GET WHAT YOU WANT: July 2012

This is a monthly list of playwright and theatre grants, competitions, commissions and jobs.

1.
Red Shirt Entertainment
Deadline: July 6th

Go to http://www.redshirtentertainment.com for submission form

Red Shirt Entertainment is looking for 10-minute plays for rooftop series. Each playwright can submit forms attached. Play gets performed on fabulous rooftop theatre area on 23rd Street. Playwrights get introduced to Redshirt community, marketing team, be honored at reception following, and receive a $100 honorarium.

Play should have between 1 and 4 characters, run ten minutes, not be a musical. 8 plays will get selected.

You can email play and submission form to info@redshirtentainment.com or drop off/mail it to 18 W. 23rd St. 4th Floor, NY, NY 10010

For information about how to submit a play please email: info@redshirtentertainment.com


2.
NJ Playwrights Contest 2013 (and 2014) - Plays and Musicals
Deadline: July 13th

The University Performing Arts Department of William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ announces the Ninth (and Tenth) Annual NJ Playwrights Contest. This project helps bring new playwrights and composers and their work into focus in the community, the region and the state of New Jersey. This contest is open to New Jersey residents only. This contest has both a musical and a non-musical component. Each component consists of two phases. First, three plays and three musicals respectively will be selected for staged-readings from all entries received by July 13, 2012. (Each finalist receives a small honorarium.) Second, one winner in each category will receive a production in the very flexible Hunziker Black Box Theatre. In addition to the full production, the winners receive an honorarium commensurate with his/her level of participation. Submissions should include: a cover letter, stating availability of the author for participation in the process and the performance history of the play or musical; a one-page synopsis of the play or musical; and a resume of the playwright and/or composer. NO PLAYS or MUSICALS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED AT THIS TIME. Unless specified, all entries will be considered for both the 9th and 10th contests.

Readings for the 9th Annual NJPC will be in December of 2012. The winning play and musical will be presented in the spring of 2013.

Readings for the 10th Annual NJPC will be in February of 2013. The winning play will be presented in December of 2013 and the winning musical in June of 2014.

Submissions should be emailed to TheatreSeries@WPUNJ.edu or mailed to Theatre Series, H 105-B, 300 Pompton Rd., William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, 07470. 
 Scripts & music (including a piano score) and author interviews will be requested later this summer.

http://www.wpunj.edu/wplive/programs/njplaywrights.dot 



3.
Sandbox Poetry and Dance
Deadline: July 20th

In October 2012, Sandbox will present its latest ensemble collaboration, Beatnik Giselle, a play combining Beat poetry with the classical ballet Giselle.  In conjunction with this production, the company is also facilitating a collaborative performance project to bring together local writers and dancers.

DETAILS

Sandbox is seeking poetry submissions that can be given to volunteers from the Twin Cities dance community, who will use the poetry as their "music" in creating original dance pieces.  All the pieces will be performed in a showcase on October 20 at the Southern Theatre in Minneapolis.  This is an exciting opportunity to not only have your work performed for an audience, but to participate in cross-genre collaborative creation.

Submissions must be able to be read aloud in under five minutes.  There is no limit to style or subject, and writers may make submit up to 3 different works.  All submissions must be received by Friday, July 20.

Please send entries and/or questions to Sandbox Theatre representative Derek Lee Miller at miller.dereklee@gmail.com.


4.
Yale Drama Series
Deadline: August 15th

The Yale Drama Series is seeking submissions for its 2013 playwriting competition. The winning play will be selected by the series' current judge, award-winning playwright John Guare. The winner of this annual competition will be awarded the David Charles Horn Prize of $10,000, publication of his/her manuscript by Yale University Press, and a staged reading at Lincoln Center Theater.

There is no application form or entry fee. Please follow these guidelines in preparing your manuscript:

1. This contest is restricted to plays written in the English language. Worldwide submissions are accepted.

2. Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays written in English. Translations, musicals, and children's plays are not accepted. The Yale Drama Series is intended to support emerging playwrights. Playwrights may win the competition only once.

3. Playwrights may submit only one manuscript per year.

4. Plays that have had professional productions are not eligible. Plays that have had a workshop, reading or non-professional production are accepted.

5. Plays may not be under option or scheduled for professional production at the time of submission.

6. The manuscript must begin with a title page that shows the play's title and your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address (if you have one), page count and (if applicable) a list of acknowledgments; a second title page which lists the title of the play only, a list of characters, and a list of acts and scenes.

7. Plays must be typed/word-processed, page-numbered and in standard professional play format. A brief biography may be included at the end of the manuscript, on a separate page, but is not required.

8. Do not bind or staple the manuscript.

9. Send the manuscript to Yale Drama Series, P.O. Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040.

Submissions for the 2013 competition must be postmarked no earlier than June 1, 2012 and no later than August 15, 2012.

Do not send the only copy of your work. Manuscripts cannot be returned after the competition. If you wish receipt of your manuscript to be acknowledged, please include a stamped, self-addressed postcard.

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS:

Electronic submissions for the 2013 competition must be submitted no earlier than June 1, 2012 and no later than August 15, 2012.

If you would like to submit an electronic copy of your manuscript please email submissions.yaledramaseries@yale.edu with your request.

Upon receiving an email request for submission, we will send an email reply to the sender requesting a secure file transfer form be completed which will allow the electronic submission.

Both PDF/Word document submissions are accepted. PDF submissions are preferred but not required.

Please go to http://www.adobe.com if you need assistance converting a Word document to a PDF.
The Yale Drama Series reserves the right to reject any manuscript for any reason.

5.
Urban Stages Emerging Playwright Award

Established in 1986, Urban Stages' EMERGING PLAYWRIGHT AWARD has been presented to the best of new, innovative playwrights whose works speak to the whole of our society. Urban Stages' on-going mission is to develop and produce new, exciting multi-cultural works that are issue-oriented.

The Guidelines
WHEN TO SUBMIT
Submissions are received throughout the year. Finalists are first included as part of the Urban Stages fall or spring reading series. The award is then announced in the spring. Plays that are finalists are presented as staged and workshop readings. These readings are a collaboration between playwright and director.

AWARD
A cash prize of $500 (in lieu of royalties) will be awarded to the winner. There will also be a staged production of the play in New York City. Urban Stages reserves the right to withhold the prize and not declare a winner if no play of merit is found. Before production of the award winning play, a contract will be signed between the playwright and the company. This contract is approved by the DRAMATISTS GUILD.

ELIGIBILITY
Full length plays are preferred. Submissions are open to playwrights in the United States. Plays may have been developed elsewhere, but never produced in New York City. There is no limit to submission. Subject matter and character variations are open.

GENRE
We prefer full length plays for submission. No translations or adaptations. On RARE occasions, Urban Stages will consider exceptional musicals and one-act plays that fit our mission. We do; however, consider plays for younger audiences for our outreach program.

CAST SIZE
Cast size is limited to no more than nine actors.

TO BE INCLUDED WITH EVERY SUBMISSION
A biography and/or author's history of the play, character breakdown, and brief description or synopsis of the play.

SUBMISSION FORM
All scripts must be firmly bound. No changes or revisions accepted after submission. No double-sided pages.

SUBMISSION REVIEW
It usually takes two to six months for us to read and process your script. We ask that you please do not call or email our offices in the interim to inquire on the status of your play.

PLAYS RETURNED
The play should be accompanied by a manuscript size SASE with appropriate postage. If there is no manuscript size SASE, the play will not be returned. Please do not include loose cash, stamps, labels or metered postage. A SAS Post Card should be included if you want acknowledgment of arrival. If you do NOT want your manuscript returned, but want a response letter of our decision, include a #10 SASE. If no SASE's are included with your submission, it will be discarded at time of rejection. If we are interested in your play, we will contact you by phone or mail. Please include the name, address and phone number of author on the title page.

HANDLING
All scripts will be handled with care, but Urban Stages will not assume responsibility for lost or damaged scripts. RETAIN A COPY OF YOUR SCRIPT.

WHERE TO SEND
Please send manuscripts to:

Urban Stages
555 8th Avenue, #1800
New York, New York 10018

6.
Sante Fe. Performing Arts Playwright Competition
Santa Fe Performing Arts Playwright's Competition was developed to support American Playwrights. The competition is not merely a competition of words, but a venue for recognition and a demonstration of appreciation - truly a celebration of the writer's contribution. SFPA and many other theatre companies around the country with similar programs, support playwrights and ensure the future of American Theatre. Without the writers, the actors would have nothing to say. Submissions are limited to unproduced new American plays and must be postmarked by the first of September of each year. Send play synopsis and character break-down via email or to our mailing address (found at the bottom of page). Full scripts upon request only.
 office@sfperformingarts.org


7.
Theater Three Festival of One Act Plays
Deadline: Sept 30th

Festival of One-Act Plays
.
Submission Guidelines
Only unproduced works will be accepted.
Plays that have had staged readings are eligible.
No adaptations, musicals, or children's plays.
Cast size maximum: 8.
Length: 40 minutes maximum, no minimum.
Settings should be simple or suggested.
Playwrights may make multiple submissions.  They need not be made under separate cover.
Please do not submit works that have been previously submitted.
Scripts must be postmarked by September 30.
Please submit a cover letter, a synopsis, and a resume along with one copy of the play. Cover sheet of play should have title, author, author's address, author's telephone number, and author's email address (if available). Plays should be neatly bound or stapled on the left-hand corner (no loose pages and no binders, please). All submissions must include a standard SASE for correspondence. Or, if playwrights wish to have their works returned, an appropriate SASE must also be included.
Selected plays will be presented for 10 performances. Playwrights will receive a small stipend.
Plays should be submitted to The 14th Annual Festival of One-Act Plays, Attn: Jeffrey Sanzel, Artistic Director, THEATRE THREE, P.O. Box 512, Port Jefferson, NY 11777-0512. We do not accept electronic (email) submissions. Please do not call or stop by the theatre.
Final selection of plays will be in late 2010.

8.
Warehouse Theatre (in London)
International Playwriting Competition
Deadline: July 31st

http://www.warehousetheatre.co.uk/
Through the International Playwriting Festival the Warehouse Theatre has discovered and launched the career of a host of successful writers and it has also had much success in transferring plays to the West End and other London theatres, and touring both nationally and internationally. Entries are now being accepted. Go to website to fill out form and for details.


9.
The David Calicchio/Marin Theatre Company Emerging American Playwright Prize
Deadline: August 31st

Norton J. “Sky” Cooper established the Emerging American Playwright Prize award at Marin Theatre Company in 2007 in honor of David Calicchio’s lifelong career as a playwright and in support of Marin Theatre Company’s commitment to the discovery and development of new and emerging American playwrights. The Calicchio Prize will be awarded annually to a professionally unproduced playwright for a new work that shows outstanding promise and a distinctive new voice for the American theatre. The play selected as the Calicchio Prize winner will receive 2 public staged readings at Marin Theatre Company as part of the theatre’s annual New Works Series. The playwright will receive a $2,500 award, as well as travel and accommodations for the MTC rehearsal period (25 hours).

GUIDELINES
Plays must be full-length in comedy, drama, etc. Musicals, translations, adaptations, individual one-acts and any play previously submitted for the Sky Cooper or David Calicchio Prizes are not eligible. Collaborations are welcome, in which case prize benefits are shared. Playwrights may not have received a full-scale, professional production of the submitted play, or any of their other works, prior to submission. Plays and playwrights that have had workshop, reading or non-professional productions are still eligible. Playwrights must be citizens of the United States. Only one submission per playwright is allowed each year. If you plan to also submit your play to the Sky Cooper Play Prize you may do so but it must be the same play.

Submission is a two-phase process.
Phase I: Submit a two-page maximum abstract of the play including title, character breakdown, brief story synopsis and playwright bio or resume. Also include 10 pages of consecutive sample dialogue. Literary agents may submit full scripts of their client’s work. All abstracts and dialogue samples will be read. From these, selected manuscripts will be solicited for Phase II by October 1. Due to the high number of submissions, not every playwright will receive a response to their Phase 1 submission. Do not send a manuscript with or instead of the abstract. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be read. Due to the high number of submissions we cannot return any Phase I materials. If you would like notification that your submission was received, please send it with a SASP. Electronic submissions are accepted in Word or PDF format only and paper copies must be sent to MTC if requested. Please NO PHONE OR EMAIL inquiries.

Phase II: All manuscripts that have been solicited after Phase I will be read. Manuscripts should be neatly typed, securely bound and have the playwright’s name, contact address and phone number clearly visible on the front page. No solicited manuscript will be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope with adequate postage.

All final selections are made by Jasson Minadakis, Artistic Director of Marin Theatre Company.

Submissions are accepted between July 1 and August 31 (postmarked).

Address all submissions to:
The David Calicchio/Marin Theatre Company Emerging American Playwright Prize
Marin Theatre Company
397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Or electronically to davidcalicchio@marintheatre.org


10.
NEXT ACT NEW PLAY SUMMIT
Deadline: July 16th

Capital Repertory, Albany, NY
Submissions are now being accepted for Capital Repertory Theatre’s NEXT ACT NEW PLAY SUMMIT

Next Act! is an expansion of Capital Repertory Theatre’s commitment to the development of new work, and is designed to complement the Upper Hudson Valley’s recent and future growth explosion in the fields of research and technology.  The summit will directly reflect the theatre’s mission, “to create meaningful theatre generated from an authentic link to the community.”  Next Act! takes place November 2nd thru 4th, 2012 and will feature readings of two never-before produced plays, and special events throughout the weekend.

Capital Rep is particularly interested in scripts that showcase world events as they impact the individual and society, highlighting the common threads that bind the American culture together in a world that is defined more and more by diversity.  The theatre will give preference to character driven scripts that showcase technology’s impact on humanity.

Multi-cultural and ethnically diverse plays welcome. Comedy and Drama welcome! (Please do not submit plays about the theatre.)

Eligible plays can not have been previously produced, though previous readings are allowed.  No more than 7 characters.  (Please do not submit works in which actors play multiple roles, unless it is a device used to illuminate generations.)  No musicals.


11.
The New Theatre Project New Work Series

The New Work Series is an opportunity for playwrights to have their work read at any stage of the plays journey. The scripts will receive minimally staged productions before an audience and feature a talkback. We have accepted all of our submissions for the Spring New Work Series but are always accepting submissions to be considered for next Series.

New work will be considered from local (Ypsilanti, MI ) and non-local playwrights. Any work having already received a production must be seeking further development or open to the possibility. The New Theatre Project will also consider short plays, incomplete work, work based on classical texts, music with the possibility of a theatrical staging, or any otherwise unconventional work for the stage (dance theatre, performance art, etc.)

Playwrights are asked to submit a 10-page script sample, character listing, and a synopsis. Any additional materials that may help us understand the piece will also be accepted, though please keep them brief and concise.

Script submissions must be emailed to keith@thenewtheatreproject.org. Requests for full-length scripts will be emailed shortly thereafter.


12.
Brain Trust Theatrical*

Brain Trust Theatricals is looking for bold, new character-driven plays to make up its inaugural season.

To be considered, please send a play synopsis, full character list, and a ten-page script sample. Plays still in development are welcomed. Please note that while we are not producing children’s theater, each play in our season will have an educational outreach component. For this reason, plays with extreme sexual content will not be considered.

Script submissions can be sent to

Elizabeth Schwartz at BrainTrustTheatricals@gmail.com

or snailmail to:

330 W 45th Street
Lobby H
New York, NY 10036


13.
NEWvember New Plays Festival call for submissions
Deadline: August 1st

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Inaugurated in 2011 as a co-production of Tangent Theatre Tivoli and AboutFACE Ireland, NEWvember is a festival of rehearsed readings of new plays that takes place over four days at the Carpenter Shop Theatre in the historic village of Tivoli in upstate New York.

CRITERIA FOR SUBMISSIONS

submitted plays should be previously unproduced (we will consider plays that have had readings before but are still in development)
plays should have a cast size of 2-8
plays should have a running time of 30-120 minutes
we will only accept one submission per writer
we ask that the writers of the chosen plays attend the reading of their play towards its further development and to be present for a post-reading Q&A with the audience. We will provide $50 towards travel (the equivalent of a return Amtrak trip from NYC to Rhinecliff) as well as local accommodation in Tivoli
there is no fee for submissions
 while we are open to all styles and subjects, our companies do have a preference for narrative and character driven stories

PROCESS OF SUBMISSION:
In submitting your play, please include:
the play as a PDF, with the title page listing the name of author as a separate file (to aid our blank reading process)
a 3-line synopsis of the play
a bio of the writer
in an email to submissions@NEWvemberfestival.com

SUBMISSION DATES:
Submissions will be accepted from June 1st 2012 to August 1st 2012.

Please note that these dates will be applied strictly and any submissions made outside these dates will not be considered. The six invited plays will be announced in October.

CASTING: Please note – the chosen plays will be read by an ensemble of actors, each performing roles in multiple plays in the festival. While we will endeavor to provide the best match of cast for each play that is read, in terms of characters’ listed ages/ethnicities, we also need to form an ensemble to best cover the entire range of the festival’s program. We appreciate our playwrights’ understanding of our ensemble-based casting.


14.
The Disreputables are now accepting submissions of short works for SLUT*
Deadline: July 31st

The Disreputables are now accepting submissions of short works for SLUT, a festival of staged readings and discussions inspired by the political climate of 2012 - in particular, the string of controversial legislation (dubbed the “War on Women”) which serves to hinder a woman’s right to privacy, choice, and safety. SLUT is the first installment of the UNmute! Reading Series, a season-long project aimed at raising the volume on stifled voices. We are seeking original plays, musicals, and monologues from 1-30 minutes in length. SLUT will be presented in the Washington, DC metropolitan area in October 2012.

All submissions will be accepted via email, and must be accompanied by a cover page containing a brief synopsis and professional bio. Please visit www.disreputables.org for full guidelines. No submissions will be accepted in hard copy form, with the exception of short musicals presented with an accompanying CD. We are not accepting translations or adaptations. Only one submission per writer is allowed. All plays must be submitted in a single document, formatted in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat. All scripts must include
 page numbers.

Submissions are open to all writers in the United States, with or 
without representation. For playwrights represented by credited agents or managers, we prefer
that you submit your work through your representation. To ensure your script is accepted, we encourage you to submit your work as early as
possible. The submission period ends July 31, 2012. More details are posted at www.disreputables.org, so please review them for answers to any questions.


15.
Chrysalis Theater Company*
Seeking Full Length Comic Drama with Female Characters

Chrysalis Theater Company is seeking a new play to produce this fall. They are a small company based in New York City. They are looking for a new play that has not been previously produced in New York. A comic drama with a strong emotional core with female characters in their late 30s/early 40s with no more than 5 characters is desired.  The ideal length of the play is between 90 min and 2 hours. The play will be produced at the 4th St. Theatre in downtown Manhattan in November of this year.

DETAILS

The playwright will receive a small stipend. This is a showcase production.
Please send a short bio and your script to adinataubman@aol.com.

16.
Playwrights Horizons Seeks Writers
Deadline: rolling

Playwrights Horizons accepts unsolicited manuscripts of full-length, original plays by American authors.  As to our tastes, we try to remain open to as wide a variety of different styles and approaches to playwriting as possible.  We are a writer’s theater and we truly believe that, in principle, there are as many styles and worldviews as there are playwrights.  We are looking for distinctive, accomplished, original theatrical voices.

As a rule, we do not produce non-musical adaptations, translations, children’s theater, screenplays, musicals without original scores, one-acts, plays of chiefly biographical or historical nature, or topical “issue” plays.  Playwrights Horizons does not produce plays that have already received New York City productions. We are not a theater that prides itself on being grounded in naturalism, realism or “method” acting.  We therefore tend to shy away from psychological family dramas and from relationship sitcoms that we feel are more suitable for television.  We respond primarily to plays with a sure command of language and a clear dramatic action that truly use the resources of the theater.  Ultimately, of course, tastes are subjective and we are just not the right theater for certain plays.

If you wish to submit a play, please include a complete manuscript (we dislike synopses and dialog samples, but will consider them if submitted), bio, resume, and any other print supporting materials (e.g. reviews) that might help pique our interest in you and your work.  We do not accept scripts via email. Due to the small size of our staff and the sheer number of scripts we receive, we are only able to accept one script at a time from the same author. If you would like your script returned, you may also include an SASE.  Thanks in advance for your patience while we process your script; our typical response time is 6-8 months.

Play submissions should be sent to Adam Greenfield, Director of New Play Development. Musical submissions (script and CD) should be sent to the attention of Kent Nicholson, Director of Musical Theater.

Our mailing address is:
Playwrights Horizons
416 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

COMMISSIONS

We award 4-6 commissions a year. We choose the recipients from a group of writers whose work we already know and wish to encourage. The best way to become a candidate for a commission is to start submitting your work.


17.
Three Roses 2012
Deadline: monthly ongoing

Three Roses Players is very supportive of NEW WORKS and hard working playwrights! We produce at least 6 new one act plays per month.

The Writer Speaks where the plays see our stage for the first time in a four performance run. The audience scores the plays and the top two move into The Writer SpeaksWinner's Circle, where the winning playwrights send us another 2 one acts and we choose 1 from the 2 selections.

THEN these four plays enjoy another four week fully produced run!

ONE ACT PLAYS
20 pages or LESS
3 CHARACTERS OR MORE
NO more than 2 SCENE BREAKS/ Vignettes
Light props, sets, costumes
Has not been produced in Southern California in the last 12 months
No concurrent productions in Southern California
Local CA Playwrights must attend at least ONE performance (you receive a comp)

DEADLINES are the 10th day of the month prior to the theme month.
Selected plays will be notified by mid month prior to the theme months.

PLEASE SPECIFY THEMES IN YOUR COVER LETTER, THANK YOU!

AUGUST 2012
Non-theme month, submit any subject.

SEPTEMBER 2012
Non-theme month, submit any subject.

OCTOBER 2012
GOBLINS, GHOSTS and GHOULS OH MY!!
Send me your spookiest and scariest!

NOVEMBER 2012
CELEBRATE THOSE THAT MAKE THE GREAT SACRIFICE FOR OUR SAFETY AND OUR FREEDOM.
Positive, uplifting, enlightening stories about these heroes open our eyes to what that sacrifice really means to their families and friends.

DECEMBER 2012
HOLIDAY BLISS OR IS IT?
Tales about that obligatory time of year, from shopping malls to airports to that holiday family dinner, how do you survive it?

PLEASE SUBMIT IN WORD or PDF FORMAT TO:

3rosesp@gmail.com

I look forward to reading your work!
Maggie Grant
ARTISITIC DIRECTOR
www.3rosesp.com


18.
Yes Festival seeks full-length plays
Deadline: Sept 30th

Scripts must be standard sized, legibly typed, and bound. Standard Dramatist Guild form is preferred. Submissions (ONE per playwright) must be full length and should include a one-page synopsis and a cast list with brief character descriptions.

A play may not have had a previous professional or university production. Scripts are not returnable (unless specifically requested and accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope).

-Enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard if you wish the project director to acknowledge receipt of your script.
-in deciding which play to submit, a writer should know our actors will be students ranging in age from 17-30. Some faculty members or guest artists may be available for the festival. However, a play with especially strong demands for mature character roles would not be as likely for selection as one of equal quality with roles for young adults.
-Musicals with small orchestra demands will be considered. Musicals should be submitted only if a vocal score and piano conductor score is available.
-A Y.E.S. entry form must accompany a submitted script - see this flyer (PDF Format.)


Northern Kentucky University
Sandra Forman,
Project Director
NKU Y.E.S. Festival of New Plays
Department of Theatre and Dance
Nunn Drive
Highland Heights, KY 41099

-Selections will be made and winners notified no later than December 31, 2012. Returnable scripts will be mailed back after the winners have been notified.
-An honorarium of $500 will be awarded to each selected playwright as well as travel expenses and housing while attending the festival.
- it is important that selected playwrights be available to visit the festival about a week before opening so their visit can be arranged to include late rehearsals and the premiere of their play. Festival dates are April 11-21, 2013. The visiting dates are at the discretion of the festival. Playwrights and the directors of their plays will participate in one post-show question-and-answer session with the audience.
-in addition to the three plays selected for full productions, one script may be selected for a staged reading during the festival. The playwright of this script will also be brought in for late rehearsals and opening.


19.
Living Theatre Reading Series
Deadline: ongoing

Judith Malina and The Living Theatre are seeking scripts from New York playwrights for the theatre’s readings series. Seeking scripts of all lengths and in all styles - except realism. Interested in politics, philosophy, timeless issues – not romance.

 Also seeking scripts of any length and style about famous playwrights (e.g. Ibsen).

Readings are staged in the Living’s Theatre’s space on the Lower East Side. Email scripts to: stevecapra@newyorkcritic.org


20.
One Act TV Play
Deadline: July 1st

The Playwrights Project Original “One Act Play Competition” - We are in our 16th year, and our winning plays have received multiple awards, from both national and international film festivals in the professional categories. TWO winning plays will be Cablecast on Public Access Television, Channel 20 (Cablevision) and Channel 37 (Verizon FIOS) and other Public Access Stations in various locations around the country. A Showcase is held with a Q & A with the actors, director and playwrights. The guidelines for submission are as follows: Original, Fifteen minutes in length, limited to three or four characters and one set – no children. Multiple submissions are welcome! Scripts will not be returned! Winners will be notified by PATV and posted on the website. Submission entry deadline is July 1, 2012. Submit typed manuscript to: The Public Access Television Corporation, ATT: “Playwrights Competition”, 1111 Marcus Avenue, Suite LL27, Lake Success, NY 11042. Prizes will be a professional production of the two winning plays and $100.00 to each author. This project is supported in part by North Shore Community Arts Council, and Astoria Federal Savings Bank.


(*= don't know the history or background behind this theatre company)

Pride Week and Bear Talk

Speaking the language of the people! Check out this MISTER video directed and edited by Karina Mangu-Ward and written and produced by Aurin Squire.

Happy PRIDE!!! 

Confessions of a Miami Heat Fan

I'm conflicted. The Miami Heat are up 3 games. One game away from a championship. This is the moment they came together for and things are starting to click. And yet I have trouble watching the games. 


I'm from Miami. Okay technically I'm from Unincorporated Dade County, a nether region of sand dunes and drainage canals. For the sake of proximity we either called our neighborhood Opa Locka or Carol City growing up. But outside of South Florida, it's hard to explain to people the logistics of Florida county law and what the heck Unincorporated Dade County actually looks like. Only a few years ago did my town get an official name in Miami Gardens. It's an odd name since we're not near Miami and they're very few parks or gardens, but it sounds nice. To my mind, though, I still think of my home town as Unincorporated Dade. It's like the orphan of South Florida. When I travel anywhere outside of a 50 mile radius of my home town I just say my birthplace is "Miami.' I don't split hairs and explain that I was actually born on Miami Beach and lived in an existential territory of wandering for 20 years that was a mixture of desert and swamp. It was a place of shifting ethereal mirages and muddy marsh. People don't need to know. Just Miami and people think of palm trees and tans. 


I have been a Heat fan since the franchise began. We 'got the team in the 1980s it was cool to get in on the ground floor of a new thing. Most people in big cities just inherit their teams. But for Miami kids of my generation, it was like we were given a plant to water and grow. And now it's become this huge tree that gives fruit and comfort. So I've stuck with them through great times and awful times when they were just getting mercilessly pounded the first 3 or so years of existence. I stuck with them when they were filled with fat, sloppy, lazy dead-end veterans who could barely jog up the court as various coaches took turns. I stuck with them with Riley came to town and created a great but obviously flawed team around Hardaway and Mourning (always just good enough to compete but also clearly lacking) . I stick with them because I saw the franchise grow and it feels like I was -in some small way- a part of the dialogue, arguments, fighting, celebration, tears, and laughter. 

My conflict is this: I don't like the personality of this team. Individually, the superstars are great, the supporting players are funny, Mike Miller is like some sad uncle who keeps falling down the stairs and injuring himself. But as a team, they are -as Sir Chales put it- a whiny bunch.  I thought maybe it would change after a year. Maybe they would grow into their skin, settle down. And there are times when this is true and I almost forget that nagging feeling. But then it all comes back suddenly in a game or series. The Miami Heat turns back into a frustrating team as far as temperament, hustle, and offensive executive. 


Late in the season, they are in sync and they're great. It's fun to watch. They're hustling, playing it cool, and I wonder 'where was this for most of the year?' As individuals I really like the Heat players, but as a team something is just 'off' about them. Maybe they need a slightly more consistent point guard (although Chalmers can be great and he never lacks confidence) to direct flow or a good center to anchor the middle. Maybe it's Wade growing into a crusty old man before our eyes. 

It's like raising a child and going to see them in their first Little League game and discovering 'oh my god, my son is an ASSHOLE.' You still love him, you still care, but you have a hard time liking him.  Everything he does -from yelling at his teammates, taunting opposing team, arguing with the umpire- makes you ashamed and wonder 'how did I raise such a little asshole?' And then you begin to feel guilty because part of you goes 'that's not right. I should love him anyway' and the egalitarian part of you go 'no, but he's an asshole. If that was someone else's kid I would hate them.'

Some times I rooting for the Heat and in the er, um, heat of the moment I'll be cheering and they'll just do something that will make me say 'jesus, some times these guys are such jerks!!'

So I'm root for the Heat. Bad habits and all. I feel like the team is heavily criticized but it's my son, my tree, whatever mixed metaphor you want throw in.  If they don't win this year, the Hate will go through the roof. But if they do win this year...will they be rewarded for their bad habits?  If they win -whining, slacking off on defense, unable to pass the ball- will they then come back next year and be even more entrenched in these bad habits and foul moods. Both options scare me.

So far we have gotten through these playoffs -we, Heat fans at least- by suppressing our annoyance at  our team by having opponents who were even more annoying. For instance, the Knicks sans Jeremy Lin. That's an annoying, sloppy team. Easy. Indiana Pacers. Seemed wholesome but then we were able to focus on Danny Granger's trash talking and technicals. Boston Celtics? Steam flies out of our ears. We remember how much glee they took in laughing on our home court and taunting/trash talking. Now they're trying to play elder statesmen. Nope. But OKC?

OKC is like Obama 2008 where the most annoying things about the product is that 1) everyone seems to love them a BIT too much 2) uniformity of the dull happiness people have toward them. It's 'okay' to like OKC. They're cool, they're young, they got a guy with a crazy beard! They have saucy veterans, some Europeans, and are set in a wholesome Midwest town. They're America's team. Any time some club is dubbed America's team I feel like running in the other direction. "So you're claiming all of America?' With what, your shiny uniforms? Your winning personality? Or your skilled marketing team which have worked the whole milk, momma, flag pin angle? The fact that Durant's mother kisses him after each game and it's a ritual is ridiculous and feels like they're relationship is being used to play up what a 'gee golly' nice wholesome guy Durant is compared to LeBron. The media narrative is cloying and you almost expect their lineup to be announced by Bob Costas with a sepia-tone light as he narrates a stirring, heartwarming bio for each player coming out to the floor.

For Game 4, I actually didn't intend on watching it. And I don't intend on watching game 5 either. At the last second I decided to go to the gym last night. Why not? I had jogged the past few days so I just wanted to go on the elliptical for an hour. When the machine starts the channel is on the game. At first I want to turn it to my beloved gym standard: Food Channel. But then I think, 'why not? The game is right here.' 

Miami is getting beaten up bad. They're down by 10, then 12, then 15. It's the 1st quarter and I'm shaking my head. Then they call a time out and I check the players. They all seem calm. They had that attitude of 'yeah, yeah, okay. Get your points. We're gonna slow you down.' It's one thing to have the attitude, but another to actually play like it. 

The Big 3 are just hanging around, reading the defense, testing out seams, checking the lanes. They're really playing this thing cool and just reading the situation. And then the 3-pt'ers start raining. Well maybe the attitude can be backed up with play. By the time I get off the machine Miami is down by two at half time and I'm thinking 'how the hell did THAT happen?' And LeBron and Wade barely went off on any scoring binge. Bosh was invisible. OKC comes out with some its best play of the year, Westbrook was unstoppable, Durant was doing his thing...and they're up by only 2. 

I was literally drenched in sweat after an hour of working out. I went to the locker room for shower. When I came out of shower, I dressed and changed, careful not to loiter around the TV and get sucked into the game. As I pass by on my way out I see it's toward the end of the 3rd quarter and Miami is up by 2 and everyone has that feeling. 

In 2006, Miami won their championship. It was in the middle of the season and they were at San Antonio for a big Sunday game. Pat Riley was coaching a team that had fallen short in the Conference Finals last year, just fired its coach, and had two moody superstars in Wade and Shaq. And I'm in the Publix Supermarket in Pembroke Pines, Florida buying oatmeal. I pass by the TV and I see the game is on. I watch a few minutes of it and there's this air of confidence. It's like a strong perfume that transmits itself through the TV or a thin veil of energy that covers a team. The Heat are tied, then they're up by 2, then they're up by 4, down by 1, then they're tied, then they're up by 2. It goes on and on like this for a while. They never get too far ahead or behind. And San Antonio is an old pro team too. They're both taking their shots, pacing themselves, choosing their moments, making little runs. It feels like factory work for a group of veterans. Parts are flying down the assembly line, buzzers are screaming, sparks and mini-fires are bursting up, lights flashing, and things are moving so fast and dangerous. But the workers are carrying on a conversation about what they did over the weekend. To an outsider it looks like chaos but then you observe the workers and it's almost calming. They're settled in themselves at just the right amount, alert to the present moment enough to handle crisis but withdrawn enough to see clearly while carrying out their job. 

At that moment in Publix Supermarket in 2006 with my green shopping cart I said aloud 'they can win it.' I wasn't thinking about the game, which they did eventually go on to win by only a few points. By 'it' I meant the championship. They could win it all. They had that demeanor. 

Throughout the last two years Miami goes on these incredible runs. They have so many highlight reels, dazzling plays, tough victories. But most of the time it felt like they were caught up in the moment. They were so chained in their emotions that it was this mad dash of energy and talent, fluster and sweat. And if they met a calmer team that was equally matched with them then they stood a 50/50 chance of losing. 

It was only halfway through this season that something clicked. It was, in fact, when OKC came to Miami for a big showdown. This was the game of the week. OKC is evenly matched in speed and talent with the Heat. They're flying around the court, dunking, high-fiving. I'm watching the Heat players and they're talking like old factory workers. The lights are flashing, smoke is coming off the basketball rim from all the dunks, people are panicking as OKC goes on a run. But the players are standing around talking, chewing on their mouth guard, pointing out potential cuts to make with and without the ball. And I thought 'they appear to have that look.'

The frustrating thing about this year's Heat team is that they look comes and goes so frequently. One minute they're calm and collected and the next minute they're screaming on the sidelines and walking up-court. This has been one of the most inconsistent years for their level of talent. One minute they're reeling off 10 straight wins on the road, including a back-to-back-to-back games, then they're struggling against the Nets. But when the look comes over this team, it's like a veil. It falls over all their faces giving enough clarity to see but just enough of a filter and screen to play 'within themselves.' 

Who knows how this series is going to turn out. But at least they appear to be playing with the championship veil. I hope they can keep playing this way beyond this year. 

Father's Day and Black Men

This day has always felt incidental. Father's Day was an "Oh, by the way" holiday that involved a quick stop at a tie wrack, cheap wrapping paper, and a firm pat on the back.

Way to go.


Thanks for hanging in there, Dad.


You are not a terrible Dad. Huh, go figure.

In the Black community the celebration of Dads seems heavily weighed against the bad Fathers of the world. Posts are worded to say 'for all the good Dad: thanks for not beating us silly...yet.' That's not exactly a raving compliment but more like a backhanded insult against men in general.

Several years ago I remember listening to 99 Jamz while driving around in Miami. The DJ announced that Angie Stone was going to write and produce a tribute song for Black men. There was a hilariously long silence after the statement. In the room was the DJ, who was a Black man, his sidekick (also a Black man) and the news announcer, who was a Black woman. The DJ was the first one to open his mouth.

Really?


Um...yeah. 


Ohhhkay.

There was an edge of caution in the voice of the Black men. There weren't fast-talking or cracking jokes. Their words were slow, carefully measured, and sparse. They were waiting for the punchline to what must be a joke. There had to be a catch. A Black woman was going to publicly compliment Black men. You could almost feel the arched eyebrows and crossed arm posture in the silence. The pause spoke volumes about the state of Black men and receiving a compliment.

You're going to say something nice? Why? 


What do you want? I didn't do nothing! Leave me alone!!!

And the all-time favorite Black male anthem of my generation: IT WASN'T ME!!!

I remember bursting out laughing at the silence and then feeling really depressed. Wow, the state of relations between men and women in the Black community has gotten to a point where gratitude is met with skepticism.

Tune into afternoon and late-night TV and you see where this skepticism festers. On TV Black men are the biological fathers unwilling to take responsibility, the adulterers, ex-convicts, men on the DL, thieves, jobless, thug-lite, and the physical embodiment of mumbling ignorance. Black women are the 'wronged' victim, loud, demonstrative, wrathful, that gets the audience cheering and hooting. Often the Black woman is the one with the job, expressive, educated, with the car, with the house and with the kids. The Black man is somewhere off to the side, desired by never really attained for most lower-class and working class scenarios that are shown.

Jerry Springer and Maury Povich have made a fortune off this model that is eagerly watched in disproportionate numbers by Black and Latino women. And who could forget the incomparable Miss Cleo. The famed psychic with the exaggerated Jamaican accent and head wrap that seemed like an SNL skit. Miss Cleo's psychic powers seemed particularly honed at finding out if a man was or was not the Baby Daddy.

I remember working as an intern at theatre one summer and running into the painful dynamic of Black fathers and their public perception. I was just a summer intern answering the phones and every so often we would get a call from a woman. She was requesting the phone number of a certain Black male writer. I would write her name down and pass this along to my supervisors.

The calls increased in volume and frequency from this mysterious woman, with each call getting worse. The writer in question had been out of contact with her. They had a child together. He owed child support. He wasn't fulfilling his responsibility.

The allegations flew and I calmly listened while I promised to pass along the basic information (minus the gossip) to my supervisors. The other people in the office got into the drama. It was like a mini-soap opera that happened a few times a week and offered some distraction from the boring office work. She would call and then the gossip would fly shortly after hanging up.

Uh-oh!!! He better handle his business!


Baby Daddy Drama!!

And we laughed while I subtly noted that I was often the only Black man laughing. And while my laughter was coming from a place of discomfort and awkwardness, it seemed (although there's no way to know for sure) that other people were laughing from glee. There was a joy in the cliche misery of a successful Black man who wasn't paying child support, who had an angry ex-girlfriend on the line, who had a child who was being deprived. There was laughter. Even at the level of success he had attained, he was acting just like they expected: like a deadbeat.

Would do any good to note that I was raised by both my mother and father. That my father mentored not only his children but dozens of others while working as a school teacher. Would it amount to anything to record the good Black fathers when the bad ones are more alluring for TV cameras? Does any care to note Jack and Jill, Cooking Gents, and many other organizations that are supported by Black fathers.

When I say "Happy Father's Day" my words are weighed with all of these questions. I have no answers, but only my experiences with other caring fathers and my own family.

I was blessed with strong parents. My Dad is Stanley Squire. He deserves more than a day, more than tie, more than I could ever give back to him. He was rarely thank'ed, often dismissed, ridiculed, presumed unintelligent and liar for being a Black man and a father. He didn't drink, he didn't beat me, and he rarely raised his voice. He helped me with my math homework, taught me how to ride a bike, coached me into a championship child tennis player, drove me to violin practices, and saw me through college, graduate school. He encouraged me to be provocative, ask questions, sit in the front of the class room, the middle of the bus, how to talk to the police without getting beat up, and read like my life depended on it (because it often did).

There aren't enough days in the calendar to honor men like my father. But at least we have this one.

Preparing Mind and Body: Meditation Retreat

I've begun to close some links down, add up finances, see if this is all going to come together either this summer or in the fall. I think I might be able to do a 30-day meditation retreat. It's very difficult to have everything align at the same time.

Phone goes off. Internet stops. No more work. No talk, gossip, or news. Facebook and twitter go to black. This blog will go silent for a month unless I can get a few guest writers to post. I have to get in more flexible shape and do more yoga so my body is limber and capable of sitting for several hours a day.

I'm going to have to find a good meditation cushion, figure out transportation, and pray a lot.

I'm anxious with all the unknown factors and variables. This morning I woke up thinking about it and tension ran through my body. I put on some tea, then I sat down to meditate for an hour. I asked for help and surrendered.

I'll keep praying and opening myself up. Who knows how this will end up going. But I know that it's possible. Thanks to friends and family, I was able to do a meditation retreat last year. I had no idea -when I began planning- all the little details that had to be covered.

By the end of the week I guess I should have a spreadsheet of all the things needed.

This is a trying time which is why a meditation retreat would be best. Tragedy and gossip swirl around in the news. There are massacres in Syria and Buddhist rumors/gossip/news, and so many strange cannibal stories. It feels like there is a strange delight in there air. The delight in watching failure, horror, and death.

On a personal level my Dad has stopped getting up out of bed. I have no idea what it all means. Has he quit? After all this time, is this the decision to throw up his hands and call it a life?

Oddly enough, against this backdrop of chaos and blood, my own life feels stronger. I have finished a few exciting projects and have many more lined up for the rest of the year. I'm entering my last few weeks of the Columbia U. program where I've been working out 4-5 times a week. I feel stronger and healthier than I've been in years. It would be easy for me to just disconnect from the discomfort of others. I could just worry about myself and go into a retreat with the smug satisfaction of 'look at what I'm doing.' But I hope there is another way.

I can acknowledge the good ripening of having the time and good people around me. But spend a month purifying in silence and prayer for all the things which make my heart heavy with grief. Today I'm trying to find that balance. Tomorrow I'm going on a bus to check out the retreat site. I am surrendering to whatever may come.

Wednesday PlayRISE PANEL DISCUSSION

I'm on a panel discussion tomorrow about art, sex, love and race. It should be fun to hang out with a lot of other great writers, including Pulitzer-Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph.

Click here to receive future mailings from: Rising Circle Theater Collective, Inc.

Rajiv Joseph, Dominique Morisseau, Matthew Paul Olmos, Joshua Allen, Raquel Almazan, Sevan K. Greene, Nikkole Salter, Tatiana Suarez-Pico, Nandita Shenoy, Aurin Squire, Kelly Zen Yie-Tsai Kick off Rising Circle's 2012 PlayRISE Festival with SEX, ART, LOVE and RACE secrets revealed, opinions exposed, provocative topics explored Wednesday June 6, 2012 at 7:30p.m. Studio Theatre @ Theatre Row Studios 410 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036 Free admission but limited seating Click here to reserve your seats today!

GET WHAT YOU WANT: June 2012

1.
Terra Nova Groundbreakers
Deadline: June 12th

Online application: http://www.terranovacollective.org/about2.html

Groundbreakers Playwrights Group is an annual developmental playwriting lab, in which 6 playwrights receive the unique opportunity to work on a play-in-progress with the goal of creating a completed draft. Each playwright will hear their play read around the table by professional actors 3 times over 18 weeks, receiving feedback from the Groundbreakers Playwrights Group, special guests and the artistic staff of terraNOVA Collective.

terraNOVA assembles a diverse group devoted to creating theatrical, original, innovative, socially relevant new work for the stage and welcomes submissions of new plays-in-progress that will benefit from collective feedback and further terraNOVA Collective's artistic mission. We are especially interested in playwrights who, in addition to working on their own play, have an interest in attending weekly workshops to engage in the development of other playwrights' work.

PARTICIPATING PLAYWRIGHTS WILL:

   * Attend a weekly writers group led by terraNOVA’s Artistic Staff.
   * Create a 10-minute play to be showcased in terraNOVA’s Annual Benefit.
   * Receive complimentary tickets to all terraNOVA events in the current season.
   * Receive hands-on artistic support and professional development guidance from terraNOVA's artistic staff.
   * Receive a workshop and reading performance in terraNOVA's annual Groundworks New Play Series.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY:

   * Must be able to attend weekly sessions. Attendance is mandatory.
   * Must live within the tri-state area.

REQUIRED APPLICATION INFORMATION:-Contact Information for Applicant-Contact Information for 2 References (Theatre professionals who are familiar with your work and are willing to discuss it frankly).-Known Scheduling Conflicts from July 23, 2012 - April 29, 2013REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS:1) Proposed Play (Must be attached as a PDF or WORD doc ONLY)2) Resume (Must be attached as a PDF or WORD doc ONLY)
3) One-Page Artistic Statement (12 pt. font; Must be attached as a PDF or WORD doc ONLY) that addresses the following:-How long have you written plays? Why do you write plays?-Describe your play. What is the development history of this play? What elements are you working on in this play? What questions do you currently have about it?-What is your experience with writers' groups? How do you feel participating in a writers' group will help you develop this particular play?

2.
MARIN THEATRE COMPANY
Deadline: Between July 1st and August 31st

Marin Theatre Company is entering its 6th year of offering to original play prizes: Sky Cooper New American Play Prize and the David Callichio Emerging Playwright Prize

The Sky Cooper New American Play Prize is awarded to an emerging or established playwright for an outstanding new work, and is given a $10,000 cash prize and option for production on MTC's main stage. The David Calicchio Emerging American Playwright Prize is awarded to a professionally unproduced playwright for a new work that shows outstanding promise and a distinctive new voice, and is given a $2500 cash prize and a workshop as part of MTC's New Works Series. These prizes serve to further MTC’s commitment to the development of new plays as a central component of its artistic programs.

 Submissions are closed for the 2012 Sky Cooper New American Play Prize and the 2012 David Calicchio Emerging American Playwright Prize. We will announce the winners of the 2012 play prizes in May 2012. Please check back for details.

Submissions for the 2013 Sky Cooper New American Play Prize and the 2013 David Calicchio Emerging American Playwright Prize will be accepted between July 1 and August 31, 2012.

More information about the prizes, guidelines and FAQ's are below. The online submission form is available for your reference and will be active once submissions are open. Download hard copies of the guidelines and submission forms on the right.

• Submissions must be unpublished, original full-length plays in any genre.
• Musicals, translations, individual one-acts, and any play previously submitted for the Sky Cooper or David Calicchio Prizes are not eligible.
• Plays may not have received a full-scale, professional production prior to submission (plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production are eligible).
• Playwrights must be citizens of the United States.
• Only one submission per playwright is allowed each year; you may submit the same play for both prizes.


3.
Amsterdam Residency
Deadline: Rolling

Website:
http://www.writerinresidence.nl/index.php?mwid=23&sid=354

The "Residency for Writers" project is a joint initiative by the Dutch Foundation for Literature and theFoundation for the Production and Translation of Dutch Literature. Together, the foundations have made living space available for a foreign writer in the heart of the old city. The writers in residence will find lodgings not only in the historic and literary heart of Amsterdam, but also at its academic centre, with access to the University of Amsterdam library and the Dutch capital's literary activities.

The guest writers use their time in Amsterdam for their own work and research, but they will also be involved in the city's literary and cultural life. All candidates may be asked to give guest lectures or readings for students and to write articles for newspapers or magazines. The residency period is expected to last around two to three months

If you are a foreign author interested in the Amsterdam Residency Programme please read the conditions carefully. If you think you meet the programme's requirements, write us an e-mail with a short biography and explain us what project you would like to work on while in Amsterdam. We would also like to know if there is a specific reason why you want to come to the Netherlands. And don't forget to mention the Dutch publishing house that has published your work. If we think you are a suitable candidate we will respond to your e-mail and encourage you to apply formally. This means that participation in the programme is only at the invitation of the boards of the foundations.

If you represent a (foreign) organization (e.g. publishing house or cultural institute) it is also possible to recommend an author to our programme. Please write us an e-mail explaining why you think the author is a suitable candidate and we will respond in due time.
E-mail us: f.van.koppen@letterenfonds.nl 

4.
Firehouse Theatre Project 10th Annual New Play Festival
Deadline: June 30th postmarked

Firehouse Theatre Project is look for new full-length scripts.

• Plays must not have been previously produced. Readings are acceptable if no admission was charged and actors read from the script.
• Submissions should be made in standard manuscript form and with no fancy binding. This means no discs, no e-mails. Please just use a binder clip to secure the script pages, no folders, no plastic covers, etc. All author information must be on a title page separate from the body of the manuscript and no reference to the author is permitted in the body of the script.

• Scripts must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from a theater company or individual familiar with your work. Letters of recommendation do not need to be specific to the play submitted; they may be general recommendations of the playwrights work. All letters must be received with the script, not under separate cover. Scripts received without a letter will not be considered.

• Entries must be postmarked no later than June 30, 2011.
• Due to volume of mail, manuscripts cannot be returned.
• Send submissions to:

Firehouse Theatre Project Festival of New American Plays

1609 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23220
• Two winners receive staged readings and prizes of $1,000 and $500. In the case of a tie, each winner will receive $750.
• Winners will be announced March 1, 2013.

5.
Mario Fratti-Fred Newman Political Play Contest 2013
Deadline: October 1st

The Castillo Theatre sponsors the Mario Fratti-Fred Newman Political Play Contest annually. In its sixth year, the political play contest is intended to encourage the writing of scripts for the stage that engage the political/social/cultural questions affecting the world today and/or historical events and issues that impact on our political/cultural heritage.

While Castillo recognizes that in the broadest sense all theatre is political, the contest is seeking politically progressive plays that: look at social and/or economic problems and challenges; explore possibilities of social transformation; and reflect the concerns and interests of communities and/or which explore the importance of community. The contest also welcomes scripts that experiment with form and seek new ways of seeing and new ways of experiencing theatrical performance.

The plays submitted to the Fratti-Newman Contest may be written in any style, set in any historical time, geographic or imaginary location, contain any number of characters and be of any length. The plays must be in English and cannot be musicals or adaptations. No scripts will be considered that have previously been submitted to this contest, have received a production or won other contests. Only one script per playwright will be accepted.

The contest is judged by a team of distinguished theatre artists. The winning script(s) will receive a reading and/or a production at the Castillo Theatre in New York City during the theatre’s 2013 summer season.

All scripts should be submitted in hard copy and must be accompanied by:

   * A statement of the political/social/cultural questions the script engages (Scripts without a statement will not be considered.)
   * A brief synopsis
   * A character breakdown, including gender, age and ethnic requirements, if any
   * A 100-word biography of the playwright
   * A current email address

Please note:

   * Receipt of script will be acknowledged by email.
   * Scripts will not be returned.
   * Castillo will not give critical feedback to playwrights/contestants.
   * Contest winners are required to sign a letter of agreement, which will include but not be limited to granting the right for Castillo to produce one or more readings and/or a full production of the winning play.
   * Contest winners are responsible for travel expenses or any other expenses incurred as a result of participating in the development of the play with Castillo, or as a result of attending the reading and/or full production.

All scripts must be postmarked by October 1, 2012.

The winner(s) will be publicly announced at the Otto René Castillo Awards for Political Theatre in New York City in May of 2013.

Send all submissions to:

Castillo Theatre
543 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Attn: Fratti-Newman Political Play Contest

6.

NHMC Latino TV Writers Program
Deadline: August 13th.

The National Latino Media Council (NLMC)/National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) Television Writers Program is for those writers who can write at least one half-hour comedy or one-hour dramatic television script in English within a five-week period of time. The program will take place in Burbank, CA from October 12, 2012 to November 16, 2012. Each selected participant is expected to complete at least one script by the end of the five-week session, which will then be read by network executives. Those writers whose scripts show promise will be interviewed and mentored by the network executives with the objective of placing them on a show. A stipend of $250 per week will be given to each participant. Flight, housing, and meals will be provided.

The NLMC/NHMC Television Writers Program is an intensive scriptwriters workshop to prepare and place Latinos in writing jobs for the major television networks. This project is modeled after the previously successful Hispanic Film Project. The television scriptwriters workshop is designed to familiarize participants with the format, characters and storyline structure of specific shows that are currently on the air. This five-week, total immersion workshop is mentored and guided by former NBC V.P of Script Development, Geoff Harris. The workshop is conducted in Burbank, CA and a total of 10 writers are recruited nationwide from established network of NHMC chapters, other non-profit agencies, schools, universities, guilds and media organizations. The goal is that the writers garner the skills necessary to obtain employment in the industry. The NLMC/NHMC Writers Program was created in accordance to NHMC's mission to improve the image of American Latinos as portrayed by the media and increase the number of American Latinos employed in all facets of the media industry. The program directly responds to the lack of diverse writers in primetime network TV with the idea that if there are more diverse writers present at the writer's table, more diversity will be reflected on TV.

Application packages must be submitted by August 13, 2012 and selected program participants will be announced September 17, 2012. Writing samples must be in English and television scripts are preferred. We accept any type of writing sample including books, plays, pilots, specs, etc. Please note that writing teams are ineligible. The deadline for submissions is August 13, 2012. Scripts will be evaluated and program participants announced on September 17, 2012.

For submissions to be considered, the following materials must be submitted:

   * Program Application (2 copies)
   * Resume/Bio (2 copies)
   * Writing Sample (2 hard copies and 2 CD* copies each with the writing sample saved in PDF format)*Instead of CD copies, applicants can submit 2 USB flash drives each with the writing sample saved in PDF format.
   * Statement of Interest:Why you want to write for television (2 copies)
   * Writer's Agreement (2 copies)
   * Waiver of Liability (2 copies)
   * Medical Form (2 copies)
   * ABC Notarized Release Form (The original notarized form and a copy)
   * NBC Release Form (2 copies)
   * Checklist

Submissions must be post marked by August 13 and sent to:

Nilda Muhr
National Latino Media Council
55 S. Grand Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105

 *All materials must be submitted together and at the same time. Any application packet with missing materials will automatically be disqualified.

*Unfortunately due to a small number of judges and lack of resources, NHMC will not be able to provide feedback on any writing samples that are submitted and not accepted into the program.

7.

LOAF THEATRE
Deadline: unclear but probably before mid June.

Loaf Theatre Company seeks 60-90 minute scripts for its first annual 'Fresh Out of the Oven' Reading Series to be presented in early/mid July of 2012.

Each play will receive one staged reading presentation in a Manhattan venue followed by an intensive talk-back session with actors, audience, and Loaf Theatre members. Loaf Theatre will provide the space and will assist in finding actors, directors, and moderate publicity if needed. No pay provided, but selected plays will be considered for future development and production with Loaf Theatre Company.

Interested playwrights should email writing resume, synopsis, and complete script to: loafsubmissions@gmail.com

For more information about Loaf Theatre, please visit: www.loaftheatrecompany.com

8.
NYC PLAY OF THE WEEK

Deadline: June 10th

Beginning in June 2012, NYCPlaywrights will embark on a new project - The Play of the Week.NYCPlaywrights has been running its Play of the Month project since April 2011, and it's been tough to only pick one script per month from all the good scripts submitted. The Play of the Week project will give many more writers a chance to get a public reading of their work.

Four plays will be selected during each submission period, and then video-recorded readings of the plays will be posted online, one week at a time, during the following month.

The first submission period is Monday, June 4, 2012 @12:00 AM to Sunday, June 10, 2012 @11:59 AM

The mission of NYCPlaywrights, from the beginning, has been to provide script-in-hand readings as a good way for playwrights to get a sense of whether their play is working or not. The ultimate goal of any play, of course, is a full production. Playwrights should think of Play of the Week as a learning tool.

Originally plays were read in a room to a limited number of NYCPlaywrights meeting attendees. Thanks to the Internet, the plays will be available to a world-wide audience.

In addition to watching a script-in-hand reading, many playwrights feel it is beneficial to get verbal feedback on their work. Playwrights have an opportunity to allow visitors to the Play of the Week web site to comment on their play readings.

For more information see the Play of the Week web site.

9.

Urban Stages Emerging Playwright Award

Deadline: unclear but probably mid-summer (b/c they are looking for stuff for the fall)

Established in 1986, Urban Stages' EMERGING PLAYWRIGHT AWARD has been presented to the best of new, innovative playwrights whose works speak to the whole of our society. Winners receive a cash prize of $500 (in lieu of royalties) and receive a staged production of their play after the process of staged readinds and workshops. To be consider for this award, please submit your full length play on any topic (however special attention is again given to innovative plays that touch on social issues). 7 characters or less.

IMPORTANT!!!! 

All Plays must include a biography and/or author's history of the play, character breakdown, and brief description or synopsis of the play. 

All Plays may have been developed elsewhere, but never produced in New York City. There is no limit to submission. Subject matter and character variations are open.

All submissions must be sent via mail (ABSOLUTELY NO EMAILS!):
Urban Stages
555 Eighth Avenue, RM 1800
New York, NY 10018

Include a SASE (a small one for a response letter or a large one with appropriate postage if you would like us to return your play – otherwise scripts will be recycled.)

There is no submission fee.

All scripts must be firmly bound. No changes or revisions accepted after submission. No double-sided pages.

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.

10.

Studio Roanoke Theatre
Deadline: rolling

Studio Roanoke, a small theatre dedicated to new plays and the people who create them, is committed to making Roanoke, VA, a nationally recognized ignition point for new play development. We accept independent and agency-represented submissions year round for consideration in our regular season of new works and two reading series, the Workshop Reading Series and Guerrilla Playhouse. We proudly abide by the Dramatists Guild of America's Bill of Rights.

As a separate document accompanying your script, please include a cover letter with a brief playwright bio and brief synopsis of your play (each 100 words or less), and a concise description of the play’s prior production history (if applicable).  Save this file with your last name and the word “cover” (e.g. ShakespeareCover.pdf).

Include these two separate documents as attachments in your email.  Send Main Stage and Workshop Reading Series submissions toliterary@studioroanoke.org; your Guerrilla Playhouse submissions should be sent togeneralmanager@studioroanoke.org.  In the subject line or body of the e-mail, please indicate for which series you wish to be considered (Main Stage, Workshop, or Guerrilla). 

The literary staff will respond as quickly as possible to confirm receipt of your submission, and then again once we’ve had a chance to review your material.  Like most literary departments at American theatres, however, we’re understaffed and over-worked, so please allow at least eight to 12 weeks before expecting a response to your submission.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We’re interested in full-length and one-act plays of any style or genre except musicals or works targeted primarily toward children. Any adaptations must be from work in the public domain or be accompanied by proof that the playwright has secured the rights to the source material. Since our focus is on developing new work, we tend to shy away from scripts that have been published and/or received multiple previous productions...though this isn’t an ironclad rule. We’re particularly interested in works with a strong narrative through-line and compelling characters, yet we encourage innovative, non-traditional plot structures, new approaches to characterization and theatrical use of the space.

While the playwright is welcome in rehearsals and performance, we are typically unable to provide accommodations or to reimburse travel expenses. If the playwright is unable to be in attendance, we will communicate via email and phone to the extent practicable to allow the writer to have approval of production elements and creative communication with the director and design teams.

Main Stage: Full-length plays or a full evening’s worth of related one-acts. Playwrights whose plays we select for production as part of our Main Stage season are granted a 12-performance run and paid royalties.

Workshop Reading Series: This new series, which replaces our former Lunchbox Series, provides an opportunity for playwrights of new scripts to hear their work performed aloud before an audience and to receive developmental feedback from audiences and artists. Works developed in this series will be given strong consideration for inclusion in our Main Stage at a later stage in their development. These seated readings are offered to our audiences on the fourth Sundays of alternate months, beginning in January 2011. Plays should be complete full-length works or a full evening's worth of related one-acts. Playwrights are offered a $25 royalty for the performance.

Guerrilla Playhouse: This series often presents more experimental short pieces (30-60 minutes) ranging from solo performances, darker material, works involving audience interaction and/or participation, and plays with a rock-n-roll sensibility. Guerrilla Playhouse runs on the second Sunday nights every month, and the theatrical performances are paired with a live set from an invited musical artist or group. Playwrights are offered a royalty of 20 percent of the door for a one-night performance. To see Director of Guerrilla Programming Ben R. Williams' specific guidelines, please click here.

Shows in our Main Stage and Workshop Reading series receive a post-show talkback moderated by a member of our resident artistic staff. The Studio’s resident dramaturg and/or literary manager provide dramaturgical notes in the program for Main Stage productions to spur deeper consideration of the script by the audience. Playwrights who are able to attend the production are invited on stage following the performance to join the discussion and ask or answer any questions that arise. Playwrights have found our moderated post-show discussions particularly valuable as they further develop the script.

Studio Roanoke designates its productions as developmental workshops, allowing playwrights to offer their works as “world premieres” to other theatres after their appearance at the Studio. We place no future financial obligations on playwrights whose work is developed on our stage, though, of course, we certainly welcome contributions from playwrights whose experiences at Studio Roanoke have contributed to any fame or fortune they achieve afterwards. We do request, however, that playwrights premiering works on our stage require that the Studio is credited as a contributor to the development of the script in publications and/or program text associated with subsequent productions.

11.

Heiress Production Playwriting Contest

Deadline: August 1st

Heiress Productions is now accepting submissions for its 2012 Playwriting Competition

Here’s how to enter:

Scripts should be full-length and mostly comedic in nature (or with major comedic elements).  In addition, the plays should be unpublished and should not have been produced in NYC.

Submissions will be accepted through August 1, 2012.  

The prize for the winning play(s) will be a complete  reading in NYC produced by Heiress Productions with the potential of being fully produced at a later date.

For consideration, please send the following materials to scripts@heiressproductions.org -

1. Cover Letter
2. Synopsis
3. Ten (10) representative pages. These will be the basis for the first round of consideration. Scripts selected to continue will be read in their entirety by the judging panel.
4. Resume of the playwright(s)

We look forward to reading your work!

12.

CREATOrS Malawi Project

Deadline: June 30th

CREATOrS, Inc. announces Accepting Inquiries for Script Commission

CREATOrS, Inc. is accepting inquiries for a playwriting commission.  The project will be collaborative with a composer to create script and lyrics for a full-length musical drama based on the true African story of Malawi, and a courageous leader who helped to organize the rejection of that country’s brutal dictator in the early 1990s.  The final project will include scoring for symphony orchestra, singers, dancers, and multimedia. Project details, story profile, a brief documentary and composer background are available at www.creatorsinc.org.

African-born writers are strongly encouraged to apply.

The successful applicant would:

• receive a commission for the project
• collaborate with the composer
• travel to Malawi, Africa with the composer and stage director to conduct research
• target for completion is 2013

CREATOrS, Inc. (creatorsinc.org) is a non-profit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, whose mission is to facilitate the creation of new works based on contemporary stories and issues.

Writers interested in being considered for this project should send their inquiries to creatorsinc@me.com.  Please include reference materials and writing samples.

13.

Theatre Three One-Act Festival

Deadline: Sept 30th
16th ANNUAL Festival of One-Act Plays
to be held on its Second Stage, the Ronald F. Peierls Theatre, during March 2012.
Submission Guidelines
* Only unproduced works will be accepted.
* Plays that have had staged readings are eligible.
* No adaptations, musicals, or children's plays.
* Cast size maximum: 8.
* Length: 40 minutes maximum, no minimum.
* Settings should be simple or suggested.
* Playwrights may make multiple submissions. They need not be made under separate cover.
* Please do not submit works that have been previously submitted.
* Scripts must be postmarked by September 30, 2011.
Please submit a cover letter, a synopsis, and a resume along with one copy of the play. Cover sheet of play should have title, author, author's address, author's telephone number, and author's email address (if available). Plays should be neatly bound or stapled on the left-hand corner (no loose pages and no binders, please). All submissions must include a standard SASE for correspondence. Or, if playwrights wish to have their works returned, an appropriate SASE must also be included.
Selected plays will be presented for 10 performances. Playwrights will receive a small stipend.
Plays should be submitted to The 15th Annual Festival of One-Act Plays, Attn: Jeffrey Sanzel, Artistic Director, THEATRE THREE, P.O. Box 512, Port Jefferson, NY 11777-0512. We do not accept electronic (email) submissions. Please do not call or stop by the theatre.