Got a show idea you can’t stop thinking about? Now's your chance! Round One is simple: submit a pitch deck and pitch directly to the Untitled Theater Company’s Board in a quick low-stakes interview. If you’re selected as a finalist, you’ll refine your concept with our support, then pitch to a panel of guest-judges in the Final Round, where one show gets picked for production in front of an audience! 

Timeline & Requirements

Key Dates
  - Submission Deadline: March 14th, 2026.
  - Round One: March 21st - 22nd, 2026.
  - Notes & Revisions for finalists: March 23rd - April 2nd, 2026.
  - Final Round: April 3rd, 2026.

Eligibility
  - Applicants must be UC Berkeley Students (Undergraduate or Postgraduate), but to be considered for the production grant you must plan to be enrolled in Fall 2026.

Pitch Format
  - Final Round Pitches must be 10 mins long, if your pitch exceeds this time limit, you will be stopped. There will be 5 mins of Q&A after each pitch.

Communication
  - Participants are required to register and join the official Slack community for all updates and announcements.

- A chance to produce your work next semester with Untitled Theater’s $3,000 Production Grant. 
- Other Awards with Cash Prizes & Season Tickets to SF Playhouse’s 2026-2027 season: Best Presentation, Best Original Work, Chief Guest’s Award, Audience Award.
- Experience pitching creative visions and opportunities to workshop your ideas with other students. 
- Certificates to all participants. Additional certificates for awards!
- An all-around good time!

Our hope is that this pitch process helps you articulate not only what you want to stage, but why it matters to you and others. Theater has always been a way to gather, to tell stories that reflect our communities, and to make meaning together. Bring us a proposal that feels specific, intentional, and urgent to you, and use this space to share the artistic questions, values, and audience experience you’re trying to create.

Submit the slides via the button above.

Keep in mind: there is no slide limit, but there is a time limit — 10 mins (not including 5 mins of Q&A). ONE PERSON CAN ONLY SUBMIT ONE PITCH, we understand that y’all might have multiple ideas, but we ask you choose your favorite idea, thanks!

Example slide deck template (these are minimum requirements, feel free to add whatever helps your pitch / expands on these ideas, but a good pitch should touch on all these):

1. Intro slide
  - Your name, major (& minor) and year.
  - The show you’re pitching and the playwright (indicate whether it’s an original).

2. About the show
  - Show history (where has it toured, etc.) – skip if pitching an original
  - Show themes (genres, logline, trigger warnings, etc.)
  - Show details (number of characters, how long it runs, tech requirements as the script/your vision intends, etc.) – these can be rough numbers.

3. About you!!
  - Your role in the show – participants can only apply as writers, directors or a combination of both.
  - The main piece of the puzzle! We’d love to learn more about you, your experience, background and why you want to do this.

4. The Vision
  - This is your big ‘pitch’ section of the presentation, here you should explore themes that make your pitch stand-out and why you think this show directed (& perhaps written by) you is uniquely perfect to be chosen to be produced by Untitled Theater.
  - You might briefly mention the following:
    - production approach: venue type + audience configuration + how you’ll use the space. (Be creative! We’ve produced productions anywhere from rooftops to national historical landmark churches.)
    - aesthetic world: 3–6 visual/tonal references and what you’re borrowing from each
    - technical vision: lighting/sound/scenic/costume/props/media approach + one example key moment and how tech supports it
    - feasibility choices: biggest constraint + your solution, plus one clear “splurge” and one clear “simplify”
    - audience promise: what the audience will experience/feel and why this specific approach will land with them

5. Budgeting
  - NOTE: For additional help/resources, reach out to untitledtheater@gmail.com. Don’t stress if you haven’t produced before, we’re here to help!
  - Give us a realistic, research-based estimate of what your production would cost, plus a quick explanation of what you’d prioritize spending. This does not need to be a detailed spreadsheet yet: think “top categories + rough numbers + why.”
  - Untitled’s production grant is up to $3,000, and you’re welcome to use all of it. What matters most is that your spending choices are intentional: show us what the money enables and how it supports the audience experience and your artistic goals. If your concept can be done on less, that’s fine too, but “smaller” should still feel deliberate, not accidental.
  - If you expect to earn money back through ticket sales, you can also pitch a larger overall budget  (e.g. 4 - 7k+) by explaining what portion you plan to recoup. In some cases, we may be able to discuss additional support structures (like a larger grant contingent on recouping ticket sales), but that’s optional and handled case-by-case. In that case, please include your best estimate of attendance + ticket price.
  - You’re also welcome to fundraise beyond the grant. If you plan to, briefly note how (sponsors, departmental support, crowdfunding, community partners, etc.) and why that approach fits your project. If you want proceeds to go to a cause, include a short sentence on the mission and why that partnership makes sense.
  - Overall: keep it clear, honest, and grounded in a bit of research. We’re not expecting you to be an expert—we’re looking for thoughtful choices and a plan that matches your vision!

6. Be prepared to Answer Questions
  - We will have questions for you to answer, so have a comprehensive understanding of your vision, even if you don't go into every detail during your 10-minute pitch. 
  - These questions are here to help you talk more about why this is important.

Don’t take this template very formally… We also love moodboards, pencil drawings, ramblings, whatever you feel is your method of expressing yourself! Just be sure to touch on a good range of elements, so we have a holistic picture of your vision.

The submission deadline for the pitch decks is March 14th 2026 and the pitching competition will be March 21st - 22nd 2026, and the final round will be April 3rd 2026.

The judging criteria below can be used as guildlines to help refine your pitch, but won't be officially graded on a rubric-type system.

1. Originality and Creativity
  Does the pitch bring a fresh perspective or innovative idea, either in its concept or its approach to a pre-existing work? Original scripts do NOT automatically get a full-score or even a higher score than previous, existing scripts. This category is about the creative approach to a project.

2. Feasibility of Production
  Is the proposed show realistic to produce within the resources and constraints of the festival? Considerations include the scale of the set, cast size, technical requirements, and most importantly, budget breakdown.

3. Pitch Presentation and Delivery
  How engaging, confident, and well-structured is the pitch? This includes the ability to answer questions effectively (Q&A points).

4. Audience Engagement Potential
  Will the proposed show resonate with audiences? This rubric evaluates the emotional, intellectual, or entertainment value of the production.

5. Relevance of Themes
  Are the themes of the show timely, important, or culturally significant? Judges will look for pitches that explore meaningful or thought-provoking topics. (Comedies and lighter shows are also valued in this category, sometimes what audiences need most is something genuinely fun.)

6. Background and Experience
  Does the participant have relevant experience or skills that make them particularly suited to direct or produce this show? The YOU points.

7. Wow Factor
  Is the overall pitch compelling and memorable? This is a catch-all category for the “X-factor” that makes a pitch truly stand out.
  

1. I’m a writer, do I need to have my show’s final draft before the pitch?
          
No! Although it would be better for your pitch, we do not require you to have a final draft before your pitch. We do, however, have a deadline by when you need to submit a final draft if your pitch is chosen as an addition for the festival.

2. I’m a director / writer-director, and I have a friend I want as my AD / SM / actor. Can we pitch together?

YES! We’d love to see that. Although pitches must be submitted by one person, i.e. one submission and one name on the form, we’d love to see someone else join you on stage.

3. What will the Q&A be like?

Questions will be both pre-determined, as well as, specific to your pitch.

4. Any tips/advice?

Try making a timed demo pitch to your friend or a stuffed animal… Yes, it helps.

5. Anything else?

Please reach out to us (untitledtheater@gmail.com) if you have any questions or need clarifications or even if you just want to discuss your ideas and see what we think of them, we would be happy to help; we’re hosting this competition because we’re passionate about this stuff and want to see you put your best work in.

7. I love to pose!

We reserve the right to post videos of these pitches and promotional materials thusgenerated across our social channels for the express purpose of spreading the word around the great work being done by you all!