Artnership and Andre

Sometimes the work isn't as important as the community formed to make it. This weekend I saw two thoroughly pedestrian plays and attended a memorial for director/playwright Andre Lancaster. On Saturday, the play was the thing. Two mediocre, self-indulgent white gay works of nonsense. I walked out of the first one at intermission. I had a playwright friend with me. I asked him at the break 'do you mind if we leave?' and he said 'OH THANK GOD!! YES!' Once outside we talked about what he's been going through and other things on our way to the Drama Bookstore, where we ran into another theatre person there. They connected, I continued on my journey and walked over to Signature Theatre to read and I ran into 2 more theatremakers in the lobby. We talked for a while, and then I headed to the last theatre where I ran into 2 more play people in the theatre lobby. The conversations and run-ins between the shows were immensely more satisfying and nourishing than the art itself. But in pursuit of these two plays, I got out into the world, organized my day, met a lot of people. Art (even bad art...especially bad art sometimes) brought me into contact with hundreds of strangers today, a dozen friends, and some new colleagues. Granted, I could have just stayed home and watched Netflix for free. I could have negated a large part of the daily hassle by watching shows at home. But then I would be negating the most important parts of art: the journey and the people I meet along the way.

On Sunday I went to Andre Lancaster's memorial. It was great to see so many friends from UT Austin, CMS, Freedom Train, and all the different spokes in the wheel of his life. It's truly remarkable to see so many people come from Texas, Philadelphia, upstate NY for a simple gathering that became endowed with food, song, dance, and memories. Andre was not perfect. We had many arguments, fights, and disagreements for various reasons I choose not to share at this point in time. But he was difficult, prickly, passionate, bold. He was an auteur. But a man is more than his output in life. He can be measured by the friends and colleagues who came together for the journey. And what a journey it has been with Andre.

The Floating Island

The last few days have been disconcerting, surreal, transformative. I wrote notes of memorial for two beloved ppl, and then went to a writers' salon. At the salon, we talked about Quira's essay, and about retiring from theatre b/c it's too painful for POC. She said it felt like dying. I wondered if something be both painful and terrifying, but also life-supporting? Can we sometimes mistake exquisite pain for dying, and numbing comfort for life? The next day I found out that Andre Lancaster has passed away. I wrote a third note of memorial. Andre was definitely bruised and battered by the institutions of art. At the same time, I also felt it was the art that was giving him life. It was the community most apt to remember and inspire. When he walked away from theatre, it felt like he was crossing over. Less stress? Definitely. But also surrendering that tiny ephemeral circle of light inside of us. No one can touch this island of light, no paycheck can bridge it, no trespassers are allowed. Guests, family, even lovers can come, but by invitation only and then they must leave.

The floating land can burn hot with rage or simmer with cooling satisfaction, but it is sovereign. I sat down to write the epilogue for a play going up next year and my scenes for the next episode of THE GOOD FIGHT. The worries, anxiety, neurosis, all faded. I was inside the stories. I found myself on that floating island. I conjured characters and scenes in the holograph of my imagination. The losses of the outside world entered on to the island. I allowed it. But only if it came in costume. The reality became elevated in a masquerade ball. The scenes and characters swirled around me and then catharsis. In masks, I understood the reality a little bit more than if it was naked. Then we were finished. The world got back on the ship and sailed away. And I, too, got on my own vessel. I moved away from this floating island and back toward the outside world. The scenes are done. I will edit from the sobering shores of reality, but I know I will go back to the island soon. If I don't, I will die. If I stay stuck in hard facts and information, then I will lose sight of the light emanating from a place deep inside of me.

In Memoriam: Andre Lancaster

I will miss you, Andre. Bryan left me a voicemail while I was in the gym. When I got out of my training session I saw his VM and a text that warned me about 'bad news.' My heart sank. I knew. I showered, changed, and thought about how I knew. When was the last time I had talked to Andre, I tired to think of heartfelt memories. I dragged myself up the stairs. I knew I knew I knew. I called Bryan. He confirmed my fears and intuition. Andre Lancaster passed away this weekend.

Over ten years ago, an ART/NY program director asked me if I could start up a group for emerging black playwrights. Being creative, I called the group 'Emerging Black Playwrights." Andre was at the first meeting. So was Thomas Bradshaw. We organized the group to present our wares to the public. Andre helped with the management and I ran the meetings by the seat of my pants. He organized while writing and directing his own work. After our final workshop presentation to a room of artistic directors, Andre said this was a good idea and that he wanted to do it again. A year or two later he started up Freedom Train Productions, a Black LGBTQ theatre company in Brooklyn. I came on as the director of play development, a title I christened myself, with Andre's permission.

Over the next few years, we worked together to build a theatre company. I wrote grants with Andre, ran the workshops for playwrights with Andre, participated in panel discussion, begged for money, experienced many up's and downs. Finally, he said that there didn't seem to be a financial market for Freedom Train. We were flat broke and staring into the abyss. FTP had just lost out on another grant, this time a HUGE funding opp for Black LGBTQ playwrights. The money went to a much larger white theatre company that had no history of working with Black playwrights, but decided to use the money -a year's worth of funding for us- to hold an extravagant workshop in upstate NY. Andre said he needed to move on, get a better education, and then return to the theatre fight. He never did.

Time passed. We moved into different circles. I would see him once every year, and then once every 12-18 months, and then nothing the last few years. He sent me a msg on WHATSAPP several months ago. I was perplexed b/c he had my email, phone number, knew where I lived. The msg was a simple 'hello.' I responded back 'hello' and asked him about life and how things were going. I never heard back. Rest in Peace, Andre. You were and will always be a Black Prince.

The Conservative Culture War: In Context

If they really cared about stopping abortion, then these same GOP think tanks wouldn't support and fund sterilization clinics for Black women.

If they really cared about a gun owner's rights, then the NRA would have been out there with #blacklivesmatter to protest Philando Castille and other legal black gun owners who have been wrongfully killed.

If they really cared about men being wrongfully accused of rape and harassment, then they would have spoken out against the centuries of countless black men who have been jailed and/or lynched...often on trumped up charges of rape in order to incite a white mob.

If they really cared about wrongful rape accusation, the leader of their party wouldn't be a devout Central Park 5 conspiracist who took out full page ads asking for the execution of black men wrongfully accused and exonerated from crimes.

If they really cared about AIDS and STDs, then it wouldn't have taken Ryan White being on the cover of Time for Reagan to wake up.

If they really cared about stopping drugs, then they would have been out here when crack and heroin was ravaging the urban hubs of America for decades. And instead of jailing black drug addicts and blaming the problem on black fathers, there would have been bipartisan solutions back then, and not just now because white kids are popping pills in the suburbs.

If they really thought that 'Blue Lives Matter' then they would speak out against alt-right terrorists, and fringe militias steeped in government hatred. These radical, white supremacist elements are violent, organized and represent the greatest current threat to law enforcement in America...not unarmed black teens.

If they really cared about stopping censorship, then they wouldn't object to black people kneeling in protest, marching, and organizing for basic rights.

But on every conservative cultural issue (referred to as the four F's) flags, fetuses, firearms, and...um, gays- 70-80% of white people have gleefully stood by while other people are muzzled, raped, sterilized, aborted, lynched, shot in their homes, and entire cities razed to the ground. It's a slow-moving genocide on all fronts that is paid for, supported, and carried out by white Christians. And it's at the heart of American cultural and religious hypocrisy.

Kavanaugh and Kava-NOPE

I know many ppl from college who drank too much, blacked out, and made bad decisions. Some of these people are good souls. And yet none of them deserve to be on the Supreme Court. I don't think I'm ruining their lives by stating this. It's not anyone's 'right' to have a lifetime appointment to a job that changes the legal makeup of America. A Supreme Court justice befits ppl who are boring. Legal minds, nerds, chess club members. The Supreme Court is not for frat boys who try to get into bar fights with 80s bands or sports mascots. Also no 'bros who sexually assault women in any way, or lie repeatedly about their past. Blacking out, spending weeks barfing from beer, starting bar fights, assaulting women, a history of HUGE debts that magically disappear, and doing regrettable things while inebriated pretty much means you don't have the emotional and psychological makeup for judicious thought. But guess what? I don't have the metabolism to be a prima ballerina. And yet, I manage to live a fulfilling life. If you do NOT have the temperament to be on the Supreme Court, the world still has options for you. You can do a lot of cool stuff like make jewelry, become a bookie in Las Vegas, build model planes, or run a sweet lil' bohemian coffee shop with a kombucha tap. You can even run for public office, b/c -unlike like a Supreme Court appointment- we get to vote your drunk-ass out if you start acting up. But no lifetime, forever-and-day appointments that affect the very foundation of civilization for you, Mr. Drunk Rapey Fists. And yet, the overwhelming majority of GOP Senators are looking at these facts and thinking 'hmmm, I don't know. This is a tricky predicament.' But, in fact, it is not tricky at all. To repeat: multiple claims of sexual assault, gambling debts, fighting, extreme drunkenness, and repeatedly lying under oath are the opposite traits of a good judge. This is not a radical thought. This is common sense.

Get What You Want: October 2018

1.
NEW HARMONY PROJECT
Deadline: Oct. 1st
website: https://www.newharmonyproject.org/apply-conference/

The New Harmony Project is pleased to accept applications of un-produced stage play scripts, musicals, screenplays and teleplays through October 1, 2018. Our streamlined online process will facilitate you uploading your materials in only a few minutes.

What is The Project looking for in a script? If you’ve read our mission statement and you’re still not sure your work is right for the conference, you can gain a fuller sense of our aesthetic and philosophical interests by perusing our roster of writers and scripts that have recently found an artistic home at our conference. The New Harmony Project recognizes that we live in complex times, and we seek stories that honor a multiplicity of perspectives.

Please complete the form below and submit the following materials for consideration for The New Harmony Project's 2019 Conference:

Statement of artistic purpose - A brief history of the script and what you hope to accomplish with the support of The New Harmony Project

Ten-page excerpt - A ten-page excerpt that you feel demonstrates the strength and potential of the script. Due to the number of applications received, our initial review of your application will focus on these ten pages.

Full script - The New Harmony Project welcomes applications at all stages of creative process, so please include a copy of the full script in its current form.

Musical sample (if applicable) - If you are applying with a musical, please include a 3-5 minute audio sample.

Resumé - Please include a copy of your resumé.
You will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours, please be patient. Once items have been submitted, we, unfortunately, will not be able to accept updates or changes.

If you have any questions, please email submissions@newharmonyproject.org (please, no phone calls). We look forward to reading your work, and thank you for taking the time to share it with us.


2.
UCROSS FOUNDATION
Deadline: Oct. 1st
website: https://ucrossfoundation.submittable.com/submit

Artists, writers and composers from around the United States and the world, in all stages of their professional careers, are invited to apply to work on individual or collaborative projects. Fellows are chosen by a panel of professionals in the arts and humanities in a highly competitive application process.  The quality of an applicant's work is given primary consideration.  Final invitations for residencies are extended at the discretion of the Ucross Foundation.

Current work is requested. The nature of the work sample submitted should correspond to the nature of the work you propose to do while in residence. An applicant's work sample is the most significant feature of his or her application. Unless work is interdisciplinary, i.e., the various genres interconnect, each applicant is encouraged to apply in a primary discipline and submit a work sample and project description, which emphasizes this single discipline. Competition for residencies varies seasonally and with the number of applications.

WORK SAMPLE: should be representative of the genre in which you plan to work while in residence. Writing samples should be double-spaced and include your full name. Appropriate samples are as follows:

PLAYWRITING: one complete play*

SCREENWRITING: one complete screenplay*

*Documentation of a production may be included in addition.


3.
CLUBBED THUMB: COMMISSION OPPORTUNITY FOR WRITERS OF COLOR
Deadline: October 8th
website: http://www.clubbedthumb.org/2018-commission/

Like our Biennial Commission, this application asks that writers respond to a series of prompts with a ten-page piece of initial writing and a one-page proposal for a full-length play, which will be read without the readers’ knowledge of the writer’s identity. One or more writers will be awarded (or will share) a $15,000 commission. Unlike the Biennial Commission, which is open to all writers, submissions for this award are open only to writers of color.

For this commission, Clubbed Thumb is interested in plays that employ alternative structures and shapes. We ask you to consider one of five alternative play shapes–landscape, spider web, nesting dolls, circle, double helix–and craft a proposal for how you will employ that play shape to best suit the story you wish to tell. This is subjective, of course, and meant to trigger the imagination, not be academic analysis. Some examples of what we mean:

Landscape: in which we learn about the world through accumulation
Our Town by Thornton Wilder is structured a bit like a landscape painting–we are introduced to everything all at once and Wilder zooms in and out of the landscape in order to tell the story.
Other examples might include: Wilder Gone, God’s Ear, Mlima’s Tale

Spider Web: in which we learn through disparate scenes that seem disconnected but are linked at odd angles and actually cohere around a central theme or argument
Booty Candy by Robert O’Hara could be seen as a spider web play–at first each scene feels like a vignette exploring a discrete idea, however, as more and more divergent worlds are explored we begin to realize that each world is connected in exploration of a single theme.
Other examples might include: Lear (Young Jean Lee), Doll’s House Pt. 2, Of Government

Nesting Dolls: in which we learn through analogies and juxtaposition
Mr Burns, a Post-Electric Play by Anne Washburn might be seen as a play shaped like a set of nesting dolls–each act is its own entity and the dramatic movement lies in building out from what came before.
Other examples might include: Fairview, An Octoroon, Barbecue

Circle: in which we learn through reflection
Fefu and Her Friends by Maria Irene Fornes might be a circle play. The most important dramatic events happen in the middle; act one leads us into these events and act three deals with the aftermath; the end of the play reflects themes that are present in the beginning of the play.
Other examples might include: A Map of Virtue, The Aliens, Father Comes Home From the Wars

Double Helix: in which we learn through thematic associations between the narrative threads
Stop Kiss by Diana Son could be a double helix play – the story is told in two threads simultaneously–what happened before and what happened after the inciting event–with thematic links between these narratives.
Other examples might include: Midsummer Night’s Dream (might be a triple helix), We are Proud to Present…, The Tomb of King Tot

You are also welcome to propose your own unconventional play shape. Should you choose to do that, be rigorous and make the case for it.

(Many thanks to Erin Courtney for developing this prompt with us.)

Your proposed play should also include the following:
1) At least three characters in every scene (no two character scenes)
2) Some simultaneous talking
3) Some found or repurposed text
4) A character pretending to be someone else
5) No indoor spaces

To apply, submit the following:
1) A one-page letter of intent describing your proposed project;
2) 10 exploratory pages from the proposed project (either contiguous or from different sections of the proposed play);
3) One of your finished plays, for reference;
4) Your resume

Important Notes:
No names please — on the letter, the 10 page sample or the finished play for reference, or in any file names. The panel reads all submissions BLIND — the only place your name should appear is on the info form and on your resume.

The letter of intent should briefly map out the proposed piece, how you will use the chosen shape to tell the story and, if need be, orient the reader to the excerpt’s relationship to the whole. You needn’t explain or repeat anything that your 10 page sample makes clear. Then give us an idea of where the piece is coming from and where you think you want to go with it.

We ask you to include one of your finished plays for reference. Note (where prompted in the form) any relationship or similarities the complete play has to the proposed project, and recommend 10 pages for us to start with.

One last thing: this is a commission for Clubbed Thumb. So look around our website at our guidelines and production history for reference, if they are not familiar to you. Many of our plays have been published individually or in our anthology, “Funny, Strange, Provocative”, and are widely available to read.

DEADLINE: MONDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 11:59PM EST
The proposals will be read and adjudicated over the course of the fall, and the commission(s) awarded by the end of 2018. The $15,000 commission — which might be split between writers if the panel so elects — will be paid out in three installments every six months, with the first installment following the signing of a contract. Send questions to info[at]clubbedthumb.org


4
JONATHAN LARSON GRANTS
Deadline: October 7 (deadline unclear on website)
Website: http://americantheatrewing.org/program/jonathan-larson-grants/

The Jonathan Larson Grants are intended to honor and recognize emerging
musical theatre artists. Composers, lyricists, and librettists who work in
musical theatre are the focus of the grants. ATW is committed to serving
artists who are creating new, fully producible works for the theatre, and
advancing the art form. The grants do not honor a specific piece or project. Awards range from $2,500-$15,000.


5.
SPACE on Ryder Farm
Deadline: Oct. 8th
Website: https://www.spaceonryderfarm.org/

The eight Working Farm writers are in residence together twice over the course of the season (May 28th-June 2nd and September 17th-22nd, 2019).

During their additional stays, Working Farm writers may invite a collaborator (e.g. a director, designer, dramaturg, actor) to join them on the farm, subject to availability.

During their time on the farm, The Working Farm writers are housed in Ryder Farm’s historic buildings, served three daily farm-fresh communal meals and provided with artistic and administrative resources. While in residence, the artists each focus on developing a single new work and are strongly encouraged to structure their days and weeks to best suit the needs of their project.

While at SPACE, the only requirements of The Working Farm are that they join in the three communal meals daily, give back 6 hours of their time-in-residence to Ryder Farm and participate in short, informal sharings of the work accomplished while in residence.

One of the highlights of The Working Farm is The Roving Dinner, which occurs during the group’s September residency week. During this celebration of The Working Farm writers, excerpts of the eight SPACE-developed works are paired with an eight-course farm-fresh meal and performed at eight historic locations around Ryder Farm.

Following the five-week residency at Ryder Farm, Working Farm members are offered the opportunity to present a public reading of their SPACE-developed project through SPACE’s partnership with Playwrights Horizons. These readings customarily take place in the winter or early spring.


6.
O’NEILL CENTER PLAYWRIGHTS CONFERENCE
Deadline: Oct 13th
website: www.theoneill.org/summer-conferences/npc/submission-info/

The National Playwrights Conference strives to create a supportive environment that empowers playwrights to their own process and to experience the play with a professional company.

In the years since its inception, the National Playwrights Conference has developed more than 600 plays.  During the Conference, playwrights live on the grounds of the O'Neill for a full month and each engages in a week-long process of rehearsals culminating in two script-in-hand public readings.  Up to eight playwrights are selected for this intensive laboratory each summer.  Conference playwrights represent a wide range of experience from those working on a first play to Broadway veterans; directors and actors have also worked on and off Broadway, in film, and in regional theaters, and represent emerging artists and seasoned professionals.

Each year NPC accepts scripts from any playwright for consideration in its summer landmark event, and takes this solicitation and selection process very seriously. We do not require an agent or nomination to apply, simply the right to work in the United States.
The O'Neill typically receives approximately 1,000 scripts during this month-long window. The plays are sent to readers across the country; the work is read blindly and narrowed down into a semi-finalist pool and then a finalist pool. This process is maintained by our on-site literary office and is monitored carefully.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
You must be 18 years of age and have the right to work within the United States.
The play must not have had a professional production, or be scheduled to have a professional production, prior to August 2018. A professional production means that the artists working on the show were compensated for their time, and that all of the theatrical elements one hopes to see in a production were present.

You may submit one original or adapted work, providing that the rights to any material not in the public domain have been granted in writing, and a copy of the release is sent along with the script.
We develop all genres and styles of drama, including one-acts and solo pieces.  NPC does not develop music theater works, though you may submit such work to the National Music Theater Conference.

While we accept work that has been submitted to NPC in previous years, we recommend that you share new work with us each year. Only complete applications will be accepted, whether in hard copy or electronic form.

7.
NYTW 2050 Fellow
Deadline: October 15th (5pm)
Website: https://www.nytw.org/artist-workshop/2050-fellowships/

For 20 years, NYTW has honed an inclusive fellowship program for emerging theatre makers with a multiplicity of perspectives. These fellowships have taken many forms, supporting playwrights, directors, designers and administrators.

In its current iteration, the 2050 Fellowship is a yearlong residency for emerging playwrights and directors. The 2050 Fellowship provides a space for experimentation, artistic and administrative support, and mentorship. 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.

The 2050 Fellowship is named in celebration of the U.S. Census Bureau’s projection that by the year 2050, there will be no single racial or ethnic majority in the United States.

This projection provokes thoughts at New York Theatre Workshop about the transformations that will take place in the American landscape – technologically, environmentally, demographically and artistically. They are a catalyst for broader questions about our moral and artistic future.

NYTW will accept up to six playwright or director 2050 Artistic Fellows per season. These fellowships will entail a one year commitment from June to June.

NYTW’s 2050 Fellowships consists of five basic components:

-Monthly fellowship meetings where fellows meet with each other and artists from the NYTW 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 theatre artists
-An invitation to participate in the artistic life of the theatre by attending staff meetings, developmental readings, dress rehearsals, and other NYTW functions
-A three-day weekend retreat at the start and end of the fellowship
-2050 Fellows are awarded a modest stipend and an artistic development fund to support fellowship projects, attend performances, research and travel.


8.
GREAT PLAINS THEATRE CONFERENCE
Deadline: October 15th
website: http://www.gptcplays.com/submit-your-play-to-gptc/

The Great Plains Theatre Conference provides opportunities for participants to interact with and have their work seen by a host of national theatre professionals and scholars.

Theatre WorkShops, Luncheon Panels and daily PlayLab and MainStage Series readings comprise the foundation of the Conference.
Dramaturgy is provided by national dramaturg for each playwright, to providing support before, during and after the Conference
PlayFest is an evening theatre festival for the community and seeks to give voice to the stories that have the power to unite and inspire diverse audiences.

Design Wing brings five emerging designers from across the country to become immersed in the play development from a visual perspective.
Young Dramatists Fellowship Program provides local high school playwrights with access to some of the country’s top plays and playwrights.
GPTC invites and welcomes a number of distinguished and nationally known playwrights, directors and actors each year. These guest artists are in place to nurture and mentor new and emerging playwrights and Conference attendees through various workshops, MainStage and PlayLab feedback sessions and seminars. Each year, the Conference also hosts an honored playwright who is featured throughout the week and recognized for their body of work during PlayFest.

The submission period may close prior to October 15th if the submission limit of 1000 plays is reached.   Check back here for updates on the number of submissions received to-date.

Twenty plays will be selected for PlayLabs.

All playwrights who are selected will receive a $500 stipend, travel/airfare to Omaha, eight nights lodging, daily breakfast/lunch, and select evening meals. Playwrights whose scripts are chosen must agree to attend the entire conference (May 27 – June 2), work with local actors and directors, and lend full support to other playwrights throughout the Conference week.

Submissions:

GPTC will consider both full length and one act scripts that are at least twenty pages in length.

Playwrights may submit a maximum of ONE script. Scripts submitted in previous years and not chosen may be submitted again for consideration.

Plays that have received an Equity production, plays for young audiences, and musicals will not be considered. Equity showcase productions are acceptable, as well as adaptations.

Acceptable formats for submission are .doc or .pdf .  To gauge runtime, the standard font size of 12 points is suggested; the left margin should be 1.5 inches and top and bottom margins 1 inch.

What we need:

One file with NO personal identifying information that includes:
Play name
Cast list
Short synopsis (1-2 sentences)
Your play
One file with a title page that includes your name, address, phone number and email.
A payment of $10 to offset the cost of selection panel readers.
Your play cannot be processed until we receive payment.  Payment can be made via credit card (through Paypal) or by check.  A link to payment information will be provided for you in a popup window after your play is submitted.  You will also receive a confirmation email from us (be sure to check your junk mail folder if you do not receive an email in your inbox).


9.
TARGET MARGIN THEATER INSTITUTE
Deadline: Oct 15th
website: http://www.targetmargin.org/our-season/institute/

A year-long fellowship (January – December) that provides five diverse artists space, support and a $1,000 stipend to challenge themselves and their art-making practice. There is no curriculum or “teaching” structure. There is no final result or project. The core goal is rigorously to question our own assumptions about what the theater is, what it could be, and what we would like it to be.

Our 2019 Institute will involve study, practical work, presentation, reflection, and include the following:

Stipends – Each Fellow receives a $1,000 stipend to relieve financial burdens and nurture their artistic practice.

Intensives – Fellows gather quarterly for three-day retreats in throughout the 2019 year (January – December). These are led by Target Margin Artistic Director David Herskovits and Associate Artistic Director Moe Yousuf, and the Fellows themselves. Intensives provide space and time for Fellows to collaboratively play / practice / test existing performance and theatrical frameworks.

Experiments – Each Fellow will engage in an artistic experiment. It might test an idea; question a principle the Fellow becomes interested in; allow the Fellow to change their process or working approach; or challenge the Fellow’s assumptions about collaboration. It has no performance goal or production outcome.

Open Studios – In late fall 2019 we will host a one day event in our space open to our local community and peers in the field. The form of the Open Studios will be shaped by the Fellows and created to highlight their specific ways of working within our Institute throughout the year. It may be an open showing, an invited rehearsal, conversation, facilitated dialogue, or participatory event.

Breakfasts – Fellows and TMT Artistic Staff have breakfast together one morning each month; this is an opportunity for informal sharing, conversation, and reflection. We ask that all Fellows commit to attending as many breakfasts as possible. After all, it’s the most important meal of the day.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?
Artists who have demonstrated a serious commitment to their practice and an interest in TMT’s principles, and are ready to move in a radical new direction. Fellows should be poised to embrace the open-ended questioning that guides the Institute. Applicants may emerge from any theatrical discipline (actors, designers, writers, directors, producers, stage managers, administrators, etc.). We also accept applications from other artistic fields (music, visual art, literature, etc.) as long as the connection to performance is clearly articulated.

10.
DORA MAAR HOUSE
Deadline: Oct. 15th
Website: https://www.mfah.org/fellowships/doramaarhouse/dora-maar-how-to-apply/

The Brown Foundation Fellows Program, based at the Dora Maar House in Ménerbes, France, provides residencies of one to three months for mid-career professionals in the arts and humanities to concentrate on their fields of expertise.

What does a Brown Foundation Fellowship at the Dora Maar House offer?
• One to three months in residence at the Dora Maar House.
• A private bedroom and bath, and a study or studio in which to work.
• Round-trip travel expenses to Dora Maar House.
• A grant based upon the length of stay at Dora Maar House.

Who is eligible to apply for residencies at Dora Maar House?
• Mid-career artists and scholars with established reputations who are engaged on a professional level in the arts and/or the humanities.


11.
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON: 10-MIN PLAY FESTIVAL
Deadline: Oct. 15th
Website: http://www.uh.edu/kgmca//theatre-and-dance/

Nine selected 10-minute plays will receive productions as part of a multi-evening festival, produced in the newly upgraded José Quintero Theatre on the University of Houston campus. This festival is open to all applicants, amateur or professional. One selected outside-submission will receive a production. There is no financial compensation for winning entries.

DETAILS
The University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance is excited to announce our seventh annual 10-Minute Play Festival for spring of 2019.  We will begin accepting submissions for this festival on August 20, 2018; the submission period closes on October 15, 2018.

Submission rules:
Scripts will only be accepted during a submission window of August 20 through October 15, 2018 Scripts received outside this window will not be accepted.

The list of winning plays will be announced in November.

We will accept only one play per playwright.

Scripts should fall in the range of 8-12 pages and run roughly ten minutes. (Page count does not include the title page.)

Characters in submitted plays should fall between the ages of 16-30 or else there should be no specific restrictions on the ages of the characters.

Previously produced plays are not eligible.

Musicals and plays for children are discouraged.

Submissions will be acknowledged via email, but we do not offer critiques.

Nine winning plays will receive productions in the José Quintero Theatre at the University of Houston in spring of 2019.

Plays must be submitted via email.

There should be no identifiable information in the script.

Your email should include all of the following information:

play title

your name

your mailing address

your phone number

your email address

Email play to:  uhoustonplayfest@gmail.com

Send inquiries to: uhplayfestquestions@gmail.com


12.
MADE IN NYC: Women's Film, TV, and Theatre Fund
Deadline: Oct. 16th
website: https://www.nyfa.org/Content/Show/NYC-Womens-Fund?mc_cid=42f209d744&mc_eid=9adfcdfe5d

“Made in NY” Women’s Film, TV and Theatre Fund are open!

This first-of-its-kind fund is designed to encourage and support the creation of film, television, digital content and live theatre content that reflects the voices and perspectives of women or female-identifying individuals. It is an initiative of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and is administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts. Application and guidelines can be found at nyfa.org/NYCWomensFund. Creators have until October 16, 2018, 11:59 p.m. to apply. We can’t wait to see your submission.

Recipients will be selected from the following categories (amounts listed are the maximum potential grant):

-Fiction Feature (running time of 60 minutes or more) – $50,000
-Fiction Short (running time of 59 minutes or less) – $25,000
-Fiction Webisode/Webseries (all forms) – $20,000
-Documentary Feature (running time of 60 minutes or more) – $50,000
-Documentary Short (running time of 59 minutes or less) – $25,000
-Documentary Webisodes/Webseries (all lengths and forms) – $20,000
-Theatre Production – $50,000

The “Made in NY” Women’s Film, TV and Theatre Fund is a centerpiece of a groundbreaking series of initiatives by MOME to address the underrepresentation of women or female-identifying individuals in film, television, and theatre. This is the first round in this multi-year program.

Recipients will be notified in February, 2019. All projects must be completed by March 31, 2020.


13.
CAMARGO CORE
Deadline: Oct. 17th
Website: http://camargofoundation.org/programs/camargo-core-program/

The Camargo Core Program is the historical and flagship program of the Foundation. Each year an international call is launched through which 18 fellows (9 artists and 9 scholars/thinkers) are selected. The Camargo Core Program offers time and space in a contemplative environment to think, create, and connect. By supporting groundbreaking research and experimentation, it contributes to the visionary work of artists, scholars and thinkers in the Arts and Humanities. By encouraging multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches, it intends to foster connections between research and creation.

Artists, in all disciplines, should be the primary creators of a new work/project and should have achieved a track record of publications/performances/exhibitions, credits, awards and/or grants. We are interested in artists who have a fully developed, mature artistic voice. Applicants may include artists who are engaged in critical thought and research-oriented projects. When applying, artists will have to choose among the following subcategories: Visual Artists / Choreographers and Performance Artists / Writers and Playwrights / Film, Video and Digital Artists / Composers and Sound Artists / Multidisciplinary Artists.

Research, Experiment & Create: applicants may apply either with a specific project (e.g. completion of a book, an artwork, etc.) or with a specific area of inquiry (i.e. an investigation of a specific topic or issue in advance of writing or creating a work of art) on which they would like to work during the residency. An area of inquiry should represent exploration and investigation in the candidate's field. The Camargo Core Program welcomes both open-ended exploration, or more focused works and long-term research projects.

Exchange & Network: during the residency, discussions are held regularly so that each Fellow has the opportunity to present the project or area of inquiry to the group. These project discussions serve as an opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange. All Fellows are required to be present at these discussions. The Camargo Foundation’s Staff will provide formal and informal links with the region, meetings with professionals whose areas of expertise are relevant for the Fellow, opportunities to attend events, and the option of inviting outside professionals to project discussions. On a voluntary basis, Fellows have the opportunity to present their work within cultural and educational organizations in the region. Such events are conceived and organized by the Foundation in close consultation with the Fellow.

A stipend of 250 USD per week is available, as is funding for basic transportation to and from Cassis for the Fellow for the residency. In the case of air travel, basic coach class booked far in advance is covered.

14.
DOWNTOWN URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL
Deadline: Oct. 21st
Website: https://www.duafnyc.com/theater

DUAF is currently accepting play submissions that reflect urban life for its 17th annual season to be held during April and May of 2019 in downtown New York City. DUAF will accept up to 16 theatrical works (plays, musicals, and solo works) with running times up to 70 minutes. Each work is performed only once during the festival. There will be a $1,000 award in the category of Best Play, Best Short and Audience. Each playwright will receive a $300-$500 monetary stipend during the festival to defray some of the production costs of presenting their work.

Submission Guidelines:
(1) Playwright’s bio with contact info- name, address, phone # and email

(2) Photo of playwright

(3) Synopsis of theatrical work

(4) Complete script of theatrical work

(5) Estimated running time of work

(6) Actor/director/crew bios, if available

(7) Description of stage set (if any) and production needs (i.e. sound and lighting)

The submission deadline is Sunday, October 21, 2018. Please submit to Tamar Lopez, Festival Coordinator at coordinator@duafnyc.com


15.
DAYTON PLAYHOUSE FUTUREFEST
Deadline: October 31st
Website: http://wordpress.thedaytonplayhouse.com/future-fest-2/futurefest-submissions/

Dayton Playhouse has sponsored FutureFest, a festival of new and unproduced plays for over twenty five years, put on by a community theater run entirely by volunteers. Each year we bring you in one weekend six new unproduced plays as chosen by the FF committee from the submissions entered that year. Each play is dramatized as either a staged reading or a full
dramatization. Each play is a full length play and we do not limit the subject matter. We bring the playwrights to the festival for the weekend so you can mingle with them and we have talk back sessions with them after their show. We bring in adjudicators from around the country to pick the
best play and give the playwrights a professional critique in front of the FF audience. It’s a play lover’s dream come true, and an opportunity a playwright can’t get anywhere else.

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

ELIGIBILITY
Entry must be an original work (NO musicals or plays for children) that has not been published or produced where admission was charged prior to FutureFest 2019. Staged readings/workshop productions are not necessarily disqualifying factors.

DEADLINES
Submissions will be accepted August 1 through October 31, 2018 (postmark).

SCRIPTS
Submit a blind copy (no name/contact info) of your script, in standard play format with pages numbered. After the title page include a brief synopsis, character breakdown, setting, and scene breakdown, if applicable. 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 be disqualified. Scripts may be submitted electronically or via Media Mail. Eliminated scripts will not be returned. Script evaluations will not be provided.

CONSENT
Playwright gives the Dayton Playhouse permission to photocopy scripts for reading/production purposes.

Should your script be selected and produced as one of the six finalists, you must be available to attend the weekend festival (July 19-21, 2019) and participate in all events. Finalists must acknowledge the Dayton Playhouse when script is published. The winning playwright awards the Dayton Playhouse the option to produce the winning play as part of its main stage season royalty free.

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

SELECTION PROCESS
Each entry is guaranteed a minimum of three reads. The original play reading committee, following many months of discussion and voting, narrows down the entries to 15 – 18, which are then read by the entire committee before they select the 12 semi-finalists. A second committee selects the six finalists. During FutureFest weekend, the plays are staged and publicly adjudicated by a panel of five theatre professionals (New York based and regional).  Following the final production of the weekend, the adjudicators vote and select the winner.

FINALISTS
Finalists will be posted on the Dayton Playhouse website (www.daytonplayhouse.com) by May 2019.

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

QUESTIONS
Contact Fran Pesch, FutureFest Program Director, at 937-424-8477, or email futurefest@thedaytonplayhouse.com


16.
REVA SHINER COMEDY AWARD
Deadline: Oct. 31st
Website: https://newplays.org/submit-a-play/reva-shiner-comedy/

The Reva Shiner Comedy Award presents an unpublished full-length comedy with a cash prize of $1,000, a full production as part of the Bloomington Playwrights Project’s Mainstage season, along with travel reimbursement. We are currently accepting submissions for the 2019-20 Season. Scripts must be postmarked by October 31, 2018.

Previous winners have gone on to enjoy productions around the world and to garner additional honors such as the National Play Award.

We are currently accepting submissions for the 2019-20 Reva Shiner Comedy Award. The top 10 finalists and the winner of the 2019-20 Reva Shiner Comedy Award will be announced at the end of March 2019.

"Full-length" plays will have a complete running time of between 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes) to 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes).

Plays submitted must be unpublished at the time of submission. Plays that have received developmental readings, workshop productions, or productions at small theatre companies are acceptable. No scripts with previous productions at major regional theaters will be accepted. Once entered, subsequent activity does not change the acceptability of the script.
Each submission must include a synopsis (1 page or less) including the cast size. A separate page should include a brief bio of the playwright, and production/development history if applicable.

Each submission must include a cover letter with contact information and a $10.00 reader fee. Agent submissions require no fee. The fee will be waived for Dramatist Guild members with an enclosed photocopy of a membership card. The BPP only accepts U.S. checks or money orders (Make check payable to "BPP"). No international checks or money orders will be accepted.


17.
BERKELEY REP GROUND FLOOR
Deadline: Nov. 1st
Web: https://www.berkeleyrep.org/groundfloor/summerresidency.asp#tabbed-nav=apply

We invite artists to apply with projects that would benefit from a residency in Berkeley for 1–4 weeks. Berkeley Rep will provide transportation, housing, rehearsal space, basic technical support, and a modest stipend. Applicants must be available for residency between June 4–30, 2019. Previous applicants may reapply. There is no limit on the number of projects an artist may apply with. We do accept applications from international artists.

Projects may be anywhere along their development path: from an idea without anything on paper yet, to a complete draft of a text. Whether you are a writer simply needing a room in which to write or an ensemble wanting intensive rehearsal time, we encourage you to apply. Artists from other disciplines interested in creating theatre pieces are also very welcome. If your project is ready for a small audience, we are happy to provide that, but there is no requirement for any kind of culminating event. Past participants have held events that were open to the public, no final presentation at all, small closed readings, and everything in between.

This is a developmental residency. Projects looking for a full production are not eligible. If you are applying for an adaptation, please have the underlying rights already secured. We do not accept scripts along with application forms. If a proposed project makes it to the second round, we will then request a work sample, which may include whatever may already be written, if applicable.


18.
EST SLOAN PROJECT
Deadline: Nov. 1
website: http://www.ensemblestudiotheatre.org/est-sloan/submissions/

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.

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. Regional commission amounts are determined on a case-by-case basis, ranging from $2,000 - $5,000.

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:

A one- or two-page description or a simple outline/synopsis of the project. This document should describe the actual story being explored and include in the description of the story how the science being portrayed would be inherently dramatic in the piece. Focus on plot and character development, and, as it ideally will in the finished play, how the science comes out through plot and character.
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:

A draft of the script.
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.
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, 2016
Deadline for regional development grants: December 1, 2016

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS
Theatre companies interested in receiving an EST/Sloan Project regional development grant should submit the following as their application for a grant:

A current draft of the script, or a one- to two-page description or outline of the project.
A resume or biography of each collaborator involved.
A one- to two-page cover letter detailing the development history of the project and your goals for the commission.
An estimated budget for the project.
DELIVERING YOUR SUBMISSION
We accept scripts in the following manner...
Email (preferred):
sloanproject@ensemblestudiotheatre.org


Via regular mail:
The Ensemble Studio Theatre
Attn: EST/Sloan Project
549 West 52nd St.
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-247-4982


19.
ACADIA UNIVERSITY’S MINIFEST
Deadline: November 1st
Website: http://theatre.acadiau.ca/minifest-script-submissions.html
MiniFest is an annual festival of one-act plays featuring limited cast sizes and scenographic demands directed, designed, and performed by Acadia Theatre students. Every year hundreds of plays from around the world are submitted for juried evaluation.  A Play Reading Committee
creates a short list which is then submitted to an Executive Committee that selects four to six plays for an actor-centered staging by members of the Acadia Theatre Company.

-Anyone may submit up to two original scripts, provided that neither has been professionally performed.
-All script submissions must be in WORD format and be accompanied by a completed electronic application.
-Scripts will be chosen for their dramatic quality, but also for their suitability for staging by students in our Theatre program.  Scripts with limited number of characters and modest production requirements will be preferred.  Running times should not exceed 30 minutes.
-Minifest may present as many as eight plays over three consecutive nights.  Each may may be presented as many as three times.
-No recording of performances will be permitted.
-Successful playwrights will not be offered royalties.
-Late submissions will not be accepted.


20.
INSPIRATO’S 14th PLAYWRITING CONTEST
Deadline: November 20th
Website: http://www.theatreinspirato.ca/submit-a-play

The play must be a ten-minute play. The theme of "Outcast" must be an integral part of the play.

Outcast (definition): a person who has been rejected by society or a social group or cast out

The story can be a comedy, a drama, a parody, absurd or anything in between (in English only). We also accept musicals. Please note: if you are sending a musical please include an audio recording of the music. The contest is open to anyone, in any part of the world, without geographic or age restrictions.

How to submit
You must submit online (scroll to the bottom of the page) by November 20, 2018, 11:59 pm E.S.T.  There are no fees. Once you submit you will be taken to a page confirming that we have received your submission. You may only submit one play.

The cover page should have the title of the play, the playwright's name and the list of characters. The pages should be numbered. The format should be easy to read. Please name your attachment with the title of your play. We accept previously produced plays (but not plays that have produced at inspiraTO before). The playwright must own the rights to the play up to June 9, 2019 (i.e. the script cannot be owned by a publisher).

What will happen
The plays will be selected by a committee from the Toronto theatre community. If selected, your play will be performed in Toronto, Canada from May 30 - June 8, 2019. Between fifteen to twenty-four, ten-minute plays will be selected and performed. 1st Prize: $500 CDN. Should your play be selected for inclusion in the festival, you are giving the non-exclusive right to Theatre inspiraTO to produce and perform the play in the 14th Annual inspiraTO Festival in Toronto (Canada's largest ten-minute play festival), in May and June 2019. The inspiraTO Festival will find the cast, crew and market your play. Authors retain copyright and full ownership of their plays.

Only those playwrights whose plays have been selected will be notified by January 1, 2019.


21.
ABOG FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: Nov. 16th
website: http://www.abladeofgrass.org/fellowship-program/

We are looking at the process and relationships of socially engaged art projects.

We see the aesthetic qualities of socially engaged art here—in how alliances are formed and maintained, the way disparate stakeholder groups are coordinated, how power dynamics are navigated, and how bridges are built between many different types of people in a socially engaged art project.

We create content that illuminates and deepens understanding of these relationships. A primary goal of ABOG is to make the “invisible” parts of socially engaged art visible. We do this through documentary films and field research that are artist-led, and are grounded in the perspective of project participants, as well as publications, web content, and public programming.

We also use this focus on process and relationships to advocate for a more expanded sense of what art is, how artists can work in communities, and how art might be integrated into everyday life. Our field research, documentary films, and other content serve as the basis for curriculum, toolkits, and consulting that enable more artists to work in partnership with non-artist stakeholders.

The deadline to apply is November 16, 2018, 11:59 PM (EST)

Fellowship projects become the focus of:
A short, engaging documentary film directed and produced by RAVA Films
Field research that utilizes action research methodology
Web content and public programs
A biennial publication
Curriculum and advocacy that advance the field of socially engaged art
Two dedicated opportunities to engage a cohort of peer artists

To realize this partnership, artists receive $20,000 in minimally restricted support.

Issue-Based Fellowships
ABOG-David Rockefeller Joint Fellowship in Criminal Justice

This fellowship examines the transformational roles artists play in a criminal justice context.
Applicants working in criminal justice are automatically considered.

ABOG Fellowship for Contemplative Practice, in partnership with the Hemera Foundation

This fellowship supports artists who work with the intersection of social practice and contemplative practice.
Applicants who would like to be considered will be asked to answer two supplementary questions in the online submission form. Click here to learn more and read FAQs.


22.
TOFTE LAKE RESIDENCY: Emerging Artists Program
Deadline: Nov. 30th
Website: https://toftelake.org/emerging-artists

TLC is sponsoring its 10th annual Emerging Artists Program which enables both individual creative artists and a group of artists to focus on their current work.  This program subsidizes one 2-week residency for 7 emerging artists and/or 2 person creative teams from the Minnesota and the 5 boroughs of New York, and one week-long residency for a group project that would have exclusive use of the facilities. Please note that applicants must live in either MN or one of the 5 NYC boroughs to be eligible to apply.

The residencies at TLC are intentionally interdisciplinary in nature. Artists from many disciplines can apply. Disciplines may include: playwriting, poetry, prose writing, painting, music composition, and dance.  We would be happy to accept applicants who sculpt, produce films, are photographers, work with crafts; we are, however, more limited in terms of the materials we can provide.  The underlying philosophy is to provide space and means of support for individual artists wishing to further their creative endeavors in the visual, literary and performing arts. The dramaturgical assistance of TLC director Liz Engelman is available if desired.

Individual/Creative Residency: Each artist from MN will receive an honorarium, meal, and travel stipend of $1,600, and each artist from NYC will receive $2,000.

Group Residency: Each artist will receive and honorarium, meal, and travel stipend of $1,000.

Individual Artist/Creative Team Residency: July 15-28, 2019.

Group Project Week: August 12-18, 2019.


**ADDED CONTESTS**

UNIVERSAL WRITERS PROGRAM
Deadline: Oct. 31st
website: http://www.universaltalentdevelopment.com/writers/application

The Universal Writers Program identifies up-and-coming and experienced screenwriters with unique points of view that build upon the Studio’s commitment to telling stories and creating films that reflect the vast diversity of our audiences. The  Program develops storytellers who organically incorporate multicultural and global perspectives in screenwriting.

The one-year paid program engages writers to create material for development consideration; however, concept development is not guaranteed. From pitch to final draft, writers are afforded creative guidance from executives, producers and designated creative consultants. In addition to penning two (2) feature-length scripts, writers participate in a curriculum designed to strengthen their creative and professional development, as well as overall knowledge of the Studio production process from pitch to premiere. The Program also provides access to agents, managers and various industry professionals through meetings and/or events.

Writers selected to participate in the Program are hired under a writing service agreement requiring an exclusive, full-time commitment of a minimum of 40 hours per week. You are paid $77,000 and the amount of writers selected varies each year. You are required to live in SoCal as the program takes place at Universal City, CA.

Additionally, should a writer’s material be identified as potential development content, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG) has the option to extend the writer’s contract for a term of up to one additional year.