Northeast PA Playwrights Incubator

Applications Open:

December 7, 2026 – January 31, 2027

Supporting emerging regional playwrights through mentorship, professional development, and the creation of new theatrical work.

Following a successful pilot year in 2026, Scranton Fringe is excited to welcome applications for the second year of the Northeast PA Playwrights Incubator, a development program designed to support emerging and aspiring playwrights throughout our region.

Originally launched with founding support from In This Together NEPA, the incubator provides writers with financial support, professional mentorship, creative accountability, and an opportunity to share their work with audiences at the annual Scranton Fringe Festival.

For 2027, we anticipate selecting three to five playwrights, each of whom will receive a $450 stipend and participate in a structured development process culminating in a staged reading during the 2027 Scranton Fringe Festival, October 14–24.

What is the Northeast PA Playwrights Incubator?

The incubator is designed to help emerging playwrights take a new script from an outline, early draft, or work in progress toward a festival-ready staged reading.

We recognize that developing a new play can be challenging, particularly without access to professional mentorship, opportunities to hear your work aloud, or a supportive community of fellow writers.

This program provides a framework for artists who want:

Clear creative milestones and accountability.
Professional feedback, mentorship, and artistic guidance.
Opportunities to connect with other emerging writers.
Dedicated time and support to revise and strengthen their work.
A public next step for their writing in front of a live audience.

You do not need to have a completed script to apply. The goal is to support the development process, not simply present work that is already finished.

All development meetings and professional development sessions will take place virtually, allowing playwrights from across Northeast Pennsylvania to participate regardless of their proximity to Scranton.

All Genres Welcome

Theatre, dance, music, puppetry, spoken word, or any other creative expression.

What you’ll receive if selected

Each selected playwright will receive:

A $450 stipend to support their writing and creative development.
A dedicated professional mentor offering feedback, guidance, and support throughout the development process.
Virtual professional development opportunities such as marketing, submission advice for festivals/theatres, etc.
A supportive cohort experience, providing opportunities to connect with fellow writers.
A staged reading of their work presented during the 2027 Scranton Fringe Festival, October 14–24 (date of reading TBD).

What is a “stylized staged reading”?

A staged reading is a rehearsal-supported presentation of a script that places the writing and storytelling at the center of the experience.

Unlike a fully realized theatrical production, a staged reading typically uses limited staging, minimal technical elements, and a concentrated rehearsal process. Performers may read from scripts, allowing the audience to focus on the language, characters, and ideas.

For this program, readings will generally be approximately 20-25 minutes in length, featuring either a complete short work or a selection from a longer script.

Playwrights developing full-length works are welcome and encouraged to apply. The goal is not necessarily to complete an entire full-length production by October, but to make substantial progress and present a meaningful selection of the work.

Festival reading dates are still to be determined. Scranton Fringe will consider the scheduling preferences and availability of selected playwrights when coordinating the readings.

2027 Timeline (what to expect)

December 7, 2026 – January 31, 2027: Applications Open

Regional playwrights are invited to submit their proposals through a simple online application.

February–March 2027: Review and Selection

Applications will be reviewed, with finalist conversations held virtually if needed. Selected playwrights will be notified, introduced to their mentors, and provided with program expectations.

April–July 2027: Development Begins

Playwrights begin working with their mentors through virtual meetings, writing exercises, feedback, and revisions. Virtual professional development sessions and cohort check-ins provide additional resources and encouragement.

August–September 2027: Preparing for the Festival

Writers continue refining their scripts and identify the material they will present. Scranton Fringe works with participants to coordinate reading logistics and the necessary rehearsal process.

October 14–24, 2027: Scranton Fringe Festival

Selected works are presented in staged readings as part of the 2027 festival. Specific dates and times will be announced later and coordinated with the participating playwrights.

November 2027: Reflection and Next Steps

Participants will be invited to provide feedback on their experience and consider opportunities for continued development, submissions, or future presentations of their work.

Who Can Apply?

1. You live in Northeast Pennsylvania
Applicants must reside in Northeast Pennsylvania for most of the year. For this program, eligible counties include: Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, Pike, Bradford, Sullivan, Wyoming, Columbia, Montour, Lycoming, Tioga, Union, Snyder, Monroe, Carbon, Northumberland, Susquehanna, and Schuylkill.

2. You identify as an emerging or aspiring playwright
This program is intended for writers who are still developing their playwriting practice and would benefit from structured professional support. You may be a strong candidate if:

You are working on your first play or have written only a handful of scripts.
Your work has had limited public presentation or professional production.
You have participated in student, community, or independent theatre and want to further develop your writing.
You are transitioning into playwriting from another creative discipline, such as fiction, poetry, filmmaking, comedy, or performance.
You have an idea or partial draft but would benefit from outside feedback, structure, and accountability.

Not sure whether you qualify as an emerging playwright? We encourage you to apply. We are more interested in your potential, creative curiosity, and willingness to engage in the development process than in an extensive professional résumé.

3. You have a new script in development
Applicants should propose an original theatrical work currently in development. This can be an outline, an early draft, a partial script, or a first draft that would benefit from substantial revision. We welcome a wide range of theatrical genres and approaches, including comedy, drama, experimental theatre, musical theatre, and interdisciplinary performance with scripted storytelling at its center.

4. You can commit to the development process
Selected playwrights must be willing to participate in virtual mentorship meetings, professional development activities, and periodic cohort check-ins throughout the program. Playwrights must also be available to participate in a staged reading during the October 14–24 festival window. Reading dates will be coordinated with participants, taking their preferences into consideration.

How to Apply

Applications open Monday, December 7, 2026, and close Sunday, January 31, 2027.

We’ve designed the application to be straightforward and accessible. You do not need a polished script, a formal production proposal, or an extensive professional résumé to apply.

The online form will ask for a few basic details, including:

About you: Your name, contact information, and county of residence within NEPA.
Your writing experience: A brief introduction to your creative background and playwriting experience.
Your proposed project: A short description of the play or theatrical work you would like to develop.
Where you are in the process: Whether you are working from an outline, early pages, or an existing draft.
Your goals: What you hope to accomplish through mentorship and participation in the incubator.
Your availability: Confirmation that you can participate in the virtual development process and a festival reading.

We want to learn about you, your idea, and what this opportunity could mean for your development as a writer.

The application is intentionally simple. Don’t overthink it!

Application form/link will be available December 7th!

Questions? Email info@scrantonfringe.org with the subject line “NEPA Playwrights Incubator.”

Important: This Is Not the General Scranton Fringe Festival Application

The Northeast PA Playwrights Incubator is a separate professional development program with its own application and selection process.

Applications for the general 2027 Scranton Fringe Festival (October 14-24) will open February 15 and close March 31, 2027.

Artists and companies interested in presenting an existing or independently produced show at the festival should apply through that separate festival application process.

Questions? Email info@scrantonfringe.org with the subject line: “NEPA Playwrights Incubator.”

Thank You to Our

Founding Sponsor

In This Together NEPA is proud to return as the sponsor of this playwright program, helping further elevate the voices of those in our community. In This Together NEPA is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to strengthening civic engagement, community connection, and local leadership across Northeast Pennsylvania.

As the founding sponsor of the Northeast PA Playwrights Incubator in 2026, the organization helped establish an important new resource for emerging regional writers and locally rooted storytelling.

Learn more at www.inthistogethernepa.org.

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