The Newmarket National 10 Minute Play Festival (NNPF) returns for a third consecutive year, celebrating our country’s diverse voices and regional perspectives. Submissions from playwrights residing in Canada or Canadians living abroad, and applications from directors and actors are now being accepted to participate in this national seven-day festival, taking place from July 22 to 29, 2019.
 
BMW Newmarket presents the week-long national festival that will feature live theatre performances of new and original 10-minute plays from Canadian playwrights.
 
Playwrights may submit up to three original unpublished and unproduced scripts. A jury will select 24 scripts from submissions sent in from across the nation and from Canadian playwrights living abroad. The top three plays win cash awards. The 24 scripts will be grouped by theme into four “six packs” of plays that will be performed in one hour.
 
Candidates who wish to direct or act are also invited to apply by submitting a resume. Shortlisted directing candidates will undergo an interview process, whereas actors selected from applicants received will be auditioned. Application deadlines are as follows:

•  January 31, 2019 – Directors
• February 15, 2019 – Script Submission for Playwrights
• March 31, 2019 – Actors

Ten-minute plays are not “sketches,” but complete stories told succinctly. This format of storytelling challenges the playwrights, directors and actors to create a world with compelling storylines and characters that will engage and move the audience within 10-minutes.
 
If you or someone you know would like to take part in this Festival, please apply online on or before the deadlines noted above.
 
For more information on the NNPF, play submissions, auditions, volunteering and more, please visit nationalplayfestival.ca.

About Newmarket National 10 Minute Play Festival
Founded in 2017 by Michael Halfin, Artistic Director of NNPF, with support from the Town of Newmarket, the Newmarket National 10 Minute Play Festival is a festival for contemporary Canadian playwrights to express, explore and experiment with their storytelling. The festival features professional actors and directors presenting six 10-minute plays in just one hour. 

Photo: Newmarket during the Festival. © 2018 Jason Wighton.