New Play Festival
The Annual New Play Festival (NPF) features new works, which have not been professionally produced or published, by University of Colorado Boulder undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, and recent alums. There are four categories: Full Length, 1 Acts, 10 Minute plays, and Performance Scenarios. All selected works receive staged readings and are offered a feedback session during the festival.
Tenth Annual New Play Festival
April 14–19, 2025
Admission is free, open to the public, and first-come, first-served.
All readings will be in the Loft.
With lighting design by Rory Smith
MONDAY April 14th at 7:30
The Ostrich, by Kevin Finkelstein
Directed by Camden Hornor
TUESDAY April 15th at 7:30
One Life Left Behind, by Amaara Alikhan
Directed by Kasra Mirfattahi
It Belongs to the Wall, by Em Bartles
Directed by James Early
WEDNESDAY April 16th at 7:30
Pond, by Aaron Klass
Directed by Sam Collier
THURSDAY, April 17th at 7:30
Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt, by Mady Ekstrom
Directed by Edie Roth
FRIDAY, April 18th at 7:30
The Light That's Left, by Sam Collier
Directed by Aaron Klass
SATURDAY, April 19th at 7:30
There's Still Time, by Connor George
Directed by Connor George
Solar Flares, by Marie-Antoinette Banks
Directed by Jadeyn Dugger
- 6:00pm ORBITING, by Marie-Antoinette Banks. Directed by Ashlyn Barnett.
- 7:00pm THE GUEST HOUSE, by Christian Canoni. Directed by Ben Stasny.
Tickets are Free, and will be first come first serve at the door. We hope to see you there!
Submissions & Eligibility
All CU Boulder undergraduate or graduate students, faculty, staff, or alums are eligible to submit work to the New Play Festival. Submissions must be turned in by the deadline; no late work may be accepted.
Please submit PDF documents only. Scripts need to be turned in with no identifying information about the playwright, except for a mandatory cover page containing the playwright’s name, contact information, and title of the script. Plays will be reviewed by at least 2 readers blindly and chosen by a selection committee. If a play was submitted for a past festival but not chosen, it must be substantially rewritten to be eligible for resubmission.
Full-Length Plays: Full-length plays must be of substantial length (normally somewhere between 60-120 pages in standard manuscript form), and must not have been previously professionally produced or published. Accepted plays may be developed by the playwright in collaboration with the director and actors over 8-10 rehearsal hours.
One-Act Plays: One-act plays must be somewhere between 11-60 pages in standard form, and not have been previously produced professionally or published. Accepted plays may be developed by the playwright in collaboration with the director and actors over 6-8 rehearsal hours.
10-Minute Plays: 10-minute plays must be around 10 minutes in length (normally around 10 pages in manuscript form), and not have been previously professionally produced or published. Accepted plays may be developed by the playwright in collaboration with the director and actors over 4-6 rehearsal hours.
Performance Scenarios: Recognizing that not all theatrical events are text-based, we accept performance scenarios for site-specific work (particularly interesting to explore during these Zoom days), an immersive work, a spec-actor scheme, etc. that is organized around design, an experience, an event, rather than starting with text. The 5-10-minute presentation of the performance concept can be in any form.
Directors and Actors: We need you all! More information to come in the New Year!
Frequently Asked Questions
Recognizing that not all theatrical events are text-based, NPF can also feature presentations by individuals (or groups) of scenarios for site-specific work, an immersive work, a spec-actor scheme, etc. that is organized around design, an experience, an event, rather than starting with text. The 5-10 minute presentation of the performance concept can be in any form, but PechaKucha is encouraged.
If a play was submitted for a past festival but not chosen, it must be substantially rewritten to be eligible for resubmission.
Feel free to submit to as many of these calls as you want! Only one full-length, one 1 act, one 10-minute play, and one Performance Scenario submission per person, please.
All submissions will be reviewed by at least 2 readers blindly and chosen by a script selection committee.
Yes! All works may be developed by the playwright in collaboration with the dramaturg, director and actors. Rehearsal time varies based on the submission:
- Full Length Plays: 8-10 rehearsal hours
- 1 Act Plays: 4-6 rehearsal hours
- 10 Minute Plays: 2-4 rehearsal hours
- Performance Scenarios: 2-4 rehearsal hours
If selected for the festival, expect to hear back within approximately 2 weeks of the submissions deadline.
In the Acting Studio, room C240, in the University Theatre Building.
The New Play Festival is an opportunity for playwrights to hear their work performed for the first time. All performances are staged readings with minimal props, scenic and lighting elements, and costumes. We want to focus on the spoken word.
All performances are free and open to the public! For more information on how to get “free tickets,” go to CU Presents.
Auditions are typically held in the Design Studio in late February. There is no need to have anything prepared, and auditions usually only take a few minutes.
Stay Connected
If you'd like to receive updates about upcoming festivals, please email cubouldernpf@gmail.com or follow our Facebook page @CUBoulderNPF.
The Shape of Love by Amanda Eisenburg A Book of Modern Prayer by Matara Hitchcock The Philosopher, Wittgenstein by Tristan Skogan Great Bends by Sarah Powers Dead Soldiers by Oliver Gerland Pendulum by Nolan Carey