GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Cunningham Commission for Youth Theatre was established at The Theatre School, DePaul University, to honor the memory of the Rev. Donald Cunningham, a Chicago priest, playwright and lover of theatre. It was established by an endowment gift from the Cunningham family.

The purpose of the commission is to encourage the writing of dramatic works for young audiences that affirm the centrality of religion, broadly defined, and the human quest for meaning, truth and community. The Theatre School intends to produce the plays created through this commission in its award winning Chicago Playworks for Families and Young Audiences series at the historic Merle Reskin Theatre. Each year Chicago Playworks productions are seen by 35,000 students and families from throughout the Chicago area.

COMMISSION AWARD: $5,000. ($2,000 paid when the commission is contracted, $1,000 paid if the script moves to a workshop, $2,000 paid as royalty if the script is produced by The Theatre School.)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Annually by December 1.

ELIGIBILITY: Candidates for the commission must be writers whose primary residence is in the Chicago area, defined as within 100 miles of the Loop. Playwrights who have won the award within the last five years are not eligible.

SUBMISSIONS: Candidates should submit a resume, a 20-page sample of their work and a brief statement about their interest in the commission. The submission should NOT include a proposal for a project the playwright would complete if awarded the commission. The writing sample may be from a play of any genre for any audience.

SELECTION: Playwrights selected as finalists will be asked to submit two complete sample scripts (not necessarily for young audiences) by February 1. Finalists may also be asked to interview with the committee or to submit a proposal of possible projects they would undertake if awarded the commission.

AWARD: The committee will offer the commission to the winner by May 1. The first draft will be due approximately one year after the commission is awarded.

SELECTION COMMITTEE: The selection committee is chaired by the Dean of The Theatre School and is composed of members of the Cunningham Commission advisory committee and faculty of The Theatre School.

SUBMISSION: Send all entries to: Cunningham Commission Selection Committee, The Theatre School, DePaul University, 2135 N. Kenmore Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60614-4111

MORE INFORMATION: Anna Ables, Director of Marketing/Public Relations, 773.325.7938.