Abingdon Theatre Company Announces Second Virtual Festival Of Short Plays

Abingdon Theatre Company announces their second annual "Virtual Festival of Short Plays," a one-week virtual festival shedding light on stories by people of color. The submission period opens Monday, September 13, 2021, and continues through Friday, October 8, 2021. The selection of three new short plays will be announced on Thursday, October 28, 2021. The "Virtual Festival of Short Plays" is set to take place November 15 - 19, 2021 via Abingdon's YouTube channel.

Abingdon Theatre Company continues to be committed to creating opportunities for all voices to be heard. With this in mind, the company has announced their Festival of Short Plays. A one-week virtual festival shedding light on stories by people of color. Three new short pieces will be selected which were created and to be performed and directed by people of color. At the conclusion of the festival, a diverse panel of judges, theatre professionals who are BIPOC, will select a winner who will receive a $500 stipend to be used to support further exploration of their work.

Last year's festival winner, Christine Toy Johnson said, "Being a part of ATC's inaugural Short Play Festival was an enriching highlight of a very challenging year. Working with the whole ATC team, under Chad Austin's compassionate and insightful leadership, and becoming a resident artist at ATC as a result of the festival has provided the kind of artistic support that I have truly been looking for. I count my lucky stars that I decided to take the chance and enter the festival!"

Artistic Director, Chad Austin shared, "I am elated to bring back the Fall Festival of Short Plays centering on and told by BIPOC artists. I hope to open doors to more artists as we as a community are still healing. We want to ensure that artists continue to find a safe, supportive home at Abingdon."

Any BIPOC playwrights interested in participating should email their original and finished piece of no more than 45 pages to Beatriz Cavalieri, Abingdon's Associate Director of New Works, at bcavalieri@abingdontheatre.org.