Welcome New Play People!
NPP Registration Desk at Festival 42
NPP—the National Playwriting Program—supports the growth and development of student playwrights, as well as anyone interested in the development of new works. While the primary mission of NPP is the development of student playwrights, whether you are a playwright, actor, stage manager, or dramaturg, NPP has a place for you. Read about The National Playwriting Program so that you can take advantage of all the opportunities it has to offer.
NPP identifies student playwrights whose work is dynamic, promising and creative, then brings those students’ one-acts and ten-minute plays to Region 2’s Festival for further development through support from the NPP’s team of professional directors, dramaturgs, and respondents. Region 2‘s NPP has three principle goals:
1) That the student playwright will see the potential in his/her own work, performed before an informed and supportive audience;
2) That the student will develop his/her creative vision with the guidance of talented professionals in the field, receiving sensitive and thought-provoking feedback that will help the writer further sculpt the work;
3) That the student will learn the process and etiquette of new play development.
To you playwrights, the more you write and the more you send, the better your chances of developing your voice and making an impact on the theatre. NPP exists so that you can have your voice heard. To that end, we invite you to join us in our passion: the creation and development of new plays. We look forward to meeting you at the Regional Festival at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), January 9-14.
To you actors, stage managers, and dramaturgs—we hope to see you at Festival 44 too, to help us present our Region’s new plays to informed and energetic audiences.
Scott Frank (Washington & Jefferson College) Regional Chair of NPP
Allyson Currin (George Washington University) Regional Vice Chair of NPP
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE REGIONAL FESTIVAL
Festival is an opportunity for a playwright to hear his/her play in a formal concert reading before a knowledgeable audience. Yes, there are award opportunities, but what everyone involved can take from the reading process is 1) a clearer understanding of your work, 2) a chance to hear professional playwrights talk about your work, and 3) a shared sense of community that develops among the writers, actors and, directors over the five intensive days of development. You will meet and work with faculty and students from around the region. You will have your play responded to by professionals from across the county. And hundreds of people will celebrate your play.
A concert reading is a reading of your script with actors using chairs and music stands. Actors are allowed one entrance and exit and to stand or sit, but no other blocking (no crossing to mime opening a door or to answer a telephone, for instance). With script in hand or on the music stand, the actors and directors are able to focus on the text so that you, the writer, can hear what appears on the page. All NPP scripts are given their concert reading at the end of the festival week. NPP follows the Actors’ Equity Staged Reading Guidelines.
Casting is done on the second day of Festival, during which time, you and your director will see about 160 actors audition and cast your play from that group.
Rehearsals are built into NPP’s festival schedule. Writers and directors are expected to stick to the rehearsal hours listed for each play. Each NPP play is assigned a designated rehearsal space.
Playwriting Awards are based on the text itself, not on the readings that take place at Festival. No award is decided after the scripts receive the public concert reading. The respondents (all from outside of the region or not affiliated with a Region 2 participating school) plus a professional reader from outside of Region 2 (a total of three people) will select the award winners. All winners are announced at Festival’s closing ceremonies.
SELECTION PROCESS
All scripts are read by three readers from outside Region 2 who read all scripts blind; that is, without knowing the writer’s name, university, or other contact information. The readers then rank the plays and send the results to the Regional Chair, who extends invitations to the selected writers around December 15. Writer who are selected are given director contact information by December 23. If your script is selected you must attend the Region 2 Festival, this January at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) from January 10-14.
SUBMISSIONS
Once again, Region 2 of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival is pleased to sponsor a series of playwriting awards and readings for new 10-minute, one-act, and full-length plays.
There are two kinds of submissions: Regional Submissions and National Submissions, which are due October 31 and December 1 respectively. 10-minute and one-act plays are automatically considered for Region 2’s Festival 44, as well as National Awards. Only full-length plays that have received an associate or participating production will be considered for Festival 44; however, all full-length plays may be submitted to the region to pursue National Playwriting Awards.
Regional Festival: Every year Region 2 invites a number of 10-minute, one-act and sometimes full- length plays to be performed in concert readings at its Regional Festival. Two 10-minute and two one-act plays will then be selected as National Semi-finalists to be considered for awards from the National Festival in Washington, D.C. in April. A playwright may submit full-length plays to the region for national consideration. For details, see either “10 Minute Plays“, “One Acts” or “Full Length” on the left hand menu.
When you submit you 10-minute or one-act, your play is being considered for Region 2’s Festival 44. However, make sure you take advantage of all the opportunities at the National Level as well. See the National Website for submission rules and awards.
Scripts to Region 2 will be accepted between October 1 and October 31, 2011. Please do not submit scripts prior to October 1 or after October 31. One act and full-length scripts seeking National recognition must be submitted to Gregg Henry by December 1, 2011, at ghenry@kennedy-center.org.