Playwriting & National Playwriting Program

Region VII of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival is pleased and excited to sponsor the many playwriting opportunities for all of you in our region.   

If you plan to submit either a 10-minute play, a one-act play, or a full-length play please read these pages carefully as some of the submission procedures are new. For example all play scripts must now be submitted in electronic form as PDF or Word docs – and a Cover Sheet must also be submitted.

Each year Region VII invites a number of 10-minute and one act plays (usually six in each category) to be performed at its regional festival.  For 10-minute plays, now staged as concert readings, writers work closely with a guest faculty director of their play.  One act plays may be readings or can be more fully staged with simple or minimal theatre resources. Two winning 10-minute plays and two winning one-act plays are then selected as National Semi-finalist plays to be considered for an invitation to the national festival in Washington, D.C. in the Spring. For details click on “Submission Guidelines”.

One of the goals of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is to encourage colleges and universities to give distinguished productions of new plays, especially those written by students; the classics, revitalized or newly conceived; and experimental works.

If you can’t find the answer to your question, please do not hesitate to contact your NPP Chair or NPP Vice Chair. They are here to help you and to guide you in this process.

Award Updates

Michael Kanin Playwriting Awards:

Region VII is also pleased to offer a diverse number of playwriting awards for one-act and full-length plays based on a variety of themes. Information on these awards can be found under “Michael Kanin Playwriting Awards”.

Ken Ludwig Playwriting Scholarship Award:

This new award celebrates a playwright and his/her body of work. For details click on "Ken Ludwig Award”.

Faculty Director Opportunities 10 minute plays

If you are interested in directing one of the NPP Ten Minute Play Readings, please contact Joseph Gilg. We use a mix of directors from previous years and directors new to the festival, so please, let the NPP chair know if you are interested! However, we do ask that you have an interest and enthusiasm for the development of new plays and for nurturing new writers.

For examples of student plays that have succeeded in KCACTF, see The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Presents: Award-Winning Plays from the Michael Kanin National Playwriting Program, Gary Garrison, ed. New York: Back Stage Books, 2006. ISBN: 082308390X. Find it at your library, or purchase a copy online.

Regional Playwriting Activities

Northwest Drama Conference/Northwest Playwrights Alliance
New play competition
            Got to the Northwest Drama Conference  website for details.