Emerging Playwrights Workshops Fall 2021 - Seeking Playwrights & Directors! - The Strides Collective

The Strides Collective, a new Philadelphia-area queer theatre company, is seeking TWO (2) PLAYWRIGHTS and THREE (3) DIRECTORS to participate in separate one-month-long Emerging Playwrights Workshops over the course of October, November, or December 2021. This is a REMOTE play development opportunity, conducted entirely over Zoom. The deadline for submissions is September 1st, 2021. Interviews for applicants in consideration will occur in mid-September, with final selections made before September 30th.



The Strides Collective Emerging Playwrights Initiative is a new play development program designed to give a safe and productive environment to “emerging playwrights,” those who have not had their work fully produced before or may not have the resources or means to have their work developed otherwise.



There is an available stipend of $500 for each workshop to be split amongst the creative teams (directors, playwrights, actors, dramaturg, etc.). Selected playwrights will receive personalized dramaturgical feedback on drafts, the opportunity to hear their work read aloud by actors, collaborate with a like-minded director, and be granted the possibility of further development beyond the workshop timeline with The Strides Collective. There will be no culminating, public-facing component of these workshops; they are strictly for developmental purposes.



Additional General Information:

- We will be conducting three (3) one-month-long virtual development workshops with emerging queer playwrights. These workshops will involve an opportunity for playwrights to have their developing works directed, acted aloud, and revised in collaboration with those in the room.

- This workshop will have a maximum of 25 hours allotted for rehearsal time for the month. Rehearsals are not to exceed that allotment in the interest of artists’ time and compensation.

- We will be placing directors with playwrights. Placements will be made as seen fit depending on the director’s comforts and experiences with themes in the plays selected as well as how we believe they will successfully mesh and work with the playwright.

- When selecting additional personnel (actors, stage manager, etc.) to assist in the process, please remember that this is a non-union opportunity.



For PLAYWRIGHTS, we are seeking individuals who:

- Are emerging, queer-identifying writers, age 18+, residing in the Mid-Atlantic Region (PA, NJ, DE, and NY).

- Have not had their work professionally produced in full and/or published. The Strides Collective believes in creating opportunities for folks who otherwise do not have access to the resources they need to fully develop their work.

- Currently have written a finished, but not final, draft of a full-length work of theatre. (Plays, ideally, not musicals). Plays should call for no more than 5 actors (doubling of roles is fine). Plays should be modern and original in content; no period pieces or adaptations, please. Plays must also be aligned with The Strides Collective mission.

- Are either not involved in other development workshops, or confidently can say they have the availability to commit to this one as well.

- Need a space to do heavy development work on their scripts, not finishing touches or small edits.



For DIRECTORS, we are seeking individuals who:

- Are queer-identifying folx, age 18+, residing in the Mid-Atlantic region (PA, NJ, NY, DE).

- Have prior directing experience. Experience directing through virtual means (i.e. on Zoom) or experience directing new or developing works is a plus.

- Have a general availability for any of the following months: October, November, or December 2021.

- Have personal and professional values that align with the mission of The Strides Collective.



How to apply:

Playwrights and Directors are both to fill out the following Google Form: https://forms.gle/TkuGmHMsBJAQ6Y7y7



Playwrights are required to provide:

Separate PDFs of a 20 page selection of your full script, the full draft of the same script, your general availability for November/December, and a resume.



Directors are required to provide:

A theatrical/directing resume, your general availability for October - December, and just a little about yourself as an artist and director.



Deadline for submissions is 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, September 1st, 2021.


Salary: $500 per workshop, to be split among the creative teams