Resources
Past Stage Play competition winners and finalists have signed with representation with CAA, WME, A3 Artists, 3 Arts Entertainment and more.

More info coming soon

Current Season Announcements

Dec 18

Quarterfinalist

Jan 22

Semifinalist

Feb 12

Finalist

Mar 5

Winner

Drawing on a long history of playwrights transitioning to screenwriting, this competition seeks to celebrate excellent plays that have great film or TV adaptation potential. Get visibility for your writing with theater agents and playwrights.

Past Stage Play competition winners and finalists have signed with representation from some of the biggest agencies and management companies in the industry including CAA, WME, A3 Artists, 3 Arts Entertainment and more.

All finalists will meet with a member of the jury and be invited to an exclusive finalist workshop on how you can best position yourself and your writing to the industry.

Grand Prize Mentor

The Grand Prize Winner will be mentored by Tony Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated playwright Jeffrey Whitty, receiving a virtual meeting and project development insight.

Whitty is a Tony Award-winning playwright, an actor, and an Oscar-nominated screenwriter. He won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for the stage musical AVENUE Q and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

Runner-Up Mentor

The Runner-Up will have mentorship meetings with Minna Lee, a Hmong-Vietnamese American playwright and animator who brings audiences into whimsical worlds full of queer joy and strange magic.

Lee is a co-recipient of the Dramatist Guild's 2024 Lanford Wilson Award, a 2024-2025 MacDowell Fellow, a New Georges Affiliated Artist, a member of TAG at The Tank, and a 2022 Sesame Workshop Writers’ Room Fellow and the creator of an Emily Dickinson-inspired zine called Baller of Amherst.

Notes

Receive feedback to strengthen your script

Meeting

Virtual meeting to discuss feedback and ask questions

Insight

Learn and gain perspective on next steps to take with your project
A Note To Entrants And Those Considering Entry During The WGA Strike:
At ScreenCraft, we stand in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America and its efforts to ensure fair compensation for writers.

ScreenCraft has publicly committed to pausing the sharing of writers’ work with struck companies and, if needed, coordinating with finalists and winners to see what alternate outreach they are comfortable with.

We’re all hoping the strike will be over soon, but if it isn’t, ScreenCraft will offer alternatives, postpone announcements, or otherwise work with writers to ensure they’re staying within the rules of the WGA strike.

Jury

Amy Wagner

Literary Agent, Stewart Talent
As a Literary Agent, Amy represents a wide variety of clients including screenwriters, television writers, playwrights, composers, lyricists, directors, choreographers and designers. Originally from St. Louis, MO but now thirty years a New Yorker.

LUCY POWIS

Theater Agent, Michael Moore Agency
Lucy has represented writers, directors, designers, composers, choreographers, and more with Michael Moore Agency and A3 Artists. Before that, she held positions in the artistic/literary departments at Roundabout Theatre Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Her producing and dramaturgy credits include work at The Public's Under the Radar Festival, Next Door @ NYTW, New Georges, Bushwick Starr, Ars Nova's ANT Fest, Rattlestick, The Segal Center's PRELUDE Festival, HERE, and the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center.

Noah Ezell

Theater Agent, Independent Artist Group
Noah Ezell is a theater agent at Independent Artist Group (IAG) working with playwrights, designers, and directors with an eye towards Hollywood crossover. In addition to agenting, Noah has an artistic practice as a dramaturg and producer. Noah was a 2023 Moxie Incubator cohort producer and a 24 Hour Plays Nationals 2022 cohort producer. They have worked or interned in the literary departments at the Vineyard Theatre, the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. They’ve received two national awards for dramaturgy and theatre scholarship from the Kennedy Center.

Allen Eckhouse

Literary Manager, Logical Talent Management
Allen is the General Manager of Logical Talent Management. LTM represents topnotch screenwriters across all genres, styles, and formats. Additionally, LTM works with literary authors, podcast creators, board game designers, and other content generators to help bring their projects to life. Allen has developed pitch concepts for Dreamworks, Amblin, Blumhouse, and Illumination Entertainment.

Rachel Ellicott

Theater Agent, Paradigm
Paradigm's Theatrical Department represents the playwrights, directors, and stage titles such Dreamgirls, Sister Act, Hairspray, Rent, The Secret Garden and School of Rock.

Prizes

Grand Prize

The overall grand prize winner will be welcomed to the Writer Development Program and receive personal introductions and phone calls with one or more top Hollywood literary manager(s), producers, or industry execs who are looking for talented emerging writers.

ScreenCraft's relationships include companies like Blumhouse, Netflix, HBO Max, AMC, and over 150 other Hollywood managers, agents, producers, and development executives.

ScreenCraft has a proven track record for getting writers signed with managers, agents, and staffed in writing rooms.
Personal Introduction to industry professionals
Accepted into the Writer Development Program
$1,000 Cash
An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
Mentorship with Jeffrey Whitty

Runner-Up Prizes

Runner-up

$500 cash award

Accepted into the Writer Development Program

An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry

Mentorship with Minna Lee

FINALISTS

Guaranteed Meeting with an Industry Professional

An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry

More info coming soon

Previous Success Stories

See More Successes

Matthew McLachlan

Signed with an agent

"I was spending countless hours and so much of my time trying to get through to agents and managers. Once I was a finalist, ScreenCraft really sat down with me and helped me evaluate my goals and the best and next steps for how to achieve those. Even before winning a competition, I had an agent from Paradigm reach out to me for a meeting, who I have since signed with. Woo! After my win, I have had multiple managers reach out and take meetings as well as befriending a lot of other writers."

Laura Winters

Signed with a literary agent at CAA and Manager at Anonymous

"The panel of judges drew me to ScreenCraft competitions. [ScreenCraft] has been an absolute game-changer in [the] ability to get my scripts read by “right-fit” industry people. I’ve also been able to connect with some wonderful other finalists who live in LA, so it’s also helped me establish a writing community here. The agent I was targeting read my script in the Screencraft competition, and wanted to represent me! It was truly the dream-outcome. This year, when I completed my screenplay HONEY CRUMBLE, my theatre agent sent out the script to managers, and that’s how I got connected to my current manager!"

Joanna Pickering

Signed with Manager at 3 Arts Entertainment

"Going from a mathematician to the dramatic arts and ending under the umbrella of 3 Arts. I create lots of turning points for myself. The goal of every writer is to create something into existence, to get financed, and produced. And so, the seemingly impossible task of attracting agents and managers. It’s too big a step to think of at once. You need to break it down and stay close to the writing. Focus on its development and needs as a piece. The rest will come. Writing competitions are a great way to make deadlines for yourself. Having a submission deadline helps you focus to finish or move onto the next draft. You also get helpful feedback on the work before sending it to agents and managers. I was delighted to be selected for the ScreenCraft Development Program. "

Robert Axelrod

Signed with a literary agent at A3 Artists

"The competition had a judging panel that included some of my absolute favorite playwrights and artistic directors. The prospect of possibly having artists I’ve long admired and look up to actually read my work? That was incentive enough to apply. To wind up having those individuals select my play as the grand prize winner was beyond my wildest expectations. Through winning the competition, I was able to further develop my work with the IAMA Theatre Company, a company I’ve dreamed of working with. And, most recently, ScreenCraft introduced me and my work to my now-agent, Amy Wagner at A3 Artists Agency. The access and opportunities that ScreenCraft has provided me, since winning, has been beyond anything I could have anticipated."

Jacqueline Pereda

Optioned her project GENERATION POR QUE? to HBO Max

"My biggest inspiration in creating GENERATION POR QUÉ? is my life. I’m the child of Cuban immigrants and grew up with very strict, conservative parents. I’m also a comedy nerd and adore coming of age comedies like Sex and the City, Insecure, and Broad City. But when I would watch Carrie in bed with Mr. Big, I would literally ask myself, “Where are her parents? Why aren’t they calling her right now and asking if she’s coming home to go to her cousin’s baby shower this weekend?”, because that was my life. Lol! I was shocked by how much freedom and independence these women had in this world because immigrant parents do not roll like that. The idea for A Visitor’s Pass on the Virgin Mary (the play that was a Screenscraft Finalist) came to me before I even attempted screenwriting.  It was a story I needed to tell and immediately saw it on a stage. Screenwriting came along when I started writing and producing comedic sketches. But I never set out to write a play, pilot or film. This may sound cliche, but the idea comes to me first and then listen to what it wants to be. Aside from providing great feedback on my work, the team has connected me with some fantastic executives and helped foster relationships which is what a lot of the industry is about. In practical terms, Screencraft is great for giving me deadlines to submit my work."

Doug Williams

Signed with an agent at William Morris Endeavor

"It was an honor all its own to be named runner-up for their new stage play contest, but the way they went to bat for me and championed my work following the contest was incredible. ScreenCraft got my play in front of some of my writing heroes who were judges for the contest, and just a few months later I’d signed with my agent at WME. Prior to ScreenCraft, I honestly had no idea how to even approach an agent."

ADD-ON PRIZE OPPORTUNITY

This optional add-on prize category will identify a winner to learn, workshop, and strengthen their project with guidance from an industry mentor. This year's mentor is Literary Manager Myra Model of Myra Model Management.

MYRA MODEL

Literary Manager, Myra Model Management


After 20+ years in film and television development, including 10 years at CBS Entertainment overseeing dramatic limited series and movies, Myra Model launched Myra Model Management in January 2010. Myra launched the television careers of several playwrights and new voices including Ellen Fairey (Masters of Sex), Marisa Wegrzyn (Amazon’s Goliath); and Caitlin Parrish (CBS’ Supergirl). Myra also represents Cami Delavigne who wrote the film Blue Valentine and has written for Amazon’s Homecoming, and Showtime’s American Gigolo. Myra is currently an Executive Producer on Sunny Nights, an 8-episode comic-drama written by client Nick Keetch, starring Will Forte and D’arcy Carden.
Only projects submitted to the ScreenCraft Stage Play Competition AND that select this add-on are eligible for consideration in this category. Additionally, all projects that place in the Top 10 of the competition will automatically be considered.

As Featured In

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More info coming soon

Rules
Eligibility
Selection Criteria
Additional Legal
  1. Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only.
  2. Entry fees are as listed on the site and checkout form. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previous entry.
  3. Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback can be done through Coverfly.
  4. Any play submission longer than 120 pages will incur a $.50 per page overage fee for each page over 120 if it does not include feedback and $1 per page if the entry does include feedback. The maximum page limit is 150 pages.
  5. There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
  6. Entries must be received on or before the deadline dates by 11:59PM Pacific Time, and submission fee payment must be made in full at time of the submission. All entry fees are non-refundable.
  7. All submitted material must be owned by the writer(s), however the material may be based on other works not owned by the writers.
  8. Material must be submitted by the writer. Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s).
  9. If a writing team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the person who submits the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing any prizes awarded as they deem fair (whether there is a cash value or not).
  10. Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed for a limited time with a $6 reentry fee through Coverfly. Please proofread your submission carefully before submitting.
  11. It is recommended that original material be registered with the WGA or The Library of Congress before submitting to any competition, however we do not require registration.
  12. Contact info may be included on the cover page of the submission, however it is not required. ScreenCraft uses Coverfly to manage submissions and automatically removes cover pages before projects are read by the judges.
  13. ScreenCraft claims no ownership nor option on your work. All ownership and rights to the projects submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders. 
  14. The decision of the judges will be final and cannot be contested in any manner. There is no score on a scorecard that guarantees advancement to the next level as advancement will be based on all scores in the competition.
  15. In the event a juror, partner organization, or prize partner is no longer able to serve in their specified capacity, ScreenCraft will make its best effort to secure a replacement. ScreenCraft is not responsible for the failed delivery of any prize package by a juror, sponsor, or partner organization.
  16. ScreenCraft reserves the right to change deadline and announcement dates at any time.
  17. ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.
  1. All writers at least 18 years of age are eligible. However, a writer who has earned more than $50,000 (or equivalent currency) from professional writing services for film or TV in the preceding 12 months or $500,000 (or equivalent currency) from professional film or TV in the proceeding 10 years is not eligible. (Contest winnings not included.)
  2. All persons from anywhere in the world are eligible; however the material submitted must be in English (occasional dialogue in other languages is acceptable, if subtitle translation is provided).
  3. All material submitted to other competitions or contests are eligible for this contest.
  4. The material may have been written at any time.
  5. Material should be submitted in standard format, font, spacing and margin.
  6. We have no preferences regarding title page content. Title and name of writer would suffice.
  7. All material must be submitted electronically as a PDF. Broken files or non-PDF files may be accepted, but if the file cannot be read ScreenCraft will not judge the submission.
  8. Prize winners may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and proper tax documentation before prizes are released.
  9. By entering the competition, user acknowledges their eligibility for the competition. ScreenCraft may verify all eligibility requirements at the finalist stage of the competition and before distributing any prizes.
  10. Projects based on underlying material not owned by the writer are accepted as samples, so long as the script itself is indisputably written by the writer and that the submission does not contain any plagiarism.
  11. Former Grand Prize or Category Winners of the competition may enter so long as it is NOT the same project that won in a previous year. Any other placement in previous years does not disqualify the project from being entered this year. 

The reading and judging of the submissions will be based on the following criteria: 

  • Voice
  • Concept
  • Story
  • Structure
  • Characters
  • Dialogues
  • Genre Conventions

In addition to the scoring criteria for the project, ScreenCraft may conduct interviews and send questionnaires to learn more about the entrant, their voice, perspective, and goals to help identify the winning projects. Selected Finalist projects are read by the industry jury who votes for their favorite projects at their sole discretion.

Mentorship Selection:

  1. Only writers who submit to the competition and include this add-on at the time of entry or who make it to the Top 10 of the competition, are eligible to be considered for this prize opportunity.
  2. The winner of this prize will be selected at the discretion of the specified industry professional(s). The selected winner of this prize will engage with the specified industry professional(s) in an educational development capacity.
  3. Being selected as the winner of this prize does not constitute or guarantee representation by the industry professional or involvement of any kind by the company they work for.
  4. The approach and manner in which the industry professional(s) and winner interact is at their discretion. ScreenCraft will have no involvement in the process beyond facilitating an introduction.

Criteria for Winners and Finalists:

  1. The winners and top finalists may be contacted by interested industry representatives, such as managers, agents or producers. 
  2. Entrants may be required to submit further information to assist in the judges’ verification of eligibility. 
  3. Any entrant may be deemed ineligible as a Finalist or Winner at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft. 
  4. All recognition, placements, and winners are chosen at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft.
  5. Finalists may be required to sign and return within seven (7) business days of receipt a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility and a Release and Indemnification and proof of valid passport and any other documents that ScreenCraft or any other partner may require before receiving prize payment. Failure to respond to the initial notification within ten (10) days or return of notification may result in disqualification. 
  6. We reserve the right to amend these rules at any time.
  1. COPYRIGHT AND OWNERSHIP: ScreenCraft or any other partner, employee or agent associated with this contest claims no ownership nor first right of option to any original play submitted to this contest. All ownership and rights to the projects submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders until and unless other agreements are made.
  2. PUBLICITY: Except where prohibited by law, participation in the contest constitutes each entrant’s consent to ScreenCraft and its agents’ and contest sponsor’s use of entrants’ names, likenesses, photographs, and/or personal information for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration. All uses of entrants' information are in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
  3. REFUND POLICY: All entries are non-refundable.
  4. SITE TERMS OF SERVICE. All ScreenCraft Terms of Service apply in addition to these rules and eligibility criteria.
  5. DATA MANAGEMENT AND PRIVACY. Entries for this competition are managed on the submission platform Coverfly, and ScreenCraft (a d/b/a of Red Ampersand, Inc) uses other data management tools, including but not limited to, Google Services and Amazon Web Services, to securely manage your data. ScreenCraft is not accountable for any data hacks (internal or external) or user errors that may release scripts or writer data unintentionally.
  6. ENTRY CONDITIONS AND RELEASE: BY ENTERING THE CONTEST YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO THESE CONDITIONS. You agree to release, indemnify and hold harmless ScreenCraft, ScreenCraft.org, its subsidiary, parent and affiliated companies, Prize contributors, judges, screenplay readers, Sponsors, and any other organizations responsible for administering, advertising or promoting the Contest, and every one of their respective members, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) past and present from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to damages and negligence to property and persons, including but not limited to invasion of privacy, defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, copyright, infringement of trademark or other intellectual property rights relating to a participant’s Entry, participation in the Contest and/or acceptance or use or misuse of Prize; provided however, that such release will not apply to any commercial exploitation of the script by a Released Party in violation of your rights under applicable copyright law; and (c) indemnify, defend and hold harmless the ScreenCraft.org and its Sponsor, agents and employees from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys fees) relating to an entrant’s participation in the Contest and/or entrant’s use or misuse of Prize. Employees of ScreenCraft and their immediate families are ineligible to participate in this contest. Any such submission will be immediately disqualified. ENTRY TO THIS CONTEST IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED or restricted by any Federal, State or Local law. Voided entries will be refunded. Recipients’ eligibility will be verified before the grant is awarded and the winner may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility. By entering the contest, you authorize us to use any trusted third-party online and cloud-based services and databases for hosting, managing and/or transmitting your submission file(s). The governing law is California.

THRILLS AND SCARES

The Haunting of Hill House
It
The Shining
Lovecraft Country
Scream
Get Out
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Open Competitions

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WRITER RECOMMENDED FEEDBACK

Amanda Dettrick

Screencraft provided insightful and detailed feedback for my drama - thanks again!
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