Playwriting Submission Guidelines

1. The MTA Playwriting Competition is open to all Mississippi writers, in-state or abroad.
2. This is a one-act playwriting competition, with no particular theme for content. Plays should run no more than one-hour in length, which is roughly forty (40) pages. We do not accept musicals, full-lengths, adaptations, screenplays, etc.
3. Plays should not have been previously produced or published. Workshop productions are permissible.
4. Scripts should have no more than 6 characters
5. Scripts should use the traditional, standard format of Times New Roman or Courier font, 12-point font size, for easier readability. We reserve the right not to review scripts that do not abide by this format, and may refund your submission fee if this requirement is not met.
6. Scripts must not include the playwrights name on the PDF version of the script.
7. Scripts must include a title page on the script.
8. Please do not append professional resumes or biographies to your entry; judges only consider manuscript quality. Biographical information should be sent separately (see number 12).
9. All playwrights who submit will be notified of their status via email.
10. Entries are accepted during our screening process, yearly: April 1 – October 17. Entries postmarked later than October 17 will not be considered.
11. Each playwright may submit only one play per year. MTA reserves the right not to produce a winner, in any given year. Aside from the necessary permission to stage the reading of the winning entry, all rights are retained by the playwright.
12. Playwrights must be 18 years of age or older to submit.
13. Please fill out the entry form online. This will act as your biographical information.
14. The registration process noted above allows you to submit information about yourself, as well as upload a copy of your script. If you have problems with this process, complete the online form and email a copy of your script to Stephen Cunetto at scunetto@gmail.com, and please make sure that your title page or your manuscript does not include any author information when you submit your script.
15. There is an entrance fee of $10. You may pay online with a credit card when you fill out your entrance form, or you may send your checks to Stephen Cunetto, at 1247 Bardwell Road, Starkville, MS, 39759.

Register now!

“The Mississippi Theatre Association, complying with the Dramatist Guild of America’s suggested fair use festival regulations, would like to state that the playwriting submission fee is used to offset both production costs of the winning script and applied to the winning playwright’s total monetary award of $500.”

Committee

Michael Dendy – University of Southern Mississippi Theater Dept
Tom Lestrade – Mississippi Murder Mysteries, Jackson
Paula C. Mabry – Starkville Community Theatre, Starkville
Sherri Marengo – Just Over the Rainbow Theatre, Hattiesburg
David Maxedon – Corinth Theatre-Arts, Corinth

For more information on the competition contact Beth Kander (beth_kander@yahoo.com), Playwriting Division Chair.