FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
I don’t have an agent. Am I eligible for the Relentless Award?
Any writer who is a) 21 years old or older and b) a citizen of the United States or otherwise authorized to work in the U.S., may submit. All members of the creative team of a submitted musical must fulfil these requirements.
My musical is a one-act. Is it eligible?
No; the Relentless Award is for full-length musicals, ones that could stand alone as an evening of theater. For our purposes, this means 65 minutes or longer.
My musical is for young audiences, but adults can appreciate it too. Can I submit?
Musicals aimed towards children, as delightful as they might be to all audiences, are not right for this award.
My musical is based on source material. Can I submit it?
Yes, as long as you hold the copyright, or it is in the public domain. If you are adapting the work of another author, you must have the legal right to do so.
I collaborated on my musical with one or more other artists. Can we submit together?
Absolutely—musicals are often a team effort. However, winners and finalists will only receive a single monetary award, which should be split evenly between applicants (or in accordance with an agreement in writing that the writers must supply to APF.)
My musical has had a public reading or workshop. Can I still submit it?
Yes; readings do not affect eligibility status, nor do workshops or nonprofessional productions. However, if your musical has received a production with professional actors, and you have been paid for the rights to perform this work, it is not eligible for the Relentless Award. To qualify, the musical must still be eligible for world premiere status.
My musical was a commission, but the theater declined to produce it. Is it eligible?
Yes. If your show has not been produced or published, and a commissioning entity has passed on its production option, it is eligible. However, if the commissioning entity maintains the right of first refusal to produce your musical, it is not eligible.
Do you allow resubmissions?
Yes. Each creator may only submit one show per cycle, but it may be any project of their choosing.
Oh great! My musical was a semi-finalist before, but I worked on the show and improved it. Can I send you the new version?
In order to maintain the blind status of the award, we cannot reconsider any work that has been formally recognized by APF in past cycles. This means honorable mentions, semi-finalists, and finalists. However, if your show has not previously been formally recognized by the Relentless Awards, you may resubmit it, and we welcome the opportunity to examine it anew.
My collaborator is submitting another show with other collaborators. Can I submit my project that I have made with them?
No. They may only submit one project per cycle, so please make sure that your submission is the sole work your collaborators are submitting as well.
Process
The Relentless Award is listed as a "blind" prize. What does that mean?
It means that our judging team evaluates all work without knowledge of authorship, prior development, or demographic data. All submitted materials must have creator names, contact information, and any other identifying information redacted.
I don’t have demos of the songs to my musical. What can I do?
Record them! They can just be you singing into your phone. We absolutely do not require professional quality recordings. However, you must have tracks from your musical to upload, so that we can hear what you’re working on.
I have a video of a workshop or reading of my musical. Can I just send you that?
No, we only accept audio recordings. You’re welcome to convert your video into an audio file.
Do you have any other formatting requirements?
No, but formatting your work in an accessible fashion may make our judges more able to appreciate your work. **It is very helpful if you denote, in your script, where various tracks occur.
Additionally, here are two resources that may be useful:
https://writingmusicaltheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/lyriclab1/Handouts/FormatGuidelinesHandout.pdf
https://writingmusicaltheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/lyriclab1/Handouts/FormatGuidelinesHandout.pdf
We appreciate any efforts towards clarity and legibility, and helping our readers experience your story and your world without barriers. However, no work will be disqualified due to formatting.
I am an agent or mentor to a writer that would like to submit. Can I do so on the writer's behalf?
No. We ask that all writers submit their own materials directly and provide their own contact information on the submission form. There is no fee to submit.
I don’t like online platforms; can I mail you a copy of my script?
Unfortunately, we can only accept submissions digitally via Submittable.
I already submitted, but I have a new draft; can I edit my submission to reflect the changes?
No. The work that is initially submitted is what will be evaluated.
Your guidelines say that submissions close on 2/15/25. Does that mean at 12am that morning? What time zone are you in?
Our submissions platform will close submissions automatically at 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, 2/15/2025.
I'm having a problem with the submission platform! Can you help?
For technical support, please reach out to https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/. Note that they may take up to two business days to respond—we have no capacity to expedite their schedule, so please plan accordingly.
I had an emergency right before I was about to submit!! What can I do?
Unfortunately, we are not able to accept late submissions. We encourage you to give yourself ample time before the deadline so that you will not be affected by unforeseen challenges.
Will I receive any notification, a rejection letter, and/or feedback about my script?
Once you submit, you'll receive email confirmation from APF staff that your materials have been received. Unless you receive notice otherwise, you may assume your work has been deemed eligible and accepted to the competition. APF is unable to provide feedback on individual submissions.
When will I know the status of my application?
Our evaluation process is deep, thorough, and multi-round. The exact length of time will depend on how many projects are submitted, but please expect it to take several months.
If my musical wins, will the American Playwriting Foundation produce it?
No. However, we will do our best to connect the winning creators with opportunities and other entities who may be in a position to help your project move towards production.
Content
 
Are you looking for any specific themes or topics?
We are interested in work that is personal, honest, and fearless. We are excited by challenge, boundary-pushing, and vulnerability—stories that feel vital and necessary to the artists. And we’re looking for great songs. There is no specific content that we either look for or automatically reject.
My show is in early development. I only have a few songs, and my script isn’t finished. May I still submit it?
We know that musicals take a long time to gestate and gel, and we’re delighted to encounter works that are mid-development. As long as you have written at least 50 percent of your script and score, we’re happy to read and listen to it. However, if your project is in the earliest early stages—ie, you only have a couple songs and a concept—it's not right for this award (yet!).
My work has songs in it, but it’s more like a play with music. May I still submit?
If the musical elements are so integral that the play cannot exist without them, you may try submitting it to this award (though please note that our judges may also share the “it’s-not-a-musical" concern.) But, if it’s really a play-that-has-music, then try submitting to our Relentless Award for plays, which is coming in 2026!
I have another question that isn't covered above. What can I do?
If you have thoroughly examined our guidelines and FAQ and you have more questions, please reach out to RelentlessInfo@bfany.org
We look forward to reading and listening to your work!