Play Submissions | Script Development

Call for Play Submissions New Ideas Festival 2020

New Ideas Festival 2020: runs March 11 - 29, 2020

Alumnae Theatre Company’s New Ideas Festival (NIF) is an annual, three-week juried festival of new plays,
works-in-progress and experimental theatre. Now in its 32nd year, each week has a different program.
NIF offers rehearsal and production space, technical support, access to Alumnae Theatre’s costume and
props collections, publicity and may arrange dramaturgical support. NIF encourages audience feedback on
the presented works, in written form and in talkback sessions following some performances.

When to submit

• Alumnae members: August 13 to September 22, 2019
• Non-members: August 19 to September 15, 2019

What to submit

• Original works, including works-in-progress, that have not been previously performed outside of a workshop
• Any genre or style, with a running time of up to 45 minutes, with preference for Canadian scripts and for challenging roles for women of all ages and backgrounds

How to submit

• PDF or Word format to: new.ideas.festival@gmail.com
• Each script must be accompanied by a cover page and a separate contact page

Please include on the Cover page:

1. Play title
2. List and description of characters (including ages)
3. Short play synopsis (max. 50 words)

No playwright identifying information should be on the script.

Please include on the Contact page:

1. Play title
2. Playwright’s name
3. Contact information
4. A short bio (max. 75 words)

Each playwright may submit a maximum of two different scripts.
NIF will confirm receipt of submissions within two weeks and scripts will be sent to the NIF Reading
Committee for review and selection. NIF will not be able to provide feedback on submissions. The 2020
festival lineup will be announced in November 2019.

List of Play Submissions & Script Development Opportunities

Read More:
2019-20 List: Play Submissions & Script Development Opportunities >  ​

Alumnae Theatre Company is located in Toronto, Canada and has been staging adventurous theatre for over 100 years.

New Play Development Group

All Active, Lifetime and Senior Supporting Members of the Alumnae Theatre are invited to join the New Play Development (NPD) group.

​We’re a group of women playwrights and dramaturges, at all levels of experience, who meet once a month from September through June to read and share our work, give feedback to each other, and discuss script and playwriting issues. At times we also meet in smaller, weekly groups.

Partnering with directors, dramaturges, and actors, NPD organizes 3 annual showcases of new Canadian works:

• Write Now! Weekend-long playwriting challenge held in October that culminates a week later in a presentation of rehearsed readings of all the entries;
• Big Ideas   A festival of longer works held each May that includes directed staged readings with actors, as well as table reads.
• Next Stage Reading Series  A series of "semi-cold" script readings open to the public that runs throughout the year and aids in the development of works-in-progress. The Next Stage Reading Series is usually held in Alumnae's lobby.

Many NPD members submit plays to New Ideas Festival, Alumnae Theatre’s juried 3-week festival of new plays held each March. Plays developed through NPD are also eligible for full production in November as part of Alumnae’s FireWorks, which features 2 to 3 new works.

​How to Join the New Play Development (NPD) group:
To join NPD, you must be a member of Alumnae Theatre:

• If you are not yet a member, please join our membership, and indicate on your registration that you would like to be included in the NPD. NPD always welcomes new members. 

For more information on joining the NPD and the meeting dates/times:

• Visit our website's  "Members Only" section  under, ''Who's Who'', to contact the Director, New Play Development. 

• Please Note: Only members of Alumnae Theatre Company have access to the "Members Only" section of our website.

Mainstage Shows

The Main Stage plays are usually by established playwrights. However, any playwright is welcome to submit his/her script to our programming chair at any time for consideration.
​
​The Mainstage season programming process occurs between June and October each year, with a season usually announced in November or December.

To Submit a Script for Mainstage Consideration:
Contact our Programming Chair at:  
​program@alumnaetheatre.com​

Writers' Intensive 2019 - Playwriting Masterclass with Colleen Murphy
September 14, 21 and 28, 2019

In this Writers' Intensive, students will work with Governor General Award Winning Canadian playwright, Colleen Murphy. This is NOT an introductory course, and is open to writers who are actively working on a play in development.

Class Schedule:
Saturday, Sept. 14, 21 and 28, 2019
9:30am - 12:30pm

Location: 
Upper Trinity, Alumnae Theatre Company, 70 Berkeley Street, Toronto. 

Important Enrollment Info:
This course is open to Members and Non-Members of Alumnae Theatre Company.

Tuition: 
$100 for Members, $125 for Non-Members. Tuition is non-refundable.

Contact:
For further information please contact Joan Burrows:
(joan.burrows@sympatico.ca)

Enrolment:
This masterclass is now SOLD OUT.
If you wish to be added to the waiting list - Please email:  
​admincoordinator@alumnaetheatre.com 

About Colleen Murphy:
Colleen Murphy is a playwright, filmmaker and librettist, born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec and raised in Northern Ontario. Her play Pig Girl won the 2016 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama as well as the 2014 Carol Bolt Award. The December Man / L’homme de décembre won the 2007 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, the CAA/Carol Bolt Award and the Enbridge Playwrights Award. Other plays include The Breathing Hole (short-listed for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize), The Society For The Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius (winner of 6 Jessie Richardson Awards), I Hope My Heart Burns First, Armstrong’s War, The Goodnight Bird, Beating Heart Cadaver (shortlisted for a the 1999 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama), The Piper, Down in Adoration Falling and All Other Destinations are Cancelled.

Twice she won awards in the CBC Literary Competition for Fire- Engine Red and Pumpkin Eaters. Libretti include Oksana G., composed by Aaron Gervais for Tapestry Opera, and My Mouth On Your Heart, composed by August Murphy-King for Toy Piano Composers and Bicycle Opera, as well Tapestry Briefs, including Bring Me The Head Of Our President (c. August Murphy-King), Hydrophis Expedition (c. Benton Roark), The Snow Globe (c. Ian Cusson) and My Eyes Are Bright And Sparkly (c. Rene Orth) Her distinct, award-winning films have played in festivals around the world. They include Girl with Dog, Desire, Shoemaker and The Feeler. In 2010 and 2011, Colleen was the Canadian Playwright-in-Residence at Finborough Theatre in London, U.K.

She has been Playwright-in-Residence at Necessary Angel Theatre and Factory Theatre in Toronto, as well Playwright-in-Residence at the University of Regina in 2006/7, the Mabel Pugh Taylor Writer-in-Residence at McMaster University in 2010, Writer-in-Residence at the University of Guelph in 2011, the Edna Staebler Laurier Writer-in-Residence at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2014, the Lee Playwright-in-Residence at the University of Alberta, 2014-2017, and Writer in Resident at the University of New Brunswick in 2018. She was awarded a Chalmers Fellowship and, most recently, a Canada Council New Chapter Grant to write a new play Geography of Fire / La Furie et sa géographie.

Book your tickets now.

BUY   ONLINE