Beckwith Theatre Company Announces Second Annual Local Playwright's Festival
Beckwith Theatre Company Announces Second Annual Local Playwright's Festival
Eight 10-Minute Plays to be Selected for February 2026 Performances
Beckwith Theatre Company (BTC) is now accepting submissions for its Second Annual Local Playwright’s Festival, featuring 10-minute plays from talented writers across southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. The festival will showcase eight selected works during performances scheduled for February 6-8, 2026.
The festival serves multiple purposes: celebrating regional theatrical talent, connecting local playwrights with theater communities, and supporting BTC's Capital Campaign. All proceeds from the performances will benefit the theater's capital fundraising efforts.
Submission Requirements
Playwrights residing in Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and VanBuren counties in Michigan, as well as Elkhart, LaPorte, and Saint Joseph counties in Indiana, are eligible to submit up to four plays each.
This year's submissions must incorporate one of five specific themes or props:
- Plays about or featuring senior citizens
- Plays centering around a paper bag filled with $3,000
- Plays featuring a cat tower as a central set piece
- Plays incorporating a bean bag chair
- Plays using a woman's hat from the 1920s-1930s era
All plays must be performable in 10 minutes or less, require five or fewer actors, use minimal set pieces and props, and fit within a 12-foot by 12-foot performance space.
Festival Format
The festival will present two acts, each featuring four 10-minute plays. Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings and a Sunday matinee during the first weekend of February 2026. Three plays will be pre-set for each act, with brief setup time for the fourth play between performances.
Important Dates
- Entry Deadline: October 13, 2025, by 1:59 PM
- Selection Notification: November 1-7, 2025
- Technical Rehearsals: February 1-5, 2026
- Performances: February 6-8, 2026
Submission Guidelines
All entries must be submitted digitally to btcplayfestival@gmail.com in PDF or Microsoft Word format. Scripts should be formatted in 12-point Courier New or Aptos Mono typeface and not exceed 11 pages (excluding title page). Playwrights must submit two separate files: one containing the play script and another with a title page including contact information.
A three-person panel will evaluate submissions based on feasibility, dramatic essentials, story/plot development, mood and genre clarity, character development, dialogue quality, and overall theatrical merit.
Selected playwrights will receive two complimentary tickets to each performance and may be recognized publicly during the shows they attend.
About Beckwith Theatre Company
Beckwith Theatre Company is located at 100 New York Avenue in Dowagiac, Michigan. For more information about the festival or BTC's Capital Campaign, visit www.beckwiththeatre.com or contact the theater at 269-782-7653.
