The SE Texas Festival of New Plays is a one of a kind event in southeast Texas, seeking new and original plays to be performed live at the Betty Greenberg Center for Performing Arts, home of the Beaumont Community Players. Creating some of the most multi-cultural diverse programming in Southeast Texas, the organization is the only nonprofit community based performance organization providing year round programming and educational services in the area.

The positive teaching and mentoring relationship embodied in BCP's organization is exemplified in the group's desire to be, "The biggest tent in Texas". There is a place for everyone at BCP, whether on stage, in our classes, behind the scenes, or in our audience and the Festival of New Plays is no exception.

One play will be selected and receive a week's rehearsal with local actors and a director culminating in an Enhanced Staged Reading performance on August 11th AND each winning playwright receives a $500 cash award!

Past winners have gone on to stage performances across the country, including “Tracy Jones” in The Williamston Theatre in Michigan, which won the 2018 SE Texas New Plays Festival award! You don't want to miss this opportunity to get your work in front of an audience!

We are accepting submissions of full length non-musical plays for our festival from February 15th - May 15th 2023.

Awards & Prizes

One will be selected and receive a week's rehearsal with local actors and a director culminating in an Enhanced Staged Reading performance on August 11th AND the winning playwright receives a $500 cash award!

Enhanced Staged Readings feature minimal blocking, some stage EFX and actors will carry scripts.

Rules & Terms

1. Plays must be in English
2. Plays must be a full length play (no fewer than 50 pages or less than an hour). No 10 minute plays, one act plays, or screenplays will be accepted.
3. Plays should only include characters 16 years of age or older
4. Musicals will not be accepted
5. The play must be a previously unpublished and un-produced new work (meaning, not performed in front of an audience), written by those who are 18 years or older, including co-authored material, and the authors may not have professional literary/talent representation.
6. Plays are subject to copyright laws and submissions that break that will not be submitted (so save your Bridgerton musical’s for TikTok)

We ask that the content be PG-13 and not be excessively violent or very sexual in nature.

Entry into the contest is $5 per entry and contestants may submit multiple entries in this contest. If you would like feedback, the price will be $15. The feedback will be sent after the festival takes place, regardless if your selection is picked or not, via email.