Australian Theatre Festival NYC Reveals 2025 New Play Award

Co-Artistic & Executive Directors Mark Barford & Connor Delves open submissions for the Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2025 New Play Award, awarding a total cash prize of $20,000 USD.

Now in its sixth year, the Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2025 New Play Award will celebrate two new plays or musicals with distinct Australian voices. The New Play Award is generously sponsored by Shane & Cathryn Brennan.

The award offers a total cash prize of $20,000 USD for two unproduced, full-length plays or musicals written by Australian writers, over the age of 18.

This year's award winner will receive a cash prize of $15,000 USD, development work with Co-Artistic Director Mark Barford and be presented as a staged reading as part of the Australian Theatre Festival NYC (conditional upon ability to appropriately cast NY based Australian actors.) This year's award runner-up will receive $5,000 USD.

'We are thrilled to announce our 6th consecutive New Play Award, after a record amount of submissions last year. Thanks to the generous support of New Play Award Sponsors Shane & Cathryn Brennan, the Winner will receive $15,000 USD cash, and the Runner-Up prize will receive $5000 USD cash. In addition, the winner will receive development work with Co-Artistic Director Mark Barford and be presented as a staged reading as part of the Australian Theatre Festival NYC. 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.' expressed Barford & Delves.

New Play Award alumni include 2021 winner Lewis Treston's 'Hubris & Humiliation', which has since received a production at the Sydney Theatre Company, receiving stellar reviews and lauded as 'startlingly good' (The Guardian, 5 stars) and 2022 winner Melissa-Kelly Franklin's 'Paradise Lost' which recently won the 2024 Jill Blewett Playwright's Award (South Australian Literary Awards).

2023 New Play Award 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.'

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 but will need to be disclosed and listed upon submission).

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

7. At the time of submissions close date (Monday February 24th, 2025), 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 single cash prize between themselves.

Entry Requirements

To submit your entry, please complete the following Google Form before 9am, Monday February 24th 2025 (NYC, EST) : 2025 New Play Award Submission Form

*Please note it is free to submit your entry into the Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2025 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 2025 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.

Key Dates

Submissions open Monday January 27th 2025 (NYC, EST).

Submissions close 9am, Monday February 24th 2025 (NYC, EST).

Finalists will be announced Monday May 5th 2025 (NYC, EST).

The Winner & Runner-Up will be announced Monday May 19th 2025 (NYC, EST).

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