The Yale Drama Series is inviting playwriters to submit their plays for the 2024 contest. The judge, Jeremy O. Harris, will pick the best play, and the winner will get a prize called the David Charles Horn Prize, which is $10,000. They will also get their play published by Yale University Press, and there will be an event to celebrate. But, the winner has to agree to the rules of the Yale Drama Series publishing agreement to get the prize and have their play published.
About the Yale Drama Series
Yale University Press (YUP) was founded in 1908 and is known for acquiring and publishing critical scholarly works. It has notable series and established the prestigious Yale Series of Younger Poets. YUP has undertaken ambitious projects and published significant results based on Yale University’s lecture series. It has experienced growth, diversified its publications, and formed partnerships with leading museums. YUP became the largest books-only university press in the US and expanded its digital initiatives. Yale University Press remains committed to publishing influential books and contributing to intellectual pursuits and so is excited to invite
Eligibility
- Anyone from around the world can submit their play for the contest.
- Each playwright can only submit one play per year, and the play must be written by one person only.
- Plays that have been produced or published professionally are not allowed.
- Plays that have been through a workshop, reading, or non-professional production, or have been published as an actor’s edition will still be considered.
Requirement
To enter the Yale Drama Series contest, please follow these guidelines when preparing your manuscript:
- Your play must be written in English.
- Submissions must be original and unpublished full-length plays, with a minimum of 65 pages. Plays with fewer than 65 pages will not be considered. Please note that translations, musicals, and children’s plays will not be accepted.
- The Yale Drama Series aims to support emerging playwrights, so a playwright can only win the competition once.
- Your play should not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission.
- Make sure your play is typed or word-processed and includes page numbers.
Keep in mind that the Yale Drama Series has the right to reject any manuscript for any reason. - The judge of the competition has the right to decide not to choose a winner in a given year and can also determine the ineligibility of a winner based on the author’s accomplishments, in line with the competition’s spirit.
Benefit
If your play is selected as the winner, it will be chosen by Jeremy O. Harris, the current judge of the series. As the winner of this yearly competition, you will receive several benefits, including:
- The prestigious David Charles Horn Prize comes with a cash reward of $10,000.
- Publication of your manuscript by Yale University Press, giving your work wider exposure.
- This an exciting celebratory event to recognize your achievement.
How to apply
To apply for the contest, please carefully read the guidelines below:
Yale Drama Series electronic submissions
- There is no entry fee required.
- The Yale Drama Series Competition strongly encourages electronic submissions. By submitting your script electronically, you will receive immediate confirmation of your successful submission and the ability to track the status of your entry.
- For the 2024 competition, electronic submissions can be made between June 1, 2023, and August 15, 2023. The submission window closes at midnight EST.
- If you choose to submit your play electronically, make sure to remove your name and contact information from the manuscript and submission file name.
- Your manuscript should begin with a title page that includes the play’s title, a brief 2-3 sentence description of the play, a list of characters, and a list of acts and scenes.
- When submitting electronically, enter the title of your play, your name, and your contact information (address, phone number, and email address), and provide a brief biography as instructed in the electronic submission form.
To apply for the Yale Drama Series Electronically
To apply and submit an electronic copy of your manuscript, click “apply“, then click on “submit” and sign up using your email or Google account.
Yale Drama Series Hardcopy Submissions
If submitting your script electronically is not possible, the Yale Drama Series Competition will still accept hardcopy submissions.
Follow the following guidelines for hardcopy submissions:
- Submissions for the 2024 competition must be postmarked no earlier than June 1, 2023, and no later than August 15, 2023.
- If you are submitting a hard copy, your manuscript should start with a title page that includes the play’s title, your name, address, telephone number, email address (if available), and page count. Additionally, include a second title page that lists the play’s title, a brief 2-3 sentence description of the play, a list of characters, and a list of acts and scenes. Finally, include a brief biography on a separate page at the end of the manuscript.
- Do not bind or staple the manuscript.
- Please note that manuscripts cannot be returned after the competition, so do not send only a copy of your work. If you would like an acknowledgment of receipt, you can include an email address on the title page or a stamped, self-addressed postcard.
- Send the hardcopy manuscript to the following address:
Yale Drama Series
P.O. Box 209040
New Haven, CT 06520-9040
Overview
Types of opportunity: Competition
Deadline: August 15, 2023, at midnight EST.
Worth: $10,000
Open to: Playwrights worldwide.
Submissions: Electronically or Hardcopy.
Organizer: The Yale Drama Series.
Country: Global
Inquiry
- For questions about the Yale Drama Series please write to :
Yale Drama Series
P.O. Box 209040
New Haven, CT
06520-9040 - Or email us at yaledramaseries@yale.edu
- For more information visit Yale University Press
