Thank you to everyone who submitted to the 2023 Lyric First Page Playwriting Festival! We had a record number of submissions this year. We are pleased to announce the plays selected for readings:
Alphabetically by playwright:
Perkins & Castillo v. Graham by Fowzia Askar (Josiah Quincy Upper School, Boston)
Agents of the Subconscious by Hannah Bodnar (Concord Academy, Concord)
Buyers and Balance by Kate Dickinson (Boston University Academy, Boston)
The Ghost of My Future by Mia A. Flynn (Josiah Quincy Upper School, Boston)
Why Matters by Jennifer Mei (Josiah Quincy Upper School, Boston)
Cheater by Luke Schumacher (Concord Academy, Concord)
Bedrooms Gun by Acacio Taylor (Josiah Quincy Upper School, Boston)
The Season Therapist by Lily Kent Werner (McCall Middle School, Winchester)
Four People Walk Into a Door by Emily Zhu (Bedford High School, Bedford)
Please join us on Monday, June 5 at 7pm at Lyric Stage for this FREE event!
Key Dates
The submission window is now closed. Please join us for the Lyric First Page Festival on Monday, June 5 at 7pm!
Submission window opens:Â Monday, March 20, 2023
Optional in-school workshops available:Â March 20-April 26, 2023
Submission window closes:Â Friday, April 28, 2023
Feedback and revisions:Â May 2023
In-person readings at Lyric Stage Company:Â Monday, June 5, 2023 at 7pm
Eligibility
All Boston Public Schools, Boston Charter Schools, or Greater-Boston area students in grades 3 – 12 are eligible to participate.Â
Plays will be evaluated within the following grade bands:
– 3rd to 5th Grade
– 6th through 8th grade
– 9th through 12th grade
Submission Guidelines
– Submissions will be accepted through April 28, 2023.
– Plays must be the original work of the person submitting the work. Play adaptations or team-written plays will not be considered.
– Plays should be between 2 and 12 pages long.
– Submissions should include a Cover Letter, Title Page, Cast of Characters, and (optional) Setting and Time, all as a single document.
– Cultural and Civic Responsibility: Please take into consideration your responsibility as an artist to refrain from representing actions or language that would be deemed inappropriate for a general audience.
– Plays will be critiqued by a panel of theatre professionals based on the following criteria: Character, Dialogue, Plot, Content, and Impact. These are outlined, by grade levels, in our “Suggestions for a Strong Script.”
Our Digital Playwriting Classes:
New! In-School Workshops
New in 2023! While our digital playwriting classes from past years will remain available here on our website, Lyric Stage is now offering free one-off in-school workshops to Boston Public Schools and charter schools to introduce the playwriting process. Contact Community Programs Manager Alexandra Smith at alex@lyricstage.com to schedule.
Feedback Process
All submitted plays will be reviewed by a panel of Greater Boston theatre-makers and will receive thoughtful feedback from reviewers during the month of May. Based on this feedback, plays will be placed into one of three categories:
– Ready to Go. Plays that are deemed “ready to go” will require very little, if any, revision. Plays in this category will receive readings by professional actors at Lyric Stage.
– Almost There. Playwrights whose plays fall into this category will be given feedback and time to make revisions to make them “ready to go.”
– Great Start. Playwrights with a “great start” script will receive additional feedback and will be given the opportunity to work on their craft. Â
Contact
Got questions? Email us at alex@lyricstage.com!
To sign up or learn more, please email alex@lyricstage.com or fill out our Interest Form
Suggestions for a Strong Script
General + -
Plays will be evaluated according to criteria reflective of the playwright’s grade-level.
3rd – 5th Grade + -
CHARACTER: Do the characters have strong motivations? Do they make choices based on those motivations and what they want?
DIALOGUE: Does what the characters say help them work towards their goals? Is it something they would actually say?
PLOT: Do the events in the script flow together?
CONTENT: Does the play connect with a clear theme?
IMPACT: How do you want someone who sees your play to feel afterwards?
Please follow the following formatting guidelines for your script:
– Act and Scene headings are centered
– Character names are capitalized throughout.
– Character names and dialogue are left justified.
– Stage directions are italicized and in parentheses. (like this)
– Include a Title Page and Cast of Characters
– Optional: Include Setting and Time
6th – 8th Grade + -
CHARACTER: Do the characters exhibit individual characteristics and engage in compelling or intriguing action?
DIALOGUE: Does the dialogue seem to flow off the page and embody the characters’ motivations and objectives?
PLOT: Does the plot follow a structure? i.e. time or metaphor
CONTENT: Is there a clear theme demonstrated throughout the play?
IMPACT: How will the audience be impacted by your script?
Please write your play using one of two playwriting formats:
– Standard Playwriting Format. View the Standard Playwriting Format. Note that this format is best accomplished by using a pre-formatted playwriting template. If you do not have such a program on your computer, it is highly recommended that you write your play using the Informal “Actor’s Edition” format.
– Informal. View and example of an “Actor’s Edition” Playwriting Format
– Plays will not be judged based on which format is used.
9th – 12th Grade + -
CHARACTER: Does the play have characters that exhibit specific attributes and engage in compelling or intriguing action?
DIALOGUE: Does the dialogue seem to flow off the page and embody the characters’ motivations and objectives?
PLOT: Can the play’s story be accomplished within the page limitations? Does the plot make sense on a structural or metaphorical level?
CONTENT: Is there a strong theme demonstrated throughout the play?
IMPACT: What will your play leave the audience thinking about, understanding, feeling, and/or wondering?
Please write your play using one of two playwriting formats:
– Standard Playwriting Format. View the Standard Playwriting Format. Note that this format is best accomplished by using a pre-formatted playwriting template. If you do not have such a program on your computer, it is highly recommended that you write your play using the Informal “Actor’s Edition” format.
– Informal. View and example of an Informal Playwriting Format
Plays will not be judged based on which format is used.
Sponsors:
Lyric First Page is made possible by the generous support of our sponsor, Tiny Tiger Foundation.