New Play Development Guidelines


The Theatre program at LIU Post is committed to the creation of new works for theatre.  Along with presenting revivals of classical and contemporary plays and musicals, the department presents a New Play Festival, which allows undergraduate actors to work on new plays from professional writers, and a New Play Development Workshop with our MFA students, who get to work with new plays every summer.

Professional playwrights who wish to participate in these events are welcome to submit unproduced new plays and musicals for consideration following the guidelines below.  A stipend will be paid for participation.  While we cannot usually provide accommodation for playwrights, we are most interested in writers who can actively participate in the development process in person on our campus.  This might mean coming to rehearsal once a week, or participating online, or some other active involvement with their play’s development.

Plays developed with the undergraduates in the New Play Festival will have a professional director. Playwrights do not have to be physically present or directly involved if they choose not to be, though we welcome their participation. Undergraduate actors will be cast to work in the New Play Festival.

Plays developed during the summer New Play Development Workshop with our graduate students will have a MFA student director.  Playwrights must be physically present and directly involved, as part of what we’re teaching is how to work with a playwright in the room. MFA in Acting students will be cast in the summer New Play Festival Workshop. 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

  1. Plays/Musicals must be original and unproduced full-length plays and musicals.  No adaptations, translations, ten-minute/short one-act plays, or childen’s plays/musicals accepted.
  2. While there is no restriction on genre or style, plays with large casts (6 or more characters) are especially welcome. 
  3. Plays must be submitted in proper format (such as Dramatist Guild Modern or Traditional format; Samuel French format, etc.)
  4. Plays written by members of The Dramatist Guild will receive preference.
  5. Plays must be submitted as a PDF.  Musical scores should be submitted electronically.  Please do not send hard copies of scripts.
  6. Only one play per playwright accepted.
  7. Plays should be emailed to: post-theatre@liu.edu.
  8. - Include a resume ( in a PDF);

    - Include a synopsis (in a PDF);

    - For the Development Workshop, indicate availability to be present during the rehearsal period.

  9. Deadlines:
    - for the New Play Festival: June 1
    - for the New Play Development Workshop:  March 1
  10. Questions should be sent to: post-theatre@liu.edu.  Please do not call.