General Guidelines
 

• Only PCSF members are eligible for a slot in our reading series. Plays will not be read if membership is not current at the time of submission and the time of the reading. Join PCSF here! Or contact membership@playwrightscentersf.org to confirm your membership status.
• Please understand that if accepted for a reading of their play, one of the playwright's main responsibilities is to market the play's Zoom presentation of the play to potential audience members.  Building a large audience ensures an effective and valuable feedback session after the play's presentation on Zoom
• No musicals, operas, etc. If the play contains incidental song(s) or music, the playwright must own the rights. have express written permission to the rights, or the song(s) must be in the public domain. This policy does not allow for "fair use."
• Plays that were previously not accepted for a PCSF developmental reading, or that had a previous developmental reading with PCSF, can be submitted again, as long as they have been substantially changed. If so, be sure to fill out the question about what you've changed.  If your play has received a staged reading with PCSF, it is no longer eligible for our Reading Series Program.

Reading Series Guidelines

• A PCSF member may submit ONE play to be considered for this Reading Series -- do not submit more than one play.
• Plays must be at least 35 pages in length, and no more than 130 pages in length, properly formatted, with a maximum run time of 2.5 hours. Submissions over 130 pages will not be considered.   
• We reserve the right to stop reading plays that are obviously longer than 2.5 hours.  Plays of 130 pages in length that are monologue-heavy would easily run over 2.5 hours.
• Plays must have a minimum of 35 pages with a minimum run time of 30 minutes. 
• Plays must be either a one-act, or a full-length.  A collection of short plays that are clearly and obviously inter-related, with recurring themes and/or recurring characters will be considered.  In addition to thematic cohesion, any collection of short plays must also be designed to be a single work, with an overarching dramatic structure that applies to the work as a whole.   The Reading Series producer reserves the right to reject any collection of plays that is judged to lack sufficient thematic connection or overall dramatic unity.
• Plays must be in standard script format -- you can use either Modern or Traditional format as designated by the Dramatists' Guild. (examples of these templates can be found here). Plays with improper margins, font or formatting may be disqualified. 
• Include a list of characters at the beginning of your play -- character name, and any necessary demographics (age, gender, ethnicity)
• Use Courier or Courier New font, 12 point. To accomplish this, select all (Ctrl-A on PC, Cmd-A on Mac) then choose Courier and 12 point from the font menu.   PLEASE DO NOT USE TIMES NEW ROMAN
• General margins: top margin between 0.75" and 1.0" and bottom margin: between 1.0" and 1.5"
• Dialogue Margins: left margin 1.5" - 2.0" and right margin: 1.0". Each character's dialogue should be followed by one blank line (12 point).
• Character names (tags) should be on a unique line. Also, character names should be in ALL CAPS.
• All submissions must be electronic in MS Word (.doc/.docx), or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format only. PDF format is preferred.
• Plays must include a character list, tag line, and short summary at the beginning of the document.   IF YOUR PLAY HAS MORE THAN 6 CHARACTERS, you must also provide a doubling casting plan that allows your play to be read by 6 actors or less.   (NOTE:   if stage directions must be read aloud during your play, you do NOT need include an actor for this -- your play's producer will ensure that necessary stage directions are read)
• Make sure to name the file as follows:  {play title}_blind.doc (or) .docx (or) .pdf.
• Attach One (1) blind copy of the play with no playwright identifying information. 

Tip: To ensure your file really is blind, in the File menu, choose Properties, then delete your name that Word automatically puts in there. Save the file, open it and check again that it's blank. 

Note: You will receive an automated acknowledgement of the submission. If there are any problems with the submission you will be contacted by one of the Reading Series producers.

Selection of Plays

• The PCSF reading committee will evaluate all plays submitted.   From those plays deemed ready for a reading, up to SIX plays will be chosen.  These chosen plays will have an online "Zoom" reading in Sept/Oct timeframe.   The selected plays will have one online rehearsal and one online performance/talk back session.   The playwright must attend both online sessions.
• Playwrights will be notified of the final selections in early August -- following the announcement of the selected plays, all playwrights will receive brief feedback on their play from our Literary Committee, whether the play was selected or not.

Fine Print

• All readings in 2025 will be developmental readings and will take place on Zoom. 
• Plays selected for readings will have an assigned producer but no director.    
• Developmental readings will have no or minimal "costumes" and plain backgrounds.

     Updated 4/24/25  rm

PCSF is now accepting submissions of 10 minute plays for possible inclusion in our August short plays reading festival, the PCSF PlayOffs 2025.   

    Submissions are open to PCSF members in good standing  -- this submission opportunity is not open to non-PCSF members.  If you are NOT a member of PCSF, you must join before submitting your play.   Join PCSF here!   

NOTE:  PCSF is a different organization from Playwrights Center (PW Center) which is located in Minnesota.   This submission opportunity is open only to members of PCSF (the Playwrights Center of San Francisco).

If you have any questions about PCSF membership, or want to confirm your membership status, contact membership@playwrightscentersf.org 

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    Please carefully read the submission rules and criteria (below), and choose ONE play to submit that meets these rules and criteria.      

All submitted plays will be read and screened to ensure that they meet the submission rules and criteria.   Any play that does not adhere to these requirements will not be accepted for a PlayOffs reading.  
    We are limited to TWENTY FOUR plays for the 2025 Playoffs festival.  

In the (likely) event that we have more than 24 plays submitted, the Playoff producers will review all accepted plays again to choose the twenty-four plays that will be included in the four PlayOffs festival programs.     


General Info About PCSF PlayOffs:

• The PLAYOFFS festival will consist of FOUR programs – each program will be done on Zoom, and include staged readings of SIX 10-minute plays by members. (24 plays total)
• Plays will be randomly assigned to a program. Plays will be specifically cast with our available actors.   
• Each play will receive approx. one hour of rehearsal (on Zoom) with cast and producer, and then the play will be recorded for its inclusion in the program.
• Each program will consist of six pre-recorded plays, and will be shown once.
• Audience in attendance will vote for their top (“Favorite”) TWO plays from each program of six.  The top vote getter from each program will be deemed "PCSF Playoffs Audience Favorite".     
• In the event that PCSF undertakes an in-theater full production of short plays in early 2026, these "Audience Favorite" plays would be included.  

RULES AND REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR PLAYOFFS SUBMISSION
    To help you select which of your plays to submit for consideration, here are the details:
 

• Submission Deadline:    June 7, 2025, 11:59 p.m. 
• Selections Announced:    June 30, 2025
• Performances:   August 16 and 23, 2025 
• Venue:  online via ZOOM
• No theme!   We want to showcase our members best work without thematic limits.

Guidelines for submitting your play    -- please read these carefully and choose your play accordingly:                                                          
 

• Only PCSF members are eligible.      (Not a member yet?  You can use the membership payment option at the bottom of this form.     Not sure?   Contact membership@playwrightscentersf.org to confirm your membership status. )
• Plays must be unproduced in the Bay Area in the last two years.     We want plays that your friends and fans (and total strangers) will be eager to come see, so please no submissions of plays which local audiences have seen since Aug 2023, including audience-attended presentations on Zoom. 
• DO NOT rely on the set, props, sound and/or costumes -- keep these requirements to a minimum!   Plays will be read with minimal (or no) costuming, props, and a generic virtual background.  And sound cues are notoriously tricky to do on Zoom.  So let the words and dramatic action carry the play.
• Plays must not require more than 5 actors for your cast (you do NOT need an actor for stage directions). 
• Plays must run between 8 to 10 minutes.    We mean it!    (This is typically 8-10 pages, though page count will vary depending on the dialogue style and content. Read your play aloud to time it, so you can check for 10 minutes or less. )    If your play is obviously going to run longer than 10 minutes, we will not accept it.  
• Make it good, tight and well-structured!     We want plays that are rehearsal-ready and audience-ready.    Tip:  take it to Scene Night for feedback before submitting.     We reserve the right to reject any play that we do not judge as "audience ready" -- that is, not sufficiently ready to be shown before an audience. 
• One play limit.  Playwrights can submit ONE play.   Send us your best!
• Sorry, but we cannot accept musicals, children’s plays, or translations/adaptations.  

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT YOUR PLAY SUBMISSION:

It is not PCSF’s desire to censor or constrain the works of our members. 

However, should the PLAYOFFS producers deem any submitted play to be potentially offensive to our audience or performers, the play will not be included in the festival.    In such cases, we will notify the playwright, who can submit an alternate play for consideration within 48 hours of the notification.

If the producers deem any play to be insufficiently developed and not "audience-ready”, the play will not be included in the festival.   In such cases, we will notify the playwright, who can submit an alternate play for consideration within 48 hours of the notification.

If the producers deem any play to be clearly longer than 10-minutes, the play will not be included in the festival.   In the case of excessive run-time, there will be NO opportunity to submit an alternate play.

Any necessary play substitutions must be completed by the playwright within 48 hours of the producers’ request.    If no replacement play is received in that timeframe, the playwright's work will not be included in the festival.
 

ADDITIONAL PLAYWRIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES
Please understand the following playwright responsibilities before submitting:   
 

• PCSF will of course be promoting the show, but playwrights will generate the majority of audience attendance.  Selected playwrights agree to market the event aggressively to their contacts, friends and fans, in order to build audience size for the “PCSF PlayOffs" festival.           
• No critiques or evaluations will be provided. 
• Plays must be in standard script format -- you can use either Modern or Traditional format as designated by the Dramatists' Guild. (examples of these templates can be found here).   And yes, we will check that the font size, margins and general rules about indented stage directions, etc. meet guidelines.  Don’t try to cheat the margin size or font size to make your play look shorter than it really is.    We see a LOT of plays, and we know all the tricks!
• Include a list of characters at the beginning of your play -- character name, and any necessary demographics (age, gender, ethnicity)
• We are using Submittable for submissions and tracking.                              
  • Submit your play with the form below before June 7th, 11:59pm.   (Give yourself enough time to address login and internet fickleness!   We do not manage your Submittable account or login information - you must go through the Submittable password reset or support to resolve login difficulties.)  

    Give us one blind copy of the play in Microsoft Word or PDF.     We do our best to make sure the selection committee doesn't know whose play they are reading.  That means there should be nothing in the file that tells us who you are!      Tip:  To ensure your file really is blind,  in the File menu, choose Properties, then wipe out your name that Word puts in there.  Save the file, open it and check again.                              

  • The automated notification you  receive when submitting is your acknowledgement of receipt.  If we have any guideline (or other) issues with the submission, we will contact you as soon as possible. 

    
  
   

 By submitting the playwright agrees to the following: 

• Submitting a script for consideration does not guarantee participation in the festival.    
• PCSF reserves the right to disregard any submission that do not meet the guidelines specified above. 
• If selected, you will receive notification by email around June 30, 2025 
• Playwrights of selected plays agree to be included in the audience-voting process which will take place after each performance.    

For questions, please email submissions@playwrightscentersf.org