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

Thank you for your interest in submitting for the 2025 One Act Play Award.  The response was overwhelming this year, and we’ve now hit our limit of 100 submissions.  If you didn’t get a chance to submit this year, we’d love to read your play next year.  So, be on the look-out for information here about next year’s contest, which we will post sometime in mid-2026.