Moonbox Productions is seeking a diverse group of readers for its 2026 Boston New Works Festival. Alongside open submissions for 2026, Moonbox is actively seeking plays/ projects that can be experienced and enjoyed universally, by those of all ages and backgrounds, including:

• Plays/ projects written as Theater for Young Audiences (TYA);
• Plays/ projects written to celebrate, uplift, and center the experiences of those living with differences and disabilities;
  • Plays/ projects written to incorporate inclusive practices/ inclusive storytelling.

There will be 3 rounds of reading.  Each reader may be asked to read up to 8 submissions. Each submission will have a minimum of five readers per round who will give them a number score and offer a brief (up to 150 words) descriptive justification of that score. The Stipend for participation in each round is $60.

Round 1 – April 15^th – June 15^th

Round 2 – July 15^th – September 15^th

Round 3 – September 30^th – November 30^th

Playwrights’ names and collaborators will be unknown to the readers. The Reading Committee will rank the plays to select a slate of finalists, from which the New Works Festival plays will be selected by a small committee which will contain members of the local theater community, staff members and stake holders of Moonbox Productions.

In addition to the numerical scores that the plays receive, the final selection committee will consider diversity and balance.

When scoring the play readers are encouraged NOT to take into consideration “produce-ability.” Moonbox is specifically looking for strong, compelling voices and interesting, relevant stories regardless of cast size, locations, set requirements or “magic”.

Readers are encouraged to think about the following elements when evaluating festival submissions:

• Did you find this proposal compelling?
• What are the moments of storytelling that you felt pulled in to?
• What do you think this play or project is about?
• Do you think this proposal aligns with the goals and mission of Moonbox Productions?
• Is this project in a place with regards to development that you feel that Moonbox can support over the course of the 9 months?
• Do you have reservations about this project with regards to authenticity of voice, clarity of vision or scope of project?

If you are interested in participating in the reading process, please contact Bridget O’Leary, Director of New Play Development , at bridgetkathleenoleary@gmail.com. In the email, please attach a resume and let us know what your background and what round you would like to be considered for.