry fees via Discover, MasterCard, and Visa only.

    To enter by mail: Send your manuscript and check or money order for $25 (made out to the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival) to:
    One-Act Play Contest
    Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
    938 Lafayette Street, Suite 514
    New Orleans, LA 70113

    Do not send submissions by certified mail or signature required delivery.

  • Guidelines:
    1. The playwright’s name should not appear anywhere in the script.
    2. Include two title pages: one with play title only and the other with play title and name, address, phone, and email of author.
    3. On the submission form (for online entries), you will be asked to provide the name of the file containing your One-Act Play contest submission (e.g. “JohnDoe-OneActPlaySubmission1.doc”). There will be an upload button to select and upload your submission.To clarify: On the submission form, you will upload a single document. The first page of your document is your cover page and contains only a) the name of your play, and b) your name, address, phone, and email. The second page of your document should be a title page containing only the title of your play. Your play script should begin on the third page of that same document.The document should contain no identifying information about the author on any page except the initial cover page, which will be removed before the entries are judged.
    4. Plays should run no more than one hour in length.
    5. Plays must be typed.
    6. Please do not include professional resumes or biographies with your entry. Entries are judged anonymously; the judges only consider manuscript quality.
    7. Unlimited entries per person.
    8. Production criteria include scripts requiring minimal technical support for a 100-seat theater. Cast of characters must be small, and it is suggested that characters range in age from approximately 20 through 40 years old.
    9. Play content is NOT limited to Tennessee Williams or New Orleans-related themes.
    10. Manuscripts will not be returned. Please do not send return envelopes with postage.

  • One-Act Contest FAQ:General

    Can I enter if I do not live in the U.S.?
    Yes, you can enter all our contests regardless of your place of residence or nationality.
    Does my entry have to have Tennessee Williams or New Orleans-related content to be considered?
    Not at all. To be honest, we’ve read our share of submissions which aim to be prequels or sequels to Williams’ plays. Some even bring together characters from different plays (Blanche and Big Daddy, for example). We’re not discounting the possibility that someone out there might have an innovative reworking of our patron’s works to offer but we do feel Williams’ rendered his characters and stories best. We want to hear about your original characters, stories and settings.As for New Orleans-themed stories, generally we love ‘em, especially if your narrative offers an unexpected view of Crescent City life and times. Most of all, we’re looking for stories with solid narrative substance, energetic prose, engaging characters, and a memorable sense of place — no matter if it’s set on the streetcars of New Orleans or the sidewalks of Sydney, Australia.

    May I submit a collaborative piece (i.e. one with two authors)?
    Yes. Our prizes remain the same.
    Can I submit a play has was originally written in another language?
    Yes, but only if it has not been previously performed in any language. Obviously, we would only accept an English translation of the play.
    Can I enter more than one contest (i.e. I have a couple of plays and short stories)?
    Yes, you may enter any of our writing contests with as many submissions as you wish. Each entry will incur a fee and will be treated separately and anonymously as with all our contest entries.


    Eligibility

    Can I submit a play that has been:

    1. Produced?
    2. Had a staged reading?

    No and no. Our contest is all about discovering new talent. If you’ve managed to get someone to take a chance on your work, congratulations! But our contest is for those who haven’t had a chance to realize their work on stage yet.

    What is your definition of a staged reading?
    For our purposes, a staged reading is a reading where members of the public are invited or purchase tickets to watch a reading performance of the play. We do not accept plays that have had staged readings. We do accept workshopped readings, where only members of the workshop are part of the audience.
    I just noticed a few copy errors in my submission. Can you please, pretty please, substitute my play with another version?
    No and again, please don’t ask. Please understand that we’re a small office and can’t accommodate such requests. Make sure your story is as ready as it can be before submitting.
    I just did a page count and my play is 100 pages long. Will you still accept it?
    Our guidelines mean that we will disqualify plays that are over an hour long. To us, 100 pages suggests that it’s well over an hour.
    Is there an age limit for entrants?
    No, we welcome submissions from authors of all ages.


    Submission Issues

    How do I submit the title cover page on your online system? Should I submit a separate document?
    No, you do not need to submit a separate document. The title cover page is the first page of the document of your collection. So your submission will look like this:
    Page 1: all your contact details, story title, and word count
    Page 2: Begin your collection.Your name and contact information should not appear anywhere on the collection except for the first cover/title page.
    Can I submit my play in a screenwriting format (such as Final Draft)?
    Yes, you may but please send us the final play in a PDF or DOC formats.
    I just paid my contest entry fee online but it appears that my play did not upload. Help!
    Not to worry, just email us your play as a DOC or PDF attachment to contests@tennesseewilliams.net. Please include the receipt number and your last name in the subject line of the email.
    Your system is rejecting my credit card. I know it’s good for $25. What’s going on?
    Is it an Amex card? We don’t accept those. If it’s a Mastercard, Visa, and Discover, please try again. If it still does not work, please mail your submission in with a check for your entry fee.
    I just missed your deadline by a day. Can I still submit?
    No. Get your plays in on time next year!
  • Winners:

    We’re intensely proud of our contest winners and their achievements. If you’re a past winner and have publications, productions, awards, and other good news to report, please let us know: contests@tennesseewilliams.net

    2012: Jessica Alexander, “Jumpers”

    2011: Justin Kuritzkes, “An Autobiography about My Brother”

    2010: Josh Billig, “Outside Sitka”

    2009: Evan Guilford-Blake, “Tio’s Blues”

    2008: George Pate, “Indifferent Blue”

    2007: B.T. Ryback, “Weird”

    2006: Cary Pepper, “Small Things”

    2005: Jamie Alliotts, “A Waltz Between”

    2004: Kris Lee (Thomas Kristopher), “Loose Hog in the House of God”

    2003: Peter Morris, “World’s Longest Kiss”

    2002: Anne Bertram, “Liability”

    2001: Philip Field, “Fertilizer”

    2000: Matthew Wells, “Oscar and Adonis”

    1996: Patsy Voight, “All Their Songs Were Sad”

    1992: Evan Guilford-Blake, “The Night Cafe”

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