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PlayFest 2025

New Play Submissions

PlayFest 2025 will present readings of five to six new plays during the 2025-26 Orlando Shakes season. Each reading will receive about 20 hours of rehearsal time with professional actors and directors with a public reading—all with the playwright in attendance.

Solicited Full-Length scripts from PlayFest Alumni and agents

Between Monday, September 9, and Friday, September 20, 2024, we will accept plays submitted by agents and PlayFest alumni.

All full-length submissions should be submitted through the google form HERE

Any inquiries related to this submission can be directed to: submissions@orlandoshakes.org

**Any play submitted without a corresponding form will not be considered for PlayFest 2025.**

If you have worked at Orlando Shakes but are not certain if you qualify as an “alum,” please write to submissions@orlandoshakes.org and describe your connection with Orlando Shakes and why you think your new play should be a contender for PlayFest 2025. Only one submission per playwright is allowed each year.

Submission Form

Unsolicited Full-length Script Submissions

UNSOLICITED SCRIPT SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Thank you to anyone who submitted a script for Playfest 2025.

  • Submit an active account with newplayexchange.org OR a Playwright Website
  • Make sure that the play you wish to submit is listed on your New Play Exchange page or website.
  • Before September 6, 2024, at midnight EST, send an email to submissions@orlandoshakes.org introducing yourself and describing the play you wish us to consider for PlayFest 2025.
  • Fill out the PlayFest 2025 Unsolicited Script Submission Form.
  • Please read our guidelines for the type of plays we are looking for and choose one of your plays to bring to our attention.
  • Our goal is to select 15–20 semi-finalists by February 2025, and the PlayFest 2025 Finalist scripts by May 15, 2025.

Complete the PlayFest 2025 Unsolicited Script Submission Form here:

The deadline for unsolicited submissions is Friday, September 6, 2024, by 11:59 PM EST. Please send to submissions@orlandoshakes.org.

What Types of Plays Are We Looking For?

PlayFest plays will be selected from solicited and unsolicited scripts. If you are interested in submitting a play, please read the following guidelines carefully.

Our first and foremost goal is to tell entertaining and intriguing stories that speak to our diverse community in Central Florida.

  • Seeking scripts with cast sizes between 1-6 actors that can be performed in our 125-seat Goldman Theater. (Plays are allowed to have more than 6 characters, but must be played by no more than 6 actors. Any play that exceeds this required number will not be considered for PlayFest 2025.)
  • We seek plays of various genres that showcase multicultural stories and explore a rich landscape of characters, viewpoints, and intersectional perspectives.
  • We are interested in scripts that speak to the issues that our audiences are experiencing right now. Past PlayFest plays have dealt with issues of racism, autism, gender, Alzheimer’s, immigration, etc., sometimes set in contemporary times and sometimes set in a historical context. We also consider plays that are adaptations of classical literature (particularly if they speak to issues of today).
  • Our Shakespeare and classical productions deal with “timeless issues” and we like for our new plays to deal with modern “issues of our times.”
  • Local, national, and international playwrights are encouraged to submit.
  • Playfest does not develop musicals. Plays with music are acceptable.

“NEW PLAY” ELIGIBILITY

For a script to be eligible for inclusion in PlayFest 2025, a play does NOT have to be a world premiere, but it must be a “new” play. For our purposes, that means:

  1. The play CANNOT have had more than two previous professional (AEA) productions before PlayFest 2025.
  2. The play CANNOT have been published.
  3. The play CANNOT have had an AEA production in New York City or Orlando.
  4. Most importantly, the author must still be developing and working on the script. They must be available to join us for PlayFest work on their script.

Please submit all plays by September 20, 2025. For any questions or concerns, please send an email to the attention of Roberta Emerson, Director of New Play Development and Nick Bublitz, Associate Artistic Director.