McNerney Playwriting Contests
The Todd McNerney Playwriting Contest
In 2006 an anonymous donor created the Todd McNerney Playwriting Award to honor faculty member and former Chair Todd McNerney and to recognize the excellence of College of Charleston student playwrights.
The initial award was created to be awarded to a student-written 10-minute play and continues to this day. In 2009, the same generous donor provided additional resources to create a second award, which focuses on full-length plays and is open to playwrights from across the nation.
The donor and the award support the development of new plays and raise awareness of the College and The Department of Theatre and Dance's commitment to new work.
Sixteenth Annual National Playwriting Contest
The winner of the Todd McNerney Playwriting Contest will receive a $400 cash prize as well as a staged reading of their winning submission at the 2025 Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, as part of College of Charleston's Stelle di Domani series (held in late May to early June). The winner will also receive a travel allowance to attend rehearsals and staged readings of their work.
The runner-up of the Todd McNerney Playwriting Contest will receive a $100 cash prize as well as a staged reading of their winning submission.
Submission requirements:
- Material must be unpublished and unproduced (including amateur productions)
- Full length; no musicals
- $15 entry fee payable to College of Charleston upon submission of material
- Open for submission February 14, 2025 through March 21, 2025
This year, we are pleased to announce that we will accept digital submissions through an online portal. Participants will also be able to pay the entry fee online via credit card.
Submit to the Contest