Script Submission Guidelines

These guidelines are meant to be used as a checklist to ensure all requirements are complete before submission. Please make sure to complete all tasks.

Who can submit?

Any WPI community member may submit.

• This includes students, faculty, staff, alums, family, friends, acquaintances, audience members, etc.
• Anonymous submissions will NOT be accepted.
• There is no limit to the number of submissions

When and How?

Dates are available on the main page.
Submissions are welcome at any time prior to the deadline, starting in C-term
Submissions must be delivered electronically in PDF format.

What is required:

Two (2) copies of the script should be submitted:

• 1 Identifying copy
• 1 Anonymous copy

The Script Itself:

• Type face of 12pt Times New Roman (or equivalent)
• All pages must be numbered
  • We prefer page numbers in the upper right corner of each page. You may include Title and/or Act and Scene numbers in your header if you wish.

What to include:

• The Identifying copy should have a title page with the title of the play, your name, email address, telephone number, and any other contact information you wish to include.
• The Anonymous copy should have a title page with ONLY the title of the play.
• A Cast of Characters list should follow the title page.
  • Less than one line of character description should follow the character's name.
  • Other necessary information such as setting, time period, etc., should appear on this page.
• Stage directions should be clearly distinguishable from dialogue.
  • Our preferred method is to print them in italics and set them off in parentheses.
  It is also acceptable to indicate the stage directions by putting them in parentheses (without using italics).
  • We prefer that you do Not use ALL CAPS or Small Caps, which also produce eyestrain.

See example below:

---

(Juliet appears on the balcony.)
ROMEO:
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? (He sighs.) It is the East, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon....

---

(Sure, the above should be in verse, but that's how it would look if it were prose)

If your script does not follow the above rules, it will NOT be evaluated for the current festival.

If your script is accepted:

New Voices assumes a level of participation by accepted playwrights which includes:

What	Date
Meeting with your dramaturg	Date as stated on contract
Attending the meeting during which the festival season is announced	Typically a special Masque meeting, Friday 5pm
Establishing a rapport with the dramaturg assigned to your project, and where possible, joining the dramaturg and director for mutually agreed upon rehearsals	As scheduled by the director
Attending the scheduled tech rehearsal during tech week	Sunday-Tuesday, times vary
Attending each performance of the produced play	4 nights, Wednesday-Saturday, exact dates TBA
Making an effort to support the entire festival by spreading the word about this entire event, not just your piece.	4 nights, Wednesday-Saturday, exact dates TBA
Attending "strike" of the set after the final performance of the festival	Saturday night

This participation is MANDATORY.
If you feel that you cannot fulfill these requirements, then please do not submit your script(s).
A letter of agreement between New Voices and selected playwrights will be delivered to you by your dramaturg when you are notified of your acceptance into the festival. This simple document, when signed by you, will assure New Voices of three things:

1. That your work is original
2. That when this play enjoys future productions, you will acknowledge New Voices, where this work was first presented in an educational workshop
3. That you agree to the above required participation.

Decision:

Before the announcement date, you will be contacted by a festival dramaturg and informed of the results of your submission.
If your play was not selected, both PDF's you submitted will be deleted.
If your play was selected, both copies will be held for the files. New Voices never duplicates a playwright's work. You should also know: if your work is selected for the festival, you are responsible for supplying copies of it for the cast and the staff, as well as the above responsibilities. You will have a dramaturg who will work with you on all aspects of having your play produced in New Voices.