Babelfest Submissions
A Festival of New American Plays at Redhouse House Arts Center, Syracuse, NY
Submission Guidelines
Redhouse Arts Center is seeking groundbreaking new plays and musicals that feature new voices and new perspectives. One new play and one new musical will be selected for two public staged readings at Redhouse Arts Center in Syracuse. Submissions are free.
Submission Period: June 22, 2026 – July 3, 2026
Winners Announced: July 24, 2026
Festival Dates: October 8 – 11, 2026
Submission Requirements
- Scripts must be submitted in PDF format.
- Scripts must be completed drafts. No incomplete drafts or treatments
- Scripts must be unproduced and unpublished. Readings and/or workshops are acceptable.
- Playwright is the sole owner of script copyright.
- On the cover of your script, please include;
- NAME OF PLAY
- PLAYWRIGHT’S NAME
- CONTACT INFORMATION [Address, Phone Number, Email Address]
- Script Summary
- CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
- SETTING
- TIME PERIOD
- Supporting Materials
- COVER LETTER
- BIO OF PLAYWRIGHT and COLLABORATORS
- MUSIC FILES [for musical submissions only]
Playwright Eligibility
Playwrights must be 18 years of age or older by the scheduled dates of the festival.
Winning Playwrights
- Redhouse will choose 2 new works; 1 musical and 1 play.
- Winning playwrights will have access to Redhouse Arts Center facilities to continue to develop their work during business hours. Top level local actors and top level local directors will be chosen to rehearse in the evening for one week, culminating in two public staged readings of each chosen new work. Playwrights will have the opportunity to edit their work between readings.
- Chosen playwrights will receive a $1000 commission for their work. Compensation is per piece, not per writer. Collaborators must split the commission.
- Out of town playwrights will be given travel and accommodations at Redhouse’s expense.
- A playwright and cast talkback will follow each staged reading
- Redhouse will market and advertise each new work chosen
Email babelfest@theredhouse.org with questions
BabelFest Short Play Festival At Redhouse Submission Guidelines
Redhouse Arts Center is seeking short plays, no longer than 20 minutes for its Short Play Festival as part of the BabelFest. 4 short plays will be chosen for the festival by the Redhouse Artistic Director along with Redhouse staff and will feature local playwrights from Syracuse and the surrounding areas. The chosen plays and playwrights will have the opportunity to perform their plays with their chosen director, actors, and designers at Redhouse Arts Center as part of an evening of short plays.
Submission Period:June 22, 2026 – July 3, 2026
Winners Announced: July 24, 2026
Festival Dates: October 8 – 11, 2026
Submission Requirements
- Scripts must be submitted in PDF format.
- Scripts must be completed drafts. No incomplete drafts or treatments
- Scripts must be unproduced and unpublished. Readings and/or workshops are acceptable.
- Playwright is the sole owner of script copyright.
- On the cover of your script, please include;
- NAME OF PLAY
- PLAYWRIGHT’S NAME
- CONTACT INFORMATION [Address, Phone Number, Email Address]
- Script Summary
- CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
- SETTING
- TIME PERIOD
- Supporting Materials
- COVER LETTER
- BIO OF PLAYWRIGHT
Playwright Eligibility
Playwrights must be 18 years of age or older by the scheduled dates of the festival and must be a resident of Cortland, Cayuga, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, or Oswego Counties in New York State.
Winning Playwrights
- Redhouse will choose 4 short plays
- Chosen playwrights will have the opportunity to perform their plays with their chosen director, actors, and designers at Redhouse Arts Center as part of a festival of short plays.
- Chosen playwrights will receive $500 to use towards the production of their work in the festival. Compensation is per piece, not per writer. Collaborators must split the commission.
- Redhouse will market and advertise each play chosen
Email babelfest@theredhouse.org with questions