Frequently Asked Questions

So, as I mentioned last week we have writers’ groups, bootcamps, workshops and one-to-one support and guidance sessions all going on regarding 37 Plays in aid of trying to encourage the people of Hull to get writing and submitting. Because we are just one month before the submission period opening on the 1^st January, I am getting asked a lot more questions about submitting to the project and getting asked a lot more regularly too, so I thought, why not share with you these frequently asked questions that many have been asking me as the answers may help make things a little clearer for you too.  Don’t you worry your clever little brains any further, I will endeavour to put your minds at ease and hopefully provide you with all the submission details you need so you are ready to hit send in four weeks’ time.  

WHO CAN SUBMIT A PLAY?

Anyone living in the United Kingdom can submit a play. Whether you are three or 93; whether you are a professional writer or have never written a play before, the RSC want to read your play.

WHAT SUPPORT WILL I RECEIVE?

There will be online guidance in the form of films, podcasts, and downloads, they will be added to the 37 Plays resources page as they develop them.

IN WHAT FORMAT SHOULD I SUBMIT MY PLAY?

You will be asked to submit your play via the 37 Plays website in a Word or PDF document.

WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME FOR WRITING?

The deadline for submitting your play is 31 January 2023, but we will accept your play from 1st January 2023.

CAN I WRITE MY PLAY USING MY LOCAL DIALECT?

Plays are required to be written predominantly in the English language. Where there are sections written in modified English or a different language, it will require an accompanying translation.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE 37 PLAYS THAT ARE SELECTED?

Writers of selected plays will be contacted by the RSC and partner theatres in March/April 2023. All writers of selected plays will receive a fee and will need to grant permission for the theatres to publish, broadcast and perform their play script-in-hand (actors performing while holding a script) as part of a celebration of all the plays in 2023.

CAN I SUBMIT A PIECE OF AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL WRITING? WHAT SORT OF PLAYS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

Yes, you can submit a piece of writing about yourself and your life. We are looking for plays that ask a question or explore a story about the world we live in today. Your story could be set in the past, or in the present, or in the future, but must be relevant to an audience experiencing it now.

SHOULD I WRITE A PLAY ABOUT SHAKESPEARE OR THAT RE-TELLS ONE OF SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS?

You can write a new, original play about Shakespeare, but not an adaptation of a story that has already been written.

WILL YOU PRODUCE MY PLAY AS A FULL-SCALE PRODUCTION IF I'M SELECTED AS ONE OF THE 37 PLAYWRIGHTS?

All the 37 selected plays will be performed script-in-hand. If your play is then selected by a partner theatre to be taken forward as a full-scale production, you will then be invited to discuss this directly with them and enter into a new agreement with the theatre.

IS THERE A FEE TO ENTER

NO! Anyone living in the United Kingdom may enter a play and there is no fee to enter.

HOW LONG DOES IT NEED TO BE

It must be written down and needs to be at least one A4 page but no more than 100 A4 pages, in 10-point font or above.

WHO WILL READ AND CHOOSE THE WINNERS    

Submitted plays will be read by a national reading panel selected by our Associate Regional Theatres. We will announce the reading panel and the judges in January 2023. You must submit you play according to your age: age 11 and under, 12-17 years, or 18+. For plays written by more than one person, you can either nominate a lead writer or use the average age of writers. Please remove your name and details from the pages of your play so it can be read anonymously.

CAN I SUBMIT A PLAY I’VE ALREADY HAD IN PRODUCTION

Your play must be a complete original story, not a sample of a story or an adaptation of a story. It must not have had a professional production or be under commission at the time of submission. 

WHAT IF I USE MAKATON OR BSL

For Makaton users, plays can be submitted in Communication Print with a written English translation to accompany. We welcome BSL entries (in video format) and don’t require a translation to be provide

It’s also worth highlighting that on the 37 Plays website there is a lovely and encouraging note about your idea being the most important thing.

Your ideas and the story are the most important thing; spelling and grammar can be refined later.

This has come up in a lot of my schools’ workshops, so I’m really pleased it’s been address and the focus is on the idea and the creativity rather than spelling and grammar. Because this was most definitely one of my barriers to access writing when I was younger. Just another element to chime on about this epic scheme and all its wonderfulness.

Remembering, The RSC want to read YOUR play. So, get cracking!