Turn to Flesh Productions reading series

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Reading Series 2016
Submission Guidelines

Submissions must be submitted electronically to turntoflesh@gmail.com. Please address all correspondence re: the reading series to Laura Pittenger, Literary Manager.

Only scripts submitted between December 1, 2015 and January 1, 2016 will be considered for the 2016 Reading Series.*


*Please note: If you previously submitted a piece and received a notice of rejection, please do not resubmit it. However, you may submit another piece within our guidelines.

If you are unsure of the status of your 2016 submission for any reason, please email turntoflesh@gmail.comwith subject line “2016 Submission Status Request.”

Turn to Flesh reserves the right to consider only pieces submitted between December 1, 2015 and January 1, 2016. Exceptions will only take place at the discretion of the Literary Manager with playwright’s explicit acknowledgement and permission.

Submission Package Must Include

A) A ten-page script sample in PDF format. You may submit any ten pages from your script.

B) Casting breakdown (M/F # of actors & short description of age/relevant casting info); approximate running time; intermission, special requirements.

C) The play’s production/workshop/reading history, if applicable. Please include any confirmed future workshops or productions of the play. (Note: a history of workshops/readings does not disqualify a piece from our reading series. The ideal script for this series is a play not yet ready for production, but one ready to be put on its feet. Again, your piece should benefit from a partially staged reading.)

D) A brief cover letter telling us who you are and why you feel your play would benefit from a staged reading with Turn To Flesh at this stage of development. Please include basic contact information, your city of residence, and your plan for attending and participating in rehearsals/the event in NYC, if selected.

The Reading Series Experience

Three scripts will receive a reading in June, July and August 2016, respectively. The final order of the season will be reviewed by the Artistic Director and Literary Manager in conjunction with playwrights’ schedules.

Each play will receive 9 hours of rehearsal and one staged reading before an exclusive audience in New York City. Turn to Flesh will hire a director and a complete cast for each staged reading; playwrights will not be required to supply their own creative team. The Literary Manager will attend all rehearsals and be available for dramaturgical assistance if requested. Audience feedback will be collected in written form and given to the playwright following the reading performance.

If selected for a reading, playwright must be available for 9 hours of in-person rehearsal and/or present for an exclusive reading event held in New York City. Regrettably, TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS cannot provide housing or travel stipend for out-of-town playwrights. We can only consider submissions from playwrights outside New York/the greater Northeast region if playwrights can provide their own travel/housing and be present for rehearsal and/or the event.

A small honorarium will be awarded to each playwright who participates in the series.

What To Submit

Please review the TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS mission statement and website to learn about our company and the kind of plays we are seeking. We ask that playwrights submit and adhere to the following guidelines:

This season, we welcome especially plays in the following styles: radio drama, commedia dell’arte, comedy of manners and farce.

Verse continues to be the signature style of TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS; other forms of poetry and heightened language are also welcome (couplets, experimental, etc.).

Philosophically, the selected plays should embody the transcendental ideals of the “Good,” “True” and “Beautiful.”

The play should include a female protagonist and at least an even ratio of male to female roles.

Plays of 75-100 minutes are preferred.

Cast size of no more than 5-6 actors are preferred.

Adaptations must either be pieces in the public domain OR adhere to copyright guidelines in the United States. You may be asked to provide proof of permission for material not in the public domain.

What Not To Submit

No proposals/unfinished scripts will be accepted.

No translations of pre-existing material.

No “kitchen sink” plays - unless that kitchen sink play happens to be in verse.

No musicals, though some live music is acceptable; please email us with questions.

After You Submit

You will receive confirmation of your submission within 48 hours. Please do not send a follow-up email unless you do not receive a confirmation within that period.

At any point between December 1, 2015 and January 1, 2016 (approximately) you may be contacted by the Literary Manager to request the full script for review. At any point between December 1, 2015 and February 13, 2016 you will receive notification of your play’s acceptance or refusal. TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS reserves the right to refuse any submission, especially those not in accordance with our submission guidelines.

On February 14, 2016, final selections will be publicly announced.