Photo credit: OpenScene

OpenScene Combines Community and Theater with a Playwriting Contest

OpenScene, a Winter Park nonprofit organization, is wrapping up “Escena Abierta,” a playwriting competition focused on supporting independent Latino playwrights in the Orlando area. Founded in 2019, the organization works to create opportunities for Hispanic artists through theater productions, cultural events, and community-centered programming. OpenScene’s initiatives focus on promoting Spanish-language storytelling while creating spaces for Latino artists and audiences to connect through the arts.

This year marks the sixth edition of “Escena Abierta,” a project that aims to “promote creativity and bring voices together through playwriting,” according to OpenScene’s website. 

Between Feb. 2 and May 31, community members were invited to submit original plays for the competition. To qualify, submissions must be original material that has not been professionally produced or previously awarded in another competition. The play must be written entirely in Spanish and no longer than 90 minutes. 

An independent jury will evaluate the plays based on factors including dramatic writing quality, character development, emotional impact, and production viability before selecting the winner of the 2026 Escena Abierta Playwriting Contest. The winner of the competition receives a $500 cash prize, a diploma, and the opportunity to have the play professionally produced by OpenScene.

According to OpenScene’s website, the competition has continued to grow over the years, and during the 2025 season, the organization received more than 150 submissions that reflected and celebrated Florida’s Hispanic community. The winning play for the 2025 edition was “Una Noche a la Deriva,” written by Antonio Oliveira Pérez.

Interested playwrights can find the list of prerequisites on OpenScene’s website and submit the materials to info@openscene.org.