PRIZE

The winning play will be:

  • Purchased and published by Dramallama.
  • Available for production by enthusiastic schools and theater groups globally.
  • The student playwright will receive a publishing contract and be recognized as a professional playwright.
ELIGIBILITY
  • Open to all College students currently enrolled in a U.S. college or university.
  • Submission must be the original work of the student. Adaptations, fan fiction, or works based on copyrighted material will not be accepted. Please see the Dramallama AI use policy.
  • Amateur, independent writers only. If you are represented by an agent, you are not eligible (but, congratulations!).
  • If under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian’s co-signature is required to enter into the publishing agreement.
PLAY REQUIREMENTS
  • Must be an original one-act or full-length play.
  • No musicals at this time (plays with incidental music are fine).
  • The play must be appropriate for a school setting—PG or PG-13 content (no explicit violence, excessive profanity, or sexual content).
  • Must be complete, well-formatted, and ready for potential production.
  • Estimated run time: 30-40 minutes for a One-Act, 80-100 minutes for a Full-Length
DEADLINE & SUBMISSION
  • Submissions open: Monday June 23rd, 2025
  • Final deadline: Tuesday September 30th, 2025
  • Submit the following in PDF or Word form:
    1. Your play.
    2. A title page with:
      • Play title
      • Student’s full name
      • University or College Program
      • Contact email and phone number
      • Optional: Department Head and email
  • All submissions must be emailed to [email protected] by 12 Midnight EST Friday July 18th.
  • By submitting to this competition you recognize the following:
    1. The entrant acknowledges that Dramallama, The Licensing House and its representatives may be developing or may in the future develop materials that are similar in theme, concept, or structure to the submitted play. The entrant agrees not to hold Dramallama or The Licensing House liable for any perceived similarities between their submission and any current or future works developed, published, or produced by the company.
    2. ⁠The entrant (and their parent/guardian if under 18) agrees to hold harmless Dramallama, The Licensing House, its employees, judges, and affiliates from any and all claims, liabilities, losses, or damages arising from participation in this contest.
JUDGING CRITERIA

Plays will be evaluated by a panel of theater professionals and educators based on:

  • Performability and appeal for community theater and high school markets.
  • Originality of concept
  • Strength of character development
  • Theatricality and stageability
  • Emotional impact and storytelling
  • Suitability for College performance
RULES & REGULATIONS

Plays will be evaluated by a panel of theater professionals and educators based on:

  1. Only one play per student.
  2. Submitted plays must not have been previously published or professionally produced.
  3. By entering, students agree that if their script is selected as the winner, they grant Dramallama the right to publish and license the play.
  4. The winning playwright will receive a standard Dramallama publishing contract.
  5. Finalists and winners will be notified by August 1st, 2025.
  6. All decisions made by the judging panel are final.

QUESTIONS?

Email us at: [email protected]

We can’t wait to read your work and help launch your career as a playwright!