Editorial​/Writing Playwrighting Fellowship at Royal Family Productions Royal Fam

Royal Family Productions is proud to announce a 2026 artist fellowship in partnership with Ann Hairston, honoring the legacy of her father, William R. Hairston Jr. — a trailblazing Black actor, playwright, and cultural leader whose career spanned stage, screen, and public service.

To honor that legacy, Ann Hairston is funding the William and Enid Hairston Artist Fellowship, which will support one Black female playwright in creating a one-woman show centered on Black joy. Writers working across all genres are welcome to apply, with a special emphasis on genre-based storytelling (sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and beyond).

The fellowship includes a development period and a public presentation of the work-in-progress in Manhattan, hosted by Royal Family Productions in April, 2026.

Applications are currently open, and close February 15th, 2026 . Applicants should submit a three- to five-sentence idea for a play that meets the stipulations, along with a resume and a past writing sample. This fellowship is open to new and established playwrights, solo performers, and any other type of writer or writer/actor. When complete, the play should run 55–80 minutes.

Finalists will meet with Ms. Hairston and the selection committee on Zoom, after which the inaugural fellow will be chosen. This fellowship comes with a $1,000 stipend for the playwright.