Applications Now Open for The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s 2026 National Playwrights Conference

The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center is accepting applications for the 2026 National Playwrights Conference. Submissions close at 11:59 PM PST on September 18, 2026. 

Selected playwrights will partake in a week-long workshop supported by a team of professional directors, dramaturgs, actors, and designers to assist in the exploration of the piece. Each workshop includes two script-in-hand public readings, which provide audience feedback as writers experiment and revise their plays. Writers also receive a multi-week residency on the O’Neill campus to use in whatever way best serves their creative process. 

"The National Playwrights Conference remains a beacon for a wide range of writers, each bringing a rich diversity of experiences and backgrounds, and their work plays a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of American Theater,” said National Playwrights Conference Artistic Director Melia Bensussen. “I'm eager to read the exciting new works that will be submitted this year, and I’m committed to finding fresh ways to nurture and elevate those stories. If you are considering submitting your work, please do. We believe every voice matters and this is a place where your creativity can truly thrive.” 

The O’Neill will once again employ an open script submission process for its founding program and invites all playwrights to share their work. Plays that have not yet received a professional production are eligible for the Conference, and the O'Neill welcomes submissions of all styles and genres. Scripts are reviewed blind, without writer names or contact information, and are accompanied by a character breakdown as well as the playwright’s developmental and residency goals. Playwrights do not need an agent or professional representation to apply.

Scripts should be submitted via the online application form at https://theoneill.submittable.com A $15 fee offsets the costs of the administration of the application process and submission platform. If the fee is a barrier to submission, a number of waivers are available on a first-come, first served basis and can be requested on the O’Neill’s website prior to beginning an application.

More information about the National Playwrights Conference and its application process is available at www.theoneill.org/npc.