Irvington Theater Arts Incubator Short Playfest
After a tremendous inaugural festival in 2021, we are thrilled to once again
accept script submissions for the Arts Incubator Short Play Fest, which will
debut and stream for free on YouTube from February 25 - March 5, 2022.
Celebrating short, new, and in-development works of theater, the virtual
festival is an opportunity for playwrights to experiment with the medium — and
a platform to share their work with a wider audience.
Plays should be unpublished and no more than 15 pages in length.
***
Arc Stages’ Adult Playwriting Festival is open to any writer ages 18 and over.
There is no restriction on style, subject, or form, except plays should be
inspired by the theme of love.
***
The arts are among the areas that computational sciences has transformed, not
only through its impact on modes of production of artwork, but also as a formative
influence on its themes and motivations, notably in the fields of speculative
fiction as well as the dramatic arts. To that end, the Neukom Institute is
proud to announce this prize for creative work in the arts.
Full-length plays and other full length works for theater addressing the
question “What does it mean to be a human in a computerized world?”
*** FOR MORE INFORMATION about these and other opportunities see the web site
at https://www.nycplaywrights.org ***
*** DIRECTING THEATER ***
There’s a saying in theater: “Everybody wants to be a director.” It may have
something to do with the illusion that directors spend all day standing in
front of the stage yelling at people to do things for them. And if that’s why
you want to be a director, you should probably exit stage left. Directing is
about so much more than a megaphone.
But if your desire to become a theater director goes deeper, you’ve come to the
right place. In this in-depth guide to directing plays and musicals, you’ll
find a breakdown of a director’s day-to-day—from the developmental period, to
rehearsals, through opening and beyond—as well as some advice from working
directors on how to break into the industry in the first place.
More...
https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/how-to-become-a-theater-director-66000/
***
Vision. The word has come to almost define the work of a theatre director.
Influenced by notions of the auteur film director, in some cases the so-called
vision for a theatrical production is all the director is given credit for as
an artist. This must change if we are to create a more equitable future. How we
conceive of and discuss directing may not seem of primary importance in seeking
a more just theatre, but it is a central concern that reflects and embodies
many beliefs about how good art is made, how power can and should be used, and
what we believe about the individual and the collective.
The laser focus on a director’s vision is problematic. It sets the director up
as a prophet rather than a leader. It focuses on a destination, an imagined end
goal, and not on the journey. It is individualistic instead of collective.
Insidiously, it suggests that the director’s efficacy can be determined by how
well they manage to get a team to adhere to their will.
More...
https://howlround.com/instead-vision-listening-and-dialogue-work-theatre-director
***
To most audience members, the production of a play often appears to be
effortless and seamless. However, there are a number of elements needed to put
on an amazing production. For example, the sets and lighting need to be
perfect, and the actors need to be at the top of their game. It doesn’t stop
there, though. Each of these elements must mesh perfectly with each other to
result in a seamless production. Theater directors are the professionals that
are mostly responsible for pulling these types of productions together.
More...
https://theartcareerproject.com/careers/theater-director/
***
If you can choose which play to direct at your theatre, weigh this decision
carefully. It must be both a story you want to tell and one you can tell
effectively with the resources you have. Before you make your selection, answer
the following questions.
Do I love this play? You will spend a great deal of time with this play, so it
should be a story you deeply want to tell, in a world you can spend a lot of
time in, day after day.
Can I direct this play with the resources available to me? To be fair, this
question is more for the producer and the technical director. However, high
school directors often take on those roles as well — or at least must plan a
collaborative vision with such individuals. Whether running the show yourself
or with a producer and technical director, take a realistic look at your
budget, your technical capabilities, and the number of people willing to commit
to your team before you start. Do you have someone to provide and run lights,
set, sound, and costumes? If not, an ambitious project like Sweeney Todd may
not be the best choice. For your first show, I recommend a project that jumps
off the page at you — and doesn’t require complex design elements.
More...
https://dramatics.org/less-is-more/
***
Are you allergic to homework? Do book reports make you drowsy? Would you rather
be dead than go to the library? Then, buddy, this is NOT the job for you. Like
the genre itself, directing starts on the page. Before your first rehearsal,
you’ll need to have a general understanding of the show’s historical context,
references and themes. Even looking up the reviews of the original production
might influence your interpretation. Granted, this doesn’t mean you have to
know EVERYTHING… but if you intend to be a leader worth following, being a
smarty-pants surely doesn’t hurt.
Be Organized & Stay Organized
The quickest and easiest way to have people turn against you is to waste their
time. So, make a schedule and STICK TO IT. After all, you can’t earn respect
unless you offer it. Don’t run over in a session (“Oh, just another 10
minutes!”), don’t be late (“Sorry to keep you all waiting!”) and don’t skip
breaks (“You can just push through, right?!”). And be realistic with your
expectations; you know you’re not going to get a production number staged in 45
minutes. Also, know what pages you are staging in that session; be familiar
with them and have them handy. No one wants to work with a fumbling doofus.
More...
https://theatrenerds.com/10-tips-for-young-directors/
***
Meet playwrights. Directors don't have anything like the authority you might
imagine. Playwrights are the primary creative force in theatre. Get to know
them. Read their plays. Help them develop their work. Set up readings with
actors. The more playwrights you know and who trust you, the more likely it is
you will be asked to direct one of their plays.
Meet actors. Directors should love actors. If they don't look forward to the
time they spend with their actors and genuinely appreciate the actor's process,
they will never be good directors. Actors are remarkable creatures: what they
do, night by night, performance by performance, is extraordinary. Get close to
it. Strive to understand the creative chemistry of the actor becoming the
character. It's at the very heart of the business.
More...
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2010/mar/23/theatre-director-10-top-tips
***
How Do You Become A Theatre Director? | Life in Stages
Follies director Dominic Cooke explains his journey to becoming a theatre
director. He chats to his old friend, actor Sophie Okonedo. Watch the full
episode of Life in Stages:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTWUk3QZoLs
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