New Art City Theatre is Accepting Submissions of New Original Plays and Musicals

New Art City Theatre is accepting submissions of new, original plays and musicals for inclusion in their second annual playwrights festival. Festival '25 will be held May 29 to June 1, 2025. Submissions will be accepted beginning July 1 until midnight August 11, 2024.

NACT was founded in 2023 by theatre veterans Kirby Ward and Beverly Ward to be a creative haven for playwrights and artists from across the country. The Festival is held in the California beachside community of Ventura, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles. Festival '25 is offered free to the public. It's part of NACT's plan to expand audience participation and build an audience base that's diverse by design. "It's all about getting the opportunities, finding the truth in the material, and then listening to your audience, says co-found Kirby Ward. "That's why we arrange transport and housing to bring the writers to California for the whole week," adds Beverly. "Discussion and rehearsal are so important in the early days of a new piece. You need time and talent to make something great happen."

Submitted pieces must be full-length with a run-time of at least 75 minutes and must not be published or have been produced onstage, either amateur or professional. There's a modest administrative fee of $25 to submit. Submissions will be reviewed by the NACT reading team. Up to four plays or musicals will be selected to participate in a week-long residency in Ventura that culminates in two public-staged readings and followed by talk-back sessions with the audience. Each project is guided by a professional director working with the playwright and actors are cast for each piece. The purpose of the week is to facilitate further development of the writer's work and to give the public a peek into what the creative process looks like from behind the curtain."Our mission in starting New Art City Theatre is to nurture emerging playwrights, providing them with a platform where their vision comes to life," says Kirby. "We believe in equal access to opportunities in theatre, which is why our submission process is completely blind, ensuring that talent shines through regardless of background."The Wards have graced stages on and Off-Broadway, London's West End, and numerous National Tours. Their performances in Crazy For You netted Kirby an Olivier Award nomination in London, and both received nominations for Helen Hayes Awards at the Kennedy Center. As writers themselves, the couple have great insight into the challenges and joys of shepherding a script from first draft to the ultimate goal of a full production.

For more information or to make a submission, go to http://newartcitytheatre.org/festival