Free theater in NYC - Fragments by Geraldine Inoa

Fragments is a play in development about three African American patients in a psychiatric ward. Each character reveals the anguish and devastation that brought them to the hospital. The stories they share are desperate attempts to reclaim their existence and cope with their suffering. The characters question the value of psychiatric care and engage in discussions that provide insight into the lives of those who suffer from mental illness.

Tickets are free and can be reserved here. 

The staged reading is on Saturday, November 15th from 7:00pm-10:00pm. The reading will take place at Shetler Studios: 244 W 54th St, New York, NY 10019 in Penthouse #1. Following the reading is a talkback with the playwright, the actors, and the director. It's an opportunity to support a work in development by offering your impressions, insights, and constructive criticism. 

For more information, please email: fragmentsreading@gmail.com 

Fragments is a play in development about three African American patients in a psychiatric ward. Each character reveals the anguish and devastation that brought them to the hospital. The stories they share are desperate attempts to reclaim their existence and cope with their suffering. The characters question the value of psychiatric care and engage in discussions that provide insight into the lives of those who suffer from mental illness.

Tickets are free and can be reserved here. 

The staged reading is on Saturday, November 15th from 7:00pm-10:00pm. The reading will take place at Shetler Studios: 244 W 54th St, New York, NY 10019 in Penthouse #1. Following the reading is a talkback with the playwright, the actors, and the director. It's an opportunity to support a work in development by offering your impressions, insights, and constructive criticism. 

For more information, please email: fragmentsreading@gmail.com 

Think Fast: Theater Project’s One-Act Competition

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The Theater Project of Maplewood, NJ, an award-winning, professional theater, is now soliciting short plays for “Think Fast,” its second-annual one-act competition February 12-15, 2015. The contest is open to playwrights in the New Jersey-New York area.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: November 21, 2014

WHO WE ARE: The Theater Project, a professional theater company based in Maplewood, NJ, began in 1994 with the goal of bringing the best contemporary plays to our community.

HOW TO SUBMIT: Electronic submissions only. E-mail your short play to OneActFest@TheTheaterProject.org
Include in the Subject line: “Submission + The Title of Your Play.”

WHAT TO SUBMIT: Plays can be either dramas or comedies but must be no more than 15 minutes running time. This restriction is absolute and plays that exceed 15 minutes will not be considered. Sets, lighting and sound requirements must be simple. No elaborate props or effects. Plays invited to participate must be ready-to-perform and supply their own actors and directors. There is no fee to submit. Those selected for participation will be charged a $200 fee to cover expenses (venue, stage manager, lighting/sound director)

STATEMENT: Email submissions must contain this sentence in the body of the email: “If my play is accepted and I choose to take part in the festival, I understand that I will be responsible for the casting and rehearsal of my play and that I will be charged a $200 participation fee.”

WHAT WE SUPPLY: The Theater Project will supply the venue (The Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts in Maplewood, NJ), a stage manager and a lighting/sound director. Individual productions supply the actors, directors and make their own agreements with actors/directors regarding compensation.

JUDGES: All plays are guaranteed two (2) performances. If a play progresses to the “final” round on Sunday, February 15, that play will have a third performance. Plays progress through audience vote. On Sunday, February 15, a panel of judges will award the “Judges Choice” award and there will also be an “Audience Choice” award.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU: The Theater Project will publicize the festival and the “Judges’ Choice” winner for Best Play will receive a $500 prize.

Clockhouse seeks works for publication

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CLOCKHOUSE, the literary magazine published in partnership with Goddard College, seeks short dramatic works from emerging and established playwrights for its 2015 issue. Dramatic works can be either a standalone piece or a self-contained excerpt from a play or screenplay, and up to 15 pages in length.

CLOCKHOUSE is devoted to a variety of genres, publishing fiction, poetry, memoir, creative nonfiction, as well as dramatic work. Our mission: Dare. Risk. Dream. Share. Ruminate. How do we understand our place in the world, our responsibility to it, and our responsibility to each other? CLOCKHOUSE is an eclectic conversation about the work-in-progress of life—a soul arousal, a testing ground, a new community, a call for change. Join in.

Deadline is December 1.

For submission guidelines and to submit your work, visit http://www.clockhouse.net

Theatricum Botanicum presents: BOTANICUM SEEDLINGS A DEVELOPMENT SERIES FOR PLAYWRIGHTS

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With its roots in the McCarthy Era Blacklisiting, Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum has provided a home in Southern California for professional Shakespeare and the classics in its scenic, outdoor amphitheatre in rustic Topanga Canyon for over 40 years.

Theatricum is also committed to furthering new works and new voices in theatre through Botanicum Seedlings. Playwrights are invited to submit samples of full length works of any genre for this development series, which acts as an adjunct to Theatricum’s Summer Repertory Season.

The submission window is September 1 - December 1 annually. Works received during this period will be considered for development and production during the following year.

Opportunities through Botanicum Seedlings include Playreadings, Play Festivals, private GreenReads (for a fresh look at early drafts) and Playwrights Workshops culminating in developmental GreenReads. Since its creation in 2002, the
program has supported well over 100 new plays.
The goals of Botanicum Seedlings are:
 to maintain focus on the needs of the playwright in regard to a play’s growth;
 to foster relationships with emerging playwrights around the globe;
 to act as an advocate whenever appropriate in recommending plays to other companies;
 to establish Theatricum Botanicum as a guiding force in the development of original material; and
 to provide a nurturing environment in which Theatricum company members can expand and stretch in new directions as actors as well as directors, writers and dramaturgs.

For consideration, please keep in mind that Theatricum encourages provocative, political and socially relevant material, and prefers works that are uniquely theatrical and character-driven. Although the company is classically based, Seedlings
is by no means traditional in its sensibilities and is not looking for classical translations or adaptations unless they are highly original. Nor are we interested in scripts which might be better suited to film or television.
In addition, Botanicum Seedlings is committed to gender parity, with a goal of 50% or more women playwrights and directors involved in its public readings.

Submissions may also be considered for production as part of Theatricum Botanicum’s Summer Repertory Season.

Please note that the theatre very rarely includes new works in its season; both of our performance spaces are outdoor amphitheatres in a natural setting.

From September 1 - December 1, we accept electronic submissions of 10-15 page dialogue samples from full length plays (sorry, no queries for one-acts or short plays) accompanied by playwright’s bio and play history as MS Doc
or PDF attachments sent to seedlings@theatricum.com. (Only one play per year, please!)

If electronic submission is not possible, send complete plays, musicals and accompanying materials to

Botanicum Seedlings
c/o Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum,
P.O. Box 1222
Topanga, CA 90290. 

All materials will be recycled unless special arrangements are made beyond including an SASE.

Our goal is to acknowledge receipt of all submissions and queries. Please know that while we read and review all materials we receive, we are not able to personally follow up with every submission.

For more information on Seedlings writing workshops, private dramaturgy and other Theatricum events and programs,

visit www.theatricum.com or contact seedlings@theatricum.com. The business office can be reached at (310) 455-2322.

Thank you in advance for your submission, and for your patience if our response is delayed.

Jennie Webb Kimberly Shelby-Syszko
Seedlings Program Director Seedlings Literary Manager

Welders 2.0

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The Welders are thrilled to announce that we are officially opening up the application process for Welders 2.0!

In selecting the next generation of Welders, we’re looking for playwrights who are deeply involved in their craft, willing and eager take on the tasks of producing five plays, and committed to developing, sustaining and passing on the organization to Welders 3.0. We are also seeking an executive and creative director ready and able to drive the collective creatively and with both intelligence and enthusiasm.

The Process

In selecting the next generation of artists to whom we’ll be giving the organization, The Welders have decided to assess groups of candidates, rather than individuals. Our decision stems from an appreciation of the fact that we had the luxury of forming our collective organically, building relationships with each other over time. With that fact in mind, we didn’t feel it would be appropriate to select six individuals and thrust them together as a group. We want to find people who, through their own relationships, already know they want to work as a team.

The following application is thus intended to be completed by five playwrights and one executive and creative directorcollaboratively. Although there are questions that each potential Welder will need to answer individually, many will need to be answered as a group as well. After reviewing applications, furthermore, we will be selecting the most promising groups to participate in an interview process as well. That process will be conducted collectively as well: we will interview potential groups as a whole, rather than speaking with members individually.

Please note that we are perfectly comfortable with artists choosing to apply as a member of more than one group. Collaboration takes multiple shapes and we don’t want to limit possibilities; we want to open them up. Our only restriction is that each group should consist of five playwrights or generative theater artists and one executive and creative director: six individuals in total. It is not possible, in our experience, to serve as both a playwright AND as The Welders’ executive and creative director; the labor would be too great. All we ask, for those who are applying as a member of more than one group, is for transparency: please let everyone you’re applying with know that you’re applying with others as well.

Applications for Welders 2.0 are due by December 1, 2014. 

We’ve allowed a significant amount of time because we understand that it may take a while for groups to form, let alone to complete the application. Our intent is to review and consider applications during December and January and then begin the interview process in February of 2015. The interview process may require two rounds; our goal is to complete that process and select a new group of Welders to join us for the final twelve months of our three-year run by May 15, 2015. Our hope that is a year of working by our sides—participating in our bi-weekly meetings, producing with us, and learning how we work—will prepare the new group to take the reins from us smoothly and powerfully.

If you have any questions about the application below, you can submit them electronically to Gwydion Suilebhan (gwydion@thewelders.org). Answers to submitted questions—if they might be useful for all applicants—will be shared on our website as updates to this page. We, too, want to be as transparent as possible.

The Application

The Welders 2.0 application has three components: a series of questions, a skills checklist, and additional supporting material. Each component is described in detail below.

The Questions

First, please provide answers to the following in a single PDF or Word document:

1) The names and proposed positions of all six applicants.

2) Short descriptions of one potential project that each playwright or generative artist might work on. (These are not commitments; merely possibilities.) A paragraph will suffice, but more detail is also welcome.

3) A sample “Why I Want to Be a Welder” blog post—500-750 words in length—for each group member, including the executive and creative director. Sample blog posts are available here.

4) Responses to the following three questions, composed as a group:
The Welders place tremendous value on diversity. It’s built into our value system and it’s expressed at every level of the organization, from our Board of Directors to the artists we work with. Explain to us how your group, as it’s constituted, will continue or even build upon those values.

The Welders are a DC-centric organization. Although not all of us live in the district, DC is our community, and we consider it a core part of our mission to serve that community. How are you all, as artists, embedded within the city? What’s your relationship to being part of your community? How will your group embody this aspect of The Welders’ mission?
We’ve spent our first few years establishing an alternative platform for new play development and production, one that’s succeeded in a great many ways. We don’t, however, consider the work finished or perfected. We intend to hand The Welders off to a new generation with the full expectation that things will change. The organization will evolve. So… with that in mind, and given your understanding of The Welders as we are currently constituted, what ideas does your group have for doing what we do either differently or better?
Skills Checklist

In developing a detailed understanding of the skills and effort required to run The Welders, we have assembled a checklist of responsibilities that helps us keep track of our own work. With that in mind, please use the following list to indicate which one (or more) of your group’s members might have the necessary experience to manage the following organization responsibilities, as well as the source of that experience. (In most cases, a short sentence—or even a half-sentence—will suffice.) Your checklist should be included with your PDF containing answers to our questions.

Please note that we do NOT expect you to be able to cover ALL of the following items—we get help from outsiders and we see no reason why the next generation of Welders won’t do the same. We simply want to know what resources and abilities your group will bring to bear.

Marketing and Public Relations
Maintain the Welders’ website (in WordPress)
Solicit and edit blog posts
Manage the Welders’ social media presences (currently Facebook and Twitter)
Write and send press releases
Art direct Welders photo shoots and video trailers
Solicit press and media coverage, both locally and nationwide
Maintain a press contact list
Serve as theatreWashington liaison

Development
Maintain a grant schedule
Write and submit grant proposals and grant reports
Pitch corporate donors
Maintain individual donor prospect lists
Set up and attend donor pitches
Plan friend-raiser events
Write donation thank you letters
Maintain relationships with funders and foundations
Plan and run annual fundraising events: The Weld and The Joint
Plan and run Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings
Serve as Board secretary
Solicit Board members as necessary

Infrastructure and Financials
Maintain Google calendar, create Google + Hangouts, manage Google Drive
Create bi-weekly meeting agendas/take and distribute bi-weekly meeting notes
File Welders taxes
Maintain Welders budget and production budgets
Manage Welders bank accounts
Plan and run Advisory Council meetings
Plan and execute the search for Welders 3.0

Productions
Develop marketing reciprocity with other productions
Arrange opening and closing night parties
Set up talkbacks
Manage comp lists
Design, edit, and print programs
Art direct show image development
Create and implement marketing campaigns
Serve as casting director (arranging auditions, finding readers, etc.)
Contract with actors and designers
Find and contract with rehearsal and performance space
General production management

Please note, furthermore, that the above list of responsibilities does NOT constitute the entire organizational to-do list. It’s merely suggestive. Being a member of The Welders is, approximately, a half-time job, on average—and more than that at busy times—so those who are applying need to consider seriously whether they are willing to embrace the required effort.
Additional Materials

Finally, we would like you to submit (as separate documents) resumes or CVs for all six members of your potential group.

Thank you in advance for participating in what we hope will be an empowering hand-off to Welders 2.0! Finally: if you’d like to download a PDF version of this application, one is available here.

Discount tickets for NYCPlaywrights ~ THE PLACES YOU'LL GO

THE PLACES YOU’LL GO 

By Hila Ben Gera

An original new comedy with a lighthearted look at success, self-determination, fortune and mail!

Special $15 discount tickets for NYCPlaywrights for the Friday, November 14, 7:30PM show and the Saturday, November 15, 7:30 show.

Tickets at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/935775 

Code:  NYCplaywrights 

(There is a limit of 10 tickets each night for the code)

For more info about the show www.tpyg.info

***

In The Places You’ll Go, two existential Postmen suddenly find there is something … missing. 

On their quest for definitions, they bump into characters who glow with achievement and ooze with advice. But solutions seem scarce. A woman on a parallel search for new places, places her hope in fortune cookie fortunes, which may be guiding her to nirvana. Or a breakdown. All seem to be desperately trying to invent and reinvent themselves to achieve… something. 

Wealth. Or happiness. 

Or something!

CAST

Jason Salmon*, Jamie Bennett*, Laura Hooper, Kate Taney, 

Joe Mullen and John Willam Short*

*appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association

DIRECTOR/DRAMATURG: Erez Drigues (director of Repertory Theatre- Best Play at the Israeli Fringe Awards)

CREATIVE CONSULTANT: Jack Hofsiss (Tony Award winning director of The Elephant Man)

COMPOSER: Shai Fishman (composer of the Off Broadway show The Voca People)

SET DESIGNER: Nikolay Sviridchik   

COSTUME DESIGNER:Annie Simon  

PRODUCED BY Lama Theater Company

ONGOING SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITY: PRIME* PULP

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Do you have a sizzler where a read-aloud of just the dialogue could transform any playing space into a chamber of Story Delight?

Our *Prime Playmaking Project is a "shortcut cooking" method for producing quality theatre. Chosen submissions are loaded onto ipads, rehearsed with fine actors for a few hours, then taken to bars & living rooms. No stage directions are read out loud. The actors "enter" by standing and "exit" by sitting. It's a pure Reading; something akin to campfire storytelling-- through theatrical dialogue.

If you've got a piece that could be categorized as Action, Fantasy or Suspense (how our company defines "Pulp") and needs no stage directions, please show us what you've got.

Chosen authors receive $5.00 for each performance of works under 20 minutes and $10.00 for each performance of works 20-50 minutes and $20.00 for pieces 50 minutes or more. Pieces are frequently used for more than one performance. Prime Playmaking also gives authors an excellent marketing angle for their pieces: A play that needs little to no budget to mount and has been proven (through our performances) able to carry an evening.

R U L E S

The piece must fit under the categories of either action, fantasy or suspense.
Though not necessarily limited to 4 characters, the piece requires no more than 4 actors.
Contains little to no physical actions OR it has tastefully-placed interludes of narration to cover those actions.
The changes in setting and circumstance are very easy to track just through the dialogue.
Establishes high stakes from the get-go or an atmosphere of danger/outrageousness from the get-go.
While it doesn't have to be a comedy, humor does tend to be a good check-in with the audience's focus.
Extra points for scripts with more roles for women!

If you don't have anything that fits our qualifications, feel free to refer friends to us and send suggestions of existing published works.

You can send word docs or pdfs to

primesubmissions.pulpstage@gmail.com

If you do not receive a response within 30 days of your submission, please contact us and you will have an update within the week.

Free theater in Chicago - Romeo and Juliet in American Sign Language

R&J in ASL - Romeo and Juliet in American Sign Language

Set in 1890’s Martha’s Vineyard when a unique deaf/hearing bilingual agricultural community gave way to a budding tourism industry. Intense cultural lines are drawn between hearing and non-hearing as land, lifestyle, and livelihoods ignite the Capulet and Montague families. This beautiful and physical production is both spoken and performed in American Sign Language and intended for all audiences

Friday Nov 21st - 7pm
4945 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Sat Nov 22nd- 7pm
1914 N Milwakee Ave, Chicago IL

Sun Nov 23rd- 3pm
Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W Cortland St, Chicago, IL 60622

This event is free.
No additional guests are allowed.
Please RSVP by replying to chicago@redtheater.org

More info at http://www.redtheater.org

9TH ANNUAL NOREASTERN PLAY WRITING CONTEST

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This is the ninth year of premiered staged readings of three winning one-act plays in showcase at the Brick Box Theatre housed in the beautiful Paramount Theatre in downtown Rutland, Vermont. Vermont Actors’ Repertory Theatre is in its tenth season. The NorEastern Contest winners will receive an intense day and a half’s work on each play, and two evenings of Showcasing as well as three nights lodging. The NorEastern Showcase rehearsal and performance dates for this year will be May 14, 15 & 16, 2015. First, each script goes through a rigorous screening process with panels of readers. The scripts with the highest scores are submitted to a second panel, and then the finalists are read by a single reader who selects the three scripts to be showcased.

Type of work: one-act plays no longer than 45 mins.

Deadline: November 15, 2014 
Plays may again be submitted as of August 15, 2015.

This year’s winners will be in workshop and showcase May 14 (workshop), May 15 (workshop & showcase) and May 16 (professional review and discussion & showcase)

2015 Guidelines

This contest is open to playwrights of all ages and experience who are residents of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

· One-act plays must be readable in the showcase in 30 to 45 minutes. Readers are instructed to disqualify plays that are, or appear to be, longer.

· Submissions must be original, unpublished, one-act plays. Plays that have had staged readings or productions may be submitted, however, plays that have received Vermont productions or readings or have been published may not.

· Legal clearance of materials not in the public domain is the full responsibility of the playwright.

· Individual playwrights may submit a maximum of two (2) entries per year.

· The author will maintain all literary rights to his or her own material.

· All submissions are judged blind. We require four (4) bound copies with four (4) cover pages: All four (4) with the title of the play, BUT ONLY ONE with the author’s name, address, E-mail & phone numbers. Electronic copies will not be accepted due to the costs of printing.

· If you would like your scripts returned, you MUST include an S.A.S. mailing envelope covering the FULL return mailing costs with your submission. If no S.A.S.E. is included, your scripts will be recycled.

· Plays must be processed, page numbered, and securely bound in an ably bound soft cover, in standard professional play format. Write to Samuel French Inc., 45 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10010-2751 for their format guidelines, or copy them from www.vcu.edu/artweb/playwriting/format.html on line.

· All submissions will be handled with care. However, Vermont Actors Repertory Theatre assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged scripts.

· Submission fees: Following the guidelines of the Dramatists Guild of America there is no entry fee.

· Mail four (4) copies of your script(s) to: 

Nor’Eastern Play Writing Contest, 

Vermont Actors Repertory Theatre, 

PO Box 580, 

Rutland, Vermont 05702-0580. 

Deadline for submissions is postmarked by November 15, 2014, notification of winners will be on or about March 5, 2015 and the staged readings in Showcase will be in May 14,15 & 16, 2015, with winning playwrights expected to attend.

Free theater in NYC ~ SEX TODAY, LOVE TOMORROW

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uC_f3V-nT3L9gaNHwFSxzi9Q7Q66xMWLqHatwQ3FRIs/viewform?c=0&w=1&usp=mail_form_link

UNHEARD Festival (UK)

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We are now accepting submissions for the UNHEARD Festival in February 2015!

Deadline is Sunday 30th November at 5pm (UK time).
No exceptions can be made, including technical difficulties, so please make sure to submit in time!

We accept script submissions (for which we will find a cast and director) as well as proposals with a team already attached.

We aim to include as wide a variety as possible of new, challenging and thought-provoking writing addressing sexual abuse and violence, the victims, the survivors, the consequences, their families, their friends, their lives or anything else around the topic you wish to explore.

Selected submissions will receive one performance or rehearsed reading between 19th and 22nd of February at The Bread & Roses Theatre in Clapham (South London).

Submitted pieces can be any length, but it is likely that longer pieces of writing will be staged as a rehearsed reading rather than full performance (unless you already have your own production team).

If you have any questions or want to make a submission please email info@goblinbaby.com or use the online form.

Writers' names can stay anonymous, if this is preferred, just please do let us know asap.
All profits from UNHEARD will be donated to relevant charities.

11th Annual Ten-Minute Playwriting Contest

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Lakeshore Players Theatre is accepting submissions for 10-minute plays. 
Finalist plays will be produced at our Annual Festival in June 2015.

Play submissions will be accepted through November 15, 2014.

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYWRIGHTS


High school-aged playwrights are encouraged to enter. Plays must include a letter from a teacher or school administrator, written on school letterhead, verifying that the play was written during high school, in addition to the guidelines below. If the committee chooses to name a high school entry as a finalist for the 11th annual contest, the play will be produced with our other finalists in our festival in June 2015.

ALL PLAYWRIGHTS


Please read the following rules and requirements carefully. 
Plays not meeting the requirements will be disqualified.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• The play should be approximately ten-minutes in length.

• The play must have no more than five on-stage (speaking and non-speaking) characters.

• You may submit only one play, so send us your best! Please do not make more than one submission.

• The play should be in a "play format" making it easy for the readers. 
(We like 12-point, easy to read fonts, such as Times New Roman or Ariel)

• The play must be unpublished and unproduced at the time of submission to our contest. We do screen for this, so don't send us your play if it has been produced. (Staged readings are not counted as "produced.")

• Submitting your play to our contest grants Lakeshore Players the right to produce your play in our annual festival and photograph and/or videotape it for archival purposes, if it is chosen as a finalist.



ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

• The play should have simple technical requirements. There won't be a set — a few furniture pieces and a few props only — we only have about one minute in between plays to change scenes.

• As a community theatre, we want to appeal to the largest possible audience, therefore plays with excessive offensive language are less likely to be selected - please keep that in consideration.

• Two ways to submit: Email or Mail.

• Your play must be received no later than November 15, 2014 to be eligible.

Only plays submitted exactly as outlined below will be accepted.

EMAIL TWO PDFs
VERY IMPORTANT – Email submission rules below MUST be followed, or your submission will be disqualified.

1. Send one copy of the play with ALL contact information on the title page:

◦ play title

◦ your name

◦ your mailing address

◦ your phone number

◦ your email address

2. Send ANOTHER copy of play for the judges with NO contact information on the title page: just the title of the play.

3. Email Instructions

◦ Subject line: Include the title of your play, for example: 10 Min Contest: MY GREAT PLAY

◦ Include your complete contact information in the body of the email.

◦ Tell us where you heard about the contest.

◦ Please include the title of your play in the file name. For example:
My Great Play-Blind.pdf
My Great Play.pdf

4. Email plays to: office@lakeshoreplayers.com

MAIL TWO COPIES
Don't know how to PDF? No problem.

1. Send one copy of the play with ALL contact information:

◦ play title

◦ your name

◦ your mailing address

◦ your phone number

◦ your email address

2. Include ANOTHER copy of play for the judges with NO contact information - just the title and the play.

3. Mail to: 
11th Annual Lakeshore Players 10-Minute Play Committee
4820 Stewart Ave. 
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

4. Plays will not be returned to you.

5. If you would like confirmation that we have received your script, please include a self-addressed, stamped postcard with your script.

FINALISTS 


Plays chosen for production in our festival will receive $10 per Lakeshore performance of the play, and a copy of the program from the festival within 60 days of the festival weekend. Production photos will be uploaded to PhotoBucket and available for viewing, sharing, and downloading.

Any questions? E-mail: office@lakeshoreplayers.com

The Surdna Foundation is now accepting proposals

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The Surdna Foundation is now accepting proposals for one- or two-year support to extraordinary artist-driven projects as part of its Artists Engaging in Social Change funding area.

The Surdna Foundation is now accepting proposals for one- or two-year support to extraordinary artist-driven projects as part of its Artists Engaging in Social Change funding area. All artistic disciplines will be considered, including cross-disciplinary work. The request for proposal (RFP) is open to both 501(c)(3) organizations and individual artists and culture bearers, but artists and collectives that are not incorporated as 501(c)(3)s must apply under a fiscal sponsor. Through this RFP, Surdna will support compelling projects that artists develop in response to their communities' specific challenges, and will also fund the projects of artists whose long-term, deeply-rooted work has increased social engagement without necessarily being explicitly defined as "activist." Proposals will be accepted between September 15 and November 12, 2014. Surdna staff, with support from outside experts, will present recommendations to the Surdna board and final decisions will be made in early April, 2015. The Foundation believes this process will allow us to make considered investments in artistic practices that focus on engaging and reflecting communities. Application guidelines are provided below and frequently asked questions, including grant amounts and definitions of key terms, are available here.
ARTISTS ENGAGING IN SOCIAL CHANGE: WHAT DO WE MEAN?

It's difficult to trace the complex relationship between works of art and social transformation, yet it is clear that artists provoke, expand and even heal the civic imagination in critical ways. During the last few decades, artists working to effect change in particular communities have created a variety of explicitly political and social interventions. Simultaneously, other artists have emphasized less the "what" of social change (i.e. the issue or agenda that drives artistic explorations) and stressed instead the "how" of community embeddedness, working in a way that results in such impacts as increased community capacity for civic expression and leadership, the preservation and transmission of treasured cultural practices, and the amplification of voices that are too often ignored. We consider these different approaches to be equally capable of illuminating the unique role artists play in broader societal change, and we aim to support both through this RFP.
ART AND CULTURE AT THE CENTER OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.

At the Surdna Foundation, we foster the development of just and sustainable communities. For us, art, culture and design are not accessories to that process: they are central. Art is fundamental to our collective understanding of who we are, what we believe, and how we relate to each other and our surroundings. Artists and their coconspirators weave the cultural fabric necessary for a sustainable, vibrant society. The development and sharing of artists' work contributes to the strengthening of communities—culturally, socially, and economically. Our definition of Artists Engaging in Social Change includes both cherished, longstanding ways of working and newer practices. Our focus here is on the commitment, spirit and generosity with which the work is undertaken as well as the form it ultimately takes.
WHY AN RFP?

The goal of this RFP process is to identify and support exciting projects that are equally rigorous aesthetically and socially. These projects will demonstrate a clear commitment to a community, manifested by the relationship of that community to the project's development process and to the project's thematic focus. Our goal is to prove that when artists have the opportunity to explore their own questions while working in communities (and not in isolation), they contribute significantly to our shared landscape. We hope to make artists' role in enabling and even accelerating social change more visible and more valued.

A FOCUS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY.

Surdna applies a social justice lens to its philanthropic work. We seek to address structural inequalities by focusing our resources on supporting artists coming from low income and historically under-resourced communities that have less access to arts funding. Through this RFP process, we will support artists working in their own communities, where they and their partners are committed to making a difference over the long term, and where they have built meaningful relationships over time. We are interested in learning how a spectrum of ways of working, including conventional disciplines, newer aesthetic practices, and the forms reflecting people's traditions and heritage can foster social change.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
Projects must be artist-led.
Projects must demonstrate a deep commitment to a community, demonstrated by the process through which the work is developed and the theme or themes it focuses on.
These funds are designated for one-time project support and cannot support organizations' ongoing programs, operations, capital or endowments, although up to 15 percent administrative overhead is allowed.
These funds cannot support curricular work.
Applicants can be at any stage of their careers, but must have a track record of developed work that demonstrates their capacity to complete the proposed project and to manage the level of funds requested.
Eligible disciplines include traditional or folkloric arts, visual arts, literary arts, dance, theater, film/ video, music, performance-based arts, and interdisciplinary/ hybrid arts.
For architecture or design-related projects, please refer to our Community Engaged Design guidelines, here.
Proposal must make a clear case for the arc of change envisioned by the project, based on the applicants' own criteria for defining and measuring impact.
Individual artists and groups of artists and organizations without 501(c)(3) status must apply through a fiscal sponsor, which they will list on their application as the applying organization.
Applying organizations (including fiscal sponsors) and the project for which funds are requested must be based in the United States.
ELIGIBLE DISCIPLINES:

Eligible disciplines include:

Traditional or folkloric arts.
Visual arts.
Literary arts.
Dance.
Theater.
Film/ video.
Performance-based arts.
Interdisciplinary/ hybrid arts.
REVIEW PROCESS:

Applications will be reviewed by Surdna staff in conjunction with outside readers on the basis of:
The quality of the project concept in relation to social change.
Aesthetic rigor and artistic excellence.
The artist's (or organization's) commitment to a particular community.
The artist's (or organization's) ability to complete the project and use the financial support effectively.
DEADLINES:

The process closes Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. (EST). We will not accept applications after this time. The Surdna Foundation will select and announce grant awardees in early April 2015.

HOW TO APPLY:

The 2015 Artists Engaging in Social Change program will accept online applications between Monday, September 15, 2014 and Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. (EST). Please note that applications will only be accepted via this online process.

In the online submission form (link at bottom of page) you will be asked to supply the following:
Purpose of Grant: Please describe the project in one or two brief sentences (maximum 50 words).
Detailed project description: Describe the proposed project, its genesis, its stages and all partners (maximum 500 words).
Artistic practice: Describe the lead artist or organization's artistic history and experience working within communities, and include specifics about the aesthetic aspects of this project (maximum 300 words).
Context: Please summarize the historic or current challenge, opportunity, or issue (political, social, economic, cultural, etc.) that the project is addressing. If relevant, add details or statistics that explain why this project is needed now: this could include historic and/or current conditions of the community (maximum 400 words).
Access: How will members of the community participate in or gain access to this project? What is the applicant's relationship to that community? (maximum 300 words).
Impact (External): Describe your intended artistic and community goals, and the project's arc of change from start (status "A") to finish (status "B"), however modest or ambitious, based on your own criteria. Use active verbs that provide a realistic sense of what you hope the project can accomplish. How will you know if your goals have been achieved? (maximum 400 words).
Impact (Internal): What impact would this grant have on you (or your organization)? (maximum 300 words).
Community partners: Please submit two letters of support from community partners, either individuals or representatives of organizations you plan to work with on this project or that you have worked with in the past. These letters should use specific examples to speak to your value to the partners and communities, and to your style of work (maximum length of 500 words each).
Work samples: please submit three representative work samples, along with a short explanation (maximum 100 words each) of how each relates to the proposed project. For more detail on work samples, please refer to our FAQs page.
Budget: Please supply a budget for each year that you are requesting funding. Please note that funding requests may not exceed two years. For more detail on budgets, please refer to our FAQs page.

Free theater in Dublin

Sheena Lambert's full-length play, Glanaphuca, will have rehearsed reading in The New Theatre in Temple Bar, Dublin on Saturday the 6^th December 2014 at 2.30pm.

All the details are here www.TheNewTheatre.com

Do you have a free theater event coming up?

Tell us about it.

We will share that information at no cost on this blog and/or in the weekly Saturday email blast
(sign up for the mailing list here.)

It could be a reading, a production, or any other theater-related event ~ and it can be anywhere, not just in New York City. It just has to be coming up within the next month or so and it has to have free admission for all.

Email us at info@nycplaywrights.org with all the details.

Thanks!

ATHE Award for Excellence in Playwriting

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We are pleased to announce the new ATHE Award for Excellence in Playwriting. Submissions for the award will be accepted through December 1, 2014 (or until 150 plays have been received). The award honors a new play marked by sophisticated and nuanced storytelling, with the potential to make a major artistic impact on contemporary theatre.

Plays must have been written during the two years preceding the upcoming conference (August 2015) by playwrights engaged with an institution of higher education (as a student, faculty member, artist-in-residence, guest artist, etc.) during that time period. Only full-length plays may be nominated for this award. Self-nominations and nominations from ATHE members are permitted. Only one play may be submitted per playwright in any given year. The plays can be produced or unproduced, but must be unpublished.

Click on this link to be taken to the submission page on our website where you may also upload your play. No submission fees are required.

The winning playwright is expected to attend the conference beginning July 30, 2015 and participate in a development workshop and staged reading of the play. The playwright will receive conference registration, three nights in the conference hotel, $600 towards travel expenses (reimbursement). Additionally, the winner will receive a plaque at the annual ATHE Awards Celebration and attend a reception.

Submission Guidelines

Electronic submissions are required. Word, PDF, and Rich Text formats only.
Samuel French script formatting required.
Although we do permit the submission of musicals, the limitations of staff and resources will make it difficult for us to produce such material.
Screenplays are not accepted.
Your play must not include material that you do not have permission to use.
Your play must not be previously published, but may have been previously produced.
Do not submit an incomplete, unfinished or rough draft of your play. Submit the entire completed play.

The ATHE Award for Excellence in Playwriting subcommittee has no problem with you submitting your play to other competitions simultaneously.

Plays must be full-length. The rule of thumb is that plays under an hour are not full length.
The screening for the award will be done by blind reading. Please remove all playwright identification from the script including name, mailing address and telephone/fax/e-mail.

Manhattan Repertory Theater December Event

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Seeking never produced before original short 1 ACT PLAYS
(cast, directed and ready to perform) and DANCE PIECES

7 minutes to 25 minutes in length for:

Manhattan Repertory Theatre's THE DECEMBER EVENT
DECEMBER 10, 11 and 12, 2014
at Manhattan Repertory Theatre,
303 West 42nd St. (at 8th Ave) NYC

As part of our Community producing program we are offering another EVENTS program as a service to playwright/producers and choreographers in the TRI-STATE AREA. This is an opportunity to bring your NEW short 1 act play or dance piece to life! THERE IS NO SECURITY DEPOSIT, SUBMISSION FEE, PARTICIPATION FEE or any Manhattan Rep based Fees. We are just looking for passionate playwright/producers and choreographers from the Tri-State area who wish to participate and try out a new short play or dance piece in front of a live audience. We are looking for NEW short plays and dance pieces, never produced before,

7 - 25 minutes, cast, directed, choreographed, off book, put on their feet and manifested for the first time from playwright/producers in the Tri-State area.

In order to submit, you must be available on:

SATURDAY DECEMBER 6 from 8 am to 12 noon
for Tech rehearsal (A 20 - 30 minute TECH will be set up during this timeframe.)

MONDAY DECEMBER 8 AND TUESDAY DECEMBER 9
from 6 pm to 8:30 pm

for DRESS REHEARSAL (Your play will have it's Dress Rehearsal from 6 pm to 8:30 pm on one of the above dates. We will have a finalized schedule once all the plays are accepted.)

PERFORMANCES:

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 10 at 6:30 pm

THURSDAY DECEMBER 11 at 6:30 pm and 9 pm

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12 at 6:30 pm

EACH PLAY WILL RECEIVE 2 PERFORMANCES in the time slots above.

(Your performance times will be scheduled once all the plays have been accepted.)

PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT IF YOU ARE UNAVAILABLE FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE TIMES.

We will supply a technician to run your sound and lights for your production.

Please know this Event is NON-EQUITY ONLY.

These Events are wonderful fun! Please come and join us. We put up a slick professional show at our theatre on 42nd St and 8th Ave in the heart of the Theatre District.

PLEASE NOTE: We are only accepting 1 act productions and dance pieces from the TRI-STATE area.

To submit your NEW, never produced before short 1 act play production or dance piece please email:

The complete play or synopsis of the dance piece, a synopsis of the play, the running time of the play or dance piece, the set and lighting requirements, the play or dance piecesʼs history (workshops, readings if any, when it was written) your mailing address,and a creative team leader contact email address to: manhattanrep@yahoo.com

by FRIDAY November 14, 2014 at Midnight. Please put "THE DECEMBER EVENT" in the subject heading.

1 act play productions will be considered on a first - come first-served basis. (The earlier you submit, the better your chances of being accepted.) If we fill up all production slots early on, we will end submissions earlier than NOVEMBER 14, 2014. Once submitted, we will get back to you within one week as to your acceptance.

Again, there are no Manhattan Repertory Theatre based fees of any kind.

If you have any questions about THE DECEMBER EVENT please drop us a line at: manhattanrep@yahoo.com

Poetic License 6@6 Reading Series Call for Submissions

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Poetic Theater Productions is seeking submissions for the 6@6 Reading Series in Poetic License: our 4th annual festival of new poetic theater, taking place February 2-22, 2015 at Wild Project. 

To Submit:

Please fill out the form on our website, poetictheater.com, and e-mail a PDF of your play to submit@poetictheater.com by Thursday, November 20, 2014 for consideration.

Please include your name and contact information along with the script in .PDF format with the file name LastName_FirstName.PDF (i.e. Doe_John.PDF).

Due to the festival time constraints, scripts should be no more than 75 minutes in length.

17 shows have previously been read in the 6@6 Reading Series. Highlights include: Foreign Bodies by Eboni Hogan, faith by Caroline Rothstein, 

Ricky's Way by Maurice Decaul, and Paradox of the Urban Cliché by Craig muMs Grant

Poetic Theater Productions seeks to define the modern genre of “poetic theater” by connecting and fostering a community of artists who are passionately creating relevant and accessible work and reinvigorating a conscious theater of language.  Through a multi-runged platform of developmental programming, Poetic Theater Productions offers resources and opportunities for poets, playwrights, and theater artists to develop new work and see it through to production. PTP seeks out and creates opportunities to connect with communities affected by the issues of topic within our productions, in NYC and nationwide, through collaborative projects and exchanges of art and ideas.

Words by Women

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The window for Words by Women submissions is open again, now until November 21st, 2014 (postmarked).

Play guidelines
- Words by Women is open to female playwrights only.
- All plays must be full-length and never produced in NYC.
- Plays must require no more than 7 actors with special attention given to small-cast plays (2-3 actors). Doubling is okay.
- All plays will be considered for a full production with a staged reading and/or workshop as a first step.
- Words by Women submissions are automatically considered for Urban Stages' Emerging Playwright Award.

How to submit:

Electronic Submissions are not accepted. Please submit plays to:

Urban Stages Theater
555 8th Avenue, RM 1800
New York, NY 10018


- Write "Words by Women" on envelope
- Include a short summary and resume with your submission.
- Include a small SASE envelope for response letters. Whole plays will no longer be returned. All plays will be recycled.
- No submission fees.
- It usually takes two to six months for us to read and process your script. We ask that you do not call or email our offices to inquire on the status of your play.
- Plays outside the United States are accepted and will be considered.

NYCPlaywrights discount tickets: LIPS TOGETHER, TEETH APART

LIPS TOGETHER, TEETH APART 

By Terrence McNally

Directed by Peter Dubois

2econd Stage Theatre - 305 West 43rd Street (Between 8th and 9th Aves)

With America Ferrera, Michael Chernus, Austin Lysy and Tracee Chimo

It's the 4th of July on Fire Island where a brother and sister and their spouses are spending the quintessential American summer weekend in an unfamiliar setting. As their season in the sun unfolds, the two couples do their best to enjoy themselves despite their prejudices and insecurities. The grill is fired up, the drinks are cold and the pool is open but no one is going in. Terrence McNally's trenchant comedy receives its first New York revival in 23 years under the direction of Peter DuBois.

“One of Terrence McNally's finest plays!” - Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

"A tender, subtly drawn comedy-drama." - Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

“AN ELEGANT REVIVAL. All four actors are excellent.” - Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Post 

LIMITED ENGAGEMENT – Now through November 23 ONLY! 

Visit 2ST.com or call 212.246.4422 and use code TPG49 for $49 tickets (reg. $75)*

$30 Under 30 tickets available at box office for patrons ages 30 and under with valid I.D, based on availability.

   

** Service fees are not included. Blackout dates may apply. All sales are final. No refunds, exchanges or retroactive discounts. All artists/schedules/discounts subject to change without notice.

Ivy Theatre Company seeks submissions

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 Ivy is now taking submissions for Ivy-ISH (Ideas Sewn Here). We give you the venue and a forum for meaningful feedback, you bring the reading of your obviously amazing script.

If you are accepted into Ivy-ISH, you will be considered for one of 2 spots in 2015's Trellis Project: a page to stage partnership giving BADASS playwrights the structure to climb beyond the antiquated hierarchy of commercialism to change the conversation.

Email your talent to ivytheatre@gmail.com.

November Short Play Lab

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Dear Friend in the Theatre,

Whether you've thought about doing a short play in New York but have never tried, or if you're a regular at such events around town, please give a thought to producing a show in the November Short Play Lab. Not only do you rub shoulders with your fellow short-play playwrights, but you get to showcase your work to people you don't know yet. Our Labs are always well-attended, and they can lead to other festivals and events that we produce, such as the Midwinter Madness Short Play Festival and the Midtown International Theatre Festival (visit our website: www.midtownfestival.org for submission opportunities and requirements). The rules for submitting to November's Short Play Lab are easy-peasy:
Deadline is Nov. 9. 

Notification will be soon after submission, depending on number of submissions. The sooner you get your script in, the more time you have to prepare. Get that script in pronto!

Plays should be 1 - 10 pp. in standard playscript format.* (The shorter the better; shorter plays get priority.) Include a title page, as the first page of the script, with your contact info (only means of contact is by email).
Submit scripts in a PDF file. 

You produce the play whether or not you live in New York. The SPL provides the theatre. This Lab will take place at Roy Arias Studios, 300 W. 43rd St., New York, NY 10018.

Productions must be non-union: no showcases please! (And no Equity waivers, either.)
Keep production values to a minimum: costumes and hand props are okay. We provide rehearsal cubes, chairs, and a table. You can't leave your stuff in the theatre overnight.

We provide a board op, box office, and venue management.
There are no fees. The SPL keeps the door.
Tickets are $20. Each playwright and director gets to watch his/her show for free. There are no other comps.

There will be a tech rehearsal in the daytime on Saturday, Nov. 22. The production dates are Saturday, Nov. 22 - Sunday, Nov. 23.

Every play gets 2 performances, 1 on Sat. and 1 on Sun. Each play will be part of 1 of 2 programs: Program A or Program B, but not both. Program A takes place at 7 pm Sat. and 4 pm Sun. Program B takes place at 9 pm Sat. and 2 pm Sun.

We don't do staged readings. Be off-book, please! Plays not off-book during tech will be removed from the line-up.

THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTION IN EACH PROGRAM RECEIVES A CASH PRIZE OF $75. Winners are determined by polling patrons after the performance. We reserve the right to break ties.

*12 pt Times Roman; character names in the middle on their own line; line spaces between speeches and between speeches and stage directions; indented stage directions.

The SPL is a lot of fun and a good way to see your work on its feet in a supportive environment. It's also a great way to see actors and directors at work, so you can recruit people for later productions.

To submit a script, send it as an attachment, in a PDF file, to john.chatterton@gmail.com. Any questions, don't hesitate to shoot me an E-mail!

Thanks,

John Chatterton

Executive producer, Short Play Lab

Actors Theatre of Louisville 2015 NATIONAL TEN-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL

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Established in 1989, the National Ten-Minute Play Contest remains one of the most enduring and significant means by which the literary staff at Actors Theatre of Louisville connects with American playwrights and is introduced to vibrant new voices for the stage.

We will accept submissions for the 2015 National Ten-Minute Play Contest from September 1 – November 1, 2014 (postmark dates).

Established in 1989, the National Ten-Minute Play Contest remains one of the most enduring and significant means by which the literary staff at Actors Theatre of Louisville connects with American playwrights and is introduced to vibrant new voices for the stage. We consider all submissions for the Heideman Award—a $1,000 cash prize given out each January—as well as for production in the Apprentice/Intern Tens and the Humana Festival of New American Plays.

An annual event that takes place in January, the A/I Tens consist of a bill of 8-10 world premiere ten-minute plays, fully produced at Actors Theatre of Louisville and performed by our Apprentice Company of young actors.

Contest Guidelines:
- Scripts should be submitted between September 1-November 1 (postmark dates).
- Characters in submitted plays should be in the age range 18-28.
- Each script must be no more than ten pages long. (We start counting pages after the title page and character list, if applicable.) Title page must include the playwright’s name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Each manuscript must be typed and individually bound or stapled.
- Each playwright may submit only one script—send us your best!
- Previously submitted plays, plays that have received an Equity production, musicals, children’s shows, and any unsolicited longer one-act or full-length plays are not accepted and will not be returned nor receive a response. Plays that have received Equity waiver showcase productions are eligible. Playwrights must be citizens or permanent residents of the USA.
- We are unable to accept electronic submissions. Please mail submissions to: National Ten-Minute Play Contest, Actors Theatre of Louisville, 316 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202-4218.
- Submissions are limited to the first 500 scripts we receive each year. If your play is received after we’ve hit the 500-script mark, you will be notified. Entries will be acknowledged by postcard in December. Playwrights will be notified of their finalist or non-finalist status the following summer. No scripts will be returned.
- The volume of scripts submitted hampers our ability to comment individually on each work, so we do not offer criticism.
- All ten-minute plays will be considered for the Heideman Award ($1000)*, as well as for production in the Apprentice/Intern Tens and the Humana Festival of New American Plays.

*The Heideman Award was established in 1979. Made possible by the late Ted Heideman, a Louisvillian, the $1,000 cash prize is bestowed annually upon the winner of the National Ten-Minute Play Contest (1990 – present).

Tiny Theater Application call at The Brick

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Tiny Theater

December 12 & 13, 2014

A mini theater festival performed in a box.

TINY THEATER = theater / dance / dance-theater / puppet-theater / object-theater / installation that takes place in a 6' x 6' x 6' space — and in under 10 mins. Performers and scenic elements must not exist outside the box at any point during each piece. To apply and for more information, click here: http://goo.gl/forms/LF6LofWVoM

Deadline: November 1

Notifications: November 5th

PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Awards

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PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Awards for Master American Dramatist, Playwright in Mid-Career, and Emerging Playwright ($7,500 and $2,500)

Three awards from PEN and the Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater honor a Grand Master of American Theater, a mid-career playwright with an outstanding voice, and an emerging playwright who demonstrates great promise.

Three playwrights are selected for the following honors: a specially commissioned art object will be presented to a master American dramatist, in recognition of his or her body of work; a cash prize of $7,500 will be awarded to an American playwright in mid-career, whose literary achievements are vividly apparent in the rich and striking language of his or her work; and a cash prize of $2,500 will be awarded to an emerging American playwright whose work to date has demonstrated initial critical success and poses great promise of further dramatic achievement.

In all three cases, PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater honorees are writers working indisputably at the highest level of achievement. The awards were developed to reflect Laura Pels’s dedication to supporting excellence in American theatre as well as PEN’s commitment to recognizing and rewarding the playwright’s literary accomplishment.

Eligibility and Nominations for the 2015 Awards

Deadline:
Submissions are now open. Nominations for the 2015 Awards will be accepted between September 1, 2014 and October 31, 2014.

Who is eligible:
Award for Master American Dramatist: candidates are proposed by the judges. Nominations are not accepted.

Award for an American Playwright in Mid-career ($7,500): candidates must be playwrights writing in English who have had a professional production of at least two full-length works mounted in a theatre of at least 299 seats and contracted specifically for either limited or open runs. Authors who have written only one-acts or books for musicals, or who have only translated the works of others for English-language audiences, will not be considered. The work of writers produced by regional theaters across the United States will be given consideration equal to work produced in major metropolitan centers.

Award for an Emerging American Playwright ($2,500): candidates must be playwrights writing in English who have had a professional production of at least one full-length work contracted specifically for either limited or open runs. Authors who have written only one-acts or books for musicals, or who have only translated the works of others for English-language audiences, will not be considered. The work of writers produced by regional theaters across the United States will be given consideration equal to work produced in major metropolitan centers.

How to submit a nomination:

Award for Master American Dramatist: candidates are proposed by the judges. Nominations are not accepted.

Award for an American Playwright in Mid-Career: Playwrights may not apply on their own behalf. They must be nominated by their peers—producers, agents, critics, or other playwrights—who are expected to write a letter of support, describing in some detail the literary character of the candidate’s work, accompanied by a list of the candidate’s produced work.

Award for an Emerging American Playwright: Playwrights may not apply on their own behalf. They must be nominated by their peers—producers, agents, critics, or other playwrights—who are expected to write a letter of support, describing in some detail the literary character of the candidate’s work, accompanied by a list of the candidate’s produced work. Electronic copies of the playwright's work may be requested by the judges.

Please send nominations to:

PEN/Laura Pels Intl Foundation for Theater Awards
PEN American Center
588 Broadway, Suite 303
New York, NY 10012

For more information, please contact awards@pen.org.

CALL FOR MUSICAL THEATRE PLAYS - THE RICHARD RODGERS AWARDS 2014

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The American Academy of Arts and Letters seeks musicals, plays with songs, thematic revues, or any other comparable work for its 2014 Richard Rodgers Awards. These awards, created and endowed by Richard Rodgers in 1978 for the development of the musical theater, subsidize full productions, studio productions, and staged readings by nonprofit theaters in New York City of works by composers and writers who are not already established in this field. The winners are selected by a jury of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

A. REQUIREMENTS AND ELIGIBILITY

1. The term musical theater is understood to include musicals, plays with songs, thematic revues, or any comparable work. The submission of innovative and experimental work is encouraged. The work submitted must be of significant length to fill an evening, and it may consist of a group of smaller, related pieces.

2. The jury will consider only completed works. Care should be taken to submit the work in its best possible form as it may not be submitted again, in another year, even if substantially revised.

3. Only one submission by a collaborative group or a sole creator will be accepted. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

4. Works by members of the Academy and previous winners of the production awards are not eligible for consideration. Former winners of Richard Rodgers awards for staged readings or studio productions may submit new works.

5. An applicant whose works in the musical theater have received professional or amateur productions in New York City or out of town is eligible unless, in the judgment of the jury, the applicant has already achieved significant recognition in the field of musical theater through the work submitted or through any previous work. Under special circumstances and at the discretion of the jury, applicants who have achieved recognition in fields outside the musical theater may be eligible. Works which have been produced by professional theater companies before a paying audience are eligible only if such productions received no more than 21 performances by a for-profit company or 50 performances by a nonprofit company.

B. SUBMISSION OF MATERIAL

1. The name(s) of the author(s) must be blocked out on each of the items submitted, with the exception of the application form. Write only the title of the work on the script, plot summary, CD.

2. Entry must include four items:

a) Script with lyrics, preferably with no binders or metal clips. Do not send score, videos, or visuals.

b) Half-page synopsis of the action, and a list of characters.

c) CD must contain at least 45 minutes of music, including a minimum of eight songs, recorded in chronological order. Orchestrations are not necessary; piano and vocals are sufficient. Songs must be in sequence on the CD and each song clearly keyed into the script. Please include a separate track sheet of recorded songs with page numbers indicating where they appear in the script, and specify the total number of minutes recorded.

d) Application form signed by all collaborators in a sealed envelope with the title of the work on the outside. Applicants submitting work which has already been produced must give full information concerning these productions, including programs. A work is not eligible if one of the collaborators is deceased.

3. If the submitted work (or a portion thereof) is an adaptation of material which is not in the public domain, candidates must submit licenses, permissions, or authorizations necessary to permit the work to be produced in conformity with applicable copyright laws. The music must be original.

4. Materials will be returned if a self-addressed, stamped mailer is enclosed. Addresses must be valid for at least six months. The Academy will take all due care of materials, but it cannot be held responsible for their safe return.

5. Applicants will be notified of the jurys decision by March 2015.

C. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. All rights to the material submitted shall remain the property of the author(s); the Academy will not retain any control over, or rights in, the work after the award production.

2. The decisions of the jury will be final as to eligibility and all other matters.

DEADLINE: MATERIAL MUST BE RECEIVED BY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2014

CALL FOR 10-MINUTE LGBTQ PLAY

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Call for Submissions for the third BUA Takes 10: LGBT Short Stories evening of ten-minute plays. BUA Takes 10 will run three weekends from March 27-April 11, 2015 at Buffalo United Artists at Alleyway Theatre, 672 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202.

Submission Guidelines:

*All plays must have an LGBT theme that is central to the play’s premise. (This means that changing pronouns on another play probably won’t work.)

*Playwrights may submit one or two plays, but if you submit two, please do so in separate emails.

*Please don’t resubmit plays that were submitted previous years. You think we don’t remember, but elephants got nothing on us.

*All plays must be no longer than ten minutes, which may actually mean fewer than ten pages. If you’re not sure, please read it aloud. No exceptions, no matter how brilliant the extra minutes may be. We mean it.

*All plays must have minimal set requirements. Plays chosen will receive full productions at BUA’s black box theater, but with ten plays being performed, there is no time for elaborate set changes.

*Please email LGBT ten-minute plays with minimal set requirements to buasubmissions@gmail.com in standard format in Word or PDF.

*Email subject line should have your name and title of your play, e.g. MARY BROWN/MY AWESOME GAY PLAY.

*Body of email should contain contact information (including email and phone) and the play’s production history ONLY. You don’t have to write a cover letter, so please don’t. Anything other than the requested information is only going to give us a bad first impression (i.e. you don’t follow rules).

*Submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be considered.

The Deadline:

Submissions must be received by October 31, 2014. We prefer earlier to later, as we read and cull as the submissions come in.

You will receive a confirmation email when we receive your play. Finalists will be notified by email by January 15, 2015, and the selected playwrights will be announced on Official Playwrights of Facebook. We are sorry we cannot respond to each individual playwright.

The Producer:

Buffalo United Artists will provide directors, actors, designers, and technical crew for the run of the show. If necessary, directors will contact playwrights at the start of or during the rehearsal process. For more information about Buffalo United Artists, please visit our Web site: http://www.buffalobua.org. Dates are tentatively set for March 27-April 11, 2015, but are subject to change.

The Production:

Plays will be presented together as an evening of theater. Chosen playwrights will receive a copy of the program, four complimentary tickets to be used any night of the run, and a $25 royalty. If you’re here in person—which we strongly encourage—you’ll get some free drinks, too.

If you have questions, please contact buasubmissions@gmail.com

DAYTON PLAYHOUSE FUTUREFEST

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NOTE: Submission fee is waived for members of the Dramatists Guild.

2015 is the 25^th year for the Dayton Playhouse’s one-of-a kind New Works Play Festival.

Visit  www.daytonplayhouse.com for complete submission guideline information.      

$20 submission fee.  This fee is waived for members of the Dramatists Guild. Checks and money orders should be made payable to “Dayton Playhouse”.  

   

ELIGIBILITY:  Entry must be an original work (NO musicals, plays with music, or plays for children) that has not been published or produced where admission was charged prior to FF 2015.  

Staged readings/workshop productions are not disqualifying factors.

DEADLINES:   Submissions will be accepted August 1 through October 31 (postmark).

SCRIPTS: Submit a blind copy of your script, securely bound, typed in standard play format, with pages numbered.  Include a list of characters/descriptions, scene breakdown, and a brief synopsis of your play. Your script(s) should be accompanied by a cover letter, including playwright contact information (address, phone #, e-mail address) and resume.  If applicable, also submit a photocopy of your Dramatists Guild membership card.

Please note that entries that do not comply with our guidelines will not be accepted.

If mailing, submit via Media Mail.  If you would like confirmation that we received your script, include a SASP (no envelopes).  Eliminated scripts will not be returned.  Script evaluations will not be provided.

CONSENT: Playwright gives the Dayton Playhouse permission to photocopy scripts for reading/production purposes.  Semi-finalists will need to provide a PDF of their script.

                      

Should your script be selected and produced as one of the 6 finalists, you must be  available to attend the weekend festival and participate in all events.

Finalists must acknowledge the Dayton Playhouse if/when script is published.

The winning playwright awards the Dayton Playhouse the option to produce the winning play as part of its main stage season royalty free.

AWARDS: A $1000 honorarium will be awarded to the winning playwright; runners-up each receive $100.  The Dayton Playhouse provides the 6 finalists travel (within the    continental U.S.) to Dayton and housing for FutureFest weekend (July 16 - 19, 2015).

SELECTION PROCESS: 

Each entry is guaranteed a minimum of 3 reads/evaluations.  Readers narrow down the entries to 18 - 20, which are then read by the entire committee who selects the 12 semi-finalists.  A second committee selects the 6 finalists. 

                           

During FutureFest weekend, the plays are staged and publicly adjudicated by a panel of 5 theatre professionals (New York based and regional).  Following the final production of the weekend, the adjudicators vote and select the winner.

 SUBMIT TO:    Dayton Playhouse FutureFest, P.O. Box 3017, Dayton, OH  45401-3017 or email  to futurefest@thedaytonplayhouse.com 

QUESTIONS:   Contact FutureFest Program Director, at futurefest@thedaytonplayhouse.com or  937.424.8477              

Lightbridge Theatre and James Downing Theatre seeks short plays with a Christmas/Holiday theme

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Lightbridge Theatre and James Downing Theatre is in the process of producing a new Christmas/Holiday Short Play Fest Show consisting of several short plays with a Christmas/Holiday theme. We are opening up submissions for writers, actors and directors to have their work seen. This will be a three show event over the course of one weekend. The play will take place either December 5-7 or 12-14 at James Downing Theatre in Edison Park Illinois.

Guidelines are as follows:

Rule: Original Work Only
Theme: Christmas or December Holiday
Style: Comedic, Dramatic or anywhere in between
Language & subject matter: Theatregoers are the general public and may include minors. We request material rated for General Audiences or With Parental Guidance. (PG)
Length: 10 minute play to be delivered by 2, 3 or 4 people on stage
Set: Bare stage (or on the set of the venue’s current show), will have access to minimal props if needed such as tables, chairs, sofa.
Tech: Lights up, Lights down, No specials.

Deadline: October 28th 5:00pm

Submit to: Bigfatitalianwed@gmail.com. 

Along with your play, please include your full name, email, phone number and a 50 word bio for the program.

***Also include written permission for us to perform and videotape your written work. If chosen, you will be notified via email by 11/5/14.

This is an unpaid gig. If your play is selected, as a writer you would be invited to attend the show for free, your play would get production credit and we would give you a link to the show video.

If you're interested in submitting, we are looking for 7 short plays approximately 10 minutes in length for this show. You can send in more than one if you like. We will choose 7 entries for the show. Selections will be at our discretion as to what fits into the theme and guidelines. 

American Renaissance Theater Company (ARTC) is seeking new playwright members

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ARTC is a 39 year-old membership organization of theatre professionals. Each week, in a Chelsea area studio, our workshop provides uniquely specific and supportive feedback to our members - actors, writers, and directors - as they present their works in progress. We also produce several public presentations each year as well as occasional Equity Showcases. There are no dues or fees except for a suggested donation at meetings.

Membership is via application and interview.

If interested, please submit a professional resume and a 10/15 page writing sample to: artcorg@gmail.com

Please be sure to put Playwright Submissions in the subject line.