Goals

• To provide playwrights with more development time by adding detailed steps to nurture the development of your new work that will include a more complete step-by-step process of evaluation and rewriting facilitated by the Play Reading Committee and First Run Theatre's dramaturge. 
• To help playwrights and First Run present a more polished product to the public. 

Submissions

Submissions are accepted from January 1 through November 30th for possible inclusion in the next seasons productions. Playwrights must live in the St. Louis Region (St. Louis City and the surrounding Missouri and Illinois counties) and available during the preparation and rehearsal period if the script is select for production. Scripts must be unpublished and unproduced in their present form.

Each submission will consist of one separate contact sheet (Only one is required for each submission.), four copies of each script with out playwrights name or identification and a softcopy of the script in either Microsoft Word, Acrobat PDF, Rich Text Format, or plain text. The softcopy can be emailed. The submission should be mailed to

First Run Theatre
5215 Winona Ave
St. Louis, MO 63109. 

If you are sending a submission for a musical, please enclose one CD of the music. Each script should have the following.

• A title cover sheet. Do not put your name or contact information on the cover sheet of the play. The cover sheet should just contain the name of the play and any description you wish to make. Put your name and contact information on a separate sheet.
• A Cast of Characters page.
• A Setting Page
• All pages numbered

Download sample format file (PDF 63K)

First Run Theatres Play Development Process

Scripts will be read anonymously by the Play Selection Committee, which consists of qualified readers. A confirmation letter or email will be sent to the playwrights.

The authors’ scripts will be tentatively accepted or notified of non-acceptance in late January of the next year. The letter of tentative acceptance shall also contain the standards the committee uses in assessing scripts. A reminder of the selection process will be also be included with tentative acceptance.

Play Selection Reading Festival

As usual, First Run Theatre will hold its annual Play Selection Reading Festival in either late January or early February. Typically, First Run Theatre reads 3 two-act plays and 3 or 4 one-act plays from which the company can choose to produce.

The public will be invited and each play will be followed by audience feedback during a facilitated discussion.

Full Production

If the play is selected for production that season the playwright will meet with the production team (producer, director, technical director, incidental music composer) and the Dramaturge to discuss the planned production and any revisions needed. The director and other production personnel shall be selected by nomination by any Board Member of the company with the review and consent of the Board of Directors.

Once the play is cast and in production First Run Theatre may produce, at the director's and producers descretion, a rehearsed Staged Reading of the play in front of an audience, and with minimal props and perhaps minimal costumes that might be needed to communicate something to the audience. The Staged Reading will be followed by audience feedback during a facilitated discussion. Feedback forms will be provided.

The playwright, Dramaturge and the production team will meet after the Staged Readings to discuss audience feedback. Revisions might be suggested, if needed, and the playwright will be expected to make them in a timely manner. The playwright, Dramaturge, and production team will then make the final decision as to whether or not to continue production of the play.

Through this selection process, the full production will be staged at De Smet High School, in Creve Coeur, on a schedule agreed upon the school and First Run Theatre. The playwright will be available after the performance for any questions or discussions by audience members. Feedback forms will be provided.

First Run Theatre believes that through this careful assessment and development process the company will inspire and nurture new playwrights by providing a complete process for them to see their work fully realized.