As part of the Seventh Annual Northern Writes New Play Festival to be held April 19-21 2013 in Bangor, Maine, The Penobscot Theatre Company announces its inaugural new play contest. There is a prize for both a full-length play and a play that is one-act or shorter in length.
Five full-length and three shorter plays will be chosen to receive multiple readings during the festival, and all plays will receive at least one performance at the Historic Bangor Opera House. At the conclusion of the festival the judges will award a first prize of at least $500.00 to the top full-length play and at least $200.00 for the top shorter play. Depending on the number of entries, the prize may be increased.
There is a fifteen-dollar entry fee for full-length plays and ten-dollar fee for shorter works. Playwrights may enter as many plays in either of the contests as they wish, but the proper entry fee must accompany each entry. Checks are to be made payable to Penobscot Theatre Company.
Submissions are by hard copy only and must be in a standard play format. We do not accept emailed scripts. Please include title page with contact information, and include title and author’s name on every page of the script. Plays may have received a staged reading, but may not have had a full performance. Winners and finalists will be posted on our website.
The postmark deadline for submissions is December 15, 2012. Please do not send scripts by any mail or delivery service that requires a signature. Scripts not chosen will be recycled.
Mail script(s), entry fee, cover letter, and short bio to:
2013 Northern Writes Contest
Penobscot Theatre Company
115 Main Street 4th Floor
Bangor, Maine 04401
Writing Suggestions for Maine Playwrights Only:
The Penobscot Theatre Company’s Northern Writes New Works Project is soliciting high quality full-length plays by Maine playwrights that engage the history of Bangor and the surrounding area. It is our intention to discover works that the author is willing to develop with our staff with an eye toward a full production, world premier at the historic Bangor Opera House as part of a future season’s line-up. Submissions are accepted year round on a rolling basis, but response times may vary depending on the company’s current schedule. There is no reading fee. Enclose an SASE for notification only-scripts will be recycled.
Persons, or topics might include: Andrew and/or Louis Sockalexis, Hannibal Hamlin, Joshua L. Chamberlain, Underground Railroad, Paul Bunyan, Bangor’s ice industry, lumbering history and famed red light district, early Jewish communities, the Missouri Compromise, The Aroostock War-the list could go on and on and we encourage you to be creative.
We consider Maine playwrights to be those individuals who live here at least seven months of the year, or can show strong, long-term ties to our area. If unsure, query first by contacting Bruce@penobscottheatre.org
Please send scripts to:
Northern Writes Maine Plays
Penobscot Theatre Company
115 Main Street 4th Floor
Bangor, Maine 04401
