The Oswego Players are seeking aspiring playwrights from all over the State of New York who want the chance to have their work performed at the Frances Marion Brown Theatre.
The Donald J. McCann Memorial One-Act Playwriting Contest, a competition dedicated to the discovery of creative, original and unproduced one act plays, is officially open for submissions this year.
Don McCann Playwriting Contest Coordinator Norman Berlin III says that “Anyone who has ever had the slightest interest in writing a play is strongly encouraged to enter this year’s playwriting contest!”
Don McCann, after whom the contest is named, was a writer at heart who not only directed thought-provoking plays but also penned his own one-act pieces. A lifetime resident of Oswego, McCann made his mark professionally as a reporter for the Oswego Palladium Times. Don became a member of the Oswego Players in the 1950’s, enabling him to pursue his lifelong passion for acting, directing, and writing.
Over the next four decades, McCann would serve several terms as President and Historian for the Oswego Players, Inc. Artistically speaking, he was known for favoring thought-provoking, message-centered plays like The Visit, Inherit the Wind, and Agnes of God, all of which he directed.
The 2025 Playwriting Contest was open to all residents of New York state, which resulted in the highest number of submissions in the history of the contest. The four prize-winning one-acts, chosen from an array of over one hundred-fifty submitted works, were presented at The 2026 Showcase included “Gun Shy” by Chris Woodworth, directed by Shy Sims, “The Bay of Fundy” by David Adam Gill, directed by Kimberly Vogt, “Good Guys” by Keith Whalen, directed by Sherri Metz, and the 2025 contest winner, “And We Danced” by Brian Leahy Doyle, also directed by Kimberly Vogt.
Anyone interested in submitting an original one-act play for the 2026 The Donald J. McCann Memorial One-Act Playwriting Contest should contact osweplay@yahoo.com. Only the first 100 submissions received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, May 1, 2026, will be considered for this year’s contest. Play submissions can be sent either electronically to osweplay@yahoo.com or through the mail, to Don McCann Playwriting Contest, P.O. Box 183, Oswego, NY 13126.
The Oswego Players acknowledges the generous financial contributions of Chiasson’s Heating and Air Conditioning.
For more information and ticket sales please go to https://oswegoplayers.org/ or for phone reservations please call the Box Office at 315-343-5138.
Pictured are the cast, author and director of “The Bay of Fundy”, the second-place prize winner of the 2025 Playwriting Contest. From left to right are Brian O’Conner II, Christina Burnswick, David Adam Gill and Kimberly Vogt. Anyone interested in submitting an original one-act play for the 2026 contest should contact osweplay@yahoo.com for a complete set of guidelines.