American Blues Theater (ABT) seeks submissions

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American Blues Theater (ABT) seeks submissions for the annual Blue Ink Playwriting Award

The winner will be awarded a cash prize of $500.00 and receive a staged-reading of his/her manuscript by American Blues Theater. The winning play will be chosen by a selection committee comprised of ABT Ensemble members, most notably Emmy award-winner and ABT Founder Rick Cleveland (Nurse Jackie, Mad Men, Six Feet Under, West Wing).

There is no entry fee. Please follow these guidelines:

1. Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays written in English. Translations and screenplays are not accepted. Adaptations allowed only if underlying rights are free and available.

2. Plays that received fully-produced productions are not eligible.

3. The manuscript must begin with a title page that shows the play’s title and your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and page count; a second title page which lists the title of the play only; a list of characters; a list of acts and scenes; and (if applicable) a list of acknowledgments.

4. Blue Ink Playwriting Award is open to all subject matters. All playwrights are encouraged to submit.

5. Please include playwright’s bio/resume in a separate attachment.

6. Playwrights may submit only one (1) manuscript per each year.

7. Submissions and questions are accepted by email only to blueink@americanbluestheater.com

8. Please send as a Word Document or PDF File only. Plays must be typed/word-processed, numbered and in standard professional play format.

9. Submissions must be received no later than October 31, 2011.

10. The winning play will be publicly announced by ABT no later than March 31, 2012. The winning playwright will be notified directly, prior to public notification. The winner and finalists will be posted on ABT’s website immediately following the public announcement.

11. ABT reserves the Right-of-First-Refusal to produce the World-premiere of the winning play for one year’s time beginning on the date of the winning playwright announcement.

12. From the time of your submission through the winning announcement date, if your play receives or is scheduled for a professional production, please contact us.

For more information regarding ABT, please visit our website at www.americanbluestheater.com