The Yale Drama Series 2026

The Yale Drama Series 2026 is now open for entries!

The Yale Drama Series 2026 : The Yale Drama Series recently announced for entries is seeking submissions for its 2026 playwriting competition and is open to emerging playwrights from around the world.

➜ Short description

The Yale Drama Series recently announced for entries and administered by Yale University Press is seeking submissions for its 2026 playwriting competition.

Musicals, adaptations, children’s plays, translations, and plays that have been professionally produced or published are not eligible.

Only one submission per person is allowed.

Note! Electronic submissions for the 2026 competition must be submitted no earlier than June 1, 2025, and no later than August 15, 2025.

The winning play will be selected by the series’ current judge, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.

➜ Submission requirements:

➜ Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays, with a minimum of 65 pages. Plays with less than 65 pages will not be considered.

➜ Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays written in English.

➜ The Yale Drama Series Competition strongly urges applicants to submit their scripts electronically, but if that is impossible, organiser will accept hardcopies.

➜ If you are submitting a hard copy of your play, the manuscript must begin with a title page that shows the play’s title and your name, address, telephone number, email address (if you have one), and page count; and, a second title page that lists the title of the play only, a 2-3 sentence keynote description of the play, a list of characters, and a list of acts and scenes. Please include a brief biography at the end of the manuscript, on a separate page.

➜ Who may enter?

The competition is open to emerging playwrights from around the world.

➜ Prize:

The winner of this annual competition will be awarded the David Charles Horn Prize of $10,000, publication of their manuscript by Yale University Press, and a staged reading at the Schwarzman Center at Yale University.