New Play Festival Form

2026–2027 NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT SERIES

WHO WE ARE

For over 37 seasons, Tennessee Stage Company has supported playwrights through hundreds of script readings, workshops, and 41 world premiere productions. This season continues TSC’s ongoing commitment to playwrights from East Tennessee, offering a robust development process for four new plays that culminates in a two-week rehearsal intensive and public readings at the TSC New Play Festival in January 2027. Submissions open January 18, 2026 and close June 30, 2026.

Questions? Contact David Ratliff: david@tennesseestage.com

SUBMISSION CRITERIA:

• The submission must be an original, unpublished full-length play or a play in progress that is at least 50% complete. Previous staged readings and workshops are permissible.

• Works that have previously been produced or published are ineligible. Additionally, plays slated for professional production upon submission will not be considered. While simultaneous submissions are allowed, please inform TSC promptly if your play is chosen elsewhere for development or production.

• The submission should be a play you are interested in actively advancing in a developmental environment.

• The submission must include a title page containing the play’s title, playwright’s details including name, address, phone number, and email address, along with a character list and scene breakdown, if applicable.

• Manuscripts must be legible, typed in a minimum of 12-point font, and paginated.

• The submission must be intended for an English-speaking audience and written primarily in the English Language.

• The submission must be able to be performed by six or fewer cast members. Doubling /multiple character tracks are welcome.

• Playwrights may submit multiple works, but once submitted, no revisions will be accepted before the selection announcement. Revised plays previously submitted to TSC are welcome for resubmission.

• Critiques will not be provided for all submitted scripts. Email notification will be sent to eight selected playwrights whose plays are chosen as finalists. Interviews will be set up with all eight finalists in order to determine which four will be selected for the development series. The four selected playwrights and the four finalists will be announced publicly on our website and social media platforms by August 15, 2026.

• In order to be considered, the script must be submitted no earlier than January 18, 2026 and no later than June 30, 2026.

• Playwrights must currently reside in or have a residence in one of the 33 East Tennessee counties.