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Call for Scripts
The New Works Festival has been an annual event since 2018. These plays are entirely written, directed, and performed (and often designed) by UVA students. Production values are minimal, but these are full productions, not staged readings.
The New Works Festival for spring 2027 is calling for scripts from student writers (play scripts, not screenplays). The festival will be produced in the Helms Theatre in February 2027.
If you’d like to submit a play, please send an original script of 25 pages or less for consideration. Scripts need to be PDF or Word documents. Please make sure your name is on the title page of your script and please save your script with a filename that includes both the play’s name and your name, for example: a script for My Play, My Rules by Jill D. Playwright could be saved as “my_play_my_rules_jill_playwright.pdf”. Email your script to Doug Grissom at ldg2h@virginia.edu.
Tips:
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No kids, no dogs. Specifically, no characters that need to be played by actors under 18. No animals that need to be played by real animals.
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Cast size. No set limit on how many characters you use but be aware that large casts will prove a problem depending on the number of scripts chosen.
As mentioned above, keep pages to 25-ish or less. There is no minimum number of pages required.
Please submit your scripts by September 20, 2026
Call for Directors
Interested in directing a new play? The New Works Festival provides you with an opportunity to direct an original play written by a student playwright. You’ll be working with the playwright along with student actors and designers. The plays will be short, usually 10-25 minutes.
If chosen as a director, you won’t be ‘assigned’ a play; you will be able to read the potential scripts and indicate your preferences. The goal is to match directors and playwrights that will be able to have a fruitful collaboration.
The Festival is an annual event that has been produced by the Department of Drama since 2018; this year’s Festival will be staged in the Helms Theatre in February 2027.
Questions?
Please contact Doug Grissom – ldg2h@virginia.edu
SAVE THE DATE! AUDITIONS for Spring 2027:
audition sign-ups will open mid-October!
ALICE BY HEART -- auditions NOVEMBER 7TH
callbacks NOVEMBER 8TH
NEW WORKS FESTIVAL -- video submissions due NOVEMBER 10TH
callbacks NOVEMBER 15TH, in-person
General audition policy information is provided below.
Department of Drama Audition and Casting Policy and Procedures
UVA Drama gives priority in casting to UVA students for Drama Mainstage and Development productions. Charlottesville community members and UVA faculty and staff are also encouraged to audition. When an appropriate student cannot be selected for a role due to requirements for the role, then community members, faculty, or staff may be cast in the role or recruited for a role.
Dance concert auditions are typically open only to UVA students.
Please see below for additional information on casting procedures.
Helms/Lab Series Auditions
Auditions for Virginia Players Lab Series shows will be conducted by the director of the production at his/her discretion. Actors will find audition notices for these productions posted on departmental bulletin boards. It is the actor’s responsibility to check for audition notices on a regular basis. We recommend at least once a week.
Mainstage Auditions
Audition Preparation for Mainstage Productions
Actors will be asked to perform a general audition consisting of no more than two short (one to two minutes) contrasting pieces. If a musical is being cast, the actor will also be required to sing a brief selection. Performance faculty may be consulted for selection of audition material.
Performers will be screened in these general auditions and selected for callbacks where readings from individual scripts will be the primary audition material. Some directors may also ask actors to improvise. Actors auditioning for musicals may be required to dance. Actors should arrive at least fifteen minutes before their scheduled audition time.
Audition Information Sheets
At the time of the general auditions, actors will be given an information sheet. It is important to read all the information detailed on this sheet very carefully including rehearsal dates and times; performance dates and times; special production requirements; and departmental casting policy.
Audition Schedule for Mainstage Season
Audition announcements are posted at least two weeks before scheduled audition dates on the Dept. of Drama main bulletin board in the office lobby adjacent to Room 201.