PlayGround Launches Call for Playwrights for its 2026-27 Writers Pool
The national playwright incubator is seeking new talent for its annual writers pool in four major cities.
PlayGround, a leading national playwright incubator and theatre community hub, is pleased to share the latest call for applicants to the 2026-27 Writers Pools in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. One-hundred-and-twelve playwrights will be selected from across the four cities and will be eligible to submit for the 2026-27 season, be under consideration for Best Of PlayGround in each city (Spring/Summer 2027), and also be in the running for the Best of the Best of PlayGround (Summer of 2027).
Since 1994, More than 400 playwrights have participated in Monday Night PlayGround, including Lauren Yee, Jonathan Spector, Geetha Reddy, and Cleavon Smith. Monday Night PlayGround alumni have gone on to win local, national, and international honors for their short and full-length work, including recognition at the Steinberg Awards, Glickman Awards, O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, and New York International Fringe Festival, among others. PlayGround serves one of the largest theatre artist networks in the nation, connecting hundreds of Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York artists in support of a common vision: the development of bold and diverse new voices and new works.
How Does Monday Night PlayGround Work?
Each month, from October through March, PlayGround announces a topic to the 112 Members of the national Writers Pools. Members of the Writers Pool in each city are invited to submit original ten-page plays based on the monthly topic. The top six short plays from each region are selected and presented as script-in-hand staged readings featuring some of the best directors and actors in each region. All performances are offered in-person and live simulcast, as well as admission-free (donations gratefully accepted), for maximum accessibility.
2026-27 WRITERS POOL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Applications accepted now through April 30, 2026.
THE OPPORTUNITY
- 25 early-career playwrights as well as 3 alternates will be competitively selected from applications to form the Writers Pool in each city. For city-specific dates and guidelines, follow this links:
San Francisco
Los Angeles
New York
Chicago
- Members of the Writers Pool may submit scripts to be considered as part of the Monday Night PlayGround staged reading series. Four times each season, September through March, PlayGround will announce a prompt and Writers Pool members have just four-and-a-half days to generate an original short script (max. 10 pages) inspired by the prompt. The top six scripts each round will be staged publicly with leading local directors and actors. Those not selected may submit their scripts to Recess for cold readings via Zoom.
- From the plays staged throughout the season, up to six will be selected for Best of PlayGround (Spring/Summer of 2027).
- Writers Pool members can gain peer feedback on their work by participating in Recess cold readings (one week after each Monday Night PlayGround and generally via Zoom) as well as through a staff one-on-one session (available upon request). Writers Pool Alternates will have full access to Recess.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Each city has its own geographic requirements for participation, see above link for details.
- Writers Pool members must commit to submitting for ALL FOUR Monday Night PlayGround events in a given season. Writers failing to meet the eligibility requirements must sit out the remainder of the season and one additional full season. Alternates are asked to submit each round and may be admitted to the Pool should there be an opening during the season.
- The submission of a script to Monday Night PlayGround grants PlayGround the exclusive option to stage the play as part of the Monday Night PlayGround and, should it be so selected, to present the world premiere as part of Best of PlayGround and non-exclusive option to publish the script in a "Best of PlayGround" anthology.
- Members of the current Writers Pool must reapply in order to be considered for the following season.
WHAT TO SUBMIT
- Playwrights must submit a 10-page max, properly formatted script as PDF attachment. Both previously produced and unproduced scripts are eligible. See below for formatting examples.
- The script must have the playwright's name, address, email and phone number at the top of the first page and include a detailed cast breakdown, and all pages must be numbered.
- The script title must be labeled by Lastname, Firstname_Title (e.g., Shakespeare, William_The Tempest).
- Excerpts from longer works are not accepted but short plays that meet the above requirements and are derived from a longer work are accepted.
- BIPOC, trans/gender-non-conforming & playwrights with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
- Applications must be received by 11:59pm PT on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
To view sample script formats, click the link(s) below.
Submission Format #1
Submission Format #2
WRITERS POOL ANNOUNCEMENT
- Applicants will be notified of selections on or before August 1, 2026.
- Selected writers must attend a mandatory company meeting on Sunday, August 16 (time tbd).
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