Kennedy Center: ACTF - Short Play Awards Program

The John Cauble Short Play Award

The Short Play Awards Program is named in honor of Dr. John Cauble, Professor Emeritus of UCLA, who provided guidance and support for the establishment of the Michael Kanin Award Program. His continued participation in the recognition of student playwrights through the Playwriting Awards Development Committee is a cornerstone within the Michael Kanin Awards Program. View the list of Past Winners.

This program seeks to bring recognition to the area of student-written short plays that are produced by colleges and universities across the nation and to encourage young writers to develop the short play form in preparation for the playwriting profession.

[Picture of the John Cauble Short Play Award Presentation]

Chair of the National Playwriting Program, Lauren Friesen, presenting the John Cauble Short Play Award to Kristina Leach, California State University-Fullerton, for Supernova in Hamlet, at the National KC/ACTF in April 2000.

The John Cauble Short Play Awards Program recognizes one or more outstanding productions of such plays in colleges and universities each year, with consideration for presentation at the national festival at the Kennedy Center. The awards to each playwright whose work is presented at the national festival include:

$1000 provided by the Playwriting Awards Development Committee
publication and catalog listing by Samuel French, Inc.
appropriate membership in the Dramatist Guild, Inc.

Please refer to the Rules and Procedures.

The John Cauble Short Play Award Winners

2007
18, by Hank Willenbrink, University of California-Santa Barbara

2006 (tie)
Lions, by Neil Knox, Sarah Lawrence College
The Man of Infinite Sadness, by Brian Tanen, New York Univeristy

2005
No winner selected

2004
Quid Pro Quo by Garrett Zuercher, Marquette University

2003
No winner selected

2002
SLAVERY, by Jonathan Payne, Santa Monica College

2001
Game Legs by Gregg Mozgala, Boston University

2000
Supernova in Hamlet by Kristina Leach, California State University-Fullerton

1999
Earl, the Vampire by Sean Michael Welch, University of Michigan, Flint
Un Tango en la Noche by Dan Hunter, Boston University

1998
Guarding the Bridge by Chuck Gorden, University of Oklahoma, Norman
Specks by Rob Shimko, Hartwick College, Oneonta, New York

1997
Vortex, Wade Sheeler, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia
Drop, Dano Madden, Boise State University, ID

1996
Mrs. Coney, Belinda Bremmer, Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL
The Dream a the End of the World, Nathaniel Eaton, Boston University, MA

1995
no winner selected

1994
Acetylene, Erik Ramsey, University of Wyoming, Laramie
Harriet, Kisha Kenyatta, Boston University, MA

1993
The Manager, Darrin Shaughnessy, California State University-Fullerton

1992
no winner selected

1991
no winner selected

1990
no winner selected

1989
Oscar, Brian Nissen, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia

1988
When Esther Saw the Light, Michael Sargent, University of California, Los Angeles
Waterworks, E.J. Safirstein, University of Washington, Seattle

Rules and Procedures

Each play will be considered separately, and the single Participating entry fee will cover a bill of up to three plays. Although the plays are not eligible for national design awards, participants will be eligible for Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships (one departmental nomination per bill) and the National Critics Institute Scholarship program.
Short plays will be eligible for all awards in the Michael Kanin Playwriting Awards Program with the exception of the National Student Playwriting Award which is for full-length scripts.
The short play is defined as a play of one act without intermission that, within itself, does not constitute a full evening of theatre.
Because of length, a short play may be invited to appear with other short plays at both the regional and national levels. It is for this reason that all design elements must be carefully crafted to facilitate the minimal set-up and strike time established by your regional governing board.
It is the intention of the Short Play Program to honor emerging theatrical voices. Therefore, the regional and national selection process should value the text, supported by strong acting and directing. Plays chosen for the national festival are likely to be produced in the Kennedy Center's Lab Theater, a "black box" where scheduling demands minimal set-up/strike time.

For more information, contact your regional playwriting chair.