A Young Writers Original Dramatic Works Contest ~ For Ages 7-25
Monologues / Scenes / One-Acts
Lackland Theatre Company is thrilled to announce its first annual young writer’s contest – The Writer’s Nest Awards! Winners will be selected from several age groupings (see below) and performed at a dramatic staged reading in January, 2020. Please read through all of the requirements below to ensure that your submission receives consideration! Email us with any questions. Best of luck to each of you – break a pencil!
REQUIREMENTS
Length:
Monologues should be 2-5 minutes.
Scenes should be 5-15 minutes.
One-acts should be 15-45 minutes.
Each author may submit in any category, with a limit of 3 total pieces per author.
Completion: We cannot accept partial or unfinished drafts. Pieces may still be in development, but they must be audience-ready at time of submission.
Casting: Scripts must be able to be read by no more than 7 actors (doubling roles is acceptable, but should be noted in script), with less being preferred. Auditions for actors will be Saturday, December 14th (audition registration will be opening soon). Minimal rehearsals will take place between January 2nd – 23rd, 2020. Authors may audition as actors!
Genre: We are accepting all non-musical genres/styles.
Technical Limitation: Set/prop requirements must be non-existent or minimal.
Format: PDF file, with numbered pages. Professional formatting is strongly encouraged.
For formatting suggestions, please visit:
https://pwcenter.org/playwriting-toolkit/how-format-your-script
Anonymity: Author’s name must not appear on any pages of the actual script, so that it may be evaluated objectively.
Originality: All submissions must be completely original. They may have been previously submitted, previously performed, or have previously won other contests.
Location: Authors must be in the greater Nashville area (within drivable range of Nashville).
Submission Fee: $15 per author (you may submit more than one piece, without paying additional fees). This can be sent via PayPal or Venmo. You will receive a bill when we receive your submission.
How to Submit: Please send a PDF version of your piece, with numbered pages, to lacklandtheatre@gmail.com with email heading : WRITER’S NEST SUBMISSION. Script should have a cover page that includes the name of the piece, the age grouping of the author, but NOT the name of the author! Please attach a separate document that includes the title of the piece, a short synopsis of the piece, a short description of each character, the author’s name, a brief bio of the author, and any other pertinent information. Also complete the originality agreement to complete your submission. We will notify you of receipt of your submission.
Due Date: All submission are due by December 10th, 2019.
Selection: The selection process begins with an evaluation by our team of readers, who will independently score each piece according to their assessment of plot, character, dialogue, language, theatricality, and their own emotional response. Semi-finalists will be discussed by the team and winners will be selected from each of the following age groupings:
Finch Award : Ages 7-9
Wren Award: Ages 10-13
Sparrow Award : Ages 14-16
Bluebird Award: Ages 17-20
Cardinal Award : Ages 21-25
Winners will be announced in early January, 2020 on our website and by personal email.
Performances: The winning pieces will be minimally staged and rehearsed for a dramatic reading January 24th and 25th at the Church at Lockeland Springs in East Nashville.
Winners: Winning authors will be expected to provide a brief (150 word) biography, a high-resolution photo of themselves, and a brief synopsis of the piece, which will be used in marketing and promotion. By submitting your piece, you are giving Lackland Theatre Co. permission to use this information on social media, print, and website advertising.