The Midwest Dramatists Center (MDC) is excited to announce the sixth annual Midwest Dramatists Conference on October 15-18, 2025 in Olathe, Kansas. The conference is a place for playwrights to gather and have their work shared and critiqued. We invite playwrights to attend from across the country, and we encourage a diversity of voices and viewpoints.
Accepted playwrights can look forward to the following activities:
October 15: Evening reception with special guest speakers from local arts organizations.
October 16: A full day of adjudicated play readings followed by a showcase of work by MDC playwrights.
October 17: Inge Forum honoring Kansas playwright William Inge, followed by a performance of The Jonbenet Game by Tori Keenan-Zeltat the Unicorn Theatre. Shuttle service and tickets included.
October 18: Breakout sessions and additional adjudicated play readings followed by a Gala Dinner.
Industry professionals Gene Kato with Next Stage Press (www.nextstagepress.com) and playwright/director/teacher Luke Yankee (www.lukeyankee.com) will serve as adjudicators for the play readings and conduct the breakout sessions. Additional adjudicators will be announced on our website.
To participate in the conference, submit a 10-minute play with no more than three characters and a brief bio. Each accepted playwright will be given a directed reading of their play by professional actors and receive adjudicator feedback. The play must be unpublished, but previous productions or readings are acceptable. There is no submission fee. One submission per playwright. The submission window will remain open until June 1 or until we have received 125 applications. Selected playwrights will be notified by July 1.
Submit your 10-minute play and brief bio to director@midwestdramatists.org
Once you are accepted, the conference registration is $275.
Playwrights whose plays are chosen are required to attend the conference in order to have their plays read. The conference will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Olathe, Kansas, 12080 S Strang Line Road. The hotel is offering a discounted rate for attendees. The Inge Forum will be held at the Unicorn Theatre, 3828 Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri.
If you are not participating in the festival, there are several Midwest Dramatists Conference events that are open and free to the public to attend. More details about the conference will be announced at www.midwestdramatists.org.
