Submissions For The People's Theatre Playwrights Unit 2025 Are Now Open

The People's Theatre is seeking playwrights whose voices, experiences, and perspectives emerge from communities that have been historically excluded from the American theatre. They are especially focused on uplifting the work of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, immigrants, and LGBTQIA+ artists.

This Playwrights Unit is grounded in their mission to build a more equitable, representative, and inclusive theatre landscape. Applications will be evaluated with a strong emphasis on alignment with that mission.

Three playwrights will be chosen to develop new plays each under the mentorship of award-winning playwright Marco Antonio Rodriguez. The culminating plays will be showcased at The People's Theatre New Horizons Play Reading Festival in December 2025.

Over the last 16 years, The People's Theatre has been creating theatre with and for the immigrant community to create a more just and equitable world and doing this through Productions, Education, and Advocacy. Over the last 6 years, we have specifically been producing plays created by and about the immigrant experience in NYC. The Playwrights Unit is an integral part of The People's Theatre mission to support Immigrant, Latine, Black, Queer playwrights in promoting innovative theatrical works. During the next artistic season, The People's Theatre will present a Staged Reading Festival featuring three original new plays in December 2025.

YOU WILL RECEIVE:

• Ongoing Support to Develop Your Play: Develop your work-in-progress into a 90 min play in workshops led by award-winning playwright Marco Antonio Rodriguez.

• Actor Readings and Feedback: Have actors read your latest writing during workshops and receive supportive feedback.

• Insight on the business of show business and resources to access: Gain show business insights and resources from well-recognized industry members to advance your career.

• Director and Actors for Staging: Have your play directed and staged by professionals.

• Showcase your work: Present your play at The People's Theatre New Horizons Reading Festival.

• Shared Dinner: Enjoy meals provided during each in-person workshop.

• $1500 award for your participation.

The People's Theatre will receive the right of first refusal to produce the selected plays within three years.

ELIGIBILITY:

• The applicant must have completed at least 1 full-length play or at least 2 one-act plays.

• Local NYC and its surrounding areas. If not living in the NYC metropolitan area, you must be willing to travel to NYC for in-person sessions.

• Must be available to attend in-person workshops and Reading Festival.

SCHEDULE:

Developmental Workshops

• Wed, Aug 6, 5:30-8pm (In-person)

• Wed, Aug 20, 5:30-8pm (In-person)

• Wed, Sep 3, 5:30-8pm (In-person)

• Wed, Sep 17, 5:30-8pm (In-person)

• Wed, Sep 24, 5:30-8pm (Zoom)

• Wed, Oct 22, 5:30-8pm (In-person)

• Wed, Nov 5, 5:30-8pm (In-person)

• Wed, Nov 12, 5:30-8pm (In-person)

Location: The People's Theatre Office, 700 W 192nd St Suite 2, New York, NY 10040

New Horizons Reading Festival

Dec 1- Dec 7, 2025

Each play will have 1.5 day rehearsal that culminates in a public staged reading.

Venue: TBA

Reflection meeting

• Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 5:30-7pm

SUBMISSION SCHEDULE

May 31, 2025: Submissions Close, or when 100 submissions are received

The week of June 16, 2025: Finalists invited to online interviews

The week of July 7, 2025: Participants Selected

APPLICATION LINK: https://forms.gle/nBznuaKJti7dvXCC8

For any questions regarding The People's Theatre Playwrights Unit 2025, please email sinny@peoplestheatreproject.org.