SCRIPT SUBMISSIONS

Since the 1989/90 season, the first year of Artistic Director Steven Schipper’s tenure, Royal MTC has programmed an average of one new play each year. Of course, world premieres of new plays don’t happen overnight. Playwrights and their work must be nurtured. We commission new work (five are currently in various stages of development) and provide dramaturgical support including readings and workshops.

In our quest for new projects, we accept about 100 script submissions each year, including new plays and works that have been previously produced, which are then read by staff and freelance analysts. We also produce a reading series, hiring actors to read promising scripts for Royal MTC staff.
 

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

It's not enough to write beautiful dialogue or to create memorable characters. Playwrights must give those characters clear goals, high stakes, formidable obstacles and a sense of urgency if they're to hold an audience’s interest. Story structure is an essential, but often underused, element in scriptwriting. Learn how to use it, in concert with great characters, insightful dialogue and important themes, and you'll be in the top 10% of the submissions we receive.
 

HOW TO SUBMIT A SCRIPT

Please submit the following in PDF form:
 
1.) Character breakdown (including any doubling) followed by 15 pages of the script
2.) Our fillable PDF Literary Contact Information Form (open with Adobe Acrobat Reader)
 
Please do not mail script submissions as we cannot receive packages during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Email to Jeff Kennedy, Literary Coordinator: jkennedy@royalmtc.ca
 
Royal MTC is committed to equity and inclusion. We encourage submissions from diverse artists who self-identify as members of under-represented communities.