BLT's Fifth Annual New-Play Competition Guidelines
Objectives of the Competition
1. Provide opportunities for writers of unpublished, unstaged plays to gain
recognition for themselves and their work.
2. Give Brevard Little Theatre (BLT) the opportunity to supplement its annual
season with unique productions not yet seen by any of its patrons. BLT is proud to
have produced these World Premieres of its winners since the beginning of its
competition: “Heartening of the Artistries” by Fred King of Westminster Maryland;
“An Abiding Place” by Phillip F. Lewis of Raleigh, North Carolina; “Fear Itself” by
Jaqueline Renee Ahl of New Paltz, New York; “A Marine Caught in Leotards” by
Neville Mur of St. Louis Missouri, and “The Belated Suitor” by Paul Brink, of
Connestee Falls, North Carolina.
Guidelines & Rules for Submission
1. The BLT New-Play Competition is open to all authors.
2. Scripts must be original and, at the time of submission, not have been
produced for a public audience, nor offered for sale or rent to the general public.
They should be the property of the authors, with no royalty requirement. Potential
award winners will be asked to confirm their compliance with these requirements
before their selection is publicly announced.
3. Both full-length plays (including musicals) and one-acts will be accepted.
4. Submissions will be accepted between 1 October 2007 and 30 July 2008.
5. Writers should keep in mind that BLT is a small theatre which prefers scripts
with simple sets and small casts (10 or under), but these are not required. Also
understand that BLT is located in a region of the country known for its emphasis
on “family values.”
• No film or television scripts.
• Profanity is not a taboo but, when used, should be appropriate to character
and situation.
• Excerpts and summaries will not be accepted without the FULL script.
• Playwrights should submit a SASE, if return of script is requested.
• Preferred submission:
a. Title Page with no other information on it but the title.
b. Synopsis Page containing play synopsis, character descriptions, and other
notes
c. Script. DO NOT have the author’s name anywhere on the Title Page,
Synopsis Page or pages of the script.
d. A separate Title Page including author’s name, date, etc.
e. Author’s resume.
f. Musicals should be submitted with the above materials, plus a recording of
all songs on cassette or disc.
6. Address for submissions is:
Brevard Little Theatre
Attn: New-Play Competition
P.O. Box 426
Brevard, N.C. 28712
7. Decision of the judges is final (including the possibility of declaring no
winning script, or that the winning script cannot be produced at BLT).
Fees & Awards
Full-Length Plays
1. There is no fee for entry.
Upon recommendation of the judges, the winning full-length play will be given a
main-stage production in May, 2009 as part of the subsequent, regular BLT
season, with suitable local publicity (including a biography of the author.)
2. The author will be invited as guest of honor at an opening-day party
attended by BLT’s President and Board members and other dignitaries, and to the
premiere performance. Travel expenses are the responsibility of the author, but
BLT will provide accommodations for the author and one other guest for two
nights. The author, if in attendance, will be introduced at a champagne party, with
the cast and audience members, immediately following the premiere performance.
3. Upon approval of the author, BLT will make every effort to make a
videotape (or DVD) of the entire production which will be provided to the author, as
well as copies of local radio interviews, the playbill and reviews by local media.
4. The author will receive a plaque engraved with the title of the Play, author's
name and date of the Premiere performance. An identical plaque will be placed in
the lobby wherever BLT performs.
One-Act Plays
1. There is no fee for entry.
Upon recommendation of the judges, the winning script will be produced by BLT
on May 30, 2008 at a luncheon event in the author’s honor, attended by city
dignitaries, the BLT Board of Directors and invited members of the press and
public. Travel expenses are the responsibility of the author, but BLT will provide
accommodations for the author and one other guest for two nights.
2. If suitable for “BLT-To-Go” (BLT’s traveling troupe, which performs for non-
profit organizations as a community service) and with permission of the author, the
script will be added to the continuing repertoire of BLT-To-Go.
3. Upon approval of the author, BLT will make every effort to make a videotape (or
DVD) of the entire production which will be provided to the author, as well as
copies of local radio interviews, the playbill and reviews by local media.
4.The author will receive a plaque engraved with the title of the winning Play,
author’s name and date of the Premiere performance. An identical plaque will be
placed in the lobby wherever BLT performs.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNERS
a. Winners will be contacted, by phone or e-mail by the BLT Artistic Director, no
later than September 30, 2008.
b. All participants will be informed of the competition results by mail, including
guidelines and rules for the next competition.