How To Submit
GUIDELINES FOR PLAYWRIGHTS
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED UNTIL MAY 15, 2025.
Theater 23 accepts full-length, unproduced plays. Priority is given to Tennessee Playwrights. Playwrights outside of Tennessee may be considered by querying tom@theater23.org.
· Must be previously unproduced. Staged readings are not considered produced.
· 80-135 minutes in length.
· Electronic submissions only (PDF, Word, or Word Perfect).
· Cast size preferred is 2-6; do not exceed 9.
· Simple sets. Being itinerant, we won’t be breaking our backs hauling flats and large set pieces from one venue to another.
· Comedies, satires, dramas, one-act collections, and one-man/woman plays. No musicals.
· Seeking plays that question Answers and revel in Questions.
Such as: John Pielmeier's suspenseful Agnes of God, Yasmina Reza's satirical 'Art', David Mamet's dramatic Oleanna, Joe Penhall's ferocious comedy Blue/Orange, Jeffrey Hatcher's comedy/drama monologues Three Viewings, and Cormac McCarthy's deific drama The Sunset Limited.
· T23 fills a niche between traditional mainstream and contemporary social justice theater. In other words, if your play is about elevating a group, we likely won’t consider the play for production. If the play tells a good story about individuals confronting the mysteries of life or rescuing themselves from doubt, failure or evil, we want to read it.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PLAY
DO NOT SEND YOUR FULL SCRIPT (until REQUESTED).
SEND:
1. Cover Letter with bio and writing history, if any.
2. Synopsis; and
3. The first 10-15 pages of your script.
WHAT THEN?
Tom will get back to you as soon as he has read and considered the sample of your play. If you don’t hear from him within 90 days, the play was not right for us. Or he got busy. So it’s okay to send a quick note to tom@theater23.org and ask if it’s been read.