The Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award

1st Place Cash Award of $2,500
and a fellowship to attend the Sundance Theatre Lab

Dramatic Publishing Company will present the winning playwright with an offer of a contract to publish, license, and market the winning play.

2nd Place Award of $1,500 Grants of $750 and $500 will be made to the producing organizations of the first and second place winner, respectively

The Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award will be offered for the best student-written full length comedy play. As a social commentator, satirist and creator of memorable characters, Samuel Clemens - the distinguished 19th century novelists and essayist also known as Mark Twain - was a fearless observer of society, who outraged many while delighting and informing many more with his uncompromising perspective of social injustice and personal folly. This award is named in his honor and supported by Comedy Central, the cable television company.

The play must be produced by a college or university and entered in the KCACTF. It must comply with the guidelines for scripts entered in the KCACTF Michael Kanin Playwriting Program.