GUIDELINES FOR WRITERS

Playwrights Horizons accepts unsolicited manuscripts of full-length, original plays by American authors.  As to our tastes, we try to remain open to as wide a variety of different styles and approaches to playwriting as possible.  We are a writer’s theater and we truly believe that, in principle, there are as many styles and worldviews as there are playwrights.  We are looking for distinctive, accomplished, original theatrical voices. 

As a rule, we do not produce non-musical adaptations, translations, children’s theater, screenplays, musicals without original scores, one-acts, plays of chiefly biographical or historical nature, or topical “issue” plays.  Playwrights Horizons does not produce plays that have already received New York City productions. We are not a theater that prides itself on being grounded in naturalism, realism or “method” acting.  We therefore tend to shy away from psychological family dramas and from relationship sitcoms that we feel are more suitable for television.  We respond primarily to plays with a sure command of language and a clear dramatic action that truly use the resources of the theater.  Ultimately, of course, tastes are subjective and we are just not the right theater for certain plays.

If you wish to submit a play, please include a complete manuscript (we dislike synopses and dialog samples, but will consider them if submitted), bio, resume, and any other print supporting materials (e.g. reviews) that might help pique our interest in you and your work.  We do not accept scripts via email. Due to the small size of our staff and the sheer number of scripts we receive, we are only able to accept one script at a time from the same author. If you would like your script returned, you may also include an SASE.  Thanks in advance for your patience while we process your script; our typical response time is 6-8 months.

Play submissions should be sent to Adam Greenfield, Director of New Play Development. Musical submissions (script and CD) should be sent to the attention of Kent Nicholson, Director of Musical Theater.

Our mailing address is:
Playwrights Horizons
416 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

COMMISSIONS

We award 4-6 commissions a year. We choose the recipients from a group of writers whose work we already know and wish to encourage. The best way to become a candidate for a commission is to start submitting your work.

PODCAST


Listen to a podcast (7:14) of Playwrights Horizons' Director of New Play Development Adam Greenfield discussing the play submission and selection process HERE. (Windows users, right-click on the link and SAVE TARGET AS to your desired location. Mac users, CTRL-click on the link to begin download.)