National Playwrights Conference

The National Playwrights Conference, founded in 1964, is the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's flagship new-play development program in Waterford, Connecticut. Each summer a small number of unproduced plays are chosen through an open, blind submission process (1,200-1,700 scripts annually, $15 fee) for a week-long, playwright-driven workshop with a director, dramaturg and professional actors, ending in two public script-in-hand readings. Selected writers also receive a multi-week residency with room, board and a stipend; the application window for the 2027 conference was August 25 - September 10, 2026.

18+; open, blind submission process; one full-length play per applicant; $15 administrative fee; all playwrights regardless of experience welcome.

Founded 1964. Writer-led workshop with professional actors, director, dramaturg; script-in-hand public readings. Contact litoffice@theoneill.org.