Post-show discussion of "Don Chipotle," by Juan Francisco Villa, at the 2013 Arkansas New Play Festival

Playwright Resources

Since its founding in 2005, T2 has quickly established a national reputation as a home for professional artists and a forming ground for new works. In eight seasons, the theatre has been home to six world premiere productions and, through the Arkansas New Play Festival, to professional workshops of 30 new scripts by emerging playwrights from around the country. In Arkansas, the theatre has established a loyal and energetic audience for new works, enthusiastically embracing unknown plays and playwrights.

Arkansas New Play Festival

Each year, TheatreSquared is host to Arkansas's only dedicated professional laboratory for the development of new plays: the Arkansas New Play Festival. Through the Festival, TheatreSquared seeks to give voice to emerging playwrights whose timely and relevant stories resonate with the shifting demographics of Arkansas and mid-America. Four scripts-in-development are selected through a submission process; workshopped for a two-week period with professional actors, director and dramaturg; and presented to the public as staged readings both at T2's home venue in Fayetteville and at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock. As part of the festival, T2 also hosts the Arkansas Young Playwrights Showcase, featuring short plays by students from a geographically diverse group of high schools from Northwest Arkansas to the Arkansas Delta Region.

For consideration of inclusion in the Arkansas New Play Festival, TheatreSquared accepts full-length scripts only from literary agents and theatre professionals with whom we already have an existing relationship. Playwrights new to TheatreSquared are invited to submit a brief bio, short synopsis, and ten pages of sample dialogue, and may then be invited to submit a full-length work. Playwrights will be contacted via email within six months of receipt.  Submitted works will not be returned.  Mail to: ATTN: Literary Manager, TheatreSquared, PO Box 4188, Fayetteville, AR 72701.

Arkansas Playwrights Workshop

For nearly a decade, TheatreSquared's Arkansas Playwrights Workshop has been dedicated to nurturing new plays and playwrights, helping to foster new works for the American stage while providing a safe place for writers to work on their craft through regular workshop sessions and public readings. Sessions are free and open to beginning and advanced playwrights and screenwriters. Writers are encouraged to bring 10-15 pages of dialogue, which are read cold by actors, then commented upon by the group under the leadership of an experienced playwright.

Over the years, participants have ranged from absolute beginners to professionally produced dramatists; APW playwrights have won numerous awards and had their work produced at theatres around the country.

When and Where

The group currently meets at 6:30 p.m. twice each month on Mondays (per email notification) in the Reading Room at the TheatreSquared administrative offices (112 W. Center St., Suite 440). Actors and directors are always welcome, and walk-ins are encouraged. Writers should expect to attend one or two sessions before bringing work to be read. APW is co-directed by Robert Ford, Artistic Director of TheatreSquared, and Arkansas playwright Mark Landon Smith. For more information and to place your name on the APW email list, contact Mark Landon Smith.