Walking Meditation in New York

Some days when I wander around New York in between meetings or brainstorming I become aware of how many friends I can no longer visit because they have moved, how many old haunts are vacated, how many trendy spots are now Chase Bank branches. The relentless churn of commerce and time does not pause for nostalgia. 

Why should I lament on change, unless I believe I am owed something. Unless I hold on to some expectation, I can't be disappointment. New York is a prayer wheel of equanimity, patience, and letting go. New places, new people, new time.

I thought this was going to be a rant. Some tirade against consumerism and New York City. The grooves of my well worn anger were so smooth that it slipped out of my grasp. In its place I held nothing but an awareness of what was once there. In place of that outrage something else appeared; a softer shade of humanity. In those creeping quiet moments when all my landmarks have been stripped and all the familiar faces vanished, I get lost in the prismatic enigma of a city reflecting my own mortality. My personal frustrations project out on to the city. 

I should be like so.

I used to be able to do that. 

Where do I find this old city?

I came back to this present moment. A row of beggars lined themselves down the village block. The autumn sun warmed the sidewalks and outstretched hands. She had money in her palm and told me that one hand washes the other. Together they baptize the face. 

Sitcom Slaves

Slavery is back in style. It's trending in the arts world, in film and on stage, through curated museums. The unearthed American psyche is pulsing with unapologetic delight. Racism is over (at least according to over 60% of white Americans) so now gawking attention can be paid to bloody roots of American society. 

Kara Lee Walker's exhibit "Subtlety" had lines wrapped around the block to see an enormous Mammy-Sphinx with enormous breasts, butt and an Aunt Jemima handkerchief wrapped around her head. The warehouse-size sculpture was made out of sugar and mostly white crowds flocked to take hilarious pictures of themselves by the enormous slave's butt crack, vulva, or breast area while making funny faces. Obviously "Subtletly"lived up to its title for many in the crowd who shoved faux fists up the slave's ass in order to post to their Facebook wall.

On stage, "An Octoroon" had an incredibly successful run as a re-imagining of a 19th century play about slaves and a 1/8 racially mixed woman. In the new hipster version slaves lounge around cracking jokes like in a sitcom, talking in contemporary urban vernacular. Audiences roared with laughter, again mostly white and privileged. On the day I saw the play, my seat neighbor was a Latino woman who rolled her eyes throughout the piece while the crowd delighted in the sassy, funny slave homegirls chatting it up while they idly plucked cotton with their fingers like they were doing rote office work. The audience in back of me were two well-known black artist who sat rigid the whole time and quickly fled the play afterward. 

Last night I caught "Father Comes Home From the War," another play that re-imagines slavery for a white audience as a slight inconvenience. The author doesn't bother to explain the conundrum of why if it's such a slight quibble, are people willing to die to escape the white collar doldrums and hum drums of the sitcom slave. In the first act of the play, the slaves enter joking about the approaching day, taking bets on what the protagonist is going to do, and remaining as chatty and free as "The View" panel. A guitarist sits on stage strumming and giving the scene the mood of warm nostalgia and home-life. A female slave suggests to her lover that they go back to the cabin and spend all day in bed. She must have banked her slavery vacation days to afford that luxury. The sitcom slaves wisecrack, talk in folksy metaphors, simile-ize their plight. It's very comforting, entertaining, and safe. The mostly white, upper-middle class audience sits enthralled at getting a peek into the life of their darkest curiosities and being assured: it wasn't that bad and it's long in the past. 

The hit series "Orange Is the New Black" is apart of slavery chic. Granted it's about the female prison industrial complex, but most of the characters fit the plantation mode. What makes OITNB innovative is that they have thrown a white observer into the mix to serve as the anchor for the audience to observe the wild comings and goings of shackled and caged women of color. For Halloween, dressing up as Crazy Eyes was very popular last year. 

The trend is only getting stronger with mammy roles, movies about black servants, and servile people of color. For me it's clear what I must do: get on this gravy train...or rather gravy ship.

It's clear that I need to write my own sassy slave and/or servant piece. As I sat watching "Father Comes Home From the War" the idea came to me: a Cirque du Soleil of slavery. Wise, sassy, folksy slaves with acrobatics and fireworks. And jokes. Perhaps they (slaves and or pre-civil rights era servants) find some time machine portal and are transported into the present before an audience for an evening of circus entertainment, song, festivities. 

Maybe the portal keeps spitting out oppressed people from different periods into the circus who are forced into these wise, sassy, joking roles. 

Perhaps we'll have wise and dancing Native Americans coming out of the Trail of Tears, folksy Muslims who were massacred in Bosnia, sassy gypsies, gays and Jewish families from concentration camps. They'll dispense these Yiddish tidbits of wisdom, borscht belt jokes, sing a folksy song, get enslaved and/or slaughtered, and then another group pops out of the portal and into the circus ring. 

Perhaps halfway through the show after the raunchy black slaves and athletically ripped Native Americans and singing Rwandans, people will start to think....'hey, something is weird here. The Holocaust is a serious thing and not to be taken lightly. I don't see anything funny about the Puritans who were slaughtered." 

Maybe the time machine will just keep spitting out more jokes, more genocide, more circus. I could title the piece Cirque du Blanc. And perhaps we can all sit back and finally see genocide/enslavement/ debasement on even comedic grounds. And perhaps that will be when we all stop laughing.

Where are the Ugly Novelists?

(ripped from my Facebook wall)

The shyest people were forced to read their work aloud. The shyest group was entirely composed women, music students, and most ppl of color. The professor told them that as artist these days have to be able to speak in public. Simply being a 'genius' won't suffice in the age of Twitter, Facebook, and cult of personality. You have to sell yourself. Some students got kind of sad but acquiesced because they knew that -in some ways- their fate was not in the art but also in having to be presentable.

Later that day, I'm in the Juilliard Business Entrepreneurship Meeting. This is a program for artist whose proposals won a prize for development at school. The group was ethnically diverse (Asians, Latino, Blacks, Whites) and diverse in field of study. But it was only composed of men. I found everyone to be ‘great guys: no hesitation in artists speaking about themselves, their accomplishments, goals, social media followers, their following. These were well-adjusted alpha male hybrids: well-adjusted enough to measure the amount of time we were speaking, but also perfectly willing to take up the entire time talking about ourselves. I include myself in this category.

It made me wonder a few things: maybe all this social media/cult of personality is killing it for introverts; are we missing out on all sorts of brilliant minds who don't promote themselves; and also are we handicapping things to favor male artists? I also questioned whether American patriarchy privileges boys with the expectation of battle/fighting/winning, but for girls emphasizes community wellness/agreement, compromise. As far as the latter is concerned these are great characteristics to have, but not the most flashy traits for selling oneself as the leader/entrepreneur in the American leadership molds of 'lone cowboy maverick' and 'organizing/building mogul.’ That’s not to say that there aren’t many male introverts and countless female extroverts, but does society expect it more from one gender, and thus train one to be more likely to be centerstage while the opposite sex is expected to stand in the background, concur, and defer?

In some ways social media helps introverts 'cope' with presentation, but the ppl who really excel (not just get by) at it seem to be natural extroverts. And also social media is still an outlier of a societal trend of explaining oneself constantly. For instance Juilliard musicians are some of the best in the world but they're not expected to do recitals any more. They're expected to 'present' 'explain' and then play a little, be interviewed, have jokes, etc. So it becomes like a cabaret performance.

Social media can get you in the door but our entire culture (on and offline) seems to be more like "Inside the Actors Studio" where you have to sit and talk about your craft, in order to be properly rewarded so that you can just continue to do the thing you really want to do: your art. A novelist these days should be loquacious. But even better if they're loquacious AND photogenic. Have you noticed how gorgeous novelists are these days? The same trend holds with tv writers and producers who are now getting magazine glamour spreads as a ‘reward’ for a hit show, while Oscar nominated directors pose for Vogue. When I was growing up in the 1980s, this wouldn’t be considered a reward for a writer, but the most cruel form of punishment. Unlike actors and dancers, these tradesmen are not public performers.

We are in the midst of the extrovert revolution is happening. All of sudden everyone is gorgeous. Either 99% of talented novelist and directors have become incredibly good looking, well-adjusted, talkative or the last 20 years...or something has gone askew. If novelist and poets have to be attractive and socially-balanced to be worthy...well goodbye to a craft which typically has some really gremlin-looking crazies who write great work. Goodbye to countless masterpieces we will never be able to see. Goodbye to the craftsman so focused on their art that they have no time to shave, comb their hair, find the right anecdotes for cocktail parties. Hello to the commerce of beautiful people. Hello, to beautiful one-hit wonders who quickly exhaust their repertoire of topics because they only look to themselves and their immediate circle. Hello to endless waves of meta-art, of self-reflective, psychotherapy of artist analyzing their art  because that's what they've been forced to do: constantly look into the mirror to validate themselves as people rather than look out into the world to enlighten humanity about our condition. Hello to the age of loquacious mediocrity.

Both facets of extrovert/introverts are needed for balance and wellness in a culture. But what happens when one is dominating the other? Anyway, I’m off to go figure out a way to use Instagram and become more of an social media extrovert.

The Implosive Koch

The Koch Brothers aren't Republicans. They're Libertarians; corporate Libertarians. They've held these highly impractical right-wing corporate beliefs for quite some time and used their power in a more effective way for the past few decades. They have poured tens of millions of dollars into right-wing think tanks and policy organizations. The Republicans took the Trojan Horse bait. They gobbled up the policy papers, the money, the experts. And now they will reap the results. The GOP is splitting into increasingly smaller, angrier, incompatible factions. It's not an accident.

The Washington Republican establishment thought it could keep outsmarting the goobers, i.e. their base. They could run on opposing gay marriage, unending war, tax cuts for the wealthy, and hatred of all things federal government (accept for the armed forces). They thought they could continue to put up an contradictory, hypocritical policy without anyone calling them out. In the 1980s and 1990s, they successfully co-opted conservative Christians, running circles around Ralph Reed and the senile Moral Majority obsessed with strange gays lurking by their windows. But Pat Robertson is a child in comparison to Koch.

The Koch Brothers needed a party and even a half-divided Republican party gives them more power than a completely invisible Libertarian party. For years they tried to run Libertarian candidates. And the only place they had any consistent success was with fringe, backwater parts of the country. The duo began feeding the Republicans experts, policy wonks, low-level candidates. Within the next generation they will become a localized, radicalized faction of elderly separatists. Incapable of governing, the grand ol' party will play the role of obstruction and rancor. They will to continue to prod their shriveling members back to polling booths and on to Fox News.  As a result, the Republican party is finished.

U Lucky Bamboo

He gave me a lucky bamboo plant for my birthday. Surrounded by smooth white pebbles, the pocket-size green stalk shot up from a four-inch ceramic bowl. The plant is of insignificant monetary value. When I moved back to Queens, I sat the bamboo in my lap, not daring to put it in a box. The relationship ended a few months later. I kept three of his books, an iTunes gift certificate, and the lucky bamboo. The miniature plant continues to reach up. It’s twice as high and continuing to flourish in a ceramic pot that is now too small for its ambition. It has remained confined to these tight quarters but I keep vowing to buy a bigger pot and more pebbles. At that point the plant would officially become mine. It’s strange to think that this is the only living thing shared between us.  

Slainte

Tonight I walked into a cloud of bliss. I’m fortunate to be in a phase where I have a lot of projects, work, surrounded by creative souls, but two weeks ago an odd ailment struck my stomach and caused enormous pain whenever I drank or ate anything. I had to exist in a state of semi-starvation in order to avoid this blistering agony. And all the projects and work faded from the foreground. It was all just background noise, insignificant pleasantries. For a week I truly understood how amazing it is to have just good health. More than a Grammy, an Oscar, a Pulitzer, it was so clear how just simple, good health of waking/sleeping, eating, good bones, good nerves, functioning body parts is one of those unsurpassable priceless gifts. And suddenly today I'm walking down the street and I realize that everything has returned to 'normal.' I can focus without pain, meditate without discomfort, I have been granted a reprieve to live to the fullest. Maybe that phantom ailment (triggered by wheat) was a gift. I was walking around in the rain tonight, giddy and lit up like Christmas.

Ricochet

The white bone of my index finger glistened under the flickering porch light. Metallic numbness spread from my hand, up through my arms, and pierced my back as the rifle clattered against the burgundy tiles. All my senses went into hallucinogenic shock. My hand bubbled a frothy pewter substance, the grass was silver porcupine shards. Mouths and bodies moved in slow, muted, balletic gestures. Vibrations floated from the radio, the street lights, and passing cars. I was bathed in an electric plasma, alternating between frost and lava. In my chest, a velvet knot unfurled. My mind processed the hallucinations.

Blood isn’t silver.

Grass is green.

These vibrations are sound.

Robotic instinct made my right hand grab the bubbling gash of my left. Was there a magic bullet still careening out into the night and across the Miami sky? Would it come back? I was 10, but I guess you’re never too young.

***

Something's going wrong

Someone's on the phone

Three o'clock in the morning, yeah

Talkin' about

How she can make it right.

Uncle Harry unlocked the briefcases. He took out a small militia of rifles, pistols, ceremonial arms. Uncle Harry and Uncle Bill laid out the assorted collection on the burgundy leather couches. I stood up and began pacing the living room, beating out the rhythm to the Al Green song pulsing from the stereo. Texas sunshine slid in through the Venetian blinds of my uncle’s living. Guns, film noir lighting, and soul music.

Make you do right...

Love'll make you do wrong...

Make you come home early...

Make you stay out all night long...

The power of love…

Smith & Wesson. Browning. Beretta. Heckler and Koch. Kimber. GLOCK. Harry and Bill fondled the various handles covered in chrome, mother of pearl, steel, durable rubber. A trickle of sweat fell down the side of my face.

Uncle Harry noticed my averted eye contact and careful foot steps around the couch. He motioned to Bill and -without any further conversation- they quickly pack up the guns and the cases disappear behind locked wooden cabinet doors.

I looked down at the smooth L-shaped scar on my left finger as I hum along with Al Green’s falsetto.

***

A dull muffled horn blasted through my ears. The notes spilled into the middle of my skull and trickled down my spine. This trembling numbness slid down my back and reached my bubbling left hand. The rifle clattered against the patio. Robotic and emotionless instinct took over. My right hand grabbed its twin, covering a glistening white bone.

Trauma knocked something loose. Rusted silver gushed on to the patio and grass. It was blood. Why was it gray? Maybe it was blood and marrow, or smoke mixed with blood?

I recognized the vibrations. They were voices. I looked around and saw strained faces. Worry, concern, confusion, disbelief? My mother’s lips were moving.

-Aurin Squire

GET WHAT YOU WANT: October 2014

1.

New York Theatre Workshop 2050 Fellowship

Deadline: Oct. 27th

website: http://www.nytw.org/fellowship_application.asp

The United States is rapidly changing. The U.S. Census Bureau expects that by the year 2050, there will be 439 million Americans (there are 318 million of us now) and for the first time, there will be no single racial or ethnic majority.

These projections provoke thoughts at New York Theatre Workshop about the transformations that will take place in the American landscape over the next 36 years–technologically, environmentally, demographically, and artistically. They are a catalyst for broader questions about our moral and artistic future. How do we define diversity? Whose stories aren't being told? What lies ahead for our world?  

In response to these questions, NYTW has expanded and renamed our longstanding Fellowship program to support the diversity of voices and aesthetics that will make up this new minority majority.

The 2050 Fellows are emerging artists who, with their unique voices, give us perspective on the world in which we live; and who challenge us all to contend with this changing world. With the 2050 Fellowship, NYTW is re-affirming our responsibility to nurture artists who reflect this multiplicity of perspectives, challenge the dominant paradigm, and give voice to those whose experiences are not often heard.

Details of 2050 Fellowship:

NYTW will accept up to six 2050 Fellows for the 2015-16 Season. These fellowships will entail a commitment from June 2015 to June 2016. Playwrights and directors are eligible to apply.

NYTW's 2050 Fellowships consists of five basic components:

• Monthly fellowship meetings where fellows meet with each other and artists from the New York Theatre Workshop community to discuss craft, aesthetics, and artistic development;
• Access to rehearsal space and two opportunities to share works-in-progress with the NYTW Artistic staff and entire fellowship cohort;
• Mentorship from the NYTW Artistic Staff and contemporary theater artists;
• An invitation to participate in the artistic life of the theater by attending staff meetings, developmental readings, dress rehearsals, and other NYTW functions;
• A 3-day weekend retreat in June 2015 and 2016.

2050 Fellows are awarded a modest stipend and an artistic development fund to support Fellowship projects, see work, research, and travel.

Applications and inquiries should be sent tofellowshipinfo@nytw.org ONLY.

Apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1gX1Bz5T2VdogoZdFEnDK9v1jT-xlgPWtWyiOMRH09cg/viewform

2.

NYMF: New Link Project

Deadline: Oct 6th (early registration)/ Nov. 3rd (final registration)

website: http://nymf.org/get-involved/submit-show/

The largest annual musical theatre event in the nation is now accepting submissions for the 2014 Next Link Project!

Are you a musical theatre writer? Have you written a show that you'd like to produce in New York? Submit your show today to the New York Musical Theatre Festival’s Next Link Project!

The Next Link Project is NYMF’s primary writer service program. It empowers emerging musical theater writing teams by providing entrepreneurial training, career networking opportunities, dramaturgical support, and other services, culminating in a subsidized production in the Festival. The Next Link Project is open to any writer – produced or unproduced, with or without agency representation.

Writing a musical requires years of hard, solitary work.  As soon as you finish a draft, the rewriting process begins.  A show will often have numerous readings, but there comes a time when you need to see your show up on its feet, in front of an audience.  If this sounds like your show, a NYMF Full Production is the right avenue for you.  Full Productions are full staged with top caliber creative teams and performers that you, the writers, assemble with our help! Full Productions have between 5 - 12 performances.  There are two categories of Full Productions: Next Link Project Shows or Invited Shows.

Next Link Project

The Next Link Project is the cornerstone of NYMF’s Programming.  It is open to any writer, produced or unproduced, with or without agency representation. Next Link shows receive entrepreneurial training, networking opportunities, dramaturgical support, and a $5,000 subsidy towards their participation fee. To submit a show, you must have a finished script and at least 75% of the songs recorded. All entries undergo double-blind evaluations by several members of NYMF's reading team, with finalists referred to a grand jury of industry professionals.

For a list of FAQs about the Next Link Program, click here.

The 2015 Next Link Project submissions are now open!

Early Bird Registration deadline is Monday, October 6, 2014.

Final Registration deadline is Monday, November 3, 2014.

3.

Jewish Play Project

Deadline: Oct. 9th

website: http://www.jewishplaysproject.org/

Artists can submit projects to be for considered for the Jewish Playwriting Contest, our competition for full-length plays dealing with contemporary Jewish themes; for OPEN: Festival of New Jewish Theater at the 14th Street Y; and other developmental and advocacy opportunities as they arise.

The JPP has advanced 20 new plays, 9 of which have gone on to production in New York, Boston, Detroit, Tel Aviv and around the US (see www.jewishplaysproject.org/success for more). Together with the OPEN Festival, the JPP has featured some of the country’s most exciting next-generation artists (Daniella Topol, Robert Askins, Brooke Berman, Jonathan Caren, Lauren Feldman, Resident Director Benjamin Kamine, and tons of others).

IMPORTANT NOTE: SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN TO ARTISTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, DENOMINATIONS, FAITHS, CREEDS, RELIGIONS and other IDEALS. We believe that Jewish identity and culture are specific manifestations of universal human cravings for spiritual, ethical, moral and worldly joy. “Matrilineal descent” is neither important nor necessary.

CONTENT PREFERENCES: The JPP seeks plays that find the intersection between Jewish identity and global self. We want to look at the places where Jewish ideas, traditions, stories, myths, culture (and yes, religion) impact, inform, and hopefully improve our lives.

While we value history, we will always lean toward plays that tackle vibrant strands of today’s world: social justice, economic justice, diversity, strong women in Jewish life, LGBTQ inclusion, new perspectives on Israel, environmentalism, and interfaith relations.

Be bold. Think differently about what Jewish theater can be. Strive for epic size and impact. Embrace the emotional, mystical, the theatrical. Tackle the challenging, the controversial, the provocative. We are unafraid to walk these roads with you.

SUBMISSION: Entries are due by October 9, 2014 at 6 pm.  Each submitting playwright must fill out the Project Application form (www.jewishplaysproject.org/submit). Playwrights will upload their play to the form as a PDF with their name removed (all plays are reviewed blind). There is no fee to submit, but there is a one (1) submission per person rule.

ELIGIBILITY: Full-length plays that deal with contemporary Jewish themes that have never been produced in New York City. The following must be true of a submitted play:

1. It is not a Yiddish play.

2. It is in English.  (We welcome translations.)

3. It is not a Holocaust play (stories that deal directly with the history of the Shoah, its survivors and their children).

4. It contains significant Jewish themes, characters, content, or points of view.

5. It does NOT fall into the beloved category of "ethnically stereotypical comedy" (no 'Yiddishemammeh" plays, no "My Afternoon With Bubbe", no "Jewtopia").

6. It has not had a full production in the NY Metro region, or a major regional theater (LORT C or above).

7. It has not been published in any country or language.

SELECTION PROCESS:

Every submitted play is read by 2 reviewers from our 50-member Artist Panel.

Plays submitted to the 4th Annual Jewish Playwriting Contest: The Contest strives to engage a broad audience in a discussion of what new Jewish theater should be; more than 500 people in as many as 10 cities will take part in the process. (learn more here: www.jewishplaysproject.org/jpc).

The Top 10 Finalists will be announced in January 2015.  The winning play will receive a workshop production as part of the JPP’s 4th OPEN Festival of new Jewish theater at the 14th Street Y in June of 2015, including artist travel to New York.

Plays Not Submitted to the Contest:

Senior JPP artistic staff and advisors will review non-Contest project submissions, submissions by agents and managers, and work by recent alumni of major graduate writing programs for consideration for other developmental opportunities, including:

OPEN: Festival of New Jewish Theater at the 14th Street Y

A limited number of projects, subject to available resources, will appear in OPEN along with the Contest Winner.

Renegade Reading Series: a periodic, as-needed in-house reading series for plays that spark the JPP’s interest.

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS: The JPP specializes in what we call Jewish Dramaturgy. We base our exploration of the theatrical needs of a play around the central issue of its Jewish content and ideas, continuing to ask the question “What is the Jewish here?” When possible, we will bring prominent Jewish thought leaders (clergy, scholars, professionals and artists) into the room to join the development process, and extend the Jewish learning.

Our staff and affiliated artists are also the best in the business at new play development, and your play will receive intense and productive theatrical dramaturgy and support.

MUSICALS: The JPP is preparing to work more with musicals. Because of its format, they cannot be directly entered into the Contest, but we are eager to survey the field, and to provide development opportunities in the future. We invite you to submit your musical and select the “Non-Contest Submission” tag. We will contact you when and if future opportunities arise.

REPEAT SUBMISSIONS: Plays that were submitted to the 2012-2014 Contests ARE eligible (with the exception of the previous year’s winners). We operate on the principle of “passionate advocacy” developed by the Lark – if your play hits the right chord with the right reader, it can go far. Give us a chance to be passionate advocates for your play. Throughout the year, we communicate with theaters and producers all over the country, and pitch the heck out of the scripts we love.

ABOUT THE JEWISH PLAYS PROJECT: The Jewish Plays Project puts bold, progressive Jewish conversations on world stages. The JPP’s innovative and competitive development vehicle invests emerging artists in their Jewish identity; engages Jewish communities in the vetting, selecting and championing of new voices; and secures mainstream production opportunities for the best new plays.

4.

Sundance Theater Lab

Deadline: Nov 21st

website: http://www.sundance.org/programs/theatre-lab-guidelines/

Eligibility

The Theatre Lab welcomes applications for projects at any stage of development. Submitted work cannot have been previously produced, but may have received prior workshops or readings. In addition, projects scheduled to start rehearsals for a professional production before October 26, 2015 are not eligible due to our agreement with Actors' Equity Association. Commissioned work is eligible for submission; however, playwrights must obtain written permission from their commissioning organization prior to applying.

Playwrights, directors, composers, ensembles, performance artists, or choreographers may submit applications. Playwright/director teams are permitted and encouraged to apply together; however, if you do not have a director attached to your project, please note that Sundance Institute will help to match you up with a director if your play is selected for inclusion in the Theatre Lab. Director-driven projects are also welcome to apply.

Sundance Institute is interested in both established and emerging theatre artists, as well as artists making a transition from areas outside of theatre. We welcome solo performers and projects for young audiences.

NOTE: Artists may only submit one application. Previous applicants may re-apply, but not with previously submitted material.

Project Selection

Through open submissions, we consider an estimated 800+ projects. Sundance Institute looks for original, compelling human stories that reflect the independent vision of the theatre artist. We are interested in supporting a diverse and daring group of theatre artists who tell unique stories, present material in a new form, or conceptualize existing material with an innovative vision. We look for writers and collaborators who are interested in genuinely exploring their material. The Theatre Lab is more than a place to "rehearse"; it is an environment that encourages and supports risk-taking, experimentation, and rigorous re-writing and re-imagining. In order for Sundance Institute to fully evaluate your submission, we require a 1-2 page artistic statement as part of the application (see below for additional information).

What Sundance Institute Provides

The Sundance Institute Theatre Program provides professional actors, dramaturgs, rehearsal space, and stage management for the collaborative team working on each project. Projects rehearse on alternating days, giving writers the opportunity to rewrite or regroup when they're not in rehearsal. At the end of the Theatre Lab, projects will culminate in an informal presentation for the Lab community only, followed by an artist-led conversation with Sundance Institute artistic staff and/or guest Creative Advisors.

Each full-time Fellow (playwright, director, or other creative collaborator) receives a $1500 honorarium and a company of actors (if applicable), selected by Sundance Institute in collaboration with the Fellows, to support their project. Actors are selected for their professionalism, versatility, and suitability for the development process. Actors operate on a Special Agreement with Actors' Equity Association during the Theatre Lab.

Dramaturgy at Sundance is tailored individually to the needs of the play. Once a project is accepted to the Lab, the generative artists have an opportunity to discuss what kind of dramaturgical support (and how much) best suits them. Sundance dramaturgs, who have wide experience in the realm of new play development, are uniquely qualified to provide engaged, considered, and empowering guidance to the projects during the Theatre Labs, to offer fresh perspectives on the work at hand, and to ensure the privacy of the participating artist's independent vision. The Theatre Lab sees itself as a complement to, not a replacement of, any pre-existing developmental relationships participating artists may have on a given project, and is sensitive to the process of "passing the baton" at the conclusion of the Theatre Lab.

We strongly encourage that each rehearsal room is open to members of the Lab community for quiet observation. If you do not feel comfortable allowing colleagues to observe your rehearsal process, the Sundance Institute Theatre Program may not be the most appropriate place for you.

5.

Dayton Playhouse New Works Play Festival

Deadline: Oct. 31st

website: www.daytonplayhouse.com     

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

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

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

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

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

SELECTION PROCESS:

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

                     

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

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

 

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

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

6.

NYU New Plays for Young Audience

Deadline: Oct. 31st

website:http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/music/edtheatre/programs/summer/newplays

NYU’s New Plays for Young Audiences seeks new unpublished and unproduced scripts for young audiences (ages 4-21) for their 18th season, June 2015.

Submission Guidelines:  Please include your name, the name of the play, and where wetheycan contact you. They prefer receiving scripts via email, but will accept them by post.  Also include in your submission your goals for the week of development – questions about the script you hope to answer, characters you want to further develop, story areas you want to look closer at, etc.

If you are submitting an adaptation, please include proof that the original author has agreed to you adapting their work.

Please note that they only accept previously unpublished and unproduced scripts. If your script has had a fully produced production, they cannot accept it. If you are uncertain if your script meets this requirement or believe there is cause for an exemption, feel free to contact (dm635@nyu.edu ornewplaysforyoungaudiences@gmail.com).

What to submit: They welcome scripts of any cast size and length, but are generally limited to 10 actors due to the size of their stage. If your script requires more than 10 actors, please include doubling suggestions with your submission.

How to apply:  To submit your new previously unpublished and unproduced play for young audiences for consideration in the 2015 series, send your script by October 31, 2014, to Artistic Director, David Montgomery at dm635@nyu.edu

7.

The EST/Sloan Project

Deadline: Nov. 1st

website: http://www.ensemblestudiotheatre.org/node/28

EST/Sloan commissions, develops and presents new works delving into how we view and are affected by the scientific world. The EST/Sloan Project commissions, develops and presents new works delving into how we view and are affected by the scientific world. These plays examine the struggles and challenges scientists and engineers face from moral issues to the consequences of their discoveries.

The Project is designed to stimulate artists to create credible and compelling work exploring the worlds of science and technology and to challenge existing stereotypes of scientists and engineers in the popular imagination. The Project commissions and develops new works throughout EST’s developmental season, including one Mainstage Production, as well as workshops and readings in an annual festival called FIRST LIGHT.

Now in its 15th year, the EST/Sloan Project has awarded commissions totaling more than $450,000 to more than 140 artists. Previous commissionees include: Billy Aronson, Mike Daisey, Jason Grote, Ann Marie Healy, Michael Hollinger, Israel Horovitz, Tina Howe, Shirley Lauro, Emily Levine, Romulus Linney, Quincy Long, Cassandra Medley, Dan O’Brien, Carey Perloff, Bill Pullman, Jaquelyn Reingold, Tommy Smith, Caridad Svich, Vern Thiessen, Alex Timbers, Bridgette Wimberly, David Zellnik, Stillpoint Productions, and The Royal Shakespeare Company.

Commission Awards

Commissions will be awarded to individuals, groups and creative teams for full-length and one-act plays and musicals. Commissions range from $1000 to $10,000. Commission amounts are determined on a case-by-case basis, as are deadlines for drafts, finished work, and research support (if appropriate). Extant, full-length works may be submitted and are judged on a script-by-script basis by the EST/Sloan Project staff. Rewrite commissions for existing scripts range from $1,000 to $5,000.

Commissions are also available for regional theaters who wish to sponsor a local project focused on science and technology, either by commissioning a new script or developing an extant piece. Commission amounts are determined on a case-by-case basis, but average $5000.

Submission Guidelines

The EST/Sloan Project is open to a broad range of topics related to the issues, people, ideas, processes, leading-edge discoveries, inventions, and/or history of the "hard" sciences and technology.

Hard sciences include the following areas:

-Mathematics

-Physics (geological, nuclear, theoretical, etc.)

-Biology (evolution, zoology, animal behavior, ecology, molecular, genetics, etc.)

-Chemistry (industrial, biochemistry, etc.)

-Neuroscience

-Anthropology and Archaeology

Technology includes:

-Computer Science

-Software Development, Computer Development

-Engineering (civil, chemical, mechanical, electrical, aerospace, vehicle design)

-Space Research

Areas not considered for commissions include:

-Science Fiction

-Medical Conditions and/or Victims of Disease

-Psychology and Human Behavior

How to Apply

New Commissions

Individuals, creative teams and theatre companies interested in receiving an EST/Sloan Project commission should submit the following as their application for a grant:

1. A one- or two-page description or a simple outline/synopsis of the project. This document should describe the actual story being explored, the source of inspiration behind the idea, and how the science being portrayed would be inherently dramatic in the piece.

2. A resume or biography of each collaborator involved.

Rewrite Commissions

Individuals, creative teams and theatre companies interested in receiving an EST/Sloan Project rewrite grant should submit the following as their application:

1. A draft of the script.

2. A one- or two-page cover letter detailing the development history of the play, your goals for a rewrite commission, and any questions you have about the current draft.

3. A resume or biography of each collaborator involved.

A selection committee evaluates the proposals and makes the final decisions. Candidates may be asked to revise aspects of their proposals, provide writing samples, and/or arrange a meeting to discuss their project as part of the selection process.

Deadline for artist proposals and script submissions: November 1, 2013

Deadline for regional development grants: December 1, 2013

8.

Rauschenberg Grant Artist as Activist

Deadline: Oct 13th

Website: http://www.rauschenbergfoundation.org/grants

Artist as Activist provides game-changing resources to artists (of all disciplines – visual, performing, media, and beyond), designers, and other creative professionals who are addressing important global challenges through their creative practice. In years past this support has included a commissioned print edition to benefit a particular cause or organization. Today the Artist as Activistprogram is comprised of three distinct grant opportunities:

• Artist as Activist Fellows: artists and legally established art collectives with a demonstrated commitment to applying their creative work to the public sphere will receive up to $100,000 over two years, along with a suite of value-added support. Fellows will be selected through an open call for proposals.
• Artist as Activist Travel & Research Grants: a separate pool of funds has been reserved for similar artists seeking support (ranging from $2,500 to $10,000) to travel or conduct research related to this aspect of their work.Travel/Research grantees will be selected through an open call for proposals.
• Artist as Activist Organizations: Ten organizations from across the U.S. that have been exemplars in supporting artists working at the intersection of art and change will receive general operating support. These organizational grants are by invitation only.

Program Values and Beliefs

Consistent with our commitment to upholding the legacy of our founder, Robert Rauschenberg, all of RRF’s philanthropy programs operate with a set of core values that embody his work as both an artist and a philanthropist. These values include experimentation, fearlessness, and pushing boundaries. Rauschenberg also sought to learn from other cultures, and to share his own knowledge in exchange for what he learned. The Artist as Activist program retains this approach with a particular focus on:

• Creative problem-solving and solutions orientation – looking at an issue in new ways that actually shift its paradigm.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration – experience and enthusiasm for working with people who have a variety of expertise, experience, and training, as well as those whose beliefs, values, and norms differ from your own.
• Risk-taking – an ability to move outside of the status quo; comfort with uncertainty, improvisation, and/or iteration in the context of continuous learning.

How to Apply

All eligible applicants are invited to apply for only one of these grant opportunities. Please consult the Apply Now page to review the appropriate Grant Guidelines and Online Application Instructionsto prepare your letter of interest.

9.

HISTORY MATTERS/BACK TO THE FUTURE

Deadline: Nov. 30th

website: http://www.historymattersbacktothefuture.com/judithbarlowprize

History Matters/ Back to the Future, a coalition of theatre professionals, has announced the creation of the Judith Barlow Prize which will award $2,500 annually to a student playwright of a one-act play inspired by the work of a historic woman playwright whom she/he has studied. In addition, a $1000 prize will be awarded to the runner up and a $500 prize will be awarded to the winning student’s professor who participated in the One Play at a Time initiative. History Matters/ Back to the Future promotes the study and production of women’s plays of the past in high schools, colleges, universities and theatres throughout the country and encourages responses to those plays from contemporary women playwrights.

History Matters/ Back to the Future is also spreading the word about its on-going initiative called “One Play at a Time” to encourage the study, teaching and production of women’s plays in colleges and universities around the world.  Professors are asked to dedicate one class period per semester to a historic play by a woman playwright.  The women playwrights recommended for study range from such well-known writers as Lillian Hellman, Claire Booth, Lorraine Hansberry, Sophie Treadwell and Gertrude Stein to less visible playwrights like Alice Childress, Rachel Crothers and Shirley Graham among others.

          

The winner of the Barlow Prize must be a current or recent student of a participating professor to be eligible to apply.  Submissions for the 2014/15 Barlow Prize must be submitted by November 30, 2014. Winners will be announced in April, 2015.

The application form for the Judith Barlow Prize is available at  http://www.historymattersbacktothefuture.com/judithbarlowprize

Joan Vail Thorne, Co-Founder, HISTORY MATTERS/BACK TO THE FUTURE, said “The great women’s plays of the past were a treasure waiting to be found.  It took Judith Barlow to discover them in her teaching and share them in her publications.  All who cherish the literature of the American theatre will be forever in her debt.”  Professor Emeritus of English and Women’s Studies at the University of Albany, SUNY, Judith Barlow received her B.A. from Cornell University and her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.  She was the editor of Plays By American Women 1900-1930, Plays By American Women 1930-1960, and the author of Final Acts: The Creation of Three Late O’Neill Plays, as well as numerous essays on American Drama.    

Professor and award-winning playwright Tina Howe said: "BRAVO!  It's about time teachers were encouraged to teach plays by our daring foremothers!  "One Play at a Time" doesn't only provoke lively classroom discussion, but even more important, it encourages future generations of women playwrights to get out there and boogie!"

For more information, visit http://www.historymattersbacktothefuture.com or contact historymattersbacktothefuture@gmail.com.

10.

O'NEILL'S NATIONAL PLAYWRIGHTS & MUSIC THEATRE CONFERENCES

Deadline: Oct. 17th

Website: www.theoneill.org/summer-conferences/npc/

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center will soon be accepting projects for development during the 2015 National Playwrights Conference and the 2015 National Music Theater Conference. The authors of selected works will be awarded a residency at the O'Neill in Waterford,CT during June or July 2015 with a stipend, housing, meals, and transportation to support an intensive rehearsal process and script-in-hand public readings.

The National Music Theater Conference supports the development of all styles and genres of music theater including operas and hybrid works. Applicants may submit music theater works for consideration from Monday, October 27 through Monday, November 24, 2014. More information about the conference and detailed submission guidelines can be found athttp://www.theoneill.org/summer-conferences/nmtc/

Both conferences accept hard copy and online applications. There is a $35.00 USD fee per application. Please direct any questions to Anne G. Morgan, Literary Manager, at (860)443-5378 ext.227, or email litoffice@theoneill.org.

11.

T.Schreiber New Works

Deadline: Jan 1st

website: http://tschreiber.org/productions/new-works-project/

The T. Schreiber Studio New Works Project is committed to supporting the development of new plays in a safe and nurturing environment-one that serves the playwright and enriches the T. Schreiber Studio community as a whole. The studio provides the playwright access to the expertise of experienced theatre professionals, sophisticated and well trained actors, and a supportive, interactive, audience. In the New Works Project, T. Schreiber will develop new theatrical productions through a series of staged readings and collaborative refinement, culminating in a professional workshop production. The goal is to foster and elevate writers’ work to its fullest potential.

The winning play will receive two staged readings, in Winter and Spring, 2015, performed by T. Schreiber Studio actors. To further develop the play, audience feedback is solicited and the production staff of T. Schreiber will work directly with the playwright to refine the play. The New Works Project culminates in a workshop production of the winning play for a short run in the Winter/Spring of 2016. There will be no cash prize provided for the selected play. However, the developmental assistance provided for the selected playwright is invaluable.

The New Works Project is committed to script development and successful production of new works. Winning playwrights are expected to participate fully in the development process: working directly with the director and T. Schreiber staff during staged readings; interacting with audiences post-readings; and participating in the workshop production. While T. Schreiber cannot provide transportation or housing to playwrights submitting works from outside the NYC area, every effort will be made to help selected playwrights find local accommodations.

Guidelines:

• Submission deadline for the New Works Project is January 1st, 2015.
• Submission must be full-length in any genre.
• Plays must not have received a full-scale, professional production prior to submission.
• Playwrights with past production experience are especially encouraged to submit new work.
• Productions should be developed for the stage, not other media: e.g. screenplays or teleplays submitted as theatrical plays.
• One script per author.
• Character age range: 16 and up
• There is NO submission fee for the New Works Project.
• Do not send more than the materials requested below. No incomplete submissions will be accepted.
• Please NO PHONE inquiries.

Submission is a two-phase process.

Phase I: Submit a two page maximum treatment of the play including title, character breakdown (please include age range and gender), and brief story synopsis. Also include 5 pages of consecutive sample dialogue. Playwrights should also include a one page bio and resume including contact information. All abstracts and dialogue samples will be read. From these, selected manuscripts will be solicited for Phase II.

Please do not submit a manuscript with or instead of the abstract. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be read. Electronic copies must be emailed to tschreibertheatre@gmail.com with “New Works Project: Phase I” in the subject line.

Send treatment, sample dialogue and resume to: tschreibertheatre@gmail.com

Phase II: All manuscripts that have been solicited for Phase II will be read and reviewed by the selection committee. Manuscripts should be properly formatted and have the playwright’s name, contact address and phone number on the front page. PDF’s and MS Word file formats preferred. No unsolicited manuscripts. Please email manuscripts to tschreibertheatre@gmail.com with “New Works Project: Phase II” in the subject line.

12.

Soros Justice Fellowship

Deadline: Oct. 22nd

Website: http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/soros-justice-fellowships

The Soros Justice Fellowships fund outstanding individuals to undertake projects that advance reform, spur debate, and catalyze change on a range of issues facing the U.S. criminal justice system. The Fellowships Program is part of a larger effort within the Open Society Foundations’ Justice Fund to reduce the destructive impact of current criminal justice policies on the lives of individuals, families, and communities in the U.S. by challenging the overreliance on incarceration and extreme punishment, and ensuring a fair and accountable system of justice.

Advocacy Fellowships

The Soros Justice Fellowships Program’s Advocacy Fellowships fund lawyers, advocates, grassroots organizers, researchers, and others with unique perspectives to undertake full-time criminal justice reform projects at the local, state, and national levels. Projects may range from litigation to public education to coalition-building to grassroots mobilization to policy-driven research. Advocacy Fellowships are 18 months in duration, may be undertaken in conjunction with a host organization, and can begin in the spring or fall of 2015.

Media Fellowships

The Soros Justice Fellowships Program’s Media Fellowships support writers, print and broadcast journalists, bloggers, filmmakers, and other individuals with distinctive voices proposing to complete media projects that engage and inform, spur debate and conversation, and catalyze change on important U.S. criminal justice issues. The Media Fellowships aim to mitigate the time, space, and market constraints that often discourage individuals from pursuing vital but marginalized, controversial, or unpopular topics in comprehensive and creative ways. Media Fellowships are 12 months in duration, and fellows are expected to make their projects their full-time work during the term of the fellowship. Projects can begin in either the spring or fall of 2015.

Guidelines and Application

Download and review the complete Advocacy guidelines here and the complete Media guidelines here. Applications must be submitted by clicking on the appropriate "Submit" button below.  Please Note:  The "Submit" button will be active and viewable starting on August 11, 2014.

Applicants who are uncertain whether some aspect of their proposed project fits within the parameters of the Fellowships Program guidelines or whether the project is otherwise likely to be of interest to the program may submit an email inquiry before proceeding with the full application. The email should provide a brief (no more than 500 words) description of the proposed project, as well as some background information on the applicant, and should be sent to sorosjusticefellowships@opensocietyfoundations.org. Please do not submit an email inquiry before reviewing the full guidelines.

13.

Akademie  Schloss Solitude Fellowship

Deadline: Oct. 31st

Website: http://www.akademie-solitude.de/en

Akademie Schloss Solitude sponsors young artists, scholars, scientists, and economic professionals via residency fellowships only.

Are you interested in applying for a residency fellowship?

The application round begins on July 1, 2014, and ends on 31 October, 2014.

Application forms may only be obtained during this period and online applications are only possible during this period.

If you would like to apply, you will have to decide first if you would like to apply online or if you would like to hand in a postal application.

If you decide to hand in a postal application, you will be able to download the application form after registering and send all materials by post (postmark not later than October 31, 2014!).

If you decide to apply online you will be guided through the online application and asked to upload your portfolio as pdf (maximum 20 MB). Linking to soundcloud and vimeo is possible. Please note: Once the application type has been chosen (post or online) it cannot be changed anymore!  

The deadline for all applications is 31 October, 2014!

If you have any questions please check the FAQ's first, if you cannot find a satisfying answer, please contact us at apply@akademie-solitude.de, as we will not be able to answer questions on the telephone. Thank you for your understanding.

http://application.akademie-solitude.de/

http://www.akademie-solitude.de/en/news-press/news/application-round-2014-application-deadline-october-31-2014~no3492/

14.

Great Plains Theatre Conference

Deadline: Oct 15th

Website: http://www.mccneb.edu/gptc/2015CallforPlays.asp

The Great Plains Theatre Conference offers playwrights the opportunity to interact with, and have their work seen by top writers, directors, and actors from around the country. In addition, playwrights will be able to work directly with these professionals in hands-on writing and industry workshops. Playwrights will also participate in daily panel discussions and have tickets to evening performances with master playwrights and theatre practitioners.

The Great Plains Theatre Conference offers playwrights the opportunity to interact with and have their work seen by top writers, directors and actors from across the country. In addition, playwrights work directly with these professionals in hands-on writing and industry workshops, participate in daily panel discussions and attend evening performances with master playwrights and theatre practitioners. Past panelists, workshop leaders and respondents include: Edward Albee, Doug Wright, Emily Mann, Mac Wellman, Arthur Kopit, Marshall Mason, Mark Lamos, Theresa Rebeck, Constance Congdon, Erik Ehn, Will Eno, Lee Blessing and David Lindsay-Abaire among others.

Plays submitted are reviewed by a 100% blind reading process and considered for the following categories:

MainStage Series

Playwrights whose scripts are chosen for MainStage readings must attend the GPTC for the entire week.

Five plays are chosen for the MainStage Series and recognized with the Holland New Voices Award. For the playwright, this includes a $500 honorarium, travel, room and board, Conference registration and preferential admittance to all special WorkShop sessions and Conference events. MainStage playwrights also receive a script rehearsal period with local and national directors and actors. Near the end of the week, the GPTC features a staged reading of each script for Conference attendees and the general public. A panel of top theatre professionals serve as respondents to the work. The five MainStage plays are published in “The 2015 GPTC Reader.”

Daily PlayLabs

Playwrights whose scripts are chosen for PlayLab readings must attend the GPTC for the entire week.

Approximately 25 plays are chosen for the daily PlayLabs. For the playwright, this includes room and board, Conference registration and preferential admittance to all WorkShops and Conference events. Local and national directors and actors rehearse in preparation for a staged reading of each script. Conference attendees and the public attend these readings and a panel of select theatre professionals serves as respondents

Playwrights whose scripts are chosen for MainStage and PlayLab readings must be available to attend the entire conference.

Submission Guidelines:

• The GPTC will accept both full length and one act scripts.
• Playwrights may submit a maximum of one script.
• Scripts co-written by multiple playwrights may be submitted. If chosen, the benefits outlined above will be provided for ONE playwright only.
• Plays that have received an Equity production, plays for young audiences and musicals will not be accepted.
• All selections will be finalized by March 15.
• There is a $10 fee for each submission. Submissions will not be considered without payment. The entire fee is applied toward the costs for readers.

Submission Inclusions:

Submission documents will be accepted in .doc or .pdf formats ONLY.

1. A Title Page with full contact information, including: name, address, phone number and email address.
2. The Script consisting of:
• Title Page with no contact information or playwright name
• Synopsis of 150 words or less, to be used as an introduction during the blind read process, for publicity purposes and for use in the Conference program if selected.
• Character List with descriptions and notations as to whether characters may be doubled up or must be of a certain ethnicity for reading during the Conference.
• Play with numbered pages; no header/footer with playwright name (paly title is ok); no statement of objectives, prior production or submission history; "End of Play" or similar statement on the last page se we know the submission is complete.

15.

Playwrights First Competition

Deadline: Oct. 15

Website: http://www.playwrights-first.com/

Playwrights First announces its 2014-2015 playwright competition. We require that the one play submitted be by one author, original, full-length, unproduced prior to submission, and in English. No adaptations, translations or musicals will be accepted.

Please submit a resume of your experience as a playwright with your play. No electronic submissions will be accepted. Plays cannot be returned.

Notification of winner: June 2015

Letters of results will be sent to the winning and semifinalist playwrights only. All others should see our website, www.playwrights-first.com.

We offer to playwrights whose plays are selected:

-$1,000 grant for a play of outstanding merit

-Professional readings, when appropriate

-Useful introductions to actors, literary managers, directors, etc.

-Committee feedback if desired

Please mail your play and resume to the following address:

Playwrights First

c/o John E. Donnelly

250 E. 73rd St. #12G

New York, NY 10021

You may reach us at 212-410-9234 or emilyandren@earthlink.net.

16.

Lark Playwrights’ Week

Deadline: Oct. 15th

Website: http://www.larktheatre.org/who-we-are/programs/playwrights-week-2/

Playwrights’ Week is our annual, open access festival of new work that seeks to provide playwrights with crucial creative resources in a nurturing and rigorous laboratory setting.

The Lark is committed to providing access to all playwrights and is proud to seek out plays that reveal underrepresented and vital perspectives. All playwrights will receive consideration without regard to demographics, professional experience, geographic location or history with the organization. Our Open Access Program serves as the central entry point for play submissions at the Lark and encourages the development of new voices.

Writers Selected for Playwrights’ Week are Provided with:

– Ten hours of rehearsal time with a creative team (including director and actors) to address self-identified development goals

– A public staged reading at the Lark Studios

– A peer-based community of support and conversation for the week.

– Housing and travel (for all out of town writers)

Submitted Plays are Evaluated Based on the Following Lark Support Criteria:

– Plays which are ambitious, fresh, playful, engaging, energizing, provocative, powerful, and theatrical

– Plays that reveal unheard and vital perspectives

– Playwrights with clear goals about their writing who are open to a development process

SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES:

– Submit ONE completed application and ONE full-length play. There is no official minimum number of pages for submitted plays and a one-act play can qualify as a full-length, however, we do not accept 10-minute or multiple, short one-act plays.

– Writers living outside of the United Sates can apply if the script was originally written in English.

– No more than ONE play per playwright will be considered.

– List ONLY the play title on the cover page. NO personal information.

– If you are emailing your submission, please attach only Word or PDF files.

– If you are mailing your submission, double-sided pages are appreciated if possible.  Application materials should not be attached to the script itself.  Hard copies will not be returned.

– We are not able to consider musicals for this particular program.

A Complete Submission is  Composed of Two Parts:

– A completed application form.

– A full-length script, with the playwright’s name or any identifying information removed. We are committed to a blind reading policy and it is important that each writer remains anonymous during the initial stage of review.

We strongly encourage you to submit your application form and script (in Word or PDF form) electronically.

Email/Postmark Deadline

Email/Postmark Deadline: OCTOBER 15, 2014 (11:59pm EST)

17.

Acadia University's Minifest

Deadline: October 15th

Website: http://theatre.acadiau.ca/minifest.html

The Acadia University Theatre Company’s 22nd  Annual International MiniFest, a student-run festival, is coming up soon and we are looking for original, never-before-seen one act plays to stage. This would provide an excellent opportunity for your students to see their plays performed, by other university students. Plays shouldn't run longer than 30 minutes.

Submit scripts online at: http://theatre.acadiau.ca/minifestsubmissions.html

18.

Houston Family Arts Center

Deadline: Nov. 1st

Website: http://www.houstonfac.com/

Houston Family Arts Center is looking for a new, unproduced play to premiere as part of its 2015-2016 season.

HFAC produces “family-friendly” plays – not “children’s theatre,” but contemporary or period plays which do not contain strong language or adult themes. Some plays that HFAC has produced that fit into these parameters include "Over The River and Through the Woods" by Joe DiPietro, "A Raisin in the Sun," by Lorraine Hansberry, The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlo"Death by Design" by Rob Urbinai, and "Driving Miss Daisy" by Alfred Uhry.

Please submit a synopsis, character breakdown and 20-page sample to Artistic Director Teri Clark at teri.clark@houstonfac.com.

The selected playwright will be brought to Houston for the opening.

19.
Association for Theatre of Higher Education Playwriting Award
Deadline: Dec. 1st
Website: http://www.athe.org/?page=Playwriting

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

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

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

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

20.

Kentucky Women Writers’ Conference Prize for Women Playwrights

Deadline: Nov. 1st

Website: http://womenwriters.as.uky.edu/playwriting-prize

The Kentucky Women Writers Conference is now accepting scripts by women for its 2015 Prize for Women Playwrights, which awards a $500 cash prize and a full theatrical production to the winner. Actors Guild of Lexington will produce the winning script as a world premiere in summer 2015, and playwright Carson Kreitzer will serve as judge.

The submission deadline for the 2015 Prize for Women Playwrights is Nov. 1, and a winner will be announced on Feb. 20, 2015. Scripts must besubmitted online.

The competition is open to all women playwrights, with no restrictions on age, place of residence, or experience. One-act or full-length scripts in English with a running time between 45 and 90 minutes, which have not been published or commercially produced, are eligible. The cast is limited to eight actors, and there are no limitations on subject matter, but musicals and children’s plays will not be considered.

A judging panel of theater professionals and representatives from both the Kentucky Women Writers Conference and AGL will select semifinalists. “We’re also excited about a partnership with the University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance, which will provide support for the workshop of the play prior to AGL’s production,” Wrinn said.

We are seeking new plays that can be produced as world premieres. We place no limitations on subject matter. Scripts may be based on factual events, purely fictional, or adaptations. We are not seeking musicals or children's plays. Limitations:

• Reading time must be in the range of 45-90 minutes.
• Casts must be limited to 8 actors (1 actor may play multiple roles).
• The production will be in a small black box theater. Set, lighting, sound, costume, and prop requirements should be kept to a minimum.

.