In OpenScene We Celebrate Hispanic Culture Through Playwriting
2025 Applications Are Now Closed
The 2025 Escena Abierta Playwriting Contest opened on January 1, 2025, and closed at 11:59 pm EST on March 31, 2025.
OpenScene proudly invites you to participate in the
5th Annual Playwriting Contest, 'Escena Abierta.'
This Open Scene initiative creates spaces that celebrate and preserve Hispanic culture while nurturing meaningful connections across various cultural communities. United by a shared language and legacy, we promote creativity and bring voices together through playwriting
PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
Please read the following carefully to ensure your submission meets all specified terms. Works that do not comply with these conditions will not be reviewed.
01.
All works must be original and unpublished. Submissions that have been previously released, published, or publicly read will not be accepted.
02.
The piece must have a minimum duration of 50 minutes and must not exceed 80 pages, formatted in Times New Roman or Arial, 12-point font, with 1.5 line spacing.
03.
The work must have been created no earlier than January 2019 and must be in Spanish. Adaptations and translations are not permitted.
04.
The author must be at least 18 years old and hold exclusive artistic responsibility and ownership of the work.
SELECTION PROCESS
01.
An independent jury of at least three judges will review each manuscript anonymously.
02.
The winner’s name will be announced no sooner than one month after the submission deadline.
03.
The winner will be notified via email and announced on our social media channels.
AWARD
"Escena Abierta" Playwriting Contest: Prizes and Rights
The winner of OpenScene's "Escena Abierta" playwriting contest will receive a diploma, a $250 cash prize, and the honor of having their work showcased in a professionally produced dramatic reading by OpenScene.
Rights Agreement
By accepting the award, the contest winner grants OpenScene non-exclusive rights to disclose and publish the winning work for a period of one year from the official announcement date. These rights include:
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Conducting dramatized readings of the work.
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Producing and/or adapting the work, either in full or in part.
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Reproducing, distributing, and presenting the work publicly or privately, whether for free or ticketed events.
No additional compensation will be provided to the author during this period, and all rights will revert to the author after one year. The author retains copyright ownership throughout, subject to the specified limitations.
This agreement ensures that the winning work reaches a wide audience while honoring the author's creative vision.
STEPS TO FOLLOW
No changes or revisions will be accepted once the material is submitted.
Please send your work in PDF format, using Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier New, 12 pt font, 1.5 line spacing, with numbered pages, and WITHOUT the author’s name. Submit the requested information via email no later than March 31, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET to info@openscene.org.
Subject line: "V Concurso de Dramaturgia Escena Abierta: (TITLE OF THE PLAY)"
In the body of the email, include:
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The title of the work
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A 4-6 sentence synopsis
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Your email address
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Your mobile phone number
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Your full postal address
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How you learned about the competition
Attachments:
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Your work in PDF format, with numbered pages, the title, and the year it was written
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Ensure your name does NOT appear anywhere in the document. Please do not include biographical information, reviews, or promotional materials.
Note: The award may be declared void if submissions do not meet the required quality standards. Non-awarded submissions will be deleted after the winner is announced.
EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR AWARDING
01.
02.
This criterion examines the text's potential for stage adaptation, including aspects such as its scenic potential, practical feasibility for production, and any additional considerations deemed relevant by the Jury.
Treatment. This includes elements such as rhythm, narrative eloquence, and language use, as well as plot development, originality, and relevance. Additional aspects may also be considered at the Jury’s discretion.
2024 CALL IS CLOSED | June 30th, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST
At OpenScene, we thank the more than 130 participating plays and our jury!
Congratulations to 2024 Winning Play:
"Una de cada diez estrellas de cine me hacen llorar"
By Tomás Buccella
Congratulations to the 2024 Jury's Special Mention:
"Arlequines"
By Marcelo Galliano