KALAMAZOO, MICH.–Western Michigan University’s 4th Annual Activate: Midwest New Play Festival is now seeking unproduced full-length plays from playwrights living in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, or Wisconsin.  Selected plays will be developed and presented as staged readings during June 2018 as part of a festival of new plays at the university in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Playwrights selected for the festival will attend an initial reading in May, then return to Kalamazoo for a one-week residency during June 2018 leading up to the festival showing.  Participating playwrights will be provided with travel, lodging, and meals.  The Festival will feature readings, workshops, and responses from guest playwrights, literary managers and producers.

Previous festivals have featured a keynote and workshop led by Sarah Ruhl, Steven Dietz, and Charles Smith.   Guest respondents from the NNPN and prominent Chicago theatres have also provided valuable feedback for festival playwrights.

Deadline for submission is December 1, 2017.

 Guidelines:

— Complete the application form, available at http://www.wmich.edu/theatre/activate-midwest/

AND

— Email the full script to ActivateMidwest@gmail.com by December 1, 2017, with “Submission: Activate: Midwest” in the subject line.

— A strong preference will be given to scripts with the majority of the characters in the 18-35 age range (appropriate for college age actors).

— Scripts must be full-length plays in standard play format that omits name and contact information.

— Playwrights may submit only one (1) play per year.

— The play must be unproduced and unpublished.

— For questions or more information please email ActivateMidwest@gmail.com.