2024-2025 DON KEEFE MEMORIAL PLAYWRITING CONTEST

Sponsored by Taos Onstage

Taos Onstage is sponsoring a playwriting contest open to any resident New Mexico. The contest will be for one-act plays.

The purpose of the competition is to celebrate and nurture aspiring playwrights.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS

1.     Plays must be an unpublished original work, never performed and written by a Taos, NM New Mexico resident.

2.     Plays may not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission. 

3.     Length of play should be approximately 20-30 minutes long.

4.     Plays must be typed/word-processed and page numbered.

5.     Plays must be submitted electronically to:

taosonstage@gmail.com with subject line Don Keefe MPWC. Use one of the following computer formats: Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx), plain text document (.txt) or Adobe PDF.

 DEADLINE: June 1, 2025

 SELECTION PROCESS

Each entry will be read by a selection committee without knowledge of the name of the submitter.

TAOS ONSTAGE RESERVES THE RIGHT

•      to reject any manuscript for any reason.

•      to not choose a winner.

•      to determine the eligibility of a winner.

 Taos Onstage will produce the winning plays.

CONSENT

By submitting a play to Taos Onstage the playwright grants express permission for Taos Onstage to reproduce or photocopy the script and/or send it electronically to Taos Onstage representatives for reading, review, and production purposes. The playwright also grants Taos Onstage permission to produce the play as a live stage production without monetary compensation outside of any potential contest winnings.

OWNERSHIP AND COPYRIGHT

The playwright will retain ownership and copyright of their submission.

NOTIFICATION

The contest winner will be selected, and entrants notified of their status no later August 30, 2025.

APPLICATION AND SCRIPT SUBMISSION

Playwrights must digitally submit an application and script. These will be submitted together but as two separate attachments.  

1. The application form is found at www.taosonstage.com. Click here for the form.

2.Play manuscript must be formatted in a standard play format without the title or playwright’s name or contact information anywhere on it.

Entries that do not comply with our guidelines will not be accepted.

For more information or questions regarding  competition email taosonstage@gmail.com with subject line: Don Keefe MPWC-Query