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APPLICATION DEADLINE MAY 1
National Black Theatre (NBT), the nation’s first revenue-generating Black arts complex, was founded in 1968 by the late visionary artist and entrepreneur Dr. Barbara Ann Teer. Since its inception, NBT has been at the forefront of a broader movement of engaging the arts for social change, economic growth and transformation in innovative ways that build community. NBT is a leading institution engaged in intentional creative place- making by leveraging the power of theater arts with Black culture and creativity. Throughout its rich history, NBT has maintained a strong commitment to creating a space in which new and underrepresented voices can be brought to the forefront to provide unique and diverse perspectives on the myriad critical issues of equity and social justice that affect our nation today. During the last 50 years, NBT has produced over 300 original works, toured globally & launched international extensions, like the National Black Theatre of Sweden.
I AM SOUL - Playwright Residency, Launched in 2012, is the only program in the country that is dedicated to Black playwrights, whose work demonstrates exceptional artistic merit and excellence in the theatrical field, with a commitment to production. Coined as a dream MFA program this residency also seeks to unleash the soul of a playwright on the page so that they can develop, hone and explore new ways of artistic expression in a safe, supported and transformative environment. Alongside NBT’s Artistic Director, the selected playwright (s) will develop a new play during the eighteen (18) month residency. This process culminates with a Workshop Production in NBT’s following season.
With I AM SOUL, NBT seeks to deepen the artistic relationship between Black theatrical institutions and Black playwrights in order to re-establish Black theatrical institutions as the foremost supporters and producers of new works created by Black playwrights.
RESIDENCY COMPONENTS:
The I AM SOUL - PLAYWRIGHT RESIDENCY recognizes up to two Black playwrights annually. The chosen playwright(s) work must demonstrate exceptional artistic merit and excellence in the field.
The selected playwright will receive:
A min stipend of $5000 [pending funding]
Administrative support: Access to office space, and black and white printing
Artistic support: Dramaturgy, in-house readings, two 29-hour workshop
A workshop production in the 2020-2021 season for six public performances
Two Complimentary tickets to National Black Theatre productions that season, as well as additional services and opportunities that NBT has to offer.
ELIGIBILITY, CONDITIONS, & REQUIREMENTS:
• Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
2019 - 2021 I AM SOUL - PLAYWRIGHT RESIDENCY
• Applicants for the residency may not have had more than two plays produced by professional theaters at the time of application or during the residency. These are defined as productions for which the author and primary artists (actors, directors, and creative collaborators) were compensated and received at least three public performances. Ten-minute or one-act plays and university, college, secondary school, amateur, and Equity showcase/waiver productions are not considered full productions.
• TheIAMSOUL-PLAYWRIGHTRESIDENCYisavailabletoBlackplaywrights,21yearsofageorolder, who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
• Students in K-12 educational programs or enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs for playwriting are not eligible.
• The resident playwright commits to spending the 18-month residency period by actively participating in the National Black Theatre community.
• The resident playwright commits to completing one full-length work, which will receive a workshop production at the National Black Theatre in the 2020-2021 season.
• The residency period begins September 1, 2019 and ends March 31, 2021. All residency requirements must be met during that time.
• Work in partnership with NBT to curate a Playwright’s Workshop and/or Symposium open for the community to participate in.
• TheselectedplaywrightisrequiredtoserveontheSelectionCommitteeforthe20210-2022IAMSOUL-
PLAYWRIGHTS RESIDENCY.
• Applicantshavetocommittobeingpresentandactivelyparticipatingduringtherehearsalprocessofall workshop opportunities.
• Playwrights may not receive more than one residency at NBT through this program.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Applications are screened for eligibility by the National Black Theatre and evaluated by a selection committee of professional theater artists within the field who select the five to seven finalists. From that group the committee selects finalists that National Black Theatre’s Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director will evaluate. The selected finalists receive a scheduled interview. Selection is based on artistic potential, commitment and originality. The selection process is guided by the National
Black Theatre’s mission statement:
Core Mission:
1. To produce transformational theater that helps to shift the inaccuracy around African Americans' cultural identity by telling authentic stories of Black lifestyle;
2. To use theater arts as a means to educate, enrich, entertain, empower & inform the national conscience around current social issues impacting our communities;
2019 - 2021 I AM SOUL - PLAYWRIGHT RESIDENCY
3. To provide a safe space for artists of color to articulate the complexity, beauty & artistic excellence intrinsic in how we experience the world in the domain of acting, directing, producing, designing, play writing and entrepreneurial autonomy.
Guiding Principles:
HOME: The commitment to creating a destination dedicated to Black artists where they have a sense of being and belonging. For people of African descent, having an artistic home helps heal the wounds of historical displacement and forced migration that Black people have suffered in America ever since the establishment of slavery. “Welcome To Your Home Away From Home” -Dr. Teer
BRAVE AND SACRED: The establishment of a brave and sacred space connected to indigenous practices to welcome Black artists, activists, and NGOs within the field to exercise creative autonomy in taking risks to connect, support, train, and incubate artists.
BLACK LIBERATION: The unapologetic and intersectional love, celebration, preservation, cultivation, illumination, generation, and transcontinental connectivity of the African Diaspora.
HUMAN TRANSFORMATION: The act of creating and elevating the belief and practice that exposure to an intentional environment that celebrates and reveals the truth of the Black cultural experience and aligns it with our shared humanity promotes the purpose of liberation from systematic oppression for all people.
INTEGRITY: The incontestable practice of remaining mission-centered and engaging with others from an authentic space of honesty, love, and respect.
TO APPLY:
Using the subject line I AM SOUL - PLAYWRIGHT’S RESIDENCY, send an email to submit@nationalblacktheatre.org as a single PDF document, containing the following elements, arranged in this sequence:
1. AN APPLICATION COVER SHEET with the following information presented in clear format: NAME
COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS HOME PHONE, OTHER PHONE EMAIL ADDRESS
PLAY TITLE
PLAY SYNOPSIS
If you are represented by an agent at that time of applying please make us aware and let us know who that agency is.
2. A WRITING SAMPLE: One full-length play that is at least 50 pages in length and has been written only by the applicant (no co-written submissions will be accepted). Please identify 20 pages that you would like for the panelists to read. Please note that the panelists are only required to read these pages. The submitted script must be a complete draft that represents your best playwriting. The submitted play should not have the playwrights name attached to it as the committee reads the plays as a blind submission.
3. Answer these following questions:
a. What inspires you and your work? [250 word max]
b. How important is collaboration within your process? [250 word max]
c. Why are you interested in doing this residency now? Incorporate three goals you wish to obtain
after going through a process like this. [500 word max]
4. A PLAYWRITING RESUME [listing all readings, productions, awards, commissions, etc.]
5. If Playwright is chosen as a finalist they will be asked to submit a one page single spaced proposal outlining ideas, story and/or subject matter they would want to focus their residency on creating. This must be a NEW play.
Name the application packet file with your last name followed by soulapp [Example: application packet sent by Jane Smith = Smithsoulapp.pdf)
Email your application packet by May 1, 2019 at 11:59 pm. No late applications will be accepted.
Receipt of application materials will be confirmed via email.
DEADLINE & IMPORTANT DATES:
Applications must be received by: Finalists will be notified on: Recipient(s) will be notified on: Residency term:
May 1, 2019 at 11:59 pm
June 5, 2019
July 10, 2019
September 1, 2019 - March 31, 2021
QUESTIONS:
Contact:
Program Coordinator : Belynda Hardin submit@nationalblacktheatre.org
CC: Kayla@nationalblacktheatre.org