Modern Works Festival
Presented by Summer Wallace
April 13-18, 2021
Our third annual playwriting contest, (virtual) reading festival and celebration of women in theatre.
Submit your play today.
Questions? Email
.jpg)
Apply now to the 2021
OFFICIAL RULES AND GUIDELINES
The deadline has now passed and we are no longer accepting submissions.
See you next year!
Festival Performance Dates:
April 13-18, 2021
All performances, rehearsals, talkbacks and discussions will be held virtually
Rehearsals/Recording Period: March 30 - April 6, 2021
Playwright Eligibility:
Seeking work from emerging and established female-identifying playwrights. Playwrights must be available to attend all festival rehearsals and talkbacks virtually: Rehearsals will take place via zoom March 30 - April 6. Performance talkbacks will take place April 13-18, 2021.
No Entry Fee
Festival Awards for Three Finalists:
Festival Grand Prize Winner: $3000
Second and Third place Finalists: $500 each
Submission Rules and Requirements:
Interested playwrights are encouraged to read Urbanite’s mission statement and familiarize themselves with our production history.
Urbanite Theatre will only consider submissions that meet the following criteria:
-
Submissions must be from female-identifying playwrights.
-
Playwrights must reside in the United States.
-
Plays must be unproduced and unpublished with limited development.
-
No musicals or translations.
-
Full-length plays only (at least 60 minutes)
-
Plays must require five performers or fewer.
-
Quality, female-identifying roles must be well-represented.
-
Plays must include a contact page and character breakdown.
-
One submission per playwright, per festival.
-
Any plays that do not follow these requirements will be dismissed.
-
Playwrights must be available to attend festival virtually, including rehearsals (Rehearsals: March 30 - April 6)
Festival Rules and Guidelines:
-
Three finalists will be chosen to participate in the Modern Works Festival.
-
Finalists will be selected by panel of readers and notified by Urbanite Theatre on February 15, 2021.
-
The volume of submissions will prevent us from providing individual feedback.
-
All participants (including actors, directors, stage managers and designers) will be compensated
-
Only finalist playwrights will be contacted.
-
Plays that have been previously submitted to Urbanite Theatre or the Modern Works Festival are not eligible to be submitted again.
-
Each finalist will receive the following: a paid, professional director and cast, a table read, 12 rehearsal hours, a recorded staged reading with a total of three performances, and facilitated post-show talkbacks.
-
Each finalist play will be assigned a play development mentor to work with before, and during the festival.
-
Playwrights are required to participate in the rehearsal process and attend the readings and talkbacks for their play (all virtual).
-
Winner of festival will receive a $3000 prize
-
The two remaining finalists will each receive an award of $500
-
No other royalties or payments will be issued.
-
Submissions will be capped after the first 300 eligible scripts are received.
-
Winner will be chosen by a group of panelists in conjunction with an audience vote and will be announced February 19, 2021.
Deadline to Submit: January 4, 2021
Questions? Email modernworks@urbanitetheatre.com.
Festival History
2019 Winner: Sam Collier, Daisy Violet The Bitch Beast King
2019 Finalists: Carey Crim, The Last Broadcast. Marjorie Muller, Regular.
2019 Guest Playwright: Lauren Yee
Festival History
2018 Winner: Mercedes White, The Space In Between
2018 Finalists: Gina Femia, The Violet Sisters. Jayne Hannah, Stalking.
2018 Guest Playwright: Martyna Majok
