Thank you for your interest. WordWave 2022 submissions deadline was June 6th at 5pm and we are no longer taking submissions. Please try again next year!

Lake Tahoe WordWave One-Act Play Competition Entry Details

Writers are invited to consider submitting for the 2022 WordWave Contest, which will open in April of 2022. Three submissions are selected each year as the winners and each winner will receive a cash prize and be invited for a 2-night stay in South Lake Tahoe to see their work directed and produced as a staged reading at the historic Valhalla Boathouse Theatre. In addition, this year, the top 3 winners will also receive a free year-long subscription to www.playsubmissionshelper.com, a comprehensive and up-to-date online directory of play submission opportunities available anywhere. We look forward to sharing these fresh one-act plays with you!

  • April 18, 2022 WordWave Contest Opens for Submissions
  • Plays must be submitted by June 6, 2022 at 5pm
  • There is a $25 entry fee to be paid via Paypal
  • Contest Winners will be contacted by July 27, 2022
  • Winners are announced in August

Submission Requirements:

  • 100-200 word synopsis.
  • Cast list that indicates the number of female roles, the number of male roles and the number of roles that can be performed by either gender.
  • Set design(s). Please feel free to provide diagrams and/or pictures.
  • Estimated running time.
  • Plays must be written within the last five years.
  • Submit one-acts of no longer than 60 minutes.
  • Paid $25 submission fee for each entry via Paypal.
    • Multiple submission accepted with separate entry fees.

I had such a lovely experience at the 2018 WordWave festival. A professionally run event with great actors and directors in a stunning venue. A truly magical night.

Dagney Kerr2018 winner for Stay

As if the joy of seeing my work brought to life wasn’t enough, the location is absolutely heavenly, the Boathouse Theater is like a little hidden gem, and the people involved with producing WordWave are extremely generous, enthusiastic, and sweet. I’ll never forget the feeling of hearing the reactions from the audience of wonderful locals gathered together to support new writers — I think I spent the evening a few inches off the ground. WordWave is a great experience for an emerging playwright.

Gabriella Giocomo2017 winner for Locked In

A Festival of Story lit up the fall of 2016. The care taken to stage a reading of my play thrilled me to the core. Execution of the new script by the cast and director transcended my expectations, and the Valhalla Boathouse Theatre provided an amazing venue to bring the new work to life. My thanks to all involved with the festival who went above and beyond to make the playwrights feel welcome and at home.

Peter McDonough2016 winner for Joint Chiefs: Being part of WordWave

What an incredible experience it was to see the talented actors and director bring my words to life onstage. The night of the production was one of the best nights of my life. I was so proud of the actors and grateful for the way they treated my work with such respect and enthusiasm. They brought their own artistic vision to my script and, by bringing the characters and their relationships to life, made it even better than simply my words on the page.

Dallas Woodburn2015 winner for Woman Running Late in a Dress