Readers Theatre 2026

 Submissions are currently OPEN for the 

Theatre Southwest - Readers' Theatre Matinee

General guidelines are listed below and are subject to change.

20th Reader's Theatre will take place January 18th, 2026

Approximately 8-12 selected plays will be read and voted on by the attending audience. One $100 prize will be awarded to the play voted on as audience favorite.

General guidelines:

• Limit of two entries per playwright of an original work that has not been published or produced.
• Monologues and one person plays are not accepted.
• All genres are accepted (light comedies, heavy dramas, thrillers, mystery, sci-fi, satire) with no regard to language or subject matter).
• All plays should be 5 to 10 minutes long, no exceptions. (If using standard play format a good gauge is 4-11 pages, excluding title page).
• Plays should be conducive to Readers' Theatre with simple stage directions and a story expressed mostly through dialogue, not action.

Submission guidelines:

• Scripts are accepted via U.S. mail or email. If using U.S. mail entry must be postmarked by December 31st, 2025.  Scripts that are emailed must be timestamped by 11:59pm on December 31st, 2025.
• Scripts will not be returned.
• Scripts should have a title page that includes the play title and playwright's contact information, as well as a list of characters and a brief synopsis of the play. Script pages should be numbered.
• ALL mailed in scripts should be stapled in the upper left-hand corner.
• There is NO ENTRY FEE.
• Approximately 8-12 plays will be selected to be given a performance level read.
• Playwrights selected will be informed prior to the event.

Submit to:

Email 

heaton_it_up@hotmail.com

Timestamped by 11:59pm 12/31/2025

Snail Mail

Theatre Southwest

3939 Hillcroft

Suite 160

Houston, TX 77057

ATTN: TSW-RTM

Postmarked by 12/31/2025