Festival@First 13: Superstitious
Call for Scripts
Festival@First 13: Superstitious
directed by Renée Walsh
Festival@First 13: Superstitious will collect 8-10 original short plays, and will explore the weird, the wacky, and the sometimes spooky world of superstition.
Superstition is a widely held belief, typically not based on reason or science, that future events can be influenced by one's behavior in some supernatural way. What could go wrong when you mess with these beliefs, passed down through generations, shared across continents, and perpetuated in popular culture?
Say “Bloody Mary” three times? Break a mirror? Walk under a ladder? What could happen?! The outcome is up to you, but we hope it will be hilarious, uncanny, and maybe a little twisted. We’re looking for each playwright’s take on the theme of superstition, which must be the focal point of each submitted play.
Submission Guidelines:
Plays should be 10 minutes or less.
Cast size should be 2-5 actors.
Theatre@First embraces diversity. Writers are encouraged to include roles for actors across a wide spectrum of race, gender expression, religion, age, body type, and ability.
No improvisational or dance-focused pieces will be considered.
New and previously performed plays are welcome.
Published plays are permitted, provided the playwright holds the rights.
Plays must be royalty-free; payment will not be offered for the purchase of rights. Playwrights of selected plays will receive two free tickets to any performance.
The Festival is performed on a simple stage with minimum prop, set, and costume requirements, and our space has a basic repertory lighting plot. Scripts with significant technical demands may be rejected.
Submissions are limited to two per person. Please send each script in a separate email.
Scripts will be read blindly by our committee to ensure fair considerations for all playwrights.
Playwrights will not be considered for participation on our reading committee.
We are seeking plays by new or established local playwrights (residing within Massachusetts) that will draw the broadest possible audience while creating a vibrant evening of theatre.
The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2025. This will be strictly upheld.
Submission Requirements
Please complete the submission form below or at Playwright Submission Form: Festival @ First 13, and attach your script as a Word document with your name redacted.
Do not include your name or contact information on the script itself; scripts/playwrights will be tracked by the Festival Director and read anonymously by the selection committee.
Script submissions are limited to two per playwright; please submit a separate email for each play.
Selection Timeline
Submission Deadline: January 31, 2025
Reading Committee Selection: February – April 2025
Auditions: Early June 2025
Performances: August 2025