Deadline: July 18, 2021 midnight EDT
Play Group is a two year residency in which members become a part of the Ars Nova Resident Artist community. In addition to biweekly meetings where members share new work and receive feedback from their Play Group peers, members also receive dramaturgical support and artistic match-making advice from the Ars Nova artistic staff; invitations to Ars Nova shows, Resident Artists mixers, and to see the work of Play Group alums around the city; two Play Group writing retreats; and the opportunity to further develop and showcase one of their plays in a weeklong workshop that can culminate in a public reading. Click here for a list of Play Group alumni.
Applications for Play Group 2022 will be accepted beginning June 21st and must be submitted by midnight on July 18th to be eligible for consideration. Please CLICK HERE for the application form. Applications require one full-length play, a playwriting resume, two theater references and a personal statement.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
All playwrights who identify as emerging and who are able to attend meetings in NYC are eligible to apply. In selecting new members, we will take into account the writing in the submitted play (all plays are read in their entirety), how/if the writer stands to benefit from membership at this point in their career, what they would bring to the other writers in the group, and the overall balance of voices, styles and experiences in Play Group.
Ars Nova recognizes both that it is a predominantly white organization and that historic institutional theater practices have led to an exclusionary and harmful environment for those who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color. We are actively working to become a more diverse, anti-racist, inclusive organization in all ways. Writers of all races, genders, backgrounds and abilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
APPLICATION MATERIALS:
Applications consist of a full-length play, a playwriting resume and a one-page personal statement. Because we encourage Play Group members to use their time with us to develop their bodies of work (as opposed to a specific script), we look to personal statements to help us start to get to know you as a writer and a person more generally. So we’re not looking for you to elucidate your application play, but rather we’d love to hear about what inspires you and makes you tick. Please feel free to address any of the below prompt suggestions – or respond in any way that you think will help us begin to get to know you best!
What appeals to you about this particular writers group for you right now?
Why do you write for live theater?
Do you have a next play kicking around in your brain? (we’d love to hear about that- and don’t worry we won’t hold you to it!)
What non-theater hobbies or obsessions inform your practice/process?
If you could design an unconventional workshop process, what would it look like?
What are your hopes and dreams (concrete or abstract) for theater you want to be involved in moving forward?
APPLICATION MATERIALS:
Applications consist of a full-length play, a playwriting resume and a one-page personal statement. Because we encourage Play Group members to use their time with us to develop their bodies of work (as opposed to a specific script), we look to personal statements to help us start to get to know you as a writer and a person more generally. So we’re not looking for you to elucidate your application play, but rather we’d love to hear about what inspires you and makes you tick. Please feel free to address any of the below prompt suggestions – or respond in any way that you think will help us begin to get to know you best!
What appeals to you about this particular writers group for you right now?
Why do you write for live theater?
Do you have a next play kicking around in your brain? (we’d love to hear about that- and don’t worry we won’t hold you to it!)
What non-theater hobbies or obsessions inform your practice/process?
If you could design an unconventional workshop process, what would it look like?
What are your hopes and dreams (concrete or abstract) for theater you want to be involved in moving forward?