Readers Theatre

One-Act Play Competition

TNP Readers Theatre “Evening of New Plays” contest is an annual event designed to give playwrights an opportunity to have their one-act plays presented to an audience in a staged reading.

ELIGIBILITY:

Entries must be one act, non-musical, and no longer than 30 minutes.
We suggest that the cast not exceed seven characters.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

• This is going to be read, and not a fully staged production.
• There should be very minimal blocking, minimal props requirements, and no costumes.
• If your play cannot be easily performed by seated readers, it will not be considered for performance.
• Writers may submit only one play.
• Each play must be the writer’s own original work, not an adaptation, and not commercially published or produced, though it may have been work-shopped or presented in staged readings in other locations than Southwest Florida.
• A submitted play also may have been entered in an earlier “Evening of New Plays” contest one time, so long as it was not an earlier Finalist.
• Submissions are accepted from March 17th, 2025 – June 30, 2025. The deadline for submissions is June 30, 2025.

JUDGING:

Entries may be funny, sad, scary or smart, be about character or ideas; certainly may shock, surprise or amaze, and may be in any genre. Strength of characterization, writing style, dialog, and plot are among judging criteria.

Authors retain all rights and give performance rights to The Naples Players for “An Evening of New Plays” and limited readings in other venues, including possible outreach and electronic media.  Finalists and other submitters will be notified by November 30, 2025.

PERFORMANCE & AWARDS:

Finalists will receive staged readings of their plays, presented in January, 2025.  A reception follows for all in attendance.  Finalists each may receive a $100 performance royalty and two complimentary tickets. The plays and playwrights will be publicized in The Naples Players’ web pages, social, community and national theatre media, event calendars, flyers, programs, TNP playbills and e-mail “blasts” to select lists.

HOW TO ENTER:

Plays can ONLY be submitted electronically.

Please click the link below to submit your script.

World Premiere Play Development

Once a year, The Naples Players produces a staged reading of a previously unpublished full-length play. The writer selected will work one-on-one with a TNP staff member to develop and hone the unpublished work for a stage reading at the end of the season. These plays have the potential to be featured as a fully developed show in the Tobye Studio Theatre in a following season with full creative support from the staff of The Naples Players.

Previously developed was the sell-out smash hit comedy June & Jason’s Survival Guide to Divorce written by Southwest Florida’s own Laura Larusso. In a 14-month process, we worked closely with Laura to make the sitcom-style play ready to be produced in the 2018-2019 season. Through numerous revisions, cuts, late nights, two staged readings, and five weeks of rehearsal June & Jason’s opened to a resounding positive response from Naples audiences.

For information about any previously developed work or to submit a full-length play, contact James Duggan, Artistic Associate, at [email protected].