Beacon Theatre Productions
Spotlighting critical moments of the past to show the way to a better future
Our Mission
To reach emerging audiences through accessible, affordable
theatre that uses critical moments of the past to show the way to a better, more equitable future.
The Bookstore: May 1st & 2nd
Come see the 2026 Beacon Award Winner and Pulitzer-Prize-nominated play The Bookstore by Nancy Marie, directed by Zuhairah McGill, and presented by Beacon Theatre Productions. The staged reading is about how a young man’s attempt to fulfill his dream of meeting Malcolm X leads him to a bookstore in Harlem. Three years later, he returns as an unwilling participant in the COINTELPRO operation launched against it by J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. The Bookstore is loosely based on and written in memory of Sister Una Mulzac and the Liberation Bookstore.
Friday, May 1st, 2026 at 7:30pm at First United Methodist Church of Germantown, 6001 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144
Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 at 1:00pm at Parkway Central Library* (2nd Floor, Literature Dept), 1901 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
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Reserve your FREE tickets here.
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**Events at The Free Library are always free so payment/donations will not be accepted for this performance​
2026 Short Play Festival
Beacon Theatre Productions is seeking short-play submissions for our Fall 2026 short play festival. We are looking for 10 - 20 minute plays that connect to a current social issue of today! Submit by May 1st, 2026.
The chosen playwrights will get
*$100
*Opportunity to see a staged reading of their play in Fall 2026
We are seeking plays that meet the following criteria:
*Plays that connect to a current social issue (directly or indirectly. For example: a post-show talkback on the play’s content could connect to a social issue)
*Plays are the entrant’s own original work, not generated with AI, and must not violate the intellectual property rights of any third party
*Plays can be performed with six actors or less. Ideally, the list of characters is on the first page with doubling options if there are more than six characters.
Eligibility:
*Playwrights from the Greater Philadelphia area (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties) who could attend a staged reading in Fall 2026
*Plays spotlight (or playwrights identify) as social justice advocates, activists, women, and/or BIPOC individuals
*Plays that have not been produced (or would benefit from a staged reading for future development)
How to apply:
*For more information and to submit (link here); attach a copy of your script. We do not want the application to be an additional burden to an artist, so feel free to write as little or as much as you would like.
*Submit application by May 1st, 2026.
*Applicants will be notified by August 2026.
For questions, or if you need accommodations or assistance submitting the form, please contact us at info@beacontheatreproductions.org
I am filled with gratitude for the many amazing collaborations with artists, audiences, and supporters I have enjoyed for the past 10 years. The impact of Beacon’s work was realized in diverse communities through the input and creativity of many committed individuals and partnering organizations.
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Georgina Bard, Founding Artistic Director
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