Festival51 Seeks Submissions

Festival51, a Rhode Island-based play festival focused on developing plays by women writers, seeks submissions for inclusion in the Festival51 Women’s Playwriting Festival. In the void of what was Perishable Theatre’s International Women’s Playwriting Festival, artists Leann Heath, the brainchild behind the festival, and Terry Shea, local actor and director, are collaborating to produce this festival.

According to Heath, new and emerging local writers and directors have little opportunity to work on Rhode Island stages.  This festival aims to give voice to women playwrights and directors and to grant them modest stipends for their work. Priority will be given to submissions from theater artists living and working in Rhode Island. Heath wants to bring attention to and create conversation about the voices missing from our current theater offerings while showcasing local talent.

The shows will be produced between July 31 and Aug 15, 2015, at Mixed Magic Theatre’s performance space in Pawtucket.

There are a few requirements for submissions. All submissions must be by women authors. The running time for each show must be between 30 and 90 minutes. Plays must contain a maximum of seven characters. Plays must be original works, not adaptations or translations. No children’s plays will be accepted.

Candidates will be selected by May 15, 2015. Submissions must be sent by USPS mail to: Festival51, 781 Ten Rod Road, North Kingstown, RI, 02852, c/o Terry Shea, or emailed to rifestival51@gmail.com. If mailed, scripts must be unbound. Scripts will not be returned. The deadline for submissions is Midnight, May 8, 2015. For more information on the festival or on submitting, please contact Terry Shea at 401.285.0351