Applications for the 47th Bay Area Playwrights Program will be open from September 30, 2024 at 9:00 am PT, through October 14, 2024, at 11:59 pm PT, or until we reach our cap of 600 applications. We encourage all playwrights to prepare their materials in advance and apply early. For further details, please scroll down to our FAQ section. 

Applications must be sent through our online portal, which will be available and linked on this page on Monday, September 30 at 9:00 am PT. For detailed information on the application process and a pre-application checklist, please review the Application Guidelines.

Minimum $1,200 Stipend. If in-person, travel and housing is guaranteed for non-local playwrights.

We welcome applications from writers of all ages, backgrounds, identities, national writers, and local Bay Area writers. Special attention is given to Bay Area writers, early career writers of any age, BIPOC and other historically marginalized writers.

Applicant Criteria:

• Must reside in the U.S. and have valid work authorization (Social Security Card, Green Card, or Employment Authorization Document).
• Must be either an early or mid-career playwright (of any age). 
• Must be available to attend the BAPF47 Retreat and the Spring 2026 festival.
• If previously selected for the previous Bay Area Playwrights Festival, observe a one-year hiatus before reapplying. Semifinalists, Finalists, and Honorable Mentions from past BAPF cycles are eligible and encouraged to apply again.
• Cannot be a current Resident Playwright Program participant.
• Only one application per playwright per cycle.

Play Criteria:

• Full-length, unproduced, original plays in PDF format.
• Primarily in English (multilingual accepted).

• Playwrights can apply with a new draft of a play they previously applied with for one additional application cycle. Please do not apply a third time with the same play.
• We do accept adaptations, but not translations.
• Plays are primarily in English (multilingual plays are accepted).
• We do not accept plays with 9+ cast size and are limited to 1-8 person cast sizes.
• We do not accept musicals or plays with music at this time.

We have an open application process for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, where ultimately, five playwrights’ new work will be chosen for development.

We strive to create a process which is equitable and fair to all who apply. Every script will be read fully twice by readers on our National Committee of theater professionals who are advocates and allies of new work. Before any decisions are made regarding our Semi-Finalists round, multiple staff members will evaluate each writer’s script, individual development goals and resumes. In our Semi-Finalist and Finalist rounds, a community of 20 Bay Area theater artists of multiple disciplines will gather to discuss plays that have advanced. Applicants will be notified of their status (either advance or did not advance) at the end of each stage. 

Review Timeline: 

• Mid-October 2024: Initial Script Review 
• January 2025: Semi-Finalist Review will begin 
• March 2025: Finalist Review 
• May 2025: Selected playwrights will be notified

For more on our process, read Heather Helinsky’s articles from 2020 and 2021, and Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin’s (BAPF44 Alum & BAPF45 Play Selection Advisor) article from 2022. We review our application and evaluation process every year and are in contact with the Dramatists Guild and LMDA regarding best practices for our organization, to help guide updates.

How do I request a fee waiver?

If you are experiencing economic hardship, are a PF alum, current student, or participated on the National Committee, you are eligible to request a fee waiver.

Directions on how to apply for a waiver:

• Within the application payment section, you can click for a Request for a Fee Waiver. That will notify the Literary Staff you’d like a Fee Waiver and we will review for approval.
• You’ll still be asked to choose an amount/value that you would have paid for the application (any amount.) That gives us internal information to report the value of the subsidized application. You will not be charged that amount if fee waiver is approved. Please proceed and finish the application.
• This puts your application into a PENDING status. The Literary team will have to review your application during normal business hours. Please give the staff 48 hours on a weekday.
• You will then receive an Invoice in your email that your Fee Waiver request has been accepted by the staff and your application is complete.
• We recommend not waiting until the deadline to ask for a Fee Waiver—the earlier the better.

Why do you only accept 600 applications?

As we continue to deepen our selection process to be more equitable and playwright centered, we want to ensure we stay within the capacity of our part-time literary staff. Having a limit on applications sets us up better for success to have a caring and thorough process.

Where can I read more information about the selection and application process? 

The BAPF Application Guidelines document has the most comprehensive information on our application, evaluation, and selection process. Please review thoroughly.

• Application Guidelines