Herman Voaden Playwriting Competition

はーまん・う゛ぉーでんぎきょくしょう

A biennial national playwriting competition for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, administered by the DAN School of Drama and Music at Queen's University.

PlayPlaywritingLiterary awardTheatre

Established: 1997
Organizer: DAN School of Drama and Music, Queen's University
Category: Plays, Scripts, and Screenplays
Selection Method: Open call
Target: Open
Frequency: Biennial (every 2 years)
Announcement Period: around November
Status: Active

Description

The Herman Voaden Playwriting Competition is a literary award for Canadian playwrights hosted biennially by Queen's University (Kingston). Established in 1997 through a bequest from playwright Herman Voaden. The first prize is $3,000, second prize is $2,000, and both winning works receive workshop productions at Thousand Islands Playhouse. Honourable mentions are also awarded to outstanding works.

Prize

Main Prize: First prize: CAD 3,000; Second prize: CAD 2,000. Both winning works receive workshop productions at Thousand Islands Playhouse
Cash Prize: 3,000 CAD

Second prize: CAD 2,000
Workshop production at Thousand Islands Playhouse for first and second prize winners
Honourable mentions (if applicable)

Selection

Selection Process

Stage	Judges	Pass Rate	Announcement
Submission period (Submission)	Details not disclosed	—	—
First round selection (Shortlist)	Selection committee (details not disclosed)	—	Shortlist may be notified by organizers and announced on the official website
Final selection and winner determination (Final selection)	Selection committee (details not disclosed)	—	Winners are announced on Queen's University's official website and via press releases

Submission period (Submission)

Judges Details not disclosed

First round selection (Shortlist)

Judges Selection committee (details not disclosed)

Announcement Shortlist may be notified by organizers and announced on the official website

Final selection and winner determination (Final selection)

Judges Selection committee (details not disclosed)

Announcement Winners are announced on Queen's University's official website and via press releases

Criteria

Stageability
Script completion and structure
Originality and novelty of expression
Quality of character depiction and dialogue
Theatrical impact (power on the audience)

Application Tips

Dos

Strictly adhere to entry requirements (format, page count, submission method)
Make structure and stage directions clear with performance in mind
Have it read by a third party and revise repeatedly after proofreading
Carefully develop character motivations and dialogue quality
Confirm eligibility (targeted at Canadian playwrights, etc.) before submission

Don''ts

Do not submit ignoring the specified format
Do not send unproofread manuscripts (with many typos)
Do not apply with length or format contrary to the guidelines
Do not apply if you do not meet the eligibility criteria

From Judges

Emphasize stageability (easy-to-stage narrative)
Make character voices distinct and motivations clear
In the introduction, convey the work's world view and tone to attract the reader's interest