Submissions for The 2019 Toronto Queer Theatre Festival are now open!

The Toronto Queer Theatre Festival (formerly Gay Play Day) is a festival of short plays written by LGBTQ+ writers about the LGBTQ+ experience. We are now accepting script submissions from playwrights for this self-produced theatre festival.

2019 is our 8th annual festival of queer theatre and the first with our new name! This year's festival happens September 27 and 28 at the Alumnae Theatre.

We operate under the CAEA Festival Policy. 

Our submission deadline is May 15th. Entrants will be notified soon afterwards regarding their involvement in the festival.

Please email scripts to torontoqueertheatrefestival@gmail.com with "2019 submission" in the subject line.

We look forward to reading your scripts!

Submission Guidelines -

• Each playwright and/or director may submit only one script - send us your best!
• We are only accepting electronic submissions in Word or PDF format.
• We are looking for short plays that run between 10 to 20 minutes in length.
• The title page should include the playwright's name, the character list and a brief synopsis of the play.
• The title page must also include the company's contact name (if different from playwright), address, phone number and email address.
• Plays should contain no more than 4 characters.
• Technical requirements should be fairly simple. Your set should also be minimal. We are interested in your stories, not your scenery or special effects.
• Musicals, children’s shows, and any unsolicited longer one-act or full-length plays are not accepted and will not receive a response.
• If selected, each company is responsible to cast and rehearse their own play.
• A tech person will be provided by the festival for the tech rehearsal and performances. 

Visit us at our new website: torontoqueertheatrefestival.com

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Toronto Queer Theatre Festival

On this International Transgender Day of Visibility 2019, we are announcing that Gay Play Day is now the Toronto Queer Theatre Festival or TQTF. We have officially changed our name to be more inclusive of Toronto's evolving LGBTQ+ community. Please bear with us as we change our name and logo on all online platforms over the next little while.

Gay Play Day LGBTQ Theatre Festival 2018

The 7th annual Gay Play Day LGBTQ Theatre Festival happened on September 7 and 8 at Toronto's Alumnae Theatre studio space. We are a festival of plays written by Toronto area LGBTQ playwrights and their allies.

Our 2018 festival saw 2 completely separate line-ups of short plays - The PINK show and the LAVENDER show. 

LAVENDER show - September 7 at 9 PM and September 8 at 3 PM and 7 PM.

I've Just Seen a Face written by Kris Davis

Charlie, who has facial blindness, attends a Queer Date Night with their friend Mel.

Missed Connections written by Mark Keller

When does the quest to find love and companionship turn from longing to unhealthy obsession?

The End is the Beginning written by Tina McCulloch

Snapshots of the relationships between three women played out in reverse order.

Coming Clean written by Laura Piccinin

A lesbian finds humour in the sometimes painful stories of coming out to the people in her life.
 

PINK show - September 7 at 7 PM and September 8 at 5 PM and 9 PM.

Fade To Black written by Darren Stewart-Jones

An aging former Hollywood star meets her young, gay, #1 fan.

Labels written by Erika Reesor

Mia and Danny are a lesbian couple who are in for a big change when Mia accidentally discovers a prescription for testosterone in Danny’s jeans.

Diamonds on Plastic written by Philip Cairns

Doris, a suburban housewife, discovers the joys of lesbian sex in middle age.

Point and Click written by Steven Elliott Jackson

A flippant photographer trashes everyone in his life while waiting for a male model to arrive at his studio.


Thanks to all who joined us at the 2018 Gay Play Day LGBTQ theatre festival!

Gay Play Day 2017

The 2017 Gay Play Day LGBTQ theatre festival took place on September 29 at 8pm and September 30 at 3pm and 8pm at Toronto's Alumnae Theatre studio space. We were thrilled to celebrate our sixth year of LGBTQ theatre by Toronto area playwrights.

The following plays appeared at the festival:


The Hockey Card Solution (To A Barbie Doll Problem) by Josh Downing

The Picnic by Tina McCulloch, directed by PJ Hammond

like love... by David Bateman (a workshop reading)

The Uglies by Nicholas Surges, directed by Michelle Lewis

Talking To Mom In Colour by Shannon McDonough, directed by Margaret Smith

Thanks once again to all of our playwrights, directors, casts and crew for a wonderful festival. A special shout-out to our audience members for their continued support.

Gay Play Day 2016

Gay Play Day is a festival of short plays written by LGBTQ playwrights and their allies.

2016 was our 5th anniversary festival! We were thrilled to be back at our original home; the Studio at Toronto's Alumnae Theatre.

Gay Play Day 2016 happened September 30th and October 1st at 8pm, with a 3pm matinee of Solo Shows on October 1st.


Our line-up for Gay Play Day 2016 was as follows:

Friday & Saturday at 8pm -

LiLL written by Tina McCulloch, directed by Shannon McDonough

Peter and Donald written and directed by Philip Cairns

Committed To Maybe written by Megan Hutton, directed by Deb Maybury

You Love Me, Right? written by Daniel Carter, directed by Kelly Richmond and Daniel Carter

If  written and directed by Laura Piccinin

Don't Press Pause written and directed by Lynn Rafferty

Saturday at 3pm -

PYRO by Rex Emerson Jackson

Futch/Bemme written by Kira Meyers-Guiden, directed by Kait Alexander

Misfit conceived and directed by Darren Stewart-Jones

Gay Play Day 2015

Gay Play Day is an annual festival of theatre by LGBTQ playwrights. 2015 was our 4th annual festival!

Our venue for 2015 was Fraser Studios at 76 Stafford Street in Toronto.

Gay Play Day 2015 featured 8 short plays by novice, emerging and established playwrights with one thing in common - the LGBTQ experience.

Our line-up for 2015, in no particular order, was as follows:

The ___ Wedding - Written & directed by Josh Downing

Homosexually Correct - Written & directed by Mark Keller

Save The Date - Written by Caity-Shea Violette  Directed by Josh Downing

Homeschool Dropout - Written and performed by Adam Bryan

Stranger Night - Written and directed by Philip Cairns

Say The Words - Written by Tina McCulloch  Directed by PJ Hammond

Invisible - Written by Johnny Salib

The Book of Daniel - Written by Lawrence Aronovitch  Directed by Brian Waters

Thanks to everyone involved for a great festival!

 

Gay Play Day 2014

Gay Play Day is a festival of theatre by playwrights from the LGBTQ community (and their allies).

We celebrated our third annual festival at the Alumnae Theatre on September 26 and 27th, 2014.

Our line-up for 2014 was as follows:

Word Play by Nick May and Jess Bryson

I'm With AIDS by Warren Wagner 

What Ida Said by Philip Cairns and David Bateman

Euchred by Megan Hutton

Pee & Qs by Josh Downing

All 5 plays appeared at each performance.

2014 saw our first trans participant appear on stage as part of the festival.

Please stay tuned to our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @gayplayday for info on Gay Play Day 2015.