Call for Submissions
Soapbox Stageworks' 4th Annual Playfest 26: A Celebration of the Ten-Minute Play
Soapbox Stageworks is seeking submissions for our 4th Annual Playfest, a festival dedicated to bold storytelling, fresh voices, and the art of the ten-minute play. We are looking for playwrights who can surprise us, challenge us, move us, and make us laugh. We want work that takes risks and leaves an audience talking long after the lights come up.
What We're Looking For
We are particularly interested in:
• Smart, original comedies
• Thought-provoking dramas
• Innovative storytelling
• Unique characters and compelling situations
• Plays that make audiences laugh, reflect, question, or see the world in a new way
We welcome creative theatrical devices including:
• Movement-based storytelling
• Mime and physical theatre
• Non-traditional staging
• Inventive theatricality that helps bring a story to life
If your play pushes beyond the expected and embraces the possibilities of live theatre, we want to read it.
What We're Not Looking For
While all submissions will be considered, we are generally not seeking:
- Musicals
- Predictable or formulaic stories
- Overused clichés and stock characters. We are looking for playwrights who bring something fresh, imaginative, and authentic to the page.
Submission Requirements
- Original plays only
- Scripts must be 10 pages
- Plays must be suitable for live stage performance
- All genres welcome except musicals
- Multiple submissions permitted; each play must be submitted separately
Submission Fee
$15 per 1-2 plays. A limited number of fee waivers are available for playwrights experiencing financial hardship. We never want financial circumstances to prevent a playwright from sharing their work. To request a fee waiver, please email us before submitting.
How to Submit
Email your play as a PDF attachment to: [email protected]
Please include:
• Play Title
• Playwright Name
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Brief Playwright Bio (100 words or less)
Important Dates
Submission Deadline: September 1, 2026
Notification of Acceptance: October 1, 2026
Festival Performances: November 5–7, 2026
About Soapbox Stageworks
Soapbox Stageworks is a women-led nonprofit theatre company dedicated to developing and producing new works that inspire, connect, and strengthen communities. We champion both emerging and established playwrights and believe theatre is at its best when it sparks conversation, builds empathy, and celebrates the richness of human experience.
Tell us a story we haven't heard before. Make us laugh. Make us think. Surprise us.
We can't wait to read your play.