We never post opportunities that require a submission fee. LEARN MORE.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Bookshop Workshops seeks playwrights


Bookshop Workshops aims to promote theatre through independent bookstores across New York and Connecticut. Our workshops give playwrights a one-day rehearsal period to work closely with actors and directors to actively work on a play. This is followed by three readings within independent bookstores in a three to six week period. The time lapse between readings in separate bookstores gives the playwright time to amend their work only for the opportunity to receive another audience.

For those wishing to work with us, we have an open submission policy. We ask you send a 15 page-writing sample and a synopsis of a completed work that has not been produced or published to bookshopworkshops@gmail.com

For more information please visit our blog.

MILK CAN THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES 2012 READING SERIES Call for Submissions

web site

The Milk Can Theatre Company is currently accepting submissions for the Fall 2012 COW Reading Series. COW or Comments on Work is a new reading series hosted by The Milk Can Theatre Company in New York City. Designed to be a casual reading of excerpts from new works, works in progress or otherwise un-produced plays, the COW series is meant to foster the development of original and exciting work. Taking place in unexpected locations and featuring unexpected talent, each COW will hopefully spark interesting conversation and commentary, providing feedback for the playwrights at a much earlier stage.

The Milk Can Theatre Company, founded in 2003, is a collective of directors and playwrights. The name of the company reflects our belief that there is power and elegance in simplicity. We provide a collaborative home for artists. Each season allows every company member to take risks: the chance to explore, the opportunity to fail – it’s all a process.
The selected playwrights will have the opportunity to present their work for an audience and receive valuable feedback and commentary.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION:

1.    Submissions will be accepted until September 1, 2012. All submissions must be postmarked by this date or they will not be considered for the current series. Another submission window will be posted in late winter of 2012/2013.

2.    Submissions must be no more than twenty (20) pages in length. Send us your best scene, short script or work in progress but please stay within the page limit. Any submission over this limit will be immediately disqualified.

3.    Previously produced works will not be considered. This is the first step in our development process and therefore we are seeking new, unproduced works.

4.    We are unable to accept electronic submissions. All submissions must be mailed to the following address:
The Milk Can Theatre Company – COW 19-19 23rd Drive Astoria, NY 11105

5.    No submissions will be returned. Due to volume, we will not be able to comment or provide feedback on individual work.

6.    Each submission must be typed and stapled.

7.    Please include a title page with the following information:
Play Title (if any),
Playwright’s name,
Address, Phone Number, Email address, Short Synopsis of the work and a character
breakdown.
 This page will NOT count towards the total page number of the submission.

8.    Please also attach a current résumé.

9.    All playwrights submitting must be available to attend at least ONE reading in New York City.
The Milk Can Theatre Company will NOT provide travel or housing accommodations.

10. Readings will be held on October 23, November 13 and December 11, 2012. The readings
will begin at 7:30.

11. The Milk Can Theatre Company will provide space and actors for the reading.

12. This will be a free, public reading followed by talkback with the playwright and company
members.

13. Playwrights will only be notified if they have been selected for this series. These notifications will be sent out by October 1, 2012. Please do not contact us to check on submissions.

For more information please visit www.milkcantheatre.org.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Play of the Month THE LAST FIREFLY by Trace Crawford



Performed by Eric Percival.

One of three monologues selected for the June Play of the Month. The other two are PARK THE CAR IN HARVARD YARD by Bara Swain and APPLE PIE by Callan Stout.

Author Trace Crawford on the inspiration for this piece::

Not surprisingly, an encounter one night in my backyard with a firefly.  But then as I was writing, I loved the parallels that developed between the firefly in the story and the way the character began to personify the firefly in reality.  It just became a lot of fun!



Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Nylon Fusion Collective is seeking writers

web site

Nylon Fusion Collective is seeking to put together a collaborative team of writers for a new theatrical sitcom project.  Writers must have an interest in and knowledge of classic sitcom television series of the last sixty years. Experience writing television series or webseries a plus. Writers should submit a cover letter, resume, and sample 22-30 minute sitcom script. Original scripts based on actual television shows are allowed.

 Project to begin October 2012. No pay for sample script. Compensation for project TBD.

Please send scripts and resumes to Ivette Dumeng at nylonsubmissions@gmail.com

DEADLINE: September 5th 2012

Monday, August 27, 2012

The Decision: 2012 Play Festival

 Deadline: September 30th
EMAIL: 2012playfestival@gmail.com
WEBSITE: http://2012playfestival.tumblr.com/

After all the hype, hoopla and voting what do we have as a nation and a people? "The Decision" is a short play reading festival about what happens after this heated election but also where we will be or should be after this November election. The plays don't have to be about politics but should address some aspect of our culture, media, and our relationships with each other.

We're looking for funny, witty, insightful, dramatic 10 minute plays. Tell us where we'll be in 2012 and beyond in our politics, media, and community. The festival will take place the weekend of Nov 10th-12th (Saturday, Sunday, Monday). They'll be a talk back after each night that will allow the audience to engage with the writers and directors.

Plays will be evaluated by a small panel of directors and producers. The top plays will be selected for the 3-day play reading festival at Three Jewels in the East Village.

Guidelines:
-submit plays by Sept. 30th
-10 minute plays
- include your name and contact info on title page along with list of characters
-send synopsis of play in cover email
-E-mail submissions: 2012playfestival@gmail.com
-check for updates on the website: http://2012playfestival.tumblr.com/

Davenport Theatrical Enterprises has an ongoing script submission service.

Davenport Theatrical Enterprises, Inc. has an open submissions policy, and we encourage writers to send in their plays or musicals for consideration for production on Broadway or Off-Broadway.

Should you wish to submit your script or project to us, please adhere to the following instructions:

Email a copy of your script with cover letter to the addresses below.
(Musicals please include a demo CD or link to electronic files).

Please only submit one piece. Show us your strongest or most representative work, and we will contact you if we’d like to see more.

Please note, that due to the overwhelming amount of scripts we receive, it may not be possible for us to respond to all submissions. For this same reason, we also ask that you do not call or email asking for a confirmation of receipt of your materials or for information regarding whether or not we have had a chance to review them. 

The David Calicchio/Marin Theatre Company Emerging American Playwright Prize

web site

Norton J. “Sky” Cooper established the Emerging American Playwright Prize award at Marin Theatre Company in 2007 in honor of David Calicchio’s lifelong career as a playwright and in support of Marin Theatre Company’s commitment to the discovery and development of new and emerging American playwrights. The Calicchio Prize will be awarded annually to a professionally unproduced playwright for a new work that shows outstanding promise and a distinctive new voice for the American theatre. The play selected as the Calicchio Prize winner will receive 2 public staged readings at Marin Theatre Company as part of the theatre’s annual New Works Series. The playwright will receive a $2,500 award, as well as travel and accommodations for the MTC rehearsal period (25 hours).

GUIDELINES
Plays must be full-length in comedy, drama, etc. Musicals, translations, adaptations, individual one-acts and any play previously submitted for the Sky Cooper or David Calicchio Prizes are not eligible. Collaborations are welcome, in which case prize benefits are shared. Playwrights may not have received a full-scale, professional production of the submitted play, or any of their other works, prior to submission. Plays and playwrights that have had workshop, reading or non-professional productions are still eligible. Playwrights must be citizens of the United States. Only one submission per playwright is allowed each year. If you plan to also submit your play to the Sky Cooper Play Prize you may do so but it must be the same play.

Submission is a two-phase process.
Phase I: Submit a two-page maximum abstract of the play including title, character breakdown, brief story synopsis and playwright bio or resume. Also include 10 pages of consecutive sample dialogue. Literary agents may submit full scripts of their client’s work. All abstracts and dialogue samples will be read. From these, selected manuscripts will be solicited for Phase II by October 1. Due to the high number of submissions, not every playwright will receive a response to their Phase 1 submission. Do not send a manuscript with or instead of the abstract. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be read. Due to the high number of submissions we cannot return any Phase I materials. If you would like notification that your submission was received, please send it with a SASP. Electronic submissions are accepted in Word or PDF format only and paper copies must be sent to MTC if requested. Please NO PHONE OR EMAIL inquiries.

Phase II: All manuscripts that have been solicited after Phase I will be read. Manuscripts should be neatly typed, securely bound and have the playwright’s name, contact address and phone number clearly visible on the front page. No solicited manuscript will be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope with adequate postage.

All final selections are made by Jasson Minadakis, Artistic Director of Marin Theatre Company.

Submissions are accepted between July 1 and August 31 (postmarked).

Address all submissions to:
The David Calicchio/Marin Theatre Company Emerging American Playwright Prize
Marin Theatre Company
397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Or electronically to davidcalicchio@marintheatre.org

Sunday, August 26, 2012

NYCPlaywrights September 2012 Play of the Month

Submissions are now being accepted for the NYCPlaywrights September 2012 Play of the Month.

The theme is "classical music." The play must involve classical music in some significant way.

The deadline is Sunday, August 26, 11:59 PM EDT.

1. Send only one ten-minute play per author to info@nycplaywrights.org

2. The script submission should be sent by email, with the play itself as a file attached to the email. File format should be in either Microsoft Word (.doc) or pdf. Most preferable is .pdf (Portable
Document Format) because it will retain your original script formatting.

3. The script can be no longer than 10 pages (not including title page, setting info page, etc. - pages will be counted only from where the actual on-stage directions and dialog begin.)

4. The script should be in standard playscript format. If you are not sure what that is, see this page on the NYCPlaywrights web site:
http://nycp.blogspot.com/p/playscript-formatting-template.html

Plays that are not in standard format, or that have more than 10 pages
(not counting title page, etc.) will be rejected immediately.

5. Make sure you have your name and your email address on the title page of the script.

6. Plays can be from anybody, anywhere in the world, but must be primarily in English (a few non-English phrases are acceptable, but the phrases must include English translations in production notes or stage directions.)

7. There is no fee for submission - and no payment given for the plays selected. Do not send a submission if you are expecting monetary compensation.

8. The NYCPlaywrights selection decision is final and NYCPlaywrights reserves the right to select no plays from those submitted.

9. The play must have been written by the person making the submission.

10. The play can have had a previous production but cannot have been published.

11. All rights will remain with the playwright.

12. The selected play will be videotaped and posted during the month of September 2012.

13. The video recording of the play reading will be posted to the NYCPlaywrights YouTube account and from there embedded into the NYCPlaywrights blog. The embedded section may be an excerpt of the play reading rather than the entire reading. The playwright will be asked to review the video recording and approve it before it is made public.

14. The play must reflect the month's theme in some meaningful way.

15. The readings that are recorded are most often script-in-hand readings, not full productions - although the recordings can get fairly cinematic at times. To get an idea of what to expect for the
video recording see the page on the NYCPlaywrights web site with samples of past readings of Plays of the Month: http://nycp.blogspot.com/p/play-of-month.html

Any questions email info@nycplaywrights.org

MemoryCare is sponsoring a one act playwriting competition to highligt the issues families face when a loved one suffers from dementia

web site

MemoryCare is sponsoring a one act playwriting competition to highligt the issues families face when a loved one suffers from dementia. The top three one acts selected by a committee will be produced for a dramatized staged reading final competition with audience selection of prize ranking. Alzheimer's disease impacts an entire family due to the long course and eventual dependency created by dementia. Caregivers, in a combination of love and duty, try to ease the difficult journey of someone suffering from the progressive loss of their ability to think, remember, and communicate. We are seeking plays that dramatize the full complexity and richness of the caregiving relationship, including its challenges as well as its rewards.

DETAILS

Recognition and Prizes:

The top three submissions will be performed on Saturday, May 18, 2013 in a staged reading at Grace Centre in the Asheville, North Carolina area for the final competition (readers will be auditioned).
First Place: $1500, Second Place: $750 Third Place: $500

Finalists will be invited to attend the staged reading. One night of lodging at hotel chosen by MemoryCare but no travel reimbursement will be provided.

Requirements and Restrictions Regarding One Act Play Submissions:


• Length of submission: Submissions should not be less than 20 minutes nor exceed 35 minutes in dramatized staged reading time.
• Characters limited between one and eight.
• Work should be original to the playwright. No previously produced plays or adaptations from other published works or musicals should be submitted.
• Only one submission per playwright.
• Submission deadline: September 4, 2012
• Finalists announced by January 14, 2013; finalists will be contacted by email and phone.

Submissions should be sent electronically as a PDF document using standard play format by
email to: noel@memorycare.org and in paper form to:

MemoryCare, Attn:
Dr. Margaret Noel
100 Far Horizons Lane, Asheville 28803

Finalists to be selected on the following characteristics:
-The play’s content and structure is relevant to the topic guide above
-Insight regarding family dynamics and caregiving for a person with dementia
-Ability to convey theme and ideas through character, staging, and dialogue
-Entertainment value

Jury Process:
MemoryCare’s planning committee will review all submissions and narrow the group to up to 10 semi-finalists. The top three submissions will be chosen by a jury of writers and drama professionals.

Entrants to this playwriting competition agree to the following conditions with the entry of any submission:


1) The submission is the sole intellectual property of the entrant.
2) Entrant consents to MemoryCare’s unlimited use of credited excerpts from the submitted work for non-profit educational purposes.
3) Entrant understands that the dramatized staged reading competition will be conducted as a benefit for MemoryCare with all proceeds going to the charity.
4) This competition depends on the submission of sufficient high quality material to proceed with production. Entrant understands that MemoryCare may amend the rules of the
competition if insufficient submissions are received.
5) The competition may be filmed.
6) Entrant has read and fully understands the terms and conditions of MemoryCare’s playwriting competition.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

New Dramatists open for playwrights

web site

G U I D E L I N E S   F O R   R E S I D E N T   P L A Y W R I G H T   C O M P A N Y

What is New Dramatists?
New Dramatists pursues a singular mission: To identify gifted playwrights and give them the time, space, and tools to develop their craft, so that they may fulfill their potential and make lasting contributions to the theatre. We offer our playwright company an artistic home and self-guided laboratory for seven years, free of charge, in the company of their most gifted peers. Our playwright company consists of emerging and mid-career writers that collectively embodies an artistic, cultural, ethnic, and geographic diversity rarely found in the American theatre. Our services include, our Playwrights Laboratory—i.e., readings, workshops and innovative studios for new plays and musicals; Full Stage—a program that pairs New Dramatists playwrights with producing organizations thereby linking new play development and production, and Professional Support—i.e., advocacy, dynamic process design that supports individual project goals, casting, tailored career support, free copying, grants, awards, retreats and international exchanges. Our building houses all of this work and more. The playwrights can write in private writing studios, hold meetings in our classroom or library, stay in our temporary residence rooms, or create new work in our two theatre spaces. New incoming playwrights receive a free one-year membership to the Dramatists Guild. New Dramatists is a member of Fractured Atlas Open Arts Network.
_______________________________________
Who Can Apply?
~ Playwrights living in New York City and the surrounding tri-state area;
~ Playwrights outside the tri-state area who are able to demonstrate the ability to spend time in New York City, the desire to utilize New Dramatists’ services, and the readiness to participate in a dynamic artistic community.
~ If you are not a citizen of the United States, you must have been lawfully admitted to the U.S. with permanent INS work authorization in order to apply.
_______________________________________
What Do I Upload?
~ Full-length plays (a full-length play is a single play that constitutes a full evening of theatre. For example, a 90 - minute play without an intermission IS a full length play.)
~  Books to musicals (music cannot be uploaded through our paperless process, rather, files must be uploaded to   
~  SoundCloud. Simply create a free account, upload your files, and share them with New Dramatists.) Please do not  submit music in place of the book, and please note that past admissions committees have often found libretti less competitive than plays.
~ Statement of Interest: A one-page statement addressing why you want to become a resident playwright at New Dramatists. If you are applying for national residency please include how you propose to participate in New Dramatists’ community and New York City activities.
~ Bio, Resume or CV: A copy of your current Playwright/Artistic Bio, Resume or CV for the committee’s consideration.
_______________________________________
Please Do Not Submit:

~ Screenplays and/or teleplays;
~ Translations or adaptations from previously published material;
~ Short one-act plays or 10-minute plays, whether collected or alone (thematically connected short plays will no longer be accepted as a full-length play submission.).
~ Your plays in hard copy or published formats.
~ Letters of recommendation. (See below for details.)

_______________________________________
How Does the Selection Process Work?

PANEL
A seven-person panel of past and present New Dramatists writers and outside theatre professionals reads the submissions. The panel changes completely from year to year.  Special efforts are made to balance the panel in terms of aesthetic sensibilities, gender, race, age, etc., as diversity is crucial to the adjudication process.

CIRCULATION
Over the course of nine months, the panel reads submissions over a series of three rounds: in round one, applicants’ names are not attached to the plays; in rounds two (semi-final) and three (final) names are attached. The panel meets three times to discuss the work, and, by consensus, winnows down the list of applicants and determines the new incoming group. (All “A” plays are read; “B’ plays are circulated as applicants are advanced through the process.)

STATUS OF LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
We are no longer accepting letters of recommendation as part of the admissions process.  Instead, once the submission window closes, we will circulate the applicant list to the current resident company and alumni. After reviewing the list, they may choose to advocate in favor of one applicant. That advocacy will result in the automatic circulation of both the “A” play and the “B” play to two different committee members for evaluation in Round one. It will NOT change the status of the application.

APPLICANT NAMES WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED TO THE PANEL IN THE FIRST ROUND
Please note that in the first round of reading the playwrights’ names will not be disclosed to the readers. In the semi-final and final rounds, names will be attached to the plays. Thank you for your patience as we explore an amended admissions process that respects the presence of the New Dramatists community while also maintaining a pure focus on the merit of each person’s work.

NOTIFICATION
Notifications of status are sent in a rolling fashion: a round of letters goes out in February, the second round of letters goes out in April, and the final round of letters goes out in May. Writers who are accepted into New Dramatists are notified in May.
_______________________________________
What Does New Dramatists Ask of its Playwrights?
We do not charge resident playwrights dues or fees. We do ask, though, that they make full use of our programs and services and participate actively in this artistic community.
_______________________________________
When Are New Applications Accepted?

The online paperless application process will accept your materials between August 1 – September 1 until 11:59 pm. 


Once the window closes, we will be unable to process any more applications. The application begins by visiting newdramatists.org/admissions and clicking on “Begin Application.” Applicants are guided through a simple process that will collect all of their materials in six easy steps.

OUR TOWN opening

Reston Community Players New Play Project

web site

The Reston Community Players (RCP), one of the Washington, D.C. area’s premier local theater groups, is now accepting submissions of new plays for its New Play Project.

How to Submit Your New Work:

* Printed copies of your work should be mailed to RCP. Do not submit as an email attachment.
FORMAT OF SCRIPT

* Type Size: 12 pt Times Roman or Courier

* Format: standard stage format (name of speaker centered above lines). See, for example, Richard Toscan’s manuscript format guide.

* Pages printed on one side only, 8-1/2″ x 11″ paper.

* Your work should be bound, but the binding should be removable so that we can make copies for our readers, directors, etc. We suggest a two-prong binder; please do not submit in a hard sided 3-ring binder. We will handle your script with care, but you should retain a copy of your script, because we cannot assume any liability for a lost or damaged script, and we won’t mail it back to you.

* Print and fill out the submission form.

Mail your script—hard copy only (do not submit as an email attachment)—to:
The New Play Project
Reston Community Players
268 Sunset Park Drive
Herndon, VA 20170

* Scripts may be submitted directly by the author, or through an agent. No benefit or “extra points” result from an agent submission; we don’t think less of a play just because it was submitted by the author.

* Please note we do not return scripts that are sent to us.

Details
  • Each author is limited to one script submission per season (summer submission period).
  • All submissions must be new works, as described in more detail below.  Adaptations or translations of other works are not eligible, unless the work is out of copyright and in the public domain.
  • Plays that have had previous readings elsewhere are eligible.
  • Shows that have had previous professional productions (where the actors are paid a living wage, or perform under a union contract), are not accepted
  • Shows that have been published or made available for sale, are not accepted.
  • One-act plays (or any work under 90 minutes) are not accepted.
  • Musicals are accepted.  In addition to a script, please include samples of your music on CD, and printed copies of your sheet music.  Do not email your sound.
  • No kids shows, that is, shows to be performed by children, for audiences of children.  Children may be characters in the play.
When to submit your work:

Scripts may be submitted now through August 31, 2012. Due to the large volume of scripts we review, estimated time to review your work, and decide whether we will do a reading may take as much as five to six months. If we select your work for a reading, we will contact you by phone.

Contact us at RestonNewPlays@aol.com with questions or see the web site.

Read also: How the New Play Project Works.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Ten-Minute Musicals Project Competition

web site

Since the inception of The Ten-Minute Musicals Project, over nine hundred and twenty works have been received, from librettists, lyricists and composers in fifteen nations: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Uruguay, Ireland, England, France, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the Ukraine.

Stories 1.0 is the full-length musical comprised of works selected in the first several rounds. Several works in Stories 1.0 were workshopped in San Francisco, New York City, Miami, and Nashville over the years. Individual segments have been independently workshopped in Dallas, Chicago, London, and Boston.

SEEKING: Complete original stage musicals which play between seven and twenty minutes. Works which have been previously produced are acceptable, as are excerpts from full-length shows, if they can stand up on their own.

MUSICAL STYLE AND THEATRICAL FORMAT: Any musical style: pop, rock, C&W, show, opera, etc; or theatrical format: comedy, mystery, drama, etc.

CAST SIZE: Maximum of ten performers—five women and five men.

SUBMISSIONS SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

1. A printed script. (Note: printed on paper; not sent as a computer file on disk.)

2. Lead sheets or piano score. (This need not be at all elaborate; very basic is fine.)

3. A CD, audiotape or DVD of either the entire piece or just the musical material.

4. A stamped self-addressed large envelope if you want the work returned. (Submissions from outside the USA should enclose four INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE COUPONS to cover postage. These can be obtained at your post office.)

CONCERNING THE ABOVE, PLEASE NOTE:  NO ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS -- HARD COPIES ONLY

DEADLINE: Simply postmarked by August 31st. 
(Do not waste money on overnight express, registered, or certified mail. All that's requested is that the package be postmarked by August 31.) Response will be by November 30th.

FINANCIAL REMUNERATION: $250/US royalty advance for each piece selected, with an equal share of licensing royalties when produced.

SEND TO:

The Ten-Minute Musicals Project
Michael Koppy, Producer
P.O. Box 461194
West Hollywood, CA 90046 USA

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Scripts Wanted for Sept. 22 - 23 Short Play Lab

No web site available


Dear Friend in the Theatre,

We are looking for a few more scripts for the Sept. 22 - 23 Short Play Lab. New participants are welcome! The rules are easy-peasy:
Deadline is Sep. 5. Notification will be immediately after submission, if not sooner. The sooner you get your script in, the more time you have to prepare. Get that script in pronto!
Plays should be 1 - 10 pp. in standard playscript format.* (The shorter the better; shorter plays get priority.) Include a title page, as the first page of the script, with contact info. 
Submit scripts in MS-Word.
You produce the play; the SPL provides the theatre (at the Roy Arias Studios, 300 West 43rd Street, NYC). 
Productions must be non-union: no showcases please! (And no Equity waivers, either.)
Keep production values to a minimum: costumes and hand props are okay. We provide rehearsal cubes, chairs, and a table or two.
We provide a board op, box office, and venue management.
There are no fees. The SPL keeps the door.
Tickets are $20. Each playwright and director gets to watch his/her show for free. There are no other comps.
There will be a tech rehearsal, on the afternoon of Sept. 17. Plays get a maximum of either 15 mins of tech (1 - 5 pp.) or 30 mins. of tech (6 - 10 pp.).
Every play gets 2 performances, 1 on Sat. and 1 on Sun. Each play will be part of 1 of 2 programs: Program A or Program B, but not both. Program A takes place at 7 pm Sat. and 4 pm Sun. Program B takes place at 9 pm Sat. and 2 pm Sun.
We don't do staged readings. Be off-book, please! Plays not off-book during tech will be removed from the line-up.
THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTION IN EACH PROGRAM RECEIVES A CASH PRIZE OF $75. Winners are determined by polling patrons at the box office.
*12 pt Times Roman; character names in the middle on their own line; line spaces between speeches and between speeches and stage directions; indented stage directions. 
The SPL is a lot of fun and a good way to see your work on its feet in a supportive environment. It's also a great way to see actors and directors at work, so you can recruit people for later productions.
Our new Artistic Director, Tom Thornton, also coordinates Times Square Playwrights. He is in charge of all details of reading/curating plays for the Lab.
To submit a script, send it as an attachment to tt91457@yahoo.com. Any questions, don't hesitate to shoot Tom or I an E-mail!


Walking the Wire monologues

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Riverside Theatre invites playwrights to submit monologues for performance in Walking the Wire. This annual celebration of original work features monologues of ten minutes or less by both established and emerging playwrights. The focus for this season’s monologues is: TMI. Submissions must be emailed as a Word or PDF document and dated by midnight CST September 15, 2012; final selections will be announced on Riverside Theatre’s website (www.riversidetheatre.org) on November 1, 2012. The monologues will be performed March 1-10, 2013 at Riverside Theatre

Riverside Theatre is seeking original monologues with the theme of TMI (too much information):  moments of startling revelations…wince-worthy weirdness…and hilarious personal habits (that didn’t really need to be shared).

  1. Up to two submissions per author of original, unpublished and unproduced monologues less than ten minutes length (please read it aloud and include the approximate performance time on the first page of your submission; all lengths of up to ten minutes will be considered, with the objective of choosing monologues of varying lengths).
  2.  Selection considerations: Monologues should have strong forward action and a clear dramatic event or moment.
  3. Copy requirements: double spaced in a minimum 12 pt. font, and including the playwright's name, mailing address, email address, and phone number.
  4. Simple is best. Since Walking the Wire typically includes 10-12 monologues, it is important that each one require as little production as possible; set-pieces, props or effects needing set-up, strike, or special technical support may disqualify an otherwise excellent submission.
  5. Email submissions (Word or PDF document attachment) must be dated by midnight CST September 15, 2012. Final selections will announced on Riverside Theatre’s website, www.riversidetheatre.org on November 1, 2012. 
  6. Writers will be credited in all marketing and playbill materials; no royalties will be paid. Walking the Wire will be produced March 1-10, 2013. Playwrights are entitled to two complimentary tickets to any single performance; tickets are not transferable.
  7. Submissions should be emailed to: artistic@riversidetheatre.org

For more information about Riverside Theatre, visit www.riversidetheatre.org.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Manhattan Repertory Theatre's FALL PLAY FESTIVAL 2012

web site

Seeking fully produced original plays

(cast, directed and ready to perform)

40 minutes to 120 minutes in length for:

Manhattan Repertory Theatre's FALL PLAY FESTIVAL 2012

October 11 - Dec. 15, 2012,

at

Manhattan Repertory Theatre,

303 West 42nd St. (at 8th Ave) NYC

To submit your play production please email:

The complete play,

a synopsis of the play,

the running time of the play,

the set and lighting requirements,

the play's production history (if it has been produced before and where)

and a creative team leader contact email address to:

manhattanrep@yahoo.com


by Tuesday August 28, 2012 at Midnight.
Please put "FALL FESTIVAL SUBMISSION " in the subject heading.

Applicants will be contacted by Tuesday September 4, 2012 as to their acceptance.

There is no submission fee.

NON-EQUITY ONLY.

Each play will be given a MINIMUM of THREE performances.

A REFUNDABLE security deposit of $300 will be required upon acceptance.

For more information, please log on to:

www.manhattanrep.com

Monday, August 20, 2012

Now Accepting Script Submissions for the S.N.A.F.U. 10-Minute Play Festival

web site

Colby-Sawyer College's sixth annual 10-minute play festival will be a production of eight to 10 short plays performed on Nov. 1, 2 and 3, 2012 in the Sawyer Center Theatre. This is an opportunity for playwrights to see their work as a professionally supported, staged performance in a 670-seat theater.

Plays need not be limited as to set requirements, costumes, lighting or cast size, but they must be no longer than 10 minutes. A general guideline is that one page of play script equals one minute of time in performance.

Plays slightly over 10 minutes may be chosen with a request that they be slightly edited and resubmitted. All entrants will be notified whether their play has been selected for the production.

The play submissions must be received on or before Sept. 1, 2012 to be considered.

 In the past, the panel of judges has chosen plays from student writers as well as from professional writers and others who are not affiliated with Colby-Sawyer College. All are welcome to submit.

There is no fee for play submissions. Please send submissions electronically as an attachment to mlovell@colby-sawyer.edu or mail a hard copy to:

Michael Lovell,
Fine and Performing Arts,
Colby-Sawyer College,
541 Main Street, New London NH 03257

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Writers as Directors

NYCPlaywrights asked playwright Jeffrey Sweet to comment on the issue of playwrights directing. He writes:
We've all heard the basic theatrical truisms: Write from your own experience. Actors and directors should ignore the stage directions. Writers should never direct their own plays.

I won't argue here about the first two (though I can't resist saying that if Shakespeare had felt constrained by the first, he wouldn't have written most of his plays as he wasn't alive when any of them were set and he never visited most of the countries where they take place).

Regarding the third: "never" is a pretty strong word.  I know the argument. Writers don't have sufficient objectivity about their own stuff to be able to see clearly where revisions are necessary. They are so in love with their own words that they can't bear to part with any of them. Is this true of some writers? Yes. Is this true of all writers? Nah.

I wonder why it is that this principle is constantly invoked when discussing writers for the stage, but most don't turn a hair at the idea of filmmakers directing from their own scripts. Woody Allen, Ingmar Bergman, Preston Sturges, Billy Wilder, John Huston, Paul Mazursky, Elaine May, John Cassavetes, Nora Ephron, Federico Fellini, Francois Truffaut -- not to mention Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles -- all managed to turn out some fine movies from their own screenplays, and some even managed to also star in some of their own productions.  If anything, directing a movie is usually a longer and more demanding job than directing for the stage, and it almost always requires exercising authority over a larger number of people.

Some playwrights have succeeded nicely directing their own work. My favorite production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was the one Edward Albee directed with Ben Gazzara and Colleen Dewhurst.  Mary Zimmerman won the Tony award as best director staging her adaptation of Ovid's Metamorphosis.  Frank Galati won the Tony for best play and best director for his adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.  (And I will modestly add that the production of my With and Without that I directed was received well, too.)

The truth is some people are generalists and some are specialists.  Orson Welles, of course, was a legendary generalist. He wasn't shy about his conviction that he could do just about anything as well or better than anyone else. Harold Pinter, too, was a generalist. Aside from writing plays, he acted both in his own work and that of others, and he directed successful productions of not only his own plays but those of David Mamet, Simon Gray and others.

Yes, there are specialists who are at a loss when they leave home territory.  I once worked with an Academy Award-winning actor who attempted to direct one of my pieces. He had no sense of shape. He was so intent on mining the truth and emotion of every moment that there was no modulation, and any sense of tempo went out the window. The production was 15 minutes longer than it had any reason to be.  He was a brilliant actor, and that's what he should have stuck to doing.

Also it mustn't be forgotten that some people write in rehearsal as they direct.  Their writing process is to direct.  This is the working method of Britain's Mike Leigh, when he creates his plays and films, and this was how the legendary Paul Sills built his groundbreaking Broadway production of Story Theatre.

Some people are directors and some people aren't.  Writers who are also directors may indeed face the problem of objectivity as they stage their own stuff, but many others have the discipline and professionalism to know how to adjust for this. That's what you have other collaborators for – the actors, the designers, the producer, and the rest of the people in the room who are presumably there because they know something about how to make theatre.  Directors with any sense will pay attention to and solicit advice from colleagues.

The challenge for the producer is to somehow discern who can wear multiple caps and who can't.  But, regarding this issue anyway, the word "never" should be tossed.

Call for original short plays by playwrights from tri-state area: NJ, NY, PA.

web site

South Street Players (southstreetplayers.org) is seeking short (20 minutes or less), original, one act plays for its 2nd Annual Tri-State Theatre Festival. The NJACT Perry Award Nominated event will take place November 2-4, 2012 in Spring Lake, NJ.

The festival is an artistic fundraiser, with all proceeds going to SSP to help the group maintain its commitment to producing high-quality, extremely entertaining theatre experiences for the 2012-13 season… and beyond.

Submission Rules and Process:

Seeking original comedic and dramatic one-act plays from playwrights currently living in the Tri-State area only (NJ, NY and PA)

Plays must be 20 pages or less.  Submissions of longer than 20 pages will be declined for consideration.

Plays must be in standard playscript format.

Playwrights may submit more than one play, but please be sure your name and email address is on the title page of each script.

SSP is a family theatre – no excessive swearing, no nudity.

No royalties or payment will be provided to playwrights should his or her play be chosen for the festival.

Plays will only be accepted via email: southstreetoneacts@gmail.com

Deadline:  September 1, 2012, 11:59pm.

For more information, please email Rob Sullivan, Festival Producer, at southstreetoneacts@gmail.com

Saturday, August 18, 2012

National Ten-Minute Play Contest

web site

Beginning in 2011, we are redirecting the focus of the Contest toward the primary production opportunity for ten-minute plays at Actors Theatre: The Apprentice/Intern Tens. An annual event that takes place in January, the A/I Tens consist of a bill of 8-10 world premiere ten-minute plays, fully produced in Actors’ Victor Jory Theatre and performed by our Apprentice Company of young actors.

Submission Guidelines:
  • Characters in submitted plays should be in the age range 18-28.
  • Submissions will be limited to the first 500 scripts we receive each year.
  • In order to level the playing field, scripts will only be accepted during a focused submission window of September 1-November 1.  Scripts sent outside this window will no longer be accepted. Please do not send your script before September 1!
  • If your play is received after we’ve hit the 500-script mark, you will be notified.
  • Entries will be acknowledged by postcard in December. Playwrights will be notified of their finalist or non-finalist status the following summer.
  • Each playwright may submit only one script—send us your best!
  • We are unable to accept electronic submissions.
  • No scripts will be returned.
  • Each script must be no more than ten pages long.  (We start counting pages after the title page and character list, if applicable.)
  • Previously submitted plays, plays that have received an Equity production, musicals, children’s shows, and any unsolicited longer one-act or full-length plays are not accepted and will not be returned nor receive a response. Plays that have received Equity waiver showcase productions are eligible.
  • Each manuscript must be typed and individually bound or stapled.
  • Title page must include the playwright’s name, address, phone number and e-mail address.
  • The volume of scripts submitted hampers our ability to comment individually on each work, so we do not offer criticism.
  • All ten-minute plays will be considered for the Heideman Award ($1000)* and production in the Apprentice/Intern Tens, an annual event in the winter.
  • Playwrights must be citizens or permanent residents of the USA.

New Writing Scotland 31 – publishing Summer 2013

web site

New Writing Scotland publishes works by writers resident in Scotland or Scots by birth, upbringing or inclination. All forms of writing are invited: autobiography and memoirs; creative responses to events and experiences; drama; graphic artwork (monochrome only); poetry; political and cultural commentary and satire; short fiction; travel writing or any other creative prose may be submitted, but not full-length plays or novels, though self-contained extracts are acceptable. The work must be neither previously published nor accepted for publication and may be in any of the languages of Scotland.

From 1 May 2012 we will be accepting submissions for New Writing Scotland 31, publishing in 2013. Submissions should be typed on one side of the paper only and the sheets stapled at the top-left corner. Prose pieces should be double-spaced and carry an approximate word-count. You should provide a covering letter, clearly marked with your name and address. Please also put your name on the individual works. If you would like to receive an acknowledgement of receipt of your manuscript, please enclose a stamped addressed postcard. If you would like to be informed if your submission is unsuccessful, or if you would like your submissions returned, you should enclose a stamped addressed envelope with sufficient postage.

Submissions should be sent by 30 September 2012, in an A4 envelope, to:

ASLS
Department of Scottish Literature
7 University Gardens
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QH, UK

We are sorry but we cannot accept submissions by fax or e-mail.

Please be aware that we have limited space in each edition, and therefore shorter pieces are more suitable – although longer items of exceptional quality may still be included. A maximum length of 3,500 words is suggested. Please send no more than four poems, or prose work(s) to a maximum of 3,500 words in total. Successful contributors will be paid at a rate of £20 per published page.

Authors retain all rights to their work(s), and are free to submit and/or publish the same work(s) elsewhere after they appear in New Writing Scotland.

Friday, August 17, 2012

BULLET FOR ADOLF - free tickets Saturday 10PM


A New Comedy by Woody Harrelson & Frankie Hyman
Directed by Woody Harrelson
New World Stages – 340 West 50th Street (B/T 8th & 9th Avenues)

NYCPlaywrights will offer two vouchers (each voucher is good for two tickets) for the first two people who email info@nycplaywrights.org requesting a voucher- only one voucher per email request.

The offer period starts Saturday, August 18 at 10:00 PM EDT.

Please do not email requesting the voucher before that date/time.

Thanks to the BULLET FOR ADOLF marketers The Pekoe Group for making this offer possible.

More information about BULLET FOR ADOLF: http://www.bulletforadolf.com/

SEEKING SUBMISSIONS OF PLAYS BY NYC AREA PLAYWRIGHTS

web site

The Crest Theater is seeking play submissions for its reoccurring monthly reading series by New York Area playwrights.

Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis. In your email, please include your name, contact information, and a brief synopsis of the play.

Send submissions to: thecresttheater@gmail.com

The Crest Theater develops new plays and works that examine the American identity. The Crest Theater Company is dedicated to developing playwrights and producing works that are American in theme and nature. Our intent is to examine our American ways of life, its many themes, elements, pitfalls, highlights, and future.

HOBO ROBO FESTIVAL 5: HOBOS ACROSS AMERICA

web site

The Chicago-based theater company Hobo Junction Productions is hosting their fifth annual short play festival, HOBO ROBO 5: HOBOS ACROSS AMERICA. Just in time for the upcoming presidential election, we are seeking comedic ten-minute plays that deal primarily with the themes of United States politics and/or patriotism. Whether it's a biting satire or a farcical romp, the play's main challenge is this: it has to be hilarious!

Submissions are due by September 1st at midnight. Selected plays will be announced no later than October 1st. The eight plays selected by our festival directors will then be featured in a three-night event. Every night, audience members vote for their favorite play, and at festival's end, the winning playwright receives ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS! Holy Jeebus!

So send us your scripts. We want them smelling like freedom by the time they land in our Inbox. Oh, and that reminds me – Electronic submissions only, please. PDF is preferred, but DOC and RTF formats are also acceptable.

We appreciate outside perspectives, meaning that playwrights do NOT have to live in the United States. Past submissions have come from countries as far-reaching as France, Russia, Czechoslovakia … and there was even one very enthusiastic fellow from New Zealand last year.

Please submit all materials to me (Spenser Davis, Literary Manager) at hobojunctionsubmissions@gmail.com.

BREAKDOWN:
Scripts should be between 7 – 10 pages, not including the cover page and character list.
The playwright's personal information should not appear anywhere on the script, including the the cover pages. Directors will be asked to read the scripts “blind.”
Each playwright can send up to two scripts. Sending more than two will immediately disqualify that particular writer.
The plays must fit the festival's themes of United States politics and/or patriotism.
ENTRY FEE: Or should we say “ENTRY FREE.” It costs nothing to submit!
CASH PRIZE: $100 to the playwright whose play receives the most audience votes!
Due to the high volume of submissions we receive each year, we will be unable to comment on individual scripts. We look forward to reading your work!

Find out more about us at www.hobojunctionproductions.com. Based on that hat you're wearing, we feel like you'll fit right in.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

BULLET FOR ADOLF - special offer for NYCPlaywrights


A New Comedy by Woody Harrelson & Frankie Hyman
Directed by Woody Harrelson
New World Stages – 340 West 50th Street (B/T 8th & 9th Avenues)

Featuring Marsha Stephanie Blake, Brandon Coffey, David Coomber, Shamika Cotton, Shannon Garland, Lee Osorio,  Tyler Jacob Rollinson, Nick Wyman

 During the summer of 1983, in the sweltering heat of Houston, an unlikely friendship is formed when a couple of mid-western rubes with uncertain futures meet up with a slick New Yorker on the run from his past. The disappearance of a WWII artifact sets off a chain of events that proves that nothing changes the present like a blast from the past. The characters that populate this hysterical, rapid-fire new comedy by real-life friends Woody Harrelson and Frankie Hyman are based on real people, though the events depicted are fiction and the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent.
  “Bullet for Adolf has all the markings of a cult show! We're in Tarantino territory!” – The New York Post

 “Screamingly funny!” – Associated Press

“Bullet for Adolf is filled with go-for-broke comedy that works!” – Entertainment Weekly

RUNS LIMITED TIME ONLY! NOW – SEPTEMBER 9

Performance Schedule:

Mondays 8pm | Wednesdays 7pm | Thursdays 8pm | Fridays 8pm |

Saturdays 2pm & 8pm | Sundays 3pm & 7pm

$46.50 (reg. $66.50)

THREE EASY WAYS TO BUY:

ONLINE: Visit www.BroadwayOffers.com and enter code FABLT4A712

PHONE: Call 212.947.8844 and mention code FABLT4A712

IN PERSON: Bring a printout of this offer to the New World Stages box office – 340 West 50th Street (B/T 8th & 9th Avenues)

Box office hours: Monday 1pm-8pm, Tuesday 1pm-7pm, Wednesday 10am-8pm, Thursday 1pm-8pm, Friday 1pm-10pm, Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 10am-7:30pm

FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit www.BulletForAdolf.com

*Offer valid through 9/9. Offer is subject to availability and may be revoked at any time. Ticket price includes $1.50 facility fee. Normal service charges apply to online and phone orders. No exchanges or refunds. Not valid for prior purchases. Cannot be combined with other offers. Limit 10 tickets per order. Schedule subject to change. All sales are final.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Davenport Theatrical Enterprises is hosting a Collaborator 'Speed Date' designed to match up musical theatre writers

web site

Davenport Theatrical Enterprises is hosting a Collaborator 'Speed Date' designed to match up musical theatre writers. With Summer winding down what better time to get back into the swing of things by finding a new writing partner and creating something great! If you're a musician needing a bookwriter, or a bookwriter or lyricist needing a composer, this is the event for you!

When: Thursday, September 6th, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: The Davenport Studios, 250 West 49th Street, NYC
Studio A, Suite 304

Price: Free!

Please RSVP as either a Composer/Lyricist or a Bookwriter/Lyricist. If you are a Lyricist or some other combination, please RSVP based on who you'd like to meet-e.g., if you want to meet Bookwriters, RSVP as a Composer/Lyricist.

You are encouraged to bring business cards and/or materials about your work.

Spots are limited, and we do fill up!

To RSVP, click here http://backtoschoolspeeddate.eventbrite.com/

Santa Fe Performing Arts presents: Full Length Play Contest

web site

Santa Fe Performing Arts Playwright's Competition was developed to support American Playwrights. The competition is not merely a competition of words, but a venue for recognition and a demonstration of appreciation - truly a celebration of the writer's contribution.

DETAILS

SFPA and many other theatre companies around the country with similar programs, support playwrights and ensure the future of American Theatre. Without the writers, the actors would have nothing to say. Submissions are limited to unproduced new American plays and must be postmarked by the first of September of each year. 
Send play synopsis and character break-down. Full scripts upon request only.

Send Submissions To:
Santa Fe Performing Arts
Post Office Box 22372.
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Horror Festival

web site - see web site for application - self production "Playwrights or their representatives are responsible for all aspects of their production"

The Players’ Theatre Short Play & Musical Festival

October 11-28, 2012

Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays

Submission Guidelines

1. Submissions should be of a NYC theme.

2. Each production will have four performances, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  There will be three separate weeks.  Festival staff will try to pair up one-acts according to theme and running time.  Please let us know if you have any date conflicts.  We will try to work around conflict but be aware that conflicts might exclude you from the festival.

3. Please mail or hand deliver two (2) bound, hard copy, blind1 submission, of your play not to exceed 15pages/15minutes, with the application form to the address below.  Please include a CD of music if you are submitting a musical.   Make sure that a cast breakdown and synopsis is included.  In addition, please e-mail one copy.  There is no submission fee but we limit the number of plays by each playwright to two (2).  Plays will not be returned so please do not send SASE.

4. DEADLINE:  All completed submissions must be received by 5:00PM, August 27th

5. Playwrights or their representatives are responsible for all aspects of their production; costs, casting (non-equity)2, rehearsals3, props.  A list of set pieces will be provided at pre-Festival meeting.  The load in and load out will be done by the actors and staff in under 5 minutes so, please, limit your requirements.

6. Selected plays will be required to pay a $50 technical fee to cover staffing and programs.  Players’ Theatre will provide production stage manager (lighting/sound technician), house manager and box office personnel.  Lights will be a stage wash.  We have dual CD player available.  There is no storage space for props or costumes so limit them to what you can carry back and forth.

7. There is a piano in the theatre.  Any additional musician requirements must be approved by and are at the discretion of the Festival staff.  We have limited space and prefer that it is used for audience.

8. Festival staff will contact accepted play/musical authors and a list will be available on our website after September 9th.

9. There will be a meeting set for representatives to provide information and answer questions.  Festival staff will provide each accepted production with one-hour tech time.  Rehearsal space will be available at a discounted rate for Festival participants.  One large dressing room will be available for all actors.

10. There will be a $100 deposit to cover cancellation or damages.  This will be returned at the end of production.

11. Complete contact sheet and program bios will be required two weeks in advance of performance date.

12. Audience voting will determine each week’s favorites.  Only audience member who have seen all plays will be allowed to vote.  Weekly winners will be awarded $100.  Festival staff will select the Festival winner and awarded “Best of Festival” recognition.

(1) Blind submission: Pages should have no identifying marks other than the title and/or page number.
(2) We have a casting director on-sight to assist you at a nominal cost.
(3) We will discount our rehearsal room (check availability) at the Players’ Theatre for Festival participants.

Please feel free to contact us via email if you have any additional questions.

The Players’ Theatre Short Play & Musical Festival
Brenda Bell, Artistic Director
115 MacDougal Street
New York, NY  10012
212-475-1449

playfestival@theplayerstheatre.com

Short Plays by Women for Festival

web site

Independent Actors Theatre of Columbia, MO, is seeking short plays (max. 10-12 minutes) by women playwrights for its fifth annual short Women’s Play Festival – “the plays are short, not the women.” Plays will be staged and produced by local women theatre directors and stage managers in March 2013.

DETAILS

Plays of all styles and genres are welcomed. Because the emphasis is on new plays, previously produced work may be considered but preference will be given to plays that have had staged readings and/or are unproduced.

Plays that feature minimal/flexible set and small casts are preferred. Plays selected for the Festival will be licensed through the playwrights. Submissions and queries for further information should be sent electronically to artistic director Emily Rollie (e.rollie@iatheatre.org) by September 1, 2012. Please limit submissions to 2 plays per playwright. For more information about Independent Actors Theatre or the short Women’s Play Festival please visit www.iatheatre.org.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Another testimonial

Jennifer Winegardner wrote in:

Hi NYC Playwrights -

I submitted my show, "Halloween Hullabaloo" to Little Fish Theatre's evening of one-acts, "Twisted, Spooky, Creepy"  through NYCPlaywrights and several of the scenes from the show are being performed there in October. 

www.halloweenhullabaloomusical.com

Young Sean Patrick Monahan was quite right to write and thank you.  And I'd like to add my thanks for your excellent work!

Thanks Jennifer!

You can learn more about Jennifer's work at jenniferwinegardner.com

The Valley Repertory Company 4th LabWorks 15-Minute New Play Contest

web site

The Valley Repertory Company is now accepting submissions for its 4th LabWorks 15-Minute New Play Contest. Visit www.valleyrep.com to submit your work.

Please, read all submission guidelines carefully before submitting.

No entrance fees;

You can submit your script(s) until Sunday, September 15th, 2012 via the online form found at www.Valleyrep.Com.

Do not attempt to submit the script in any other format or to any other destination. Snail mail submissions are NOT being accepted this season.

audiences select 2 winning playwrights who receive $150 each. Good luck!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

What I Did For Love

Short Plays for Veteran's Day

Facebook page

Good-Walk Productions presents:
Short Plays for Veteran's Day
Opportunity Info
Good-Walk Productions is accepting submissions of one act plays centering around veterans' issues.

DETAILS

This is for a one act festival in October of 2012 in New York City in honor of Veterans' Day.
We will not accept anything with a run time longer than 12 minutes.
We are looking for a mix of comedy and drama so please submit either or both.

We will be accepting submissions until August 25th. Please send submissions to Moshe Goodman at yibeishui@aol.com.

Produced in association with Love Creek Productions.

Blowout Theatre Company Seeks New Plays

web site

Blowout Theatre Company, based in New York City, seeks new plays for consideration in their 2012 season. Full lengths to be produced this November. One Acts and shorter pieces also welcome for a smaller, festival like production. Please send all work, along with current contact information to submissions@blowouttheatre.com.

Season announcement will be made late August, so please send work by August 15. All works received after the deadline will be included in the 2013 pool.

The Ruby Lloyd Apsey Play Search

web site

Submission period: June 1st - September 7th, 2012.

Every year, Theatre UAB conducts a search for new and original full-length plays confronting racial or ethnic issues, especially those calling for ethnically diverse and/or multi-racial casting. The Apsey winner will be a play with intriguing characters, an engrossing plot, a strong sense of the true power of live performance, meaty roles for university-level actors, and a fresh examination of race relations in America with genuinely challenging insights.

DETAILS
Produced scripts are welcome, but preference will be given to world premieres.
The Apsey Award consists of a $1000 prize plus a staged reading and audience talk-back at Theatre UAB.

We prefer recyclable hard-copy submissions, but we do accept electronic submissions PROVIDED each submission is a SINGLE FILE containing a brief synopsis of the play and a cover letter giving highlights of the author's theatre experience.
Each submission must include:
  • a brief synopsis of the play
  • a cover letter giving highlights of the author's theatre experience

Send all scripts to:
The Ruby Lloyd Apsey Play Search
Theatre UAB ASC 255
1530 3rd Avenue South
Birmingham AL 35294-1263

OR to
leeshack@uab.edu

Email any questions not answered here to:
 
 Lee Eric Shackleford, Apsey Play Search Chair
 leeshack@uab.edu

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Lourdes University Drama Society 2012 One-Act Playwriting Competition Rules

web site

NOTE: those with Dramatists Guild cards do not have to pay the $5 entry fee

Cash awards of $250 for 1st place, $100 for 2nd place, and $50 for 3rd place will be presented. Winning plays will also be produced by the Lourdes University Drama Society.

To enter please send the following items to the address below:

1.    Completed entry form - see web site for form in PDF format
2.    Bio of the playwright(s) – must be 100 words or less
3.    Play synopsis including character descriptions
4.    Five copies of the script
5.    $5 entry fee or copy of current Dramatist Guild membership card
(checks should be made out to Lourdes University)

Mail to:
Keith Ramsdell Lourdes University Drama Society
One-Act Playwriting Competition
6832 Convent Blvd Sylvania, OH 43560

Competition Rules:
  1. The competition is open to all playwrights 18 years of age and older. Only one play per playwright may be entered per year. Plays may be co-written by more than one playwright, but the names of all playwrights must appear on the entry form.
  2. Entries must be one-act stage plays with performance times of 8 to 15 minutes. Full-length plays, musicals, children’s plays, film and TV scripts, and plays previously entered in this competition are ineligible.
  3. Submissions are restricted to original dramatic works – no adaptations – that have not been previously published or produced outside of an academic environment.
  4. While all reasonable care will be taken, Lourdes University Drama Society does not assume any responsibility for lost, misplaced or damaged scripts.
  5. There are no restrictions on genre or theme. 
  6. Scripts will be judged on concept, dramatic action, characterization and dialogue. Preference will be given to plays with 2 to 4 characters, limited staging requirements, and content/language sensitive to the traditions and values of Lourdes University. The decisions of the judges are final. No critiques will be given, and no scripts will be returned.
  7. Lourdes University Drama Society will produce the winning plays royalty-free during its Festival of One Acts 2013. This includes the right to make rehearsal copies of the script, to use the title of the play and the author’s name in publicity and promotion, and to videotape the play for archival purposes. The playwright will receive a program and DVD from the production. All future production and publication rights remain the property of the playwright.
  8. The deadline for entries is a postmark of October 15, 2012. Late scripts will not be accepted, and revisions cannot be made once a script has been submitted. Winners will be announced and notified on Sunday, December 2.
Formatting Instructions:
  1. To ensure anonymity during the judging process, no personal information should appear anywhere on the submitted script. The entry form will contain this information.
  2. All scripts should be printed on 8-1/2” x 11” white paper, typewritten on one side only and submitted in acceptable play manuscript format. Each copy should be bound with a staple. Pages must be numbered, and the name of the play should appear on each page.
  3. The entry form, bio, synopsis and fee or copy of DG card should be clipped together. 
  4. Incorrectly formatted entries will be disregarded.

More Information:
Please contact Keith Ramsdell at 419-517-8881 or kramsdell@lourdes.edu with any questions. You may also visit us on the web at www.lourdes.edu/dramasociety

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Unsolicited testimonial

NYCPlaywrights received this lovely and generous note today:
I'm a young playwright living in New York, and I just wanted to write a quick note to say how much I appreciate what you're doing. While resources like The Dramatists Sourcebook contain a wealth of helpful information, nowhere is there a book or website with as many detailed and immediate opportunities for the NY Playwright to submit his or her work. Just this year, I won Manhattan Repertory Theatre's Spring One-Act Competition based on a listing I saw here!

Thanks again for your work!

Cheers,
Sean Patrick Monahan
 Thanks Sean - and congratulations!

You can learn more about Sean and his work at his web site:  http://seanpatrickmonahan.com/

Have you had any success through postings on this web site? We'd love to share your good news and link to your web site. Send your info to info@nycplaywrights.org

And write on!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

IATI THEATER'S PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

web site

IATI Theater’s Play Development Program, The Voice of the Authors, grants playwrights the opportunity to develop a new, never-before produced play through a community of cutting-edge theater artists and under the patronage of IATI Theater’s commitment to ground-breaking theater.

No submission fee.

The 2012-2013 program will consists of two main components:

Pal Playwrights Panel: An added component to this year's program. Monthly meetings—whose attendees are the playwrights accepted to the program and IATI Theater’s artistic staff—will be held to discuss the new works that make up the particular season. Playwrights in the program will gather to discuss and further advance each other’s plays before they are presented in front of a live audience.

Stage Reading Presentation: Each playwright in the program will be given the opportunity to present their play in a directed, professionally acted staged reading. Thus, the piece will be exposed to a receptive audience that further develops the featured script through a post-reading talkback.

PLAY SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Submissions lacking any of the following guidelines will not be considered.

1) Submissions must be the author's own work. The piece shall be free from copyright restrictions and the author agrees to hold IATI Theater and directors free and harmless from all copyright claims.

2) This program is open to authors from anywhere in the world with original works in English or Spanish who are interested in a New York audience feedback. However, because of the Pal Playwrights Panel, the writer must be present to take part in the monthly meetings or be willing to commit to receiving and presenting feedback electronically.

3) Submissions must not exceed 90 minutes in length and must not cast more than 5 characters.

4) Only one play may be submitted per playwright, per season.

5) The submission must be a completed full-length play that has not previously been produced.

6) The playwright must commit to be present on the staged reading performance of his/her work.

7) Submissions must be made electronically to literary@iatitheater.org with the subject line, “Play Development Submission.”Two documents must be submitted—both in PDF format.

1st document: Cover letter with synopsis, character breakdown and contact information.

2nd document: Script in proper play formatting.

8) Deadline for the 2012-2013 season submissions is August 10th 2012.

Qualifying submissions will be read by a staff committee. The committee will select the playwrights to be featured in the 2012-2013 Play Development Season. IATI Theater will provide a meeting place for the monthly Pal Playwrights Meeting and cover the costs of the Stage Reading Presentation’s venue, director and actors.

For more information email: haydn@iatitheater.org

Saturday, August 4, 2012

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The New Theatre Project seeks new work

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The New Work Series is an opportunity for playwrights to have their work read at any stage of the plays journey. The scripts will receive minimally staged productions before an audience and feature a talkback. We have accepted all of our submissions for the Spring New Work Series but are always accepting submissions to be considered for next Series.

New work will be considered from local and non-local playwrights. Any work having already received a production must be seeking further development or open to the possibility. The New Theatre Project will also consider short plays, incomplete work, work based on classical texts, music with the possibility of a theatrical staging, or any otherwise unconventional work for the stage (dance theatre, performance art, etc.)

Playwrights are asked to submit a 10-page script sample, character listing, and a synopsis. Any additional materials that may help us understand the piece will also be accepted, though please keep them brief and concise.

Script submissions must be emailed to keith@thenewtheatreproject.org. Requests for full-length scripts will be emailed shortly thereafter.

No snail mail scripts will be accepted.

We look forward to reading!

Manhattan-based artists only

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About the Program
The Manhattan Community Arts Fund (MCAF) was established in 1983 as part of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ Greater New York Arts Development Fund. LMCC administers MCAF for the borough of Manhattan. The program provides local seed grants for individual artists, collectives and small arts organizations to bring high-quality arts projects to Manhattan communities. The program supports projects and activities that will enable the public to directly experience and engage with the arts.

An MCAF grant is often one of the first grants an artist or group receives, and can help grant recipients to leverage financial support from other sources. Each year, the program awards over $230,000 to support over 120 arts projects, including concerts, performances, public art, exhibitions, screenings, festivals, workshops, readings and more.

How MCAF Works
MCAF makes grants ranging from $750 to $5,000 to Manhattan-based non-profit organizations and individual artists. The program supports arts projects with a public component that is accessible to and engages Manhattan communities. Individual artists may apply directly to MCAF without a fiscal sponsor.

Program Goals
MCAF is designed to support and develop the capacity of individual artists and small arts and cultural organizations to 1) develop high quality local arts projects and programming and 2) contribute to Manhattan communities by providing opportunities for the public to experience and engage with the arts. Emphasis is placed on the quality and artistic merit of proposed projects and the depth and authenticity of community experience, participation and engagement.
Competitive projects will demonstrate thoughtful project planning, experienced and appropriate project personnel and planned project income in the form of cash and other means of support. MCAF and LMCC strongly support the payment of artist fees and opportunities for artists to develop and lead community projects. MCAF seeks to increase access to arts and cultural activities in neighborhoods throughout Manhattan.

LMCC expects that applicants will be able to identify the audiences and community they wish to reach and that project activities will reflect a relationship with or understanding of that audience or community. Projects should include clear and realistic plans to promote the project widely and reach the public. The program encourages projects that provide the public with rich arts experiences as demonstrated by: opportunities to experience the arts; participate in artistic inquiry and creation; present or perform works; and engage with artists and/or dialogues about the arts.
Application Assistance

Information Sessions
Get an overview of Manhattan Community Arts Fund and learn about the components of a well-prepared application. First-time applicants and applicants who have not attended an information session since 2009 are required to attend. For dates and locations: http://www.lmcc.net/grants/info_sessions

Staff Assistance Available!
If you have trouble filling out the Online Application Form or have questions about MCAF, LMCC staff are available to assist you in person or on the phone. Contact: Prachi Patankar, Program Manager, at mcaf@lmcc.net or 212-219-9401 x117.

Application Deadline: September 13, 2012

Creatures Call on Playwrights to Submit One Acts and Full Lengths for 3rd Annual New Works Festival

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Playhouse Creatures Theatre Company is calling on playwrights to submit One Acts and Full Length Plays for the 3rd Annual New Works Festival. The plays selected will take part in a staged reading festival to be held this Fall 2012. There is absolutely NO entry fee.

The submission deadline is Monday August 6, 2012.

Please submit your play and include the following info:
*A brief cover letter. (Please tell us where you are from, brief bio)
*Brief synopsis of your play including time, place, and character breakdown.
*Has this play ever been produced?

Guidelines:
*One Acts should be a minimum of 30 minutes in length.
*Please do NOT submit more than 2 plays.
*Playwrights selected will be contacted via email. Check Playhouse
Creatures Theatre's site for updates.

At this time we are only taking electronic submissions. Please send PDF or Word Document versions to: Newplays@playhousecreatures.org

www.PlayhouseCreatures.org

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