TFA’s First Light Play Development Program

For Fairfax County High School Students and Mason Students

Want to write a play?

Theater of the First Amendment announces the return of the professional mentoring program and playwriting competitions open to all Fairfax County high school students and Mason students.  Selected applicants will be invited to work with a professional playwright, director or dramaturg to develop their plays over the winter.  Plays must be new works for the stage requiring no more than eight actors.  At the end of the mentoring period, all students will submit their final plays to TFA’s playwriting competitions (one for High School students and one for Mason students). 

The winning entries will receive a professional five-day workshop and public reading during the First Light Discovery Program to be held in June 2010.

To apply, fill out the appropriate online application form or download the appropriate printable version in PDF format:

Submit a completed application form and a 2-page writing sample to:

First Light – Theater of the First Amendment
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, MS 3E6
Fairfax VA  22030-4444

Or electronically to: smaloney@gmu.edu

All application forms and writing samples from Mason students must be received by October 30, 2009.


All application forms and writing samples from Fairfax County high school students must be received by November 30, 2009.


Mason applicants accepted into the program will be notified by email and required to attend an informational session with a local professional playwright, who will speak on the topic of the playwright’s craft. This talk will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 1pm in George Mason’s TheaterSpace. Immediately afterward, playwrights will be matched with professional artist mentors specializing in new play development. The mentors will set up deadlines for drafts and establish a schedule for providing feedback. Mentors will monitor students’ progress from November through the final draft submission deadline of February 26, 2010.

High School student applicants accepted into the program will be notified by mail by December 7, 2009. Playwrights will then be matched with professional new play development specialists, who will schedule the first round of meetings for the week of December 14. The mentors will set up deadlines for drafts and establish a schedule for providing feedback. Mentors will monitor students’ progress from November through the final draft submission deadline of February 26, 2010.

All winners will be contacted by March 26, 2010. All students will be encouraged to come to the First Light readings in June to support the winning plays.

The First Light Student Playwright Mentorship Program is a production of Theater of the First Amendment, the professional theater company at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts. No registration fee is required to enter the program.

For more information about the mentorship and competitions, email Suzanne Maloney at smaloney@gmu.edu and include “First Light” in the subject line.