Playwriting Competition
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About the Contest
Southeastern Louisiana University’s Inkslinger Playwriting Contest, now entering its 14th year, is dedicated to discovering and championing new theatrical voices. Through a rigorous three-round adjudication process that carefully evaluates over 200 submissions, the contest identifies exceptional new plays and offers the winning playwright lodging, travel support, and a full-scale Mainstage production at Southeastern Theatre. The contest has cultivated a legacy of launching successful plays into the wider theatrical landscape, with past winners achieving subsequent productions at regional theatre nationwide and publication. Beyond recognizing outstanding playwriting, the Inkslinger Playwriting Contest serves as a vital educational experience for Southeastern theatre students and audiences, creating meaningful opportunities for direct engagement with living playwrights and fostering an appreciation for the development of contemporary American theatre. This contest represents Southeastern Theatre’s ongoing commitment to supporting emerging voices in playwriting while enriching the theatrical education of students through exposure to new works and the artists who create them.
Our submissions are officially open.
Play submissions are Aug. 1-Oct. 2
The adjudication process begins Oct. 5 through mid-January.
Rules and Submission Guidelines
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Rules and Submission Guidelines
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Submission deadline is Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
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All submissions must be original and unpublished
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Only full-length plays will be considered
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Each submission must have the $10 fee paid by the submission deadline. Fees mailed in by check must be postmarked by Friday, Oct. 2
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Submit a BLIND copy of your play script with all playwright-identifying information removed
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PDF files are preferred for uploads
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Submit plays intended for a college-aged cast and audience (our students play a range in age)
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Musicals will not be considered at this time
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Playwrights may submit as many plays as they wish. There is a $10 submission fee per script entry
- Click the button below to submit your play and pay the fee
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The winner will also receive a free year-long subscription to www.playsubmissionshelper.com, the most comprehensive and up-to-date online directory of play submission opportunities available anywhere.
Unable to pay online?
Please make checks payable to Southeastern Louisiana University or SLU.
Mail checks to:
Inkslinger Playwriting Contest
Attn: Chad Winters
Box 10765
Hammond, LA 70402
Past Inkslinger Winner Accolades
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Carolyn Nur Wistrand’s play (2018 Inkslinger Winner) She Danced With a Redfish is launching publication with University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press.
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Cathy Dresbach and Ben Tyler’s (2022 Inkslinger Winner) The Truth About Winnie Ruth Judd was produced in 2024 at The Phoenix Theatre.
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Anna Tatelman’s (2017 Inkslinger Winner) Life on the Moon was produced at Detroit Repertory Theatre in 2022.
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Shane Kennedy’s (2021 Inkslinger Winner) Mrs. Whitman’s Words for Women had additional university productions at Creighton University in Nebraska in 2024 and Murphy’s Creek Theatre in California in 2025.
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TJ Young (2020 Inkslinger Winner) has been commissioned to write plays for the Pittsburgh Public Theatre Commission, the James Madison University Commission, and the Stage Partners Commission at the International Thespian Festival.
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Bella Poynton’s play The Appliance Department (2025 Inkslinger Winner) received the ACTF distinction of “Excellence in Playwriting Development and Student Collaboration.”
Our Current Winner
Enter Two Murders
Mark Holley is a San Diego-based playwright, actor, and retired U.S. Navy Captain who recently concluded a distinguished 29-year career as an active-duty officer in the Navy Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. A lifelong lover of storytelling, Mark discovered playwriting in 2022 through a class at the La Jolla Playhouse.
Mark’s work includes full-length plays, one-act musicals, and short plays that have been presented in California, Louisiana, and beyond. He is an active member of the Veteran’s Playwright Workshop at La Jolla Playhouse, where he continues to develop new work under the mentorship of acclaimed theatre artists. His short plays have also been featured in veteran-focused productions, celebrating diverse stories shaped by military service while exploring themes that resonate far beyond the armed forces.
Mark is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and continues to write, perform, and champion new theatrical works that blend wit, humanity, and compelling storytelling.
Past Winners
2025
Bella Poynton
The Appliance Department
2024
Mark Loewenstern
Near Nellie Bly
2023
Wolfgang Jones
Beginners Guide to Self-Loathing and Why We Say Goodbye
2022
Cathy Dresbach and Ben Tyler
The Truth About Winnie Ruth Judd
2021
Shayne Kennedy
Mrs. Whitman’s Words for Women
2020
T.J. Young
Dark Skin Pavement
2019
Alek Merrilo
Exit 27
2018
Carolyn Nur Wistrand
She Danced With Red Fish
2017
Anna Tatelman
Life on the Moon
2016
Ethan Warren
Why Are You Nowhere
2015
Colin Crowley
Encore, Encore
2014
Eddie Zipperer
Beware the Licorice Vines