Production dates: September 19-20. Cash Prizes!
Dear Friend in the Theatre,
Whether you've thought about doing a short play in New York but have never tried, or if you're a regular at such events around town, please give a thought to producing a show in the September Short Play Lab. Not only do you rub shoulders with your fellow short-play playwrights, but you get to showcase your work to people you don't know yet. Our Labs are always well-attended, and they can lead to other festivals and events that we produce, such as the Midwinter Madness Short Play Festival and the Midtown International Theatre Festival (visit our website: www.midtownfestival.org for submission opportunities and requirements). The rules for submitting to September's Short Play Lab are easy-peasy:
- Deadline is September 4. Notification will be soon after submission, depending on number of submissions. The sooner you get your script in, the more time you have to prepare. Get that script in pronto!
- Plays should be 1 - 10 pp. in standard playscript format.* (The shorter the better; shorter plays get priority.) Include a title page, as the first page of the script, with your contact info (only means of contact is by email).
- Submit scripts in a MS Word document or PDF file.
- Pages must be numbered
- You produce the play whether or not you live in New York. The SPL provides the theatre. This Lab will take place at The Davenport Theatre, Black Box, 354 W. 45th St., New York, NY 10036.
- Productions must be non-union: no showcases please! (And no Equity waivers, either.)
- Keep production values to a minimum: costumes and hand props are okay. We provide rehearsal cubes, chairs, and a table. You can't leave your stuff in the theatre overnight.
- Plays that use guns as props will not be considered.
- We provide a board op, box office, and venue management.
- There are no fees. The SPL keeps the door.
- Tickets are $20. Each playwright and director gets to watch his/her show for free. There are no other comps.
- There will be a tech rehearsal in the daytime on Saturday, September 19. The production dates are Saturday, September 19 - Sunday, September 20.
- Every play gets 2 performances, 1 on Sat. and 1 on Sun. Each play will be part of 1 of 2 programs: Program A or Program B, but not both. Program A takes place at 7 pm Sat. and 4 pm Sun. Program B takes place at 9 pm Sat. and 2 pm Sun.
- We don't do staged readings. Be off-book, please! Plays not off-book during tech will be removed from the line-up.
- THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTION IN EACH PROGRAM RECEIVES A CASH PRIZE OF $75. Winners are determined by polling patrons after the performance. The playwright, director, and actors cannot not vote for their play. We reserve the right to break ties.
- *12 pt Times Roman; character names in the middle on their own line; line spaces between speeches and between speeches and stage directions; indented stage directions.
The SPL is a lot of fun and a good way to see your work on its feet in a supportive environment. It's also a great way to see actors and directors at work, so you can recruit people for later productions.
To submit a script, send it as an attachment, in a Word document or PDF file, to john.chatterton@gmail.com. Any questions, don't hesitate to shoot me an E-mail!
Thanks,
John Chatterton
Executive producer, Short Play Lab