Note: Playwrights from NY & NJ Only
Deadline is June 1, 2013
The Thespis Theater Festival is a playwright's contest designed to offer writers a chance to direct their own, never-before-seen shows, helping them to develop a sense of casting, staging, use of lights and direction. With Thespis, it is our intention to give writers a unique chance to create their vision from the first stroke of their pen to the last scene of their play. Thespis is not only a festival; it's a competition as well. That means that there are prizes!
The winner of Best Play will receive a prize of $3,500. Winner of Best Actor will receive $500. Thespis, as well as our wintertime festival, Venus, is hosted by Cabrini Repertory Theater, a beautiful, 200-seat proscenium theater in uptown Manhattan.
All plays must be first runs and must be between 75 and 90 minutes.
Submit your play electronically to theaterfestival@thespisny.com.
See last year's winners at:thespisnytheaterfestival.com/winners-2012
Website: thespisnytheaterfestival.com
Accepted plays will be considered on a first-come first-served basis. (The earlier you submit, the better your chances of being accepted.) Submissions may close beforeJune 1 if the number of plays that run in the festival is reached earlier.
Cabrini Repertory Theater wants to make staging your show a pleasure.
First-time writers are more then welcome!
We'll help you with everything you need to stage your play.
What The Thespis Festival offers:
- Shows will not be packed into a cramped festival schedule. Each will have one weekday performance and two weekend shows.
- Musicals playing live music are more than welcome. We offer a large area in front of the stage for the orchestra to play. The stage is 4′ elevated from the floor level
- Your play will be the only one that performs on your scheduled nights, so no rushing your production on and off the stage.
- Five-hour tech/dress rehearsal (as opposed to getting just double your show's run time)
- Professional, easy-to-use lighting/sound system that anyone on your cast can learn to use
- Free lessons on how to use the system
- Free venue director from the Cabrini Repertory Theater team--you won't have to hire an outsider.
- Constant contact with the Artistic Director of the venue should you have any questions about staging, lighting, sound or theater rules. You will never be forced to wait on answers, causing your production process to be held up.
- A strong, effective and aesthetically beautiful ad campaign run in the theater's neighborhood, which means access to audience members in the surrounding area
- Email blasts announcing your show to the theater's mailing list
- Set pieces and props that are already stored in the theater, saving you time, energy and money in transporting stage sets
- Storage space for your props and set pieces during your show's run
- The possibility to drive your props to the front door of the theater and temporarily park your vehicle there
- Free box office management
- A beautiful 21′ by 16′ proscenium stage, 12" high
Every show in the festival will be performed in the Cabrini Repertory Theater--no outside venues will be rented.
- All festival participants can see all other festival shows for free.
- The possibility to be covered by reviewers
- A $3,500 prize for Best Play and $500 for Best Actor, and an exciting Prize Ceremony
Rules
Only plays from New York and New Jersey, will be accepted.
Submissions must be between 75 and 90 minutes long.
ALL PLAYS MUST BE FIRST RUNS AND MUST NEVER HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BEFORE.
THESPIS THEATER FESTIVAL IS BOTH NON-UNION AND UNION.
Each applicant is fully responsible for all elements of their production. These include casting, directing, stage-managing.
What the Theater Offers
For those playwrights who want to incorporate live music into their play, Cabrini Rep offers a fully-tuned baby grand piano.
We also offer a large projection system that projects on the back wall of the stage 17' x 12. Yes, you read right. It's huge.
The projector can create a wide range of possibilities for your set.
The Thespis Festival will run from June 15 to August 31st. Submissions are being accepted now.
The Thespis Theater Festival in uptown Manhattan is designed to help new playwrights show their work in a professional and friendly environment.
We invite playwrights to submit their work and take full advantage of our proscenium stage, excellent lighting and sound system, and projector to create the show they've always dreamed of.