OUT/PLAY Summer Shorts Festival 2026: Submissions Now Open for Queer Playwrights

New York City-based playwrights are invited to submit original short plays for the 2026 OUT/PLAY Summer Shorts festival, a celebration of LGBTQ+ voices in theater. Submissions are being accepted from March 13 to April 1, 2026.

Festival Theme and Focus

This year’s festival theme is “Queer This Year!” OUT/PLAY seeks plays that explore contemporary LGBTQ+ experiences. The festival aims to showcase stories reflecting the LGBTQ+ community in 2026, building on the organization’s current season which focuses on queer narratives from the 1940s to 2010. Plays should be original and unpublished.

Submission Guidelines

Interested playwrights must submit the following materials as PDF files:

• Photo/Resume and/or Artistic Bio (1 page)
• Artist’s Statement (100 words) explaining the play and its meaning
• Character Breakdown: a list of characters with descriptors to aid in casting. OUT/PLAY encourages submissions that are open to diverse casting choices, minimizing restrictions related to age, sex, gender identity, race, ethnicity, body-type, and ability.
• Script: Plays should not exceed 12 pages (excluding the title page and character breakdown) and, when read aloud (including stage directions), should not exceed 15 minutes in length.

Festival Details and Offerings

Selected playwrights will receive:

• Assignment of a Director (or the option to suggest a pairing)
• One dress/tech rehearsal and three live performances between June 8-14, 2026, at The Chain Theatre (312 West 36th Street, Floor 4, New York, NY 10018)
• Video footage of one performance
• Live-streamed program on one night
• Support with casting and promotion through photos, video assets, social media, and a press release
• Two complimentary tickets per play for Industry Professionals

Significant Dates

• Submission Period: March 13 – April 1, 2026
• Playwright Notification: Mid-April 2026
• Formal Selections Announced: May 1, 2026
• Festival Dates: June 8-14, 2026

Additional Information

Playwrights must be residents of the New York City area and available for a kickoff meeting and the duration of the festival. Playwrights, Directors, and Actors are expected to promote the festival through their social media networks. Scripts should be finalized by the first rehearsal, with minimal changes during the rehearsal process.

Questions can be directed to [email protected].