::: Alberta Playwrights Network :::

APN's list of Competitions

Alberta Playwriting Competition (March 31, 2008)
APN Commissioning Program (January 15, 2008)

Alberta Playwriting Competition

Alberta Playwriting Competition offers the largest cash prize of any playwriting contest in Canada. It is open to all playwrights who reside in Alberta, whether they are members of the Alberta Playwrights' Network or not. Winning plays and Honorable Mentions often receive additional dramaturgical support through APN's development Programs.

The longest running provincial playwriting competition in Canada, the Alberta Playwriting Competition offers the largest cash prize in the country awarding playwrights:

Grand Prize Category - $3500

Open to all unproduced scripts by Alberta Playwrights.

Discovery Prize Category - $1500

Open to all unproduced scripts by Alberta Playwrights who have had not had other works produced in a professional setting, but who may have had up to, but no more than, 2 other plays produced in a non-professional or festival setting. This category is intended for "emerging" playwrights.

As part of a recent Program Review at the Alberta PLaywrights' Network our board has decided that beginning in 2007 we will divorce PlayWorks Ink from the Alberta Playwriting Competition. Henceforth, the plays that appear at PlayWorks Ink will not necessarily be the prize-winning plays, but rather will be plays that we have been working with which have arrived at Phase Five in our development process. For more information go to our Development page or or read about APN's recent 2006 Program Review.

Deadline: March 31, 2007

For More Information:

APC Submission Guidelines, Rules and Regulations & Entry Form

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The Alberta Playwriting Competition has a long and noble history, having successfully launched the careers of many notable playwrights, including two-time Governor’s General Award Winner Sharon Pollock, the Director of The Banff Centre for the Arts John Murrell and Due South’s Paul Gross.

Previous winning plays have gone on to noted success, such as Mary’s Wedding by Stephen Massicotte which premiered at Alberta Theatre Projects playRites 02 and won the Betty Mitchell award for Outstanding New Play 2002; and Apple by Vern Thiessen, which was premiered at Workshop West in Edmonton and won the Sterling Award for Outstanding New Play 2002. Both plays were recently published by Playwrights’ Canada Press. In 2004, The Last Train by Daniela Vlaskalic and Beth Graham opened its premiere production at Shadow Theatre in Edmonton.

A selection of past winners includes:
John Murrell
Sharon Pollock
Brad Fraser
Clem Martini
Marty Chan

Cathleen Rootsaert

Catherine Walsh
Frank Moher
Conni Massing
Daniel Libman
Stephen Massicotte
Stewart Lemoine
Vern Thiessen
Lyle Victor Albert
Rose Scollard
Gordon Pengilly
Katherine Koller
Paul Gross
Daniela Vlaskalic and Beth Graham
Paul Matwychuk

Collin Doyle

APN Commissioning Program

We seek applications from Albertans playwrights who wish to be commissioned by APN to write their plays. Applications must be received in our office by January 15th (note: received, not just post-marked, due to time constraints).

Please keep in mind that we will only be able to commission one or two playwrights.

Moreover, keep in mind that this is a kind of “double jury” process; we are deciding only which playwright APN will choose to support. Just because APN has decided to commission the successful applicant(s) to write a play, there is no guarantee that the AFA jury will fund your project.

We hope that the careful consideration our organization is giving to this commission will have an impact; but again, the applicant will have to apply again to the AFA and the final decision is up to their jury.

Our deadline is January 15th 2008. Our jury will read your proposals and make a decision by February 1st 2006. The successful applicant(s) will then have to revise their proposal and re-submit (with APN as the commissioning agent) for the February 15th deadline.

The successful play, once completed will receive on-going dramaturgical support from APN. Playwrights should have had at least two productions in a professional context, be current members of APN and, as this is a commission, the play must not be completed or already exist in a draft form.

A three-person jury consisting of the Executive Director plus two outside playwrights and/or directors will evaluate the proposals. The jury will not be blind, as the experience of you, the playwright, and the play you wish to write are a factor in our consideration.

There is no entry form for this program. We ask for many of the same things as the AFA grant proposal will eventually call for; please submit the following:
• a brief biography
• a playwriting resume
• a proposal or outline of the play you wish to write
• an outline of the “objectives, planned activities and expected results and benefits” of the commission
• a proposed schedule for the submission of completed drafts
• any additional information or support materials specific to your project which may have a bearing on the type of workshop you require

Deadline: January 15th.

Alberta Playwrights' Network
gratefully acknowledges the support of:

Theatre Alberta
Alberta Community Development
The Alberta Foundation for the Arts
The Calgary Community Lottery Board
The Calgary Regional Arts Foundation
The Edmonton Arts Council
The Canada Council for the Arts
Canadian Heritage/Arts Presentation Canada

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Playwrights Guild of Canada

Playwrights Development Centres of Canada

Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas

Canadian Actors' Equity Association

Professional Association of Canadian Theatres

Performance Creation Canada

The Dramatists Guild of America

Alberta Theatre Groups: