National Music Theatre Conference submissions will be accepted Sept. 1-Dec. 1 and the National Playwrights Conference submissions will be accepted Sept. 25-Oct. 16.

"This Conference belongs to the playwrights, and I believe that it is imperative to allow the playwrights who submit their work the opportunity to have their plays read and considered seriously for the conference," noted Playwrights Conference artistic director Wendy C. Goldberg. "I remain committed to the open submission process and it is a priority for the Playwright's Conference to seek out the best writers through this endeavor."

Similarly, National Music Theater Conference co-founder and artistic director Paulette Haupt describes the open submission policy as "the heart of our mission." "Maury Yeston, Tan Dun, Jeannine Tesori, Kirsten Childs, Andrew Lippa, among hundreds of other artists all came to our attention through the open submission process. At the time they sent us their work, they were unknown. We take great pride in having enabled them to receive the attention they deserved at an early point in their careers."

The submission guidelines detail proper presentation of scripts (format, pagination, binding), number of copies and additional information that should be sent with writers' materials. Detailed guidelines for each program are provided on the O'Neill website at www.TheONeill.org. For further information about the programs, contact literary manager David White at (860) 443-5378, ext. 227 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Translations, optioned plays or those that have either received productions or professional workshops are ineligible for open submissions. All submissions must be postmarked from Sept. 1-Dec. 1 for Music Theater Conference and Sept. 25-Oct. 16 for Playwrights Conference. A $35 fee is instated for both Conferences to be used toward the costs associated with the selection process.

For more information on the O'Neill Center, visit the website at www.TheONeill.org or call (860) 443-5378.