Submitting your plays for a staged reading

DEADLINE FOR FALL 2008 READING SERIES: 11:59 PM, Saturday, May 31, 2008

Submission Requirements

We receive a ton of plays to critique in a short time, so please, please, please follow our submission requirements to the letter. We have good reasons for all of them! Deviation causes delays, frustration, and insanity! We reserve the right to disqualify submissions that do not follow all requirements.

  • The submission deadline for the Fall 2008 Reading Series is 11:59 PM on May 31st.
  • Only PCSF members are eligible for a slot in our reading series. Join here!
  • The submission must be a one-act, full-length, or a group of one-acts around a central theme.
  • The total submission (all plays) must be no more than 100 pages in length. Submissions over 100 pages will not be considered.
  • Plays must appear in PCSF script format. Plays with improper margins or formatting may be disqualified.
  • Inclusion of a résumé, bio, or other identifying information in the script document may disqualify submission.
  • Electronic submissions are required. Please send them to submission@playwrightscentersf.org. Please note we no longer accept hard copy submissions. If you have no way of submitting electronically, please contact us to make special arrangements.
  • We can only accept the following electronic formats. We apologize, but other formats will have to be rejected unless you make other arrangements with the committee.
    • Microsoft Word (.doc)
    • Rich Text Format (.rtf)
    • Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)
  • Your submission should consist of exactly three attachments for each play submitted, no more and no less. All other attachments will be discarded.
    1. One submission form (.doc) per play with all information completely filled out. Please do not convert this file to .jpg, .tiff or .pdf format. We need it in its original format. If you are unable to use the Word version of the submission form, please use this rich text format version (.rtf).
    2. A separate cover page, with play title, playwright name(s), email, phone, and address in PCSF cover page format.
    3. The complete script with NO cover page and NO playwright identification. The play title however must be clearly identified on the first page. This document must be in PCSF script format and include a page with the cast list, including genders and ages. This is important to determine casting needs and feasibility.

Additional Guidelines:

  • Résumés are not needed.
  • We very much appreciate submissions using the following file naming conventions. This will simplify and speed up the overall process for everyone:
    • Submission Form: your last name_SubForm_Play Title.doc or .rtf
    • Cover Page: your last name_Cover_Play Title.doc, .rtf, or .pdf
    • Play Script: Play Title.doc, .rtf, or .pdf
  • If your play is selected for a reading, please review the Writer's Guidelines and Responsibilities. You may revise the play prior to start of rehearsals; however, due to space and time constraints, please do not add more than 20 pages to the script.
  • We invite you to use this requirements checklist to help you prepare your submission.

NOTE ON THE SELECTION PROCESS, CRITERIA, AND NOTIFICATION

  • PCSF reserves the right to extend deadlines at any time, even after the original deadline has lapsed. Every attempt will be made to notify everyone of the extension prior to the original deadline when possible. Those who met the original deadline are welcome to make revisions and resubmit their original work before the extended deadline.
  • A confirmation email will be sent up to two weeks after the submission deadline acknowledging receipt of your play. If submission requirements are not met (length, format, missing elements, etc.), we will decline the play at this time and notify you of its disqualification. Please contact us if you do not receive confirmation within the given time frame. It may mean something happened and we did NOT receive your play.
  • The Literary Committee reads all submissions. (At least two members read each play with an option for a third to read any play as deemed necessary, at the discretion of the Literary Committee.) This step of the process generally takes four weeks from the submission deadline.
  • All plays submitted for a Staged Reading are automatically considered for a Developmental Reading if not selected for Staged Reading.
  • Once the Literary Committee has made its selections, the Developmental Reading and Staged Reading Producing Directors will also read the plays. This step of the process may take 1-2 weeks.
  • Once final selections have been made, notices will be sent to playwrights along with feedback evaluation forms. Every effort is made to have notifications sent out within 8-10 weeks of the submission deadline. This time frame varies depending on the number of plays submitted. Please be patient. If your play is selected for a reading, the Producing Director will contact you with more information.
  • The Producing Directors work with the playwright, the directors, and the theatre space to nail down the schedule. Once we have the schedule, the website calendar will be updated.
  • While all plays are considered for a Staged Reading, there are multiple factors that determine selection. The primary determining factors are:
    1. overall readiness of the play for production (structure & plot, character development, dramatic tension, clarity, dialogue, and action);
    2. feasibility of PCSF to stage read the play (# of actors, complexity of scene logistics, comprehensibility without full production, etc.);
    3. availability of slots, timing, and budget.
  • PCSF does not censor or place any restrictions on the content or language of a play, preferring to let the audience communicate its reactions directly to the playwright. However, we do not surrender the right to censor.
  • Final decision is reserved by the Board of Directors.