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Monday, July 17, 2017

Caleb Reese Festival of New Plays and Musicals

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* Fees are waived for members of WGA or Dramatists Guild (please provide with a link to your DG page, ID number or photo/copy of your membership card).

The Phoenix Theatre New American Theatre Festival is accepting submissions for our 2018 Festival beginning May 1, 2017.

The new works festival runs March 5 - March 18 of 2018.

The festival presents four staged/concert readings (with script in hand) of new, unproduced plays or musicals as well as a night of new short plays and a Composer/Lyricist Cabaret.

Submissions for the 2018 festival will be accepeted beginning May 1, 2017.
The deadline for submissions is August 1, 2017.

Selections will be made in November 2017.

*IMPORTANT* Click HERE for detailed step by step submission instructions.

Once you have carefully reviewed the guidelines below, click HERE to submit.

The Festival is accepting submissions for the following:
  • Full Length Plays: both dramatic and comedic
  • Plays should be original, un-produced, full-length scripts.
  • Plays that have received more than two development processes (i.e. festival participation) are not eligible. 
  • No screenplays, please.
  • No Theatre for Young Audience pieces will be accepted.
  • Cast size must be limited to 5 actors or less (actors may play more than one role).
  • Submission fee: $10.00*
  • * Fees are waived for members of WGA or Dramatists Guild (please provide with a link to your DG page, ID number or photo/copy of your membership card).
  • PDF downloads only! Hard copies will no longer be accepted. 
  • Email submissions must be sent to the email address provided in your registration confirmation adhering to the following guidelines: 
  • Full Length Submission written in the subject line.
Please include the title of your play, your name, address and contact information in the body of your email submission, as well as a brief synopsis of your play and how many acts it is.
PDF file must be a blind copy of the script.
Fee must be paid online.
A notice of receipt will be sent by email once your script has been received.

Plays selected will receive a development process with a director, dramaturg and actors. This includes twenty hours of rehearsal time and up to three performed readings, with script in hand, in front of an audience. A guided feedback session with the audience will follow each performance. Questions for the talkbacks are developed with the playwrights and are facilitated by the festival director or one of the coordinators.

If your script is selected, you must be available to be in residence for six to seven days during the festival. The week of the festival will be determined after selections are made. The 2018 festival is March 5 through March 18.
Airfare and lodging are provided for the festival, as well as a small honorarium. Travel to and from your home airport is not included
  • Full Length Musicals: both dramatic and comedic
  • Musicals should be original and un-produced.
  • Musical Revues are being accepted.
  • No Theatre for Young Audience pieces will be accepted.
  • No more than three collaborators (book writer, lyricist and composer) for each work. 
  • Cast size must be limited to 8 actors (actors may play multiple roles).
Submission fee: $10.00*
* Fees are waived for members of WGA or Dramatists Guild (please provide a link to your DG/WGA page, ID number or photo/copy of your membership card).

PDF downloads only! Hard copies will no longer be accepted.
Email submissions must be sent to the email address provided in your registration confirmation adhering to the following guidelines:
Full Length Musical Submission or Musical Revue Submission written in the subject line.
Please include the title of your musical or musical revue, your name and the names of each collaborator, address and contact information in the body of your email submission, as well as a brief synopsis of your musical and how many acts it is.
The PDF file must be a blind copy of the script.
Links to Dropbox (or other downloadable sites) are acceptable for full zip files, including recordings/demos of music.
Fee must be paid online
A notice of receipt will be sent by email once your script has been received.
  • Musicals selected will receive a development process with a director, dramaturg and actors. This includes twenty hours of rehearsal time and up to three performed readings, with script in hand, in front of an audience. A guided feedback session with the audience will follow each performance. Questions for the talkbacks are developed with the playwrights and are facilitated by the festival director or one of the coordinators. 
  • If your script/musical is selected, you must be available to be in residence for six to seven days during the festival. The week of the festival will be determined after selections are made. The 2018 festival is March 5 through March 18.
  • Airfare and lodging are provided for the festival as well as a small honorarium. Travel to and from your home airport is not included.
  • Short Plays: both dramatic or comedic
  • Plays should be original, un-produced, short plays between 10 to 20 minutes in length.
  • Plays that have received more than two development processes (i.e. festival participation) are not eligible. 
  • No screenplays, please.
  • No musicals, please.
  • No Theatre for Young Audience pieces will be accepted.
  • No multiple authors or collaborations will be accepted.
  • Cast size must be limited to 5 actors or less (actors may play more than one role)
  • No submission fee required. 
  • PDF downloads only! Hard copies will not be accepted. 
Email submissions must be sent to the email address provided in your registration confirmation adhering to the following guidelines: 

​Short Play Submission written in the subject line.
Please include the title of your play, your name, address and contact information in the body of your email submission, as well as a brief synopsis of your play.
The PDF file must be a blind copy of the script. A notice of receipt will be sent by email once your script has been received.
A notice of receipt will be sent by email once your script has been received.
Selected short plays will receive a short rehearsal process and a staged reading, with script in hand, in our annual Evening of Short Plays.
Travel and lodging for the festival is NOT included. However, playwrights are welcome to attend if it is convenient.
Original Songs for our Composer/Lyricist cabaret:
Please submit three complete, original songs: one ballad, one up-tempo and one production number.
Songs can be from an existing musical (of your own in development) or be stand-alone pieces. We are looking for a sampling of your work.
Email submissions must be sent to the email address provided in your registration confirmation adhering to the following guidelines:
  • Songs will be featured in our Composer/Lyricist Cabaret. The goal is to give a sampling of your work, your voice and your point of view.
  • Links to Dropbox (or other downloadable sites) are acceptable for full zip files, including recordings/demos of music. Please use QuickTime, WMP (Mp3 or Mp4) formats.
  • The PDF file of sheet music must be a blind copy of the songs. Lead sheets will not be accepted. Recordings do not need to be professional recordings.
  • Please include the title of your songs, the name of the composer and lyricist, address and contact information in the body of your email submission.
  • Composer/Lyricist Cabaret Submission written in the subject line.
  • If your music is selected, you must be available to be in residence for the week the Cabaret is scheduled. The week of the festival will be determined after selections are made. The 2018 festival is March 5 through March 18.
  • Composers will receive airfare, housing and a small honorarium. Travel to and from your home airport is not included.

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