Now accepting submissions for Hesston College’s playwriting festival

A blank page. A bold idea. Ten minutes on stage. Hesston College Theatre is once again inviting south central Kansas playwrights to turn their stories into live performance through the return of the “Pen to Paper to Performance” playwriting festival. Open to first-time and experienced writers, the festival celebrates original voices and the creative process from script to stage.

The theatre department will accept submissions for the 10-minute play festival through March 8 and notify eight selected playwrights March 15, with their works produced as part of the final showcase event on May 1 and 2. Playwrights whose scripts are selected will receive a percentage of box office earnings.

Founded in 2017 by Hesston College Theatre Director Rachel Jantzi, “Pen to Paper to Performance,” often called P3, was designed to create meaningful connections between local playwrights, student performers and audiences. Performed by Hesston College theatre students, the festival provides a unique opportunity for new and familiar voices to be heard and shared through live theatre.

“Over the years, audiences and playwrights kept asking when P3 would return, and that’s been really encouraging,” Jantzi says. “It’s clear this is something people value, and I’m excited to continue building it as an every-other-year experience.”

One element that sets this festival apart is the post-show talkback session following each performance.

“During the talkback, playwrights have the chance to share their creative process and reflect on what it’s like to watch their words come to life on stage,” Jantzi explains. “It gives audiences insight they don’t usually get with other performances, and it deepens the connection between the writers, performers and audience.”

Past festivals have featured a wide range of styles and subjects, including nonfiction pieces rooted in personal or historical events, fictional works exploring social issues, fables and folktales and lighthearted comedies and dramas. Jantzi encourages writers of all ages and experience levels to submit a script on a topic that matters to them.

“Don’t let a lack of experience or age hold you back,” Jantzi says. “Read a play to get a sense of formatting, then start writing. Everyone has a story to tell, and this is a great place to begin sharing it.”

10-Minute Play Festival submission criteria

Scripts are accepted until March 8. Eight selected submissions will be produced in the final showcase event, “Pen to Paper to Performance,” May 1 and 2 at 7 p.m. in Keim Center Black Box Theater on the Hesston College campus. Winning submissions will be notified March 15 and will receive a percentage of the box office earnings. Rehearsals for the chosen shows will begin the following week.

Submission rules:

• No more than two plays per playwright.
• Scripts should fall between eight and 12 pages and run roughly 10 minutes.
• Suggested number of characters is three to five.
• Location and setting expectations should be minimal for the sake of logistics.
• No musicals.
• Original work only; no previously produced work.
• Submissions will be acknowledged via email, but no critiques will be offered.
• Please staple hard copies of scripts. Please no binders, covers or folders.
• Director reserves the right to edit for the sake of time or logistics in collaboration with the playwright.
• Work from outside of Kansas will not be considered.

How to submit:
Please submit both a hard copy and an emailed copy. Hard copies will not be returned. Plays should include a cover page with the following information:

• Play title
• Playwright’s name
• Playwright’s phone number
• Playwright’s email address

Deliver or mail submissions to:
Hesston College
c/o Rachel Jantzi, Keim Center
PO Box 3000
Hesston, KS 67062

Email an identical copy to rachelj@hesston.edu with “10-minute play” in the subject line.