FAQs.

What do we develop?

We are looking for proposals of plays that are:

• Full length original plays, adaptations, and/or plays with music

• Written by current residents of Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania or those with housing in Shepherdstown, WV that are able to attend workshops, readings, and potential rehearsals.

• Intended for adults or all ages (not specifically for children or young adults)

• Aligned with our mission: to foster the development of fellow artists by eliminating common barriers to inclusivity and equity. We are particularly interested in plays that explore queer stories, Appalachian stories, or anything that could be described as “Weird” or “Unique.” We are excited to support work that can’t be found anywhere but here.

• Looking for development. This is not the opportunity for a polished, production-ready, or already produced draft. We are excited to dig into the text with you!

How do we develop plays?

• If your play is selected for our process, you will receive one or more development workshops over the course of a year. Plays that are workshopped through our development process will be considered for full production on the Main Stage in upcoming seasons’

• Our Main Stage is a 55-seat black box theater in Shepherdstown, WV

• Playwrights, directors, and staff of each Main Stage production are paid

How do I submit?

• Fill out this form

• You will be asked for the following:

  • answers to a few questions

  • a play script you have completed as a sample of your work (if you have something stylistically or tonally similar to the play you are proposing to develop, that is probably the most effective sample)

  • a proposal describing the play you hope to develop with us. Please include information about the themes, plot, and characters, and any collaborators you would want to invite into the process.

  • a resume, bio, or short narrative describing your playwriting journey so far