Submissions Now Accepted For Short+Sweet Hollywood Festival, Opening In September

Short+Sweet is the world's largest performing arts festival and is dedicated to original short form Theatre, Film and Dance.

Founded in Sydney Australia in 2002, it's now presented in 30+ cities across 10 countries (Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Mauritius, Philippines, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Zimbabwe and the USA) with around 50 festivals annually.

While the most common language for S+S performances is English, it has also featured plays in Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin, Tagalog, Tamil, Maori, Bahasa and a host of others.

According to Founder and International Artistic Director Mark Cleary, the global scope of Short+Sweet enables it to provide creative opportunities for individuals and communities around the world, encouraging and enabling people internationally to tell their stories.

"Everyone has the potential to be creative and it was inevitable that we'd end up in Los Angeles, where there's more raw creativity per square mile than anywhere else in the world."

In calling for submissions at this unprecedented time when theatres all over the World are dark, Short+Sweet Hollywood Festival Director Nick Hardcastle states,

"The festival is scheduled to run from September 3 - October 19, 2020, but we will be monitoring the advice and enforceable rules regarding public gatherings between now and then to ensure the health, safety and well being of our team, participants and patrons.

We are all looking forward to bringing our community of artists and audiences together again after our most successful Short+Sweet Hollywood Festival ever in 2019.

Now, more than ever, we need something uplifting to look forward to. Perhaps this time we are in right now is the perfect opportunity to write that 10 minute play, show or screenplay that you'll be ready to share with us all come September!"

Last year brought record numbers in to the Marilyn Monroe Theatre, with programming across 6 nights over the 6 weeks of the Festival. While the hope is to see those kinds of numbers return to the theatre, the focus is making sure that the work on stage truly reflects the diversity of the Los Angeles cultural community.

"This year we have created a Diversity and Inclusion programming team to ensure that all people have an opportunity to submit and participate regardless of age, color, race, gender, diverse ability, sexual orientation or religion. There is a place for everyone at Short+Sweet Hollywood!

"We truly look forward to welcoming everyone back to the theatre and presenting some incredible new stories and hope that you are all staying safe and healthy."

There's been a conscious effort on the part of the festival organizers to include a significant proportion of women writers and directors in the works being performed.

Under the directorship of Nick Hardcastle, Short+Sweet Hollywood will be several festivals in one. There will be a Festival section devoted to short works in English. Another section will be devoted to Latinx artists with works in Spanish, English and Spanglish. Why this focus? Because of the emerging demographics of Los Angeles, which render the Latinx population as the largest minority, who are yet underrepresented in the arts. Another section will focus on the artistry of LGBTQ actors, writers and directors. The venue for this year's Festival is the Marilyn Monroe Theatre in West Hollywood. West Hollywood has the most concentrated LGBTQ population in Southern California.

Other components of the Festival will be devoted to new short Films, and to short Dance works.

Thursday evenings will be the occasion for Thirsty Thursdays, an occasion for participants to socialize and network.

During the final week of the Festival, Short+Sweet Hollywood will present The Best of the Fest, a Gala Finale that will award festival winners selected by juries of industry professionals, audience favorites (People's Choice), and by the Festival. This will include the best of English language plays, Spanish language plays, LGBTQ plays, Films, and Dance.

Each week, plays will be seen by jurors of industry professionals including producers, directors, casting directors and actors. Their selections will be included for consideration in the final Awards week.

In addition to all the shows, there will workshops and panels with distinguished industry professionals that will illuminate various aspects of the craft and the business of performing arts.

Short+Sweet Hollywood will begin on September 3 and will be based at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre at the Lee Strasberg Creative Center, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046. This is just west of Fairfax Ave., near Hayworth St. Tickets will be available closer to the Festival opening date at http://Sweet-Tix.com

There's enough content and variety in Short + Sweet Hollywood that there will be something for everyone, at ticket prices affordable to all.

For comprehensive Festival information, including how to submit your short works to be included in the Festival, go to this website:

https://shortandsweet.org/festivals/shortsweet-theatre-hollywood-2020

ATTENTION DIRECTORS!
Registrations for Short+Sweet festivals are open every year to returning, established and first-time directors. Short+Sweet is the perfect opportunity for actors, writers or anyone to try directing for the first time. Directors are able to choose from all shortlisted scripts for their local festival, and are encouraged to communicate with their Writers throughout the process.

To apply to direct a play for Short+Sweet Hollywood, please register here. Successful directors will be notified by July 1 and will be sent plays from our shortlist. They must then return to us with their top three preferences by no later than August 2. The highest preference will be allocated wherever possible.

Directors cannot act in their own play unless they enter the production as an ITC (Independent Theatre Company) which is where the play, Director and cast are all already attached and submit directly to the Festival Director. Places for ITC's are limited in the festival.

ATTENTION ACTORS

Actors wishing to audition can prepare a 2 minute monologue and attend our open auditions at the Lee Strasburg Institute on Saturday July 25 for Spanish speaking actors and Sunday July 26 for English speaking actors from 10am to 6pm. You can register here

Major support for the Festival is provided by NBC, Final Draft, For The Actor, We Audition, Casting Networks, Rehearsal Pro, Global Talent Immigration Law Group, and Gentleman George Productions.

If you or your organization would like to partner with or sponsor Short+Sweet Hollywood, please contact Festival Director Nick Hardcastle nick.hardcastle@shortandsweet.org

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