Front and Centre Presents the New Play Festival
Centre Stage Announces New Work’s Program: Front and Centre
Front and Centre:
A New Work Initiative
Who Are We?
Centre Stage is a professional theatre in the heart of Downtown Greenville, SC. We have been in Greenville for 40 years and in our current location for 25 years. Our goal as an organization is to captivate, cultivate, and inspire. Our new work program is an important component of our mission as we cultivate playwrights who are striving to create new stories that will captivate and inspire audiences for years to come.
What Do We Do?
Centre Stage produces professional theatre, providing opportunities for young professional artists to work along side seasoned professionals. New work has been a crucial component to what Centre Stage does. We allow Greenville audiences to engage with new work from the southern region, playwrights to hear their work allowed, and continue to develop new work in preparation for production—both at Centre Stage and in theatres around the country.
What Is Centre Stage’s Commitment To New Work?
Centre Stage has produced their Annual New Play Festival for 20 years. Doug McCoy believed in the importance of new work and the festival was a key way Doug displayed that commitment. Today, Centre Stage is still just as committed to developing new work as the day Doug started the festival.
Can I Send Centre Stage My Play?
Yes! Please send us your play! We want your play! However, due to the rigorous production schedule that Centre Stage there are certain ways to send us your play that will be more beneficial than others. Centre Stage will continue to hold our Annual New Play Festival, when submissions open, please submit your play through submittable.
What is the New Play Festival?
The New Play Festival is an opportunity for playwrights to submit their plays for production. We open submissions in the Spring and have a panel of judges read them over the summer. Then, Semi-Finalists are chosen and from that point, the Centre Stage staff reads the plays and determines a Final 3. This final 3 is determined by the quality of text, set needs,
What Other Things Does Centre Stage Do With New Work?
We are always looking for plays for our Fringe Series, as well as other development opportunities. We also will help a playwright develop a text by coordinating and providing feedback through a private workshop. Most recently, playwright Mario Suarez received a reading of his new musical La Zafra. This is an important step in the development process and Centre Stage is committed to helping playwrights hear their work aloud as they prepare for further revisions.
22nd Annual New Play Festival
Centre Stage is excited to announce the 22nd Annual New Play Festival!
Dates are January 9-11, 2025 at 7:30 pm Free Admission-No ticket required
Centre Stage is committed to developing new work and is excited to carry on the tradition of the New Play Festival. Submissions for the 22nd Annual New Play Festival opened April 1st. Of these submissions, 10 semi-finalists were selected and 3 finalists will be given readings the week of the festival, one script will be chosen as the winner of the 22nd Annual New Play Festival! The winner will receive a cash prize and the opportunity to be considered for production as part of our 2025-2026 Season. During the festival, each reading will be followed by a talkback led by Centre Stage Managing Artistic Director, Laura Nicholas.
If you have any questions please email npfsubmissions@centrestage.org
2025 New Play Festival Finalists

Playwright: Paula Fell
Play: Petrified
Synopsis: Brian has been failing at his two main goals in life: finding love and proving there are ghosts. One evening afer a humiliating break up, a drunk and dejected Brian finds himself alone at a cliff overlooking the ocean. He then has what seems to be a paranormal experience. This experience sets him on a quest to solve the mysteries of the haunted lookout point and love. However, finding the answers may cost him his life.

FESTIVAL WINNER!!
Playwright: Dominic Finocchiaro
Play: how it feels to fall from the sky
Synopsis: A poignant and darkly humorous exploration of grief, connection, and the invisible threads that link us. Five strangers are drawn together after witnessing a harrowing event—a woman falling from the sky. As they navigate their shared trauma, their stories weave into a powerful meditation on humanity, loss, and the enduring need to be seen.

Playwright : Ami Trowell
Play: Fat Feminists
Synopsis: A hilarious, heartfelt exploration of friendship, body image, and what it means to live authentically. On a celebratory hike gone awry, two 50-year-old best friends confront everything from lost trails to lost dreams. With wit, warmth, and raw honesty, this play reminds us that sometimes, you have to climb a mountain to see your life from a new perspective. Don’t miss this sharp, funny, and oh-so-relatable story about the weight we carry — and how we learn to put it down.
Centre Stage
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Contact
501 River Street
Greenville, SC 29601
Phone:864-233-6733
info@centrestage.org
Box Office Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday–Friday: 2–5:00 p.m.