New Works Festival 2023: Call for Submissions

Submissions for the 2023 New Works Festival are now closed.

Gulfshore Playhouse, a LORT Theatre in Naples, Florida, announces a call for submissions beginning November 2, 2022 for their New Works Festival to take place in fall 2023. Gulfshore Playhouse will accept the first 100 scripts submitted beginning November 2 at 1:00PM EST. The New Works Festival will bring together playwrights and a team of professional actors and directors. The festival focuses on developing each selected play throughout the week and culminates in a staged reading for an audience. The New Works Festival winners are chosen by a corps of theatre professionals through an anonymous submission process.

Submission eligibility:

  1. The script has not had a full, professional production and does not have one scheduled prior to September 2023.
  2. The script is a full-length play. Musical submissions and short plays are not currently accepted.

Starting at 1:00PM EST on November 2, send two PDFs: 1) a cover page with name and contact information, and 2) the script with no identifying information (i.e. name removed) to submissions@gulfshoreplayhouse.org

Scripts not sent in the requested format will not be considered until they are re-submitted in the correct format. Scripts sent prior to 1:00PM on November 2, 2022 will not be accepted. Gulfshore Playhouse is committed to telling stories that reflect the diversity of the human experience; we strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups and diverse backgrounds to submit their work.

Finalists for the New Works Festival will be announced in the summer of 2023. Semifinalists will be contacted regarding their availability and willingness to participate in the festival which will factor into the selection of the winners. The winners will be announced shortly thereafter in the summer of 2023. Each winner will receive a $500 honorarium as well as airfare and lodging for the duration of the festival. 
If you have questions please contact Audrey Zielenbach (azielenbach@gulfshoreplayhouse.org).

2022 New Works Festival Winners

  • A Danger to Yourself and Others by Colette Mazunik
  • James of Nazareth by Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend
  • Compromised by Mike Bencivenga
  • The Refugees by Brent Askari
  • Remember by Jeffrey Binder


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