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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Athena Theatre Playwriting Group and New Play Festival

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Athena Theatre invites you to submit to Athena Writes, emerging playwrights’ group assembled for a one-year exploration of the theme: “Falling Forward,” and centered on Athena Theatre’s commitment to supporting new work which pushes at the boundaries of live theatre. We especially encourage playwrights with an eye for diverse characters, strong points of view, and action focused dialogue to apply. 

As a part of Athena Writes, playwrights will meet twice a month on Tuesdays (or a date that works best for the group), beginning in mid-January 2018, for three hours, to discuss the year’s theme, share new work and talk playwriting and the business of theatre. Playwrights will be asked to write a short, 10-minute play for production at the New Play Festival currently scheduled at a NYC theatre in Spring 2018.  They will also spend the year working on a full-length piece on this year’s theme.  The playwright group will be facilitated by Athena Theatre Company’s 2018 playwright-in-residence, Nora Sørena Casey.  

All playwrights will offer a ten-minute play at the play festival.  Athena Theatre will provide the theater space and PR outreach; playwrights will be responsible for any specialty costumes, props or scenic items. The compilation of all ten-minute plays created in residence will be submitted for publication consideration.  

Those selected will be asked for an admission fee to be a part of Athena Writes, emerging playwrights’ group 2018 of $125. 100% of this contribution goes directly to theatre rental, actor and crew stipends for the New Play Festival and the Year-End Staged Reading. 

The playwrights’ full-length plays will also be considered for full production by Athena Theatre in its next season. 

We will have guest dramaturges throughout the year to give feedback on the new pieces. We will also keep playwrights apprised of all play submission opportunities. The meeting space is at the Dramatists Guild Foundation and playwrights will be able to hear their work read out loud.  The three-hour meetings will comprise of discussion about individual playwrights’ projects, as well as readings of new work, where playwrights will cast (from the other writers) and hear their work read aloud.  Athena Theatre believes that a play cannot be fully understood until the words hit the ear of an audience.  This process will allow playwrights to deepen their understanding of their own work, as well as glean ideas and approaches from their fellow playwrights. 

Playwrights will be asked to concentrate on both their ten-minute piece, as well as their full-length piece throughout the year. 

At the end of the year, 10-minute excerpts from each full-length play will be presented as a staged reading at a NYC venue TBA. 

To be considered for Athena Writes 2018 please submit the following by December 16th, 2017 to Founding Artistic Director, Veronique Ory at Veronique@AthenaTheatre.com: 
  • Cover Letter detailing your interest 
  • Full-length play, which highlights your style of writing 
  • Resume 

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