10-Minute Play Festival
2026 marks the 15th annual 10-Minute Play Contest sponsored by Winston-Salem Writers. Six plays have been selected from playwrights across North Carolina. For the first time there a theme was designated. This year’s theme is “Survival.” Forty-three plays from 34 different playwrights from across North Carolina sent in their work. We had submissions from Asheville to Wilmington and lots of spots in between. A number of previous winners and several new playwrights submitted this year. Thanks to all who put their ideas into words and sent them in. Performance dates will be June 5-7 and will be held at the
Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness in Winston-Salem.
2026 Winston-Salem 10-Minute Play Festival Winners
O'Shaughnessy by Robert Kaufman - Raleigh
I'm Here by Leslie Tall Manning - New Bern
Tsunami by James Wright - Winston-Salem
Buried Alive by Rebecca Holder - Mount Airy
Watching The Protest by Steve Lindahl - McCleansville
The Gift That Keeps on Giving by Faye Cobb - Bermuda Run
2026 Festival Performances
Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 | 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 7 | 2:00 p.m.
The Intergenerational Center for Arts & Wellness
114 W. 30th Street, Winston-Salem, NC
Ticket purchase information TBA
Monday and Tuesday, May 4 and 5 | 6:00 p.m
The Intergenerational Center for Arts & Wellness
114 W. 30th Street, Winston-Salem, NC
2026 Auditions
This is the Fifteenth Anniversary of Winston-Salem Writers producing plays by N.C. playwrights.
Submissions are accepted March 15 through April 15. Entry is free to members; $10 for nonmembers. This contest is open to North Carolina residents and out-of-state students attending school in North Carolina.
What We're Looking For
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We actively seek plays that reflect the diversity of our community.
Each entry must be original and previously unpublished. The play may not have been previously performed in any public venue for an audience of more than 50 people. Plays that have only been performed virtually (via Zoom, Twitch, YouTube, etc.) will be accepted.
Run time of the script will not exceed 10 minutes (usually 9-11 pages in a standard format).
Scripts must have simple set, lighting, and sound requirements. The scenery will be very basic with only a few set pieces. Plays with more than one scene, requiring set changes, will not be selected for performance.
No nudity or extreme/explicit content. Adult content is acceptable in respectful contexts.
Please refrain from racial/sexual/ideological prejudice and slurs.
The script must include cast and set descriptions and should be presented in one of the standard script formats: Samuel French or Dramatists Guild Modern. However, do not include your name or contact info in the manuscript, including the title page.
How to Submit
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Email david@wswriters.org with the title of the play, the playwright’s name, mailing address, email address, and phone number. Attach your play as a Word document or PDF. Your name and contact info should appear in the email only, not in the manuscript.
Submit no more than two plays. Plays should be emailed separately.
Members do not have to pay an entry fee. Nonmembers should submit their $10 submission fee for each play, not exceeding two plays, to the PayPal link below or by check to: WSW Treasurer, P.O. Box 24442, Winston-Salem, NC 27114. Membership is not required to enter and does not increase chances of winning.
Upon receipt of your submission and entry fee, you will receive an email confirmation of receipt from Winston Salem Writers.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for our 10-Minute Play Festival at the Intergenerational Center for Arts & Wellness in June, contact David Ratcliffe at david@wswiters.org. Sponsorships are available starting at $250 and include tickets to the show, your name and/or logo on ads and programs, and a mention in the curtain speech.
Questions? Email: david@wswriters.org
Use the PayPal link for Submission Fees only
Tickets for the 14th Winston-Salem Writers 10 Minute Play Festival produced in cooperation with 40+ Stage are now on sale. Tickets may be purchased online at AudienceView Professional