Submission FAQ

When does your next submission period begin?
Our next submission window opens in January 15th; Until then, we will announce updates about our season and submission opportunities on our homepage, social media channels, and via our mailing list. We do not accept unsolicited scripts outside of our submission period.

Do you have a preference for a specific genre or style?
We get this question a lot! The best way to get a sense of the kind of work we do is to come to one of our readings or productions and see for yourself. While we are open to plays of pretty much any genre and style, there are certainly specific elements we look for in our selections. Our favorite scripts are genuinely theatrical and embrace the magic of the stage -- very few of our productions would be considered straightforward "realism." We love plays that require deep collaboration and creativity from the artistic and design teams. We also value a diversity of gender, race, and body type on stage, and appreciate scripts that tell stories we've never heard before or highlight underrepresented voices.

Why do you cap the number of submissions?
By limiting the number of scripts we accept, it ensures that every submission gets read all the way through multiple times, is considered carefully, and that we can respond to playwrights in a timely manner. This way, your play won't be on the bottom of a slush pile for months on end waiting for someone to read it! At this time we aren't able to accept more than 80 scripts during the submission period. In the past few years, we have reached our submission cap in under 24 hours, so be sure to submit early!

Who can submit work for consideration?
Anyone over 18 and residing in the greater New England area (MA, CT, RI, VT, NH, ME) is welcome to apply. You must be currently living in one of those states to qualify as a resident -- if you were born or grew up in New England, but currently live elsewhere, we are unfortunately not able to accept your play. Additionally, you must remain a New England resident for the duration of your development cycle with us. If you are a current student attending a New England college, you may submit, but you should plan on remaining a New England resident for the duration of the Fresh Ink process, even if you are graduating. For writers who are New England residents but don't live in Boston, make sure you have a reliable way to commute to Boston for your reading/workshop/production, as well as regular meetings and rehearsals.

What do I submit?
One full length play in PDF format and a completed submission application. We cannot currently accept musicals, short plays, or plays that have already had a professional production -- previous readings, workshops, or college productions of the play are fine. If you're not sure if your play is eligible, let us know and we'll help clarify!

Can I send in a play I've previously submitted?
We strongly encourage you to send us something new each year. If you do want to send a previously submitted work, it should be significantly revised, and we recommend including detailed notes about the ways in which the script has been updated in your application email. When in doubt, you can always email submissions@freshinktheatre.org in advance of the submission date to see if your revised play should be submitted again.

Does my play need to be finished before I submit?
Nope! Your play does not need to be 100% production-ready, and in fact, you’re unlikely to get selected for our season if it is. We are looking for scripts with potential -- plays that intrigue us and will benefit from some focused collaboration with our artistic team. The submission draft should be full-length and reasonably fleshed out so we can see what you’re trying to accomplish with the script, but it's ok if you're still working through some big questions. On your submission form, you should be as clear as possible about your intentions for the play and what you hope to gain from a development cycle with us. Tell us about what you feel is working well, what you still aren’t sure about, or the areas where you expect to do a lot of revising. Your script might need a little tightening up in Act I, or you might be looking to totally revamp a character or two, or you might know you want to add a new final scene -- either way, we want to know how our development process can help make it happen!

How will I know if my play is being considered?
You’ll get an email when we receive your application that confirms whether or not your script is in consideration. You will also receive an email letting you know the status of your script in the spring, usually by mid-May.

What’s the timeline for your 2024 submission process?
Once the submission window closes, we expect the selection process to take about 4-5 months following the rough timeline below:

• Submissions open: Jan. 15-30, or until we get 80 scripts

• 1st and 2nd Rounds of Reading: Jan 16 - Feb.28

• 3rd Round Reading/Finalists Interviews: March and April 2024

• Recipients and Finalists announced: May 2024

What happens after I submit my application?
Our staff and team of volunteer readers will consider each script as it progresses over three rounds of reading:

• Rounds One and Two: Your script will be read at least twice each round by three different readers. Readers complete a confidential response form when they finish reading each script. After Round One, about 40 scripts will go to the next round. Following Round Two, we select the final 10 - 15 scripts that will go on to Round Three.  

• Round Three and Interviews: The final 10 - 15 scripts will be read and discussed internally. All finalists will also attend one-on-one interviews with Fresh Ink staff.

Who reads my play?
The Fresh Ink staff and a team of volunteer readers will consider your work. All readers who know the playwright they are reading will be assigned another play by someone they do not know. We will also be doing our best to match reader identities with the plays/playwrights.

I sent my play already, but just made some revisions. Can I send you an updated draft?
You can send us a new draft if you've made substantial revisions since submitting, but please know that we can't guarantee the updated version will be considered if we've already read your previous draft. If you do send us a revised draft, it’s helpful to have some context about the kinds of things you updated — if you cut a few scenes or really fleshed out a particular character, etc. — so please note those specific revisions for us!

I want to develop my script with you, but I already have a director/dramaturg/actor attached to my play. Can they still work with me?
We are always eager to bring awesome collaborators into the process! If you have specific people you want to include in your workshop or production, we will do our best to make it happen, but the sooner you let us know the better. Be sure to write any special collaborator requests on your submission form if someone is already attached to the project. Since we can't always guarantee that your collaborator requests will be met, you can also let us know if working with another person on your project would be a deal breaker for you. Please note that we are unable to cast Equity actors or actors under 18 years old in our productions at this time. It's also unlikely that artists/designers that live outside of New England can be part of a project with us.

I'm away for part of the year and probably can't attend the reading/workshop/production -- can I still submit?
Fresh Ink is excited to work with playwrights who are active participants in the entire development cycle, so it's important that our writers are present for each step of the process. If you have specific scheduling needs or anticipate any availability conflicts, let us know on your submission form. Once we select our season, we work with each writer to come up with a workshop and rehearsal schedule that can accommodate everyone, though our production dates are firm. If the full development process is too much of a commitment at this time, we encourage you to wait and submit your play when you can be fully involved.

My play wasn't selected -- can I get notes or feedback on my script?
Fresh Ink does not provide feedback on any scripts we receive through our submission process that are not selected for development with us. We think it’s generally poor practice to give blind feedback on a play that we aren't actively working on, as the most useful development notes come from personal relationships and established collaborations. If you are looking for some direct responses to your script, we recommend hiring a dramaturg to chat with you about the play, participating in a local writer's group, or talking to someone you already have an artistic relationship with for the best feedback.

How can I find out about Fresh Ink submission deadlines and new play events?
The best way to stay in-the-know is to join our mailing list. You can also follow us on Facebook for updates about events and productions.