The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival National Playwriting Program is dedicated to supporting student playwrights in the development of their original work for the stage, with dramaturgical and performance opportunities that emphasize respect of the written word and for the playwright’s contribution to the theatrical process.

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Region 8 sponsors both a 10-minute and a one act-play competition at our regional festival. Six 10-minute plays and three one-act plays are selected through an exchange process with another region of the country. All plays are read “blind” (without the author’s name or school affiliation) to avoid bias in the selection process. The six 10-minute plays and three one-acts selected will be presented as staged readings at the regional festival.

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A group of qualified respondents will select 2 of the 10-minute plays and 2 of the one-acts as national semi-finalists; those 4 scripts will be sent forward to the national office for consideration at the national level in Washington D.C. in the spring. The plays will be judged as written work, not based on the presentations at festival.

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National Playwriting Program’s Mandate

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1. To offer progressive mentorship of student playwrights that honors the integrity of individual voice, and is aimed at nurturing students into professional playwrights.

2. To strive to create links with individual artists and institutions in the professional sphere and to provide opportunities for the production of student work.

3. To advocate for theatrical text and to preserve the integrity of the playwright’s intent within all stages of the collaborative process.

4. To engage and support faculty members who are developing new work in their theatre programs.

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The Dramatist's Bill of Rights

The National Playwriting Program (NPP) operates under the Dramatist's bill of Rights created to support and uphold this fundamental principle: playwrights own and control their work.