FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2007
Contact: Liz Coen
Premiere Stages
908-737-0319
E-mail: coeneliz@kean.edu
Premiere Stages Seeks Scripts from New Jersey Playwrights
Premiere Stages Play Festival offers emerging dramatists the opportunity to develop their work
UNION, N.J. – Premiere Stages at Kean University is currently accepting play submissions from New Jersey professional playwrights born or currently residing in New Jersey for the Premiere Stages Play Festival. The Festival is also open to playwrights in the greater metropolitan area (New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania).
“We are looking for plays that offer fresh perspectives on contemporary issues” stated John Wooten, producing artistic director of Premiere Stages “We invite local playwrights and patrons to join us in the process of developing original work for the stage.”
Interested playwrights are asked to submit either a synopsis or full script (through an agent). All playwrights who have been asked to submit full scripts, including those not selected for expanded development, will receive an evaluation of the submitted play from the panel upon request. Three of the plays submitted will be selected for development at Premiere Stages. The three plays will be given public readings and talk-backs with the audience and panel will follow each reading. The panel will work with the Producing Artistic Director of Premiere Stages to select one of the three plays for a June 2008 Equity Staged Reading, and the play deemed to be furthest along in its development will receive a fully produced Equity production in July 2008.
A cash prize will be awarded to three of the participating playwrights. The play selected for full production will be awarded $2000; the play selected for the June Reading will be awarded $750, and a runner-up will be awarded $500. There is no fee required to submit to the Festival. Playwrights can download submission guidelines from www.kean.edu/premierestages or call 908-737-4092.
Premiere Stages operates in part through funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Bank of America, and through the generous support of patrons. Premiere Stages offers free or discounted tickets to handicapped patrons. Please call for a list of sign-interpreted, audio-described or open-captioned performances offered by Premiere Stages.