Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2024 New Play Award Now Accepting Submissions

Co-Artistic Directors Mark Barford, Connor Delves and Jillian Geurts have opened submissions for the Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2024 New Play Award, awarding a total cash prize of $20,000 USD.

The Australian Theatre Festival NYC New Play Award is generously sponsored by Shane & Cathryn Brennan and will celebrate two new Australian plays/musicals with a total cash prize of $20,000 USD. The winning play or musical will also be presented as a staged reading in New York City as a part of the 2024 Festival.

'We are thrilled to announce our New Play Award for a fifth consecutive year and the increase of the Winner's cash prize to $15,000 USD, and the Runner-Up prize to USD $5000. In addition, the winner will receive the unique opportunity to have their new play or musical presented in New York City as part of our 2024 Festival. The award exists to help fulfill our mission of celebrating and showcasing Australian stories and artists in New York City and is the only award of its kind. We are very grateful to our award sponsors, Shane and Cathryn Brennan, for their generous and ongoing support.' expressed Barford, Delves and Geurts.

Now in its fifth year, the Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2024 New Play Award will celebrate two new plays/musicals with distinct Australian voices.

This award is the only Australian writing prize that offers a unique opportunity for the winner to have their work presented in New York. The winning play or musical will also be developed with ATF Co-Artistic Director Mark Barford. The award offers a total cash prize of $20,000 USD for two unproduced, full-length plays/musicals written by Australian writers, over the age of 18. The increased cash prize will now award one Winner with $15,000 USD and one Runner-Up with $5,000 USD.

In 2023, the Australian Theatre Festival NYC saw the New Play Award winner, 'Wavelength' by Sally Alrich-Smythe presented to a sell-out audience at Theatre Row. In 2022, the Festival presented the 2022 winner 'Paradise Lost' by Melissa-Kelly Franklin and the 2021 winner 'Hubris & Humiliation' by Lewis Treston, with both writers in attendance at the event. Lewis Treston's 'Hubris & Humiliation' has since received a production at the Sydney Theatre Company, receiving stellar reviews and lauded as 'startlingly good' (The Guardian, 5 stars). And our inaugural 2020 award winner, Richard Jordan with his play 'The Tiniest Thing', was the centerpiece event of our 2021 Festival, with Richard also in New York City for the performance.

Last year's winner, Sally Alrich-Smythe said of the experience,

"Winning The New Play Award meant so much more than the prize money and accolades attached (though that's unreal too!). From the first zoom call, I was struck by how much the team at Australian Theatre Festival cared about my show. They wanted the best for it, and threw everything they had at giving it a platform. And the efforts of everyone paid off: seeing my play read out by a group of exceptional actors, supported by awesome design and direction, on a stage on 42nd st in New York City? Something I'll never forget. I'd recommend the experience to any playwright".

Before submitting your play or musical, please carefully read the following eligibility criteria and terms & conditions.

To be eligible, plays or musicals must-

1. Be written by a writer or writing team who are all Australian citizens or permanent residents of Australia. For Musicals, all members of the writing team (Composer, Lyricist, Librettist) must be Australian citizens or permanent residents of Australia.

2. Be at least 60 minutes in length.

3. Not have been previously submitted to the Australian Theatre Festival NYC New Play Award.

4. Not have been previously published, including self-published.

5. Not have been previously produced at a production level in any context (previous readings, fellowships and workshops are acceptable).

6. Not be encumbered by agreements or contracts for future production/s.

7. At the time of submissions close date (Monday March 4th, 2024), not have won, been a runner-up, or a finalist in another Australian or International writing award (short-listed is permissible).

Terms and Conditions-

1. Due to the large volume of entries, The Australian Theatre Festival NYC is unable to give feedback.

2. Plays submitted may be original ideas or adaptations from other forms providing that permission to adapt the material has been obtained from the copyright holder. The rights for all material in the work must be secured by the writer prior to entry, including any songs, poems or quotes.

3. The Australian Theatre Festival NYC has worldwide first right of refusal to produce the winning play for a period of 12 months following the announcement date of the winner.

4. A limit of one entry per writer/writing team.

5. If submitting as a writing team, a single cash prize will be awarded to the writing team. It is the responsibility of the writing team to decide how to divide this between themselves.

Entry Requirements-

To submit your entry, please complete the following Google Form before 9am, Monday March 4th 2024 (NYC, EST) : 2024 New Play Award Submission Form

*Please note it is free to submit your entry into the Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2024 New Play Award.

In sending us your play, you assure us that you have read the above terms & conditions and eligibility requirements for the ATF 2024 New Play Award. You declare your eligibility under the conditions and your agreement to the terms listed. You guarantee that the script is your original work, that you are the sole copyright holder of all material used and that it has never been produced for public performance. Failure to meet the above terms and conditions and eligibility requirements will result in automatic disqualification.

Submissions open Thursday February 1st 2024 (NYC, EST).

Submissions close 9am, Monday March 4th 2024 (NYC, EST).

Finalists will be announced Thursday May 16th 2024 (NYC, EST).

The Winner & Runner-Up will be announced Thursday May 30th 2024 (NYC, EST).

For more information visit australiantheatrefestival.com/2024newplayaward