WRITE | IGNITE
with Spark Plug Theatre Collective
The Spark Plug Theatre Collective WRITE | IGNITE workshop program provides artists with the space, support, and time to incubate new work, build artistic relationships, and work in a collaborative environment to bring their story to life.
WRITE | IGNITE is a six-month generative playwriting process for Portland-area playwrights, culminating in an elevated workshop production as part of the Portland Fertile Ground Festival of New Works in April 2026.
Each selected playwright is provided an opportunity to develop their work with SPTC Producing Artistic Director and a community of artists and collaborators through conversations, feedback sessions, and rehearsals to take an existing work to the next level. Core collaborators will be chosen in consultation with the selected playwright and SPTC.
Playwrights will meet in-person monthly with the team from November 2025 to March 2026 to workshop their piece.
How do I know if my work is in the right stage of development for this experience?
At Spark Plug Theatre Collective we are seeking Stories That Ignite Conversation and Inspire New Perspectives, celebrating the essential power of the theatre to illuminate our common humanity.
Our group looks for stories that are curious about the world and our place in it, asking questions that may not always have clear answers. Our actors and directors are most drawn to character-driven work and relationships/situations that are more complex beneath the surface. As a Collective, we strive for work that will create an internal shift and cause our audience to leave a performance changed, seeing the world - and themselves - just a little bit differently.
It’s ideal that the play you pitch already has a first draft, is a non-musical, and has a run-time of 1-hour or longer. At this time, we are not considering musicals. The collective goal of the WRITE | IGNITE is to create an experience where playwrights can grow their script in a collaborative environment.
What to Expect:
NOVEMBER: Get To Know the Piece
Meet with SPTC Artistic Director to discuss the play, goals for the workshopping experience, and identify key collaborators. A second session will take place for an initial Table Read of the work as it exists.
DECEMBER - FEBRUARY: Get It On Its Feet
Each month, the playwright will have work sessions facilitated by SPTC Artistic Director with collaborators to workshop the play and move it toward its script for production. In between sessions, the playwright will continue to develop the script. Goals for each meeting will be decided in conjunction with the playwright and the needs of the work.
MARCH: Prepare for Performance
Rehearsals will take place in preparation for the Fertile Ground Festival
APRIL: World Premiere!
The workshopped script will be presented to the public in an elevated staged reading — scripts in hands, black box set, key tech (props/lights/sounds/etc) integrated
Please include the following as part of your submission:
Your script (in pdf format). Please include a cover page with the title, playwright name, contact information (email and/or phone number), and a copyright date.
A short play synopsis.
A brief statement detailing what inspires you about this work and what you are hoping an audience walks away with after seeing it.
A brief statement about your goal for the WRITE | IGNITE program
A Brief biography.
Your website/social media (if applicable).
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: October 31, 2025