Saturday, March 9, 2024

Biden's "Ok Boomer" Moment

 Disclaimer: I am NOT thrilled about a 2020 election rematch.

However, having said that ("Curb Your Enthusiasm" reference) Republicans running on "Biden so old..." ageism doesn't seem wise considering their base is old white voters and the Dem's base is old POC voters. You're about to unite two separate voting blocks of 60-70-80-90 year-olds and bring them together: old white and black/brown voters who don't like being told they're too old to do something. Also you're going to make ppl aware of ageism in our culture...and want to fight back against that by 'voting for the guy they say is too old.'

"Biden so old..." is essentially turning a 80-year-old incumbent with A LOT of policy problems into a cool choice if voters want to 'stick it to ageism.'

Given the past of the Biden campaign co-opting the "Let's Go Brandon" insult into their own "Dark Branden" joke to fundraise, I wouldn't be surprised if they start printing "Ok, Boomer" t-shirts to show pride in the Baby Boomer generation. And if they get these old white ppl to feel more tribal pride in their age than their race, a lot of them might actually vote for the old Dem in swing states.
Now round up a bunch of 60-70-80 yr old Hollywood stars and musicians to do videos about "not being too old for anything" and make it a DIY campaign where voters can talk about 'not being too old to lead' and start peeling away the older white women vote and motivating older blk voters to come out in Georgia and North Carolina.
Also campaign soundtrack choices:
"I'm Still Standing" by Elton John
"Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen
"La Macarena" (oh they'll love bringing this back.)
"Hot in Herre" (good for the summer and menopause crowds)
"U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer (really leaning on 80s and 90s hip hop nostalgia here, but I think this will play well.)
This has been your free election advice, DNC. Don't mess this up. The GOP is handing you a golden egg. Ok, Boomer?

Friday, March 1, 2024

Get What You Want: March 2024

 1. NEW VICTORY THEATRE LABWORKS

DEADLINE: March 1, 2024

WEBSITE:newvictory.org/about/labworks/labworks-application/



New Victory® LabWorks is for artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) creating original work for kids and families. We welcome and uplift all BIPOC artists, including those who identify as LGBTQIA+ and who identify as disabled. As an artistic home for artists of all disciplines, New Victory LabWorks explores, devises and reimagines what theater for families can be.


Once all applications are reviewed, a select group of applicants will be contacted to participate in an interview with members of the New Victory Artistic Programming staff. From there, final applicants will be notified of their acceptance. All applicants will receive notification of final decisions. No phone calls, please.


Artist(s) must identify as Black, Indigenous or a Person of Color.


Artist(s) must be 18 years of age or older.


Artist’s work must be intended for family audiences (artist does not need prior experience in creating work suitable for families).


Artist’s project(s) must be in development, but may be at any point during development, including initial concept.


Artist(s) must be interested in actively participating in all aspects of the New Victory LabWorks program, including professional development, monthly meetings with the 2023-24 LabWorks cohort, peer-based exchange and peer and/or audience feedback.


Application Instructions: If you are interested, you can review the questions and required materials before applying. Please note the application is a Google Form, which cannot be saved as you go.


Please complete the application and include support materials via a Dropbox link or Google Drive folder. If you have physical materials to submit, please let us know by emailing LabWorks@New42.org.



2. PRINCESS GRACE AWARDS WRITING FELLOWSHIP

DEADLINE: March 1sts-March 15th (First 350 apps accepted)

WEBSITE: https://newdramatists.org/princess-grace-awards-playwriting-fellowship


We encourage playwrights to apply at the beginning of their careers so that through the New Dramatists Fellowship, they can explore their work on their own creative terms and benefit from being a part of a unique, diverse, dynamic community of professional playwrights. An applicant’s status as an early-career playwright is evaluated during the adjudication process.

One playwright will be selected to receive:
• A grant in the amount of $15,000
• A one-season (September – June) artistic residency at New Dramatists, Inc.
• Inclusion of the winning script in New Dramatists’ library
• Advocacy for the recipient and their script for the duration of the fellowship, and opportunities to gather with the Princess Grace community, New Dramatists writers, and other theatre professionals
• Opportunity for winning play to be licensed and published by Concord Theatricals.

Submission requirements:

• The Princess Grace Award in Playwriting is open to all U.S. based artists currently living and working in the United States. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens must have work authorization from USCIS. The Princess Grace Award in Playwriting is an unrestricted cash grant paid directly to the artist. Recipients are required to fill out a 1099 and for more guidance should consult a tax advisor. Non U.S. citizens or permanent residents may be required to file a non-residential return and should consult a tax advisor.

• Eligible playwrights must not have had more than 3 professional productions of their full-length plays. Developmental readings and workshops, university productions, and self-productions are admissible. Any public performances mounted by a producing theater, including Equity showcases, are considered professional.

• You must submit one unpublished, original full-length play (A full-length play is a single play that constitutes a full evening of theater. For example, a 90-minute intermissionless play is a full-length play.)


  • There is no restriction on subject matter

  • The play submission must be by a single author (co-written or devised work are ineligible)

  • No adaptations of previously published material


The Foundation is looking to identify and support original, authentic, unheard voices in the theater. The panel will consider the submitted play in terms of the originality of the storytelling, quality, and offering of new perspectives.



3. LIVE STORYTELLING SHOW

DEADLINE: March 2, 2024

WEBSITE: http://www.heatherchristiebooks.com/listentoyourmother/


Listen To Your Mother NYC is a well-crafted 90-minute journey of true stories about motherhood— being a mom, having a mom, losing a mom, finding a mom—as many interpretations on the theme of mothering as you can imagine. From hilarious and heartwarming, to emotionally intense and profound, 


LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER entertains, energizes, brings community together and leaves everyone feeling a little less alone and a little more understood. That’s the goal.


Listen To Your Mother NYC is looking for TRUE stories about motherhood--the good, the bad, the happy, the sad. Both men and women are encouraged to submit. 


Submission guidelines: 


Your story must be 800 words or fewer.


Auditions are live, in-person at Ripley-Grier Studios (131 W. 72nd St, studio 3F, New York, NY 10023) March 2,12-3 PM (sign up HERE or by SELF-TAPE (submit by We-Transfer) before March 1, 2024, at 8pm to heather@heatherchristiebooks.com with LYTM NYC in the subject line. 


You must be available:

  • Sunday, April 6, 1-4 PM – Full Cast Zoom Rehearsal

  • Monday, May 6, 8-10 PM – Full Cast Zoom Read-through

  • Friday, May 10, 6-10 PM – Live, in-person NYC dress rehearsal (Center at West Park)

  • Saturday, May 11, 1-9 PM – NYC Show Day – Center at West Park


Each storyteller receives a $100 stipend



4. LIPPMANN FAMILY “NEW FRONTIER” AWARD

DEADLINE: March 4, 2024
Submit via email to:conniehall@newdramatists.org; subject=Lippman 20 Award 20 Submission

This award seeks to provide a New Dramatists current resident playwright with a travel/adventure opportunity in the spirit of the namesake for the Award, John E. Lippmann. John E. Lippmann was a New Dramatists Board Member and President of the John Golden Fund, a private foundation that supports new playwrights, new play production, and playwright organizations. The Board of Directors of the John Golden Fund jointly selects the Award winner each season. The Award is announced at the Annual Spring Luncheon, Tuesday, May 14. The winner is chosen by members of the Lippmann/Allgäuer family based on a brief written proposal outlining how the Award funds can support a travel adventure, and describing the travel adventure that the playwright seeks to undertake and why. The proposed travel may or may not be related to a writing project.


ONLY current ND resident playwrights are eligible. The selection process is subjective: the most compelling proposal is one that captures best John Lippmann’s fun-loving spirit of travel and adventure.


Financial Compensation: $5,000 travel grant to one current resident playwright.


Submission Guidelines: Interested writers should write a brief proposal for a travel adventure, no more than one page, describing where and why you want to travel to a particular destination or destinations, or follow a particular travel itinerary. E-mail proposals by Monday, March 4 to:  John Lippmann Award c/o Connie Hall, conniehall@newdramatists.org.



5. THE JIM HENSON FOUNDATION ARTIST GRANTS

DEADLINE: March 4, 2024

WEBSITE: https://www.hensonfoundation.org/grants/artist-grants/


The Jim Henson Foundation awards grants each year for the creation of innovative new works of contemporary puppet theater. Our definition of a puppet is an object that is given the appearance of life through direct or indirect manipulation by the human hand. The Foundation’s Board of Directors judges applications based on the excellence of the puppetry including puppet design, manipulation and theatrical execution. 


There are three Artist Grants available: Workshop Grants ($3,000), Production Grants ($7,000), and Family Grants ($4,000). All Artist Grants are to be used towards puppetry. This includes the building and performing of the puppets and the integration of the puppets in the piece. 


Production Grants of $7,000 are awarded for the production of new works ready to premeire in the coming year. Workshop Grants of $3,000 are for the development and workshopping of these pieces. Workshop Grants and Production Grants can be combined over a two year period for the greatest benefit to the piece; keep in mind, however, that a Production Grant does not need to be preceded by a Workshop grant and a Workshop Grant in no way ensures a future Production Grant. Less than half of Workshop Grant recipients receive Production Grants.

Family Grants of $4,000 fund the development of new and innovative work specifically for children, families, and teenagers ready to premiere in the coming year. Please keep in mind that Family Grants will be evaluated by the same high artistic standards as works for adults.


Since The Jim Henson Foundation began awarding grants in 1982, there has been astonishing growth in both the quantity and quality of puppet theater in this country. This has made it increasingly difficult to narrow the applicant pool, so we have instituted a policy that we hope will more evenly distribute our funds among the many artists worthy of support. Artists who received a grant in the previous year are not eligible to submit a proposal in the current year. Artists who received a Workshop Grant in the previous year are eligible to apply in the current year, but only for a Production Grant to further develop the previously funded piece. Grants are made only for the development of new works of excellent live puppet theater. The Foundation does not award funds for the presentation or remounting of existing work. Grants cannot be applied retroactively; substantial portions of a proposed project must take place after the funds are awarded.


We would like to emphasize that live puppet performance needs to be integral to the proposed project. While we will consider productions that utilize other media and genres, a major portion of the piece must feature puppetry that is well-executed in both design and performance.  The mission of the Foundation is to fund excellence in PUPPET theater.  Funding decisions are based on the quality of the puppetry.


Please note that the Foundation will prioritize work that can continue beyond a premiere.  We look for shows that will live on through multiple performances with the potential to tour both nationally and internationally.


Awards can be made only to IRS tax-exempt organizations. We welcome applications from individual artists, but those without 501(c)(3) non-profit status must apply through a fiscal sponsor with this non-profit status.  Applications for international collaborations are accepted, but the primary artist must be a US citizen. The project needs to be presented in the United States and ideally developed and workshopped in the United States as well.  Projects that will only take place outside of the United States are not eligible for funding. Learn more about the application process on our Grant Application FAQ page. If you would like to be considered for a grant, the first step is to submit a letter of intent on or before March 4, 2024. The letter of intent is a PDF comprised of two pages, a 1 page letter and a 1 page visual.  The Letter must include:


  • Your complete contact information, including mailing address, phone number, email and website address

  • The category of grant you intend to apply for – Production, Workshop or Family.

  • A clear description of the planned project, including the dramatic arc of the piece, the types of puppets that will be used, the lead puppeteer, the lead puppet designer and builder, and your timeline for the work including any upcoming workshops, residencies, or performances. 


The letter must be accompanied by a one-page visual.

  • This can be photographs of the puppet(s), a working sketch or illustration of the puppet(s), or a combination of images that show the puppetry in the proposed project.

  • Do not include images of other artists you are inspired by who are not attached to the project. If these kinds of inspirational images are included, your application will be disqualified.

  • Puppetry is a visual medium, the one-page visual you submit is essential to the letter of intent phase of the process.

  • All images must be original work and have the artist/source identified.


LETTER OF INTENT PDF SUBMISSION LINK:  https://spaces.hightail.com/uplink/HensonFoundation 

You will receive an email of receipt from our office within 3 business days of submission.  If you do not receive an email, please contact us. Approximately half of the applicants submitting letters of intent will be asked to submit full proposals. Letters of intent will be reviewed at the Spring board meeting, and applicants will be notified of the board’s decision by June 3, 2024.



6. THE TONY COX SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

DEADLINE: March 7, 2024

WEBSITE: https://nantucketfilmfestival.org/tony-cox-competition/


As our world and community work to make sense of, rebuild, and transform how we create and express ourselves, NFF is committed to giving filmmakers, writers, and storytellers an avenue to showcase their work and help them transform this incredibly difficult experience into beauty and meaning.


Tony Cox Screenplay Competitions recognize emerging writers in four unique categories as the best from the pool of submissions each year. Finalists in each competition are read by prestigious juries, receive top industry recognition, and participate in a Festival focused specifically on screenwriting that includes cash prizes for all competitions and a Mentors Brunch with a prominent screenwriter (past mentors include Noah Baumbach, Oliver Stone, Robert Towne, David O. Russell, and Nancy Meyers).



7. THE WATERMILL ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM

DEADLINE: March 8, 2024

WEBSITE: https://www.watermillcenter.org/residencies/


The Watermill Center’s Artist Residency Program began in 2006 when the Center officially opened as a year-round facility. Each year collectives and individuals take up residence at The Watermill Center to develop works that critically investigate, challenge, and extend the existing norms of artistic practice.

The Artist Residency Program is process-based, without the expectation or promise of a final exhibition of the work. The Watermill Center provides artists with the time, space, and freedom to develop their practice in a communal environment that encourages experimentation. Artists-in-Residence share their creative process with the community through open rehearsals, workshops, and artist talks.

Artists-in-Residence receive access to an extensive collection of resources central to The Watermill Center experience: 20,000 square feet of rehearsal/design spaces and outdoor stages; a theater production archive; The Watermill Center Study Library; The Watermill Collection; and The Watermill Center’s ten-acre landscaped grounds and gardens.

Applications are reviewed by an international committee of distinguished Watermill Center alumni made up of artists, academics, and cultural leaders across disciplines. To date, we have hosted over 250 residencies featuring 1500 artists from more than 90 nations.



8. THE PHILADELPHIA WOMEN’S THEATRE FESTIVAL

DEADLINE: March 11, 2024

WEBSITE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAiO75u_4IrdueThMDWw2rRZ-WbSjh8WSiXxp99YQ-X0iCIA/viewform



The Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival is now seeking playwright submissions for our 10th Annual Festival! This milestone year is a celebration of where we’ve been, where we are going, and the multiplicity of stories, voices, and experiences that make up womanhood.


PWTF fosters and encourages women in the performing arts by offering unique opportunities for exposure, professional, artistic and personal development and a platform for performance. ​PWTF is a women's theatre festival committed to diversity, equity and inclusion by embracing all people and viewpoints. We embrace intersectionality and serve people of all colors and backgrounds, inclusive of our BIPOC, non-binary, and trans community members.


In years past, we’ve focused on specific themes, from motherhood to hometown heroes and- mental health. This year, as we enter our second decade of existence, we aim to simply CELEBRATE.


This year we are seeking submissions in two categories:


1) Full length plays


2) Monologues or shorter one person shows


These will be presented as staged readings during our August 2024 Festival. “Staged reading” means minimal (if any) blocking and no tech. While finished pieces are preferred, we will accept a sample of a work in progress.


If you are submitting a monologue or one person show, please be sure to indicate in the application if you will be performing the work yourself, or if actors and a director are needed.


All selected playwrights receive a stipend.


The festival will take place August 7th-18th, 2024.


​PWTF is a women's theatre festival committed to diversity, equity and inclusion by embracing all people and viewpoints. We embrace intersectionality and serve people of all colors and backgrounds, inclusive of our BIPOC, non-binary, and trans community members. PWTF does not discriminate based on age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, or ability. Through staffing, casting, and programming that reflects the diverse makeup of our community and our world, we are dedicated to creating accessible theatre for the Greater Philadelphia Region and its theatre artists. Our story is to #ChangeTheStory.


Significant preference will be given to playwrights located within 60 miles of Center City Philadelphia.


If you have any questions about the play submission process or our season, please reach out to Glynnis at glynnis@phillywomenstheatrefest.org.



9. REPLENISH RESIDENCIES AT STUDIO IN THE WOODS

DEADLINE: March 13, 2024

WEBSITE: https://www.astudiointhewoods.org/apply-for-replenish-residencies-2024-25/


Replenish Residencies provides 1-2 week restorative visioning retreats to local BIPOC artists and culture bearers; the heart of New Orleans culture. In light of the many racial disparities still present in our society at large and the arts economy specifically, we offer these residencies to provide time to rest and restore, vision, and create. The call is open to BIPOC artists and culture bearers from the Greater New Orleans area who have not attended a residency before.


The Studio focuses on interrelated areas of programming, including residencies for artists and scholars, forest restoration, and science-inspired art engagement for children and adults. We center interdependence, wonder, care, and inclusivity in all of our work and believe the essential and transformative powers of art and the natural environment are central to a thriving future for all.


 Recipients will be provided with a $1600* stipend, a one to two week residency, staff support and an opportunity to have a documentation session with a photographer. We additionally fund optional field trips such as boat rides and eco/history tours. Depending on the needs of the artist, we may be able to assist artists in accessing Tulane University faculty consultants or research collections. Selected residents receive full room and board including food, utilities for living, and studio space. Residents are expected to cover personal living expenses, additional materials and supplies, and any other expenses relating to the cost of producing work incurred while in residence. 


A multidisciplinary jury will judge proposals on the creativity and integrity of the proposal as well as the artist’s demonstrated commitment to their practice. Submissions will be judged solely on the content of the proposal and work samples, not the quality of the documentation.


10. ISA FELLOWSHIP 

DEADLINE: March 14, 2024

WEBSITE: https://www.networkisa.org/contest/view/isa-diversity-intiative


Exceptional writers will be considered for acceptance onto the ISA Development Slate, the top tier of ISA writers. The ISA supports, applauds and promotes these writers to producers, managers and agents in Hollywood and beyond, forging relationships and building careers. 


Selected Projects to Be Considered By: 


Mark Maley of Big Swell Entertainment

Gabrielle Utsey (VP of Development) POV Entertainment

Morgan Begg of Lucky Chap Entertainment

More partners to be announced.


Consideration for Option


Consideration for option from Creative Cypher 

Mentorship from Creative Cypher and their industry partners

Strong consideration for the Creative Cypher XLerator

Development Slate Invitation


Up to 3 writers will be invited onto the ISA Development Slate, where our team of development execs will champion them and their work to industry partners. Industry partners include but are not limited to: Harpo Productions, Max, Lifetime, Unanimous Media, ABC Signature, MGM, ICM, LakeShore Entertainment, Lucky Chap Entertainment, Miramax, Disney+, CAA, Nickelodeon, POV Entertainment, Big Swell Entertainment, Paramount Players and more.

Career Consultation


Selected writers will have a career consultation session with Felicity Wren, the ISA's VP of Development. 

Additional Benefits


A 12-Month ISAConnect Membership




11. BECHDEL PROJECT RESIDENCY

DEADLINE: March 15, 2024

WEBSITE: https://www.bechdelproject.org/home/development/roo



The Room of One's Own (ROO) Writer's Residency - takes its name both from the space it provides for the resident artist and the 1929 book by Virginia Woolf.


In "A Room of One's Own" Woolf wrote, “fictitious women, are too simple — contrary to the living, breathing, complex women of real life, (they) are almost always depicted only in their relation to men.” 


This one-year residency empowers feminist writers of all intersections to develop bold, innovative work for the stage or screen that center women (either living or historical), and highlight untold, or underrepresented, narratives and perspectives. The residency provides a space and comprehensive support for a chosen writer to delve into their artistic vision.  


RESIDENCY INCLUDES:

  • Financial Support: $5,000 in artist funds to fuel the creative process.

  • A 3 Week Residency September 1st - 22nd at Bechdel Project HQ (Includes housing & unlimited studio time)

  • An Artistic Home: Access to the Bechdel Project's vibrant spaces in Brooklyn and Germany for writing, workshops, and readings. Bechdel Project is a "whole being" inclusive space with built in practices and community culture to support artists who: are caregivers (to littles or elders), work multiple jobs, prioritize their mental health and well being or have specific access needs. 

  • Curated Mentorship: Tailored guidance from the Bechdel Project team, including dramaturgy, producing, and logistical support.

  • Community Connection: Opportunities to engage with a network of feminist artists and creators.

  • Public Platform: A culminating public reading of the developed work at Bechdel Project.


ELIGIBILITY

  • The residency is open to writers over the age of 18.

  • The residency is open to feminist writers (of any intersection) whose work centers women, non-binary or underrepresented genders through a feminist lens and whose proposed script passes the Bechdel Test. Global Majority and LGBTQ+ writers are especially encouraged to apply. 

  • The residency is open to writers in any area of the world and in any stage of their careers; however, priority will be given to those whose needs most align with our provided resources. 

  • We do not accept scripts that have already been produced or that are currently in pre-production. We do consider and are eager to read incomplete scripts!



12. TEXAS A&M NEW WORKS

DEADLINE: March 15, 2024

WEBSITE: https://pvfa.tamu.edu/asir/new-work-development-artist-residency/


The school will provide the selected artist in residence (open to artist working in a list of disciplines) with a $10,000 stipend for living expenses and project materials, on-campus lodging (two bedroom/one bath apartment) for the duration of the residency, shared office space and access to school facilities, including rehearsal and performance spaces, recording studios, visual art studios and technology resources, undergraduate and/or graduate student assistance, and visa support for international artists.


The School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts at Texas A&M University is excited to announce its inaugural New Work Development Artist Residency program. The school is committed to inspiring our campus and community by incubating new works of art in an environment of creative reciprocity between scholars and artists that crosses, blurs and erases disciplinary lines.


The school was founded by three intrinsically interdisciplinary units: Dance Science (combining dance and the biological and health sciences), Visualization (uniting the fine and visual arts with computer science) and Performance Studies (a conjunction of music and theatre drawing on anthropology and related humanities fields). The New Work Development Artist Residency is designed to take advantage of these existing areas of strength, and the school’s emerging areas of new research (including music performance, music technology, devised theatre, graphic design, photo and video, painting and illustration, sculpture, choreography, virtual production, games, animation, visual computing and materials-based research). Artists in residence are invited to take advantage of the varieties of expertise and resources available in the school as they develop a new work or body of works. 


While this is a development residency, artists in residence will be expected to integrate their work into the life of the school, providing opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to take part in their creative process and engaging with faculty and the wider campus community throughout the residency period. This program is designed to be mutually beneficial to the artist in residence and our students, providing the latter a high-impact educational opportunity to be present at and contribute to the creative work of the former.



13. 2024 BLACK MEN TALK PLAY FESTIVAL

DEADLINE: March 15, 2024 

WEBSITE” /www.blackmentalkplayfestival.com/


DLaniger Productions presents this new 10-minute play festival: a celebration of the voices, stories, and perspectives of Black male playwrights. The goal is to select plays telling authentic stories of the Black experience


The 2024 Black Men Talk Play Festival is aimed at recognizing the voices and stories of Black male playwrights. The project is created by a playwright from Chicago where the festival will be held and selected plays will be produced in August 2024.


Playwrights are invited to submit their scripts from until March 15th. A panel of readers will carefully select the plays to be part of the festival. All submissions will receive a confirmation email. Notifications will be made on or before April 15th. The official list of selected plays and playwrights will be posted on: https://blackmentalkplayfestival.com in late April 2024. Selected playwrights will receive $100.


  • Script submitted must be the final version in proper play format.

  • Playwrights must submit plays that run from 8-10 minutes or 8-10 pages. Your cover page should have: title of play, your name, email address, and phone number.

  • Plays should feature from two to four characters.

  • Scripts should be written with minimal set and costume requirements.

  • One entry per person.

  • Plays must be unpublished and must not have had a professional production.

  • Plays must be submitted electronically in PDF format.


No musicals, screenplays, or monologues will be selected for this festival.

All submissions must be submitted online here: https://forms.gle/fT31Mjzsn3nF8mGn6



14. YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

DEADLINE: March 15, 2024

WEBSITE: theblank.com


ELIGIBILITY: Playwrights must be 19 years or younger as of March 15, 2024 and reside or attend school in the US; co-authored plays are welcome provided all authors meet these eligibility requirement. We welcome original plays or musicals of any length or genre and on any subject. Up to three plays per playwright or team - please complete a separate submission form for each piece. All plays must have a title page and numbered pages.  Winning plays will be mentored, directed and performed by professional artists in July 2024



15. PORTLAND STAGE CLAUDER COMPETITION

DEADLINE: March 31, 2024

WEBSITE: https://www.portlandstage.org/new-work/clauder-competition/


The Clauder Competition identifies exciting new works by New England playwrights and ensures their successful launch through readings and productions at Portland Stage. These readings provide exposure, encouragement and critical feedback to promising playwrights who typically receive little more than a return postcard for material they send to theaters and producers.


  • Playwrights must currently live or attend school in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont. This residency requirement may be waived in cases where the material has significant relevance to New England AND where the playwright has previously lived in New England for a considerable period of time. For questions of eligibility, please email us.

  • Plays must be full-length, with a running time between one and three hours.

  • Plays must require no more than 8 actors to perform. Playwrights must provide a precise casting plot for larger casts that require doubling.

  • Plays must be original works, NOT an adaptation or translation.

  • Plays must NOT be primarily for younger audiences.



16. BAU ARTS RESIDENCY (CAMARGO FOUNDATION, CASSIS, FRANCE)

DEADLINE: March 31, 2023

WEBSITE: http://www.bauinstitute.org/index.php?page=cassis-france


The BAU Institute Residency offers international mid-career artists, who have been working independently for over ten years, apartments and workspaces at no cost. Hosted at the Camargo Foundation, the BAU Institute’s Residency award supports artists working in the visual arts, film, performance, and writing on a secluded campus in Cassis, France.


The BAU Institute Residency provides artists a singular opportunity to devote intense focus on projects within an inspiring campus perched above the Mediterranean Sea. Residents are free to create their own schedule of studio practice combined with group dinners and outings. Film screenings, readings and studio presentations also support a vibrant community among Fellows. The setting enables undisturbed creativity, while still offering interaction with the local village of Cassis and the nearby city of Marseille.



17. PAC NYC- THE DEMOCRACY CYCLE

DEADLINE: April 1, 2024

WEBSITE: www.pacnyc.org/the-democracy-cycle-submission-guidelines/



Over a 5-year period, The Democracy Cycle – a collaboration between the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) and Galvan Initiatives – will commission and develop 25 new performing arts works across the fields of theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance that express themes related to the nature and practice of democracy, particularly as it is practiced in the United States.



Artists will receive a commission of $30,000 to create the new work and an additional $30,000 in support of the work’s development (research, readings, workshops etc.).


Our hope is that the commissioned projects will enrich and expand discussion of and participation in democracy as it is practiced within the United States and worldwide. The Democracy Cycle project is inspired by the following beliefs:Democratic values are a global expression of humanity’s striving to live with one another with respect and in peace. The primary focus of The Democracy Cycle will be on democracy as it is currently being practiced in the United States. However, commissioned projects may include references to democracies worldwide provided they have potential for informing and deepening our understanding of American democracy.


Eligible applicants must:

  • Be generative artists working in the field of theater, dance, music, opera, or multi-disciplinary performance

  • Have completed and presented at least 2 full-length prior works of performance publicly, as evidenced by their bio, CV and/or work samples.

  • Propose a new live performance work which may be at any stage of development, but may not be planned to premiere before November 1, 2024. (Remounts of previously completed/premiered works are ineligible.)

  • Propose a new live performance work which is planned to be completed in 2025, 2026, or 2027.

  • Be prepared to manage the income-tax implications of accepting a commission from a U.S.-based arts organization. (U.S. citizenship is not a requirement.)


Proposals are not eligible if

  • The lead artist is enrolled as a full-time student in a degree-granting program

  • The lead artist is under the age of eighteen

  • The main purpose of the project is the curation or documentation of existing work(s)

  • The proposed work advocates by name for the success or failure of a current partisan candidate for office or a political party

  • The lead artist or any of the main collaborators are employees or immediate family of employees of PAC NYC or Galvan Initiatives


Selection Criteria


Readers and panelists will consider the following in selecting the commissioned projects:How does the proposed work model, hold accountable, expand, critique, or celebrate democracy, the practice of democracy, and democratic ideals? How has the artist or artists identified and responded to ideas or themes related to democracy, including core democratic principles and values (ex. political equality, majority rule, minority rights, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, among others.) Does the work demonstrate clear potential for generating meaningful reflection and discourse on democracy as demonstrated by project narrative, samples of prior work, and artistic history of its collaborators.




18. BAYARD RUSTIN RESIDENCY 

DEADLINE: April 1, 2024

WEBSITE: https://www.penington.org/rustin-residency/


The Bayard Rustin Residency at Penington Friends House (PFH) is envisioned as an ongoing ladder to empowerment for Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) working to end Systemic Racism and to create a culture of anti-Racism and intersectional equality in the United States of America. It will provide up to one year of room and board to a person who demonstrates a strong creative project  ( arts or activist based) that addresses ending Systemic Racism. They will reside at the Penington Friends House located in New York City’s Lower East Side of Manhattan.


Beginning in September of 2024, this residency will provide up to one year of room and board to a person who demonstrates a strong project that addresses ending Systemic Racism and who has a necessity to be in New York City for up to one year. They will reside at the Penington Friends House located in New York City’s Lower East Side of Manhattan. The Bayard Rustin Resident will demonstrate a need to live in Manhattan. Areas of focus of their work can include activism in the arts, policy change, human rights, community organizing, and other areas of activism focusing on ending racism and strengthening equality. Residents will meet regularly with the Residency Manager and will be expected to share their progress with the New York City community in the form of presentations or workshops.


The resident does not have to be Quaker but their work should be shaped by and in harmony with our tenants of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. The resident will be expected to be a full-time resident of PFH and be participating member of this intentional community. This includes eating chef prepared dinners with the other residents and participating in shared light house chores. ( 1 1/2 hour commitment per week on average.) The Penington Friends House’s approach to living collaboratively may be new to you. We encourage to look at our website and instagram account (@Penington_friends_house) to gain a better understanding of what we are. Feel free to call us as well with questions.


19. NEW WORKS FOR THE STAGE BY NATIVE AMERICAN ARTISTS

DEADLINE: April 1, 2024

WEBSITE: thedairy.org/creative-nations-art/


This opportunity is only open to Indigenous artists who create for the stage based on Turtle Island (North America).  Creative Nations, an all indigenous-led artists collective founded at The Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, Colorado, is launching the First Storyteller’s Festival in 2024. The festival is focused on developing new work from Indigenous artists across the continent. We are purposely avoiding defining the festival by any specific genre, and encourage creators from any discipline that is performed on a “stage” to submit (with the word “stage” being loosely defined).


The festival will take place in Boulder, CO in the fall of 2024 (dates to be announced soon). The event will include:


Staged readings (or the equivalent for different genres) of pieces in early stage development


Workshop production of a piece by a member of Creative Nations


Educational workshops for community members and artists


Panel discussions to engage the Boulder arts community in the future of Indigenous storytelling for the stage


One of the core tenets of Creative Nations is that we compensate all artists for their time at a fair wage or we don’t do the project. All artists whose work is selected will receive the following:


Transportation to/from Boulder and housing for the festival week


A monetary award (that you will NOT have to spend to cover expenses)


A paid director and cast to rehearse the piece with, leading to a public reading


Networking among your Native artist peers


Education opportunities at our workshops


An invitation to join our newly established writer’s group, to continue developing work with other Native artists


To submit, please send:


A pdf of your script; A link to a google drive folder/dropbox/youtube with any additional music files


The following information about you in the body of your email:

  • Name

  • Tribal affiliation

  • Location (reservation or city/state)

  • Name of the piece

  • Development history of the piece

  • Any artists already attached to the project (director, choreographer, actor, etc)

  • A brief bio


We may be able to fly in one additional person from your creative team, in addition to local resources you’ll have


20. LIBERATION THEATRE COMPANY WRITING RESIDENCY PROGRAM 2024/25

DEADLINE: April 1, 2024

WEBSITE: https://www.liberationtheatrecompany.org/writing-residency-program


 Liberation Theatre Company (LTC), a Harlem, New York-based independent theatrical producer and playwright development company established in 2009, is inviting applications from early-career Black playwrights to participate in the seventh year of our Writing Residency Program for 2024-2025. The residency is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts.


It is a rare opportunity burgeoning playwrights have to hone their craft under their own vision through provided resources from an organization that only seeks to uplift their voices. For that I owe Liberation Theater Company an unlimited amount of gratitude. Nathaniel Johnson - Residency Playwright 2017/18


The Writing Residency Program will select four early-career playwrights and provide them with dramaturgical and professional support over a ten-month period, during which time they will each be required to complete a new full-length play.


Beginning in May 2024, selected playwrights will attend monthly group meetings to share and refine their works-in-progress in a collaborative, energized setting; meet individually with LTC’s Artistic Director and staff who will provide additional support for their artistic needs, concerns and process; and have the resources of a director and professional actors during a table reading as their play begins to take shape.


Additionally, through connections with the larger New York City theatrical community, LTC will provide access to theatre tickets (when available) and seek to support, inspire, and assist playwrights in any way a small and dedicated company can.


The Residency will conclude in February 2025, with the possibility of public/virtual readings, to be determined by LTC staff, of each playwright’s finished play. Upon successful completion of the program, each playwright will receive an honorarium. To be considered for the Writing Residency Program all applicants must be a) residents of New York City at the time of participation (May 2024 – February 2025). b) Applicants must have written at least two full-length plays or three one-act plays. c) The applicant must not have received a production of any of their work that was more developed than a Showcase presentation under the Actors’ Equity Association production code.


Application Submission Procedure


To be considered for the 2024 - 2025 Writing Residency Program, Liberation Theatre Company will only accept submissions via this online form. If you have quetions about the program or the application process, please email: info@liberationtheatrecompany.org.


Make sure that all documents are properly labeled with your name. 

  • Completed Online Application Form 

  • Letter of Intent. This should be limited to 1,000 words and address all of the following points: 

  • Your writing career thus far and where you feel you are in your creative and professional life.

  • Your career goals and how you will use the Residency to further those goals.

  • Briefly describe the play you will complete over the 10-month program. 

  • Why you feel ready for a rigorous residency such as this. 

  • Have you participated in a residency/fellowship before? If so, describe your experience.

  • A 10-page Work Sample that best represents you as a playwright

  • The full script from which you selected your 10-page work sample

  • Your playwriting resume (not a bio). Please include your website if you have one and one personal or professional reference, with the person’s title or institutional affiliation, phone number and email address. (Referrer must be someone familiar with you and your work.)



21. PERELMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

DEADLINE: April 1, 2024

WEBSITE: https://pacnyc.org/the-democracy-cycle/


The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) and Galvan Initiatives (Galvan) launched The Democracy Cycle, a new commissioning program designed to support new works that illuminate the promise, practice, imperfection, and opportunity of democracy. Proposals are requested for new performing arts works following that theme from artists working in theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance.


What is The Democracy Cycle?


Over a five-year period, The Democracy Cycle will commission and develop 25 new performing arts works across the fields of theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance. The commissioned works, to be selected over the course of three annual Rounds of Open Calls, the first opening on January 16, 2024, will explore themes relating to the nature, practice, and experience of democracy.


The Cycle will provide a $30,000 commission to each awarded project. The Cycle will also provide an additional $30,000 towards each commissioned project’s development process (research, readings, workshops etc.). The commissions will be awarded across three annual Open Calls, beginning in January 2024. In the first Open Call, The Democracy Cycle will commission eight projects.



22. CREATIVE CAPITAL AWARD

DEADLINE: April 4, 2024 (opens March 4, 2024) 

WEBSITE: https://creative-capital.org/about-the-creative-capital-award/


For our 25th Anniversary in 2025, Creative Capital welcomes innovative and original new project proposals in visual arts, performing arts, film/moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms.


The Creative Capital Award provides unrestricted project grants up to $50,000 which can be drawn down over a multi-year period, bespoke professional development services, and community-building opportunities.


Grants are awarded via a democratic, national, open call, external review process. The first round of the application process consists of 6 questions. Our goal is to fund approximately 50 individual artists creating conceptually, aesthetically, and formally challenging, risk-taking, and never-before-seen projects. 



23. THE ACADEMY NICHOLL FELLOWSHIP

DEADLINE: May 1, 2024

WEBSITE: https://www.oscars.org/nicholl/about


Each year, the Academy Nicholl screenwriting competition awards up to five $35,000 fellowships to amateur screenwriters. To enter, submit a feature length screenplay and entry fee via the online application when the competition is open for submissions. Fellowship winners are invited to participate in awards week ceremonies and seminars, receive individualized Academy member mentorship and are expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during their Fellowship year.


Up to five $35,000 fellowships are awarded each year to promising new screenwriters. From the program’s inception in 1986 through 2022, 192 fellowships totaling $5.08 million have been awarded. Up to five fellows in the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition will be invited to participate in awards week ceremonies and seminars in November. Fellowship recipients will be expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during the fellowship year. Fellowship payments will be made quarterly subject to satisfactory progress of the recipient’s work, as judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

  • Original feature film screenplay (no shorter than 70 pages and no longer than 160 pages) in PDF format only

  • Completed online application form

  • Writers must create an account at the Nicholl website to enter the competition. PDF scripts must be uploaded and all other requirements met prior to the maximum entry limit of 5,500 screenplays is reached. If the maximum entry limit has not been reached by the final deadline, than PDF scripts must be uploaded and all other requirements met no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on May 1, 2024.


Writers may create an online account at the Nicholl website at any time. When the competition opens each year, they should use that account to enter, following the links to the Log In page. The Nicholl website allows entrants to fill out the required online application form, submit a PDF version of their script and pay the entry fee with a credit or debit card. It also allows entrants to confirm receipt of their entry and to update their contact information at any time during the competition.

A single entrant or writing team may submit a maximum of ONE script in the 2024 year competition.

The script should be no shorter than 70 pages and no longer than 160 pages. The recommended length is 80 to 125 pages.

5,599 entries were received in 2023. All scripts are read at least twice in the competition. About 10 percent are read a third time. About 5 percent of entries advance to the competition quarterfinals, about 2 percent advance to the semifinals and about 10-15 entries reach the finals.




JOBS


HEAD OF COLUMBIA’S MFA PLAYWRIGHT PROGRAM

WEBSITE: https://apply.interfolio.com/138929


Columbia University School of the Arts is looking for a new head of the MFA Playwriting concentration, following David Henry Hwang stepping back to part time and a couple of years of excellent interim leadership from Leslie Ayvazian.


We seek a full-time faculty member of distinction in playwriting, with a proven track record of well-received productions of their original plays and substantial expertise in guiding and mentoring emerging playwrights. The successful candidate will oversee the MFA Playwriting Concentration starting either January 1, 2025 or July 1, 2025. Duties include: leading in the selection of MFA playwriting candidates; teaching and mentoring students; and recommending part-time adjunct faculty for appointment for classes in theatre, film, and television writing. The Program aims to attract a dynamic and dedicated teacher with a commitment to service and collaboration across disciplines with the Directing, Dramaturgy, and Acting Concentrations.



Columbia University School of the Arts is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We encourage applications from historically underrepresented groups.


The Columbia University School of the Arts offers Masters of Fine Arts Degrees in four disciplines: Film, Theatre, Visual Arts and Writing; a Masters of Arts degree in Film Studies; and undergraduate majors in Creative Writing, Film Studies and Visual Arts.










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