Playwrights from the Santa Clarita Valley and beyond are invited to submit their new and original plays, single acts, scenes and monologues for the 14th Annual New Works Festival (NWF) at College of the Canyons.

The NWF is a playwright development process and festival open to writers, students and community members of all ages. Considered pieces must be original works submitted by the original writer.

All works must be received by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, at the English desk inside The Learning Center (TLC), located on the college’s Valencia campus.

There is no entry or registration fee to participate. Submitted work will be reviewed and selected by members of the COC theatre and English departments.

“It’s exciting to be entering the fourteenth year of the New Works Festival,” said COC theatre instructor and NWF director David Stears. “The COC theatre department is committed to providing opportunities for students to create their own content.

“Many festivals simply collect plays and present them,” added Stears. “The New Works Festival at COC is unique in that the focus is on developing the writing, with the playwrights directly involved in that process.”

As part of that process festival organizers routinely conduct videoconference readings and development meetings, allowing students an opportunity to exchange notes and ideas with professional playwrights in San Francisco, Texas, South Carolina and New York,

Many NWF alumni have gone on to have their work professionally premiered or featured at other festivals around the nation. The NWF also publishes an anthology of work presented during the festival, with proceeds dedicated to the support of future events.

Playwrights who are selected to participate in the festival must also register for the course “Theatre 190 A – New Works Festival” during the spring 2014 semester.

Works that are selected for the NWF will be produced and performed live on stage the weekend of May 1-4, 2014 at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center (PAC) Black Box Theater.

For more information about the 2014 New Works Festival or complete submission details visit www.canyons.edu/newworksfestival or contact newworks@canyons.edu.