Austin Hay One Act Play Award

The Drama Committee of The Arts Club of Washington is pleased to announce the return of the One Act Play Competition for 2025. The competition generates interest in original one-act scripts and recognizes and rewards talented playwrights with a $1,000 prize, staged reading, and two nights’ accommodation at the Club.

For over a century, the Club has promoted and celebrated the visual, performing, and literary arts in the nation’s capital.  Gatherings for members, exhibits and performances for the public, and a range of private events, are held in our historic I Street mansion, which was formerly the home of President James Monroe and his family.

2025 Competition Information

The Award: $1,000 award to the author of an outstanding one-act play.

Entry deadline: September 15, 2025, or until submissions close.

Script Eligibility: All submissions must be a one-act play that is not part of a multi-act play and remains unpublished and unproduced (except for staged readings) as of the date of entry.  Staging must be limited to a maximum of six actors.

Deadline: Submissions must be made from July 15 to September 15.  The winner will be announced in October on the Club’s website.  The Drama Committee will organize a reception and a staged reading on the historic Arts Club stage in December.

Entry Fee: $25.  The Arts Club of Washington, a 501c3 charitable organization, affirms that entry fees will go solely to funding the $1,000 award to the author of the winning play, paying the artists involved in the staged reading of the winning script, and covering other incidental expenses incurred by the Club in administering this contest.

Preparing Your Entry:

• Only one play per author will be considered.
• Neither film nor television scripts will be accepted.
• Participation is limited to residents of the United States.
• The author’s name should not appear on the script.

Judging Criteria:

• Judges shall be industry professionals affiliated with a Washington, D.C.-based arts organization.
• Scripts will be judged on concept, dramatic action, characterization, dialogue, and technical requirements.
• Critical analysis of scripts will not be provided.
• Judges prefer scripts that run 20 to 50 minutes with minimal scenes.
• Consider the producibility and staging on a small, historic stage of approximately 11’ width and an 8’ graduated depth with limited lighting and technical capabilities.*

Information for Playwrights:

• All production and publication rights remain the property of the playwright.
• The Arts Club of Washington shall have the right to stage the selected scripts without payment of any royalties.
• Any production will be at the discretion of The Arts Club of Washington.
• The Arts Club of Washington shall have the option to limit submissions to the first 100 plays received.
• Winning playwright may be provided two nights’ accommodation at the Club to attend the staged reading, subject to availability and a $25 per night Historic Preservation Fee. No other travel or incidental expenses shall be reimbursed.

Questions?  Please contact us at drama@artsclubofwashington.org or call/text 202-812-0291 for the program administrator.

*Open fixed-curtain width is 11’ 5” within a proscenium of 15 ’11”, narrowing to a midstage depth of 14’ and back-of-stage width of 8’.  The stage height at curtain is 6’ 7”.  There are 14 clear floodlights; nine in front, two in the middle, and three in the back of the stage, which has a black curtain surround. There are three stage-width steps from the auditorium to the stage, each 7” tall.