Playwright Submissions for Play Development Festival
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre is proud to announce the return of the Gloria Bond Clunie Playwright’s Festival. The new play development initiative honors the incredible career and legacy of Gloria Bond Clunie, one of the founding members of Fleetwood-Jourdain. She is also a founding member of the Playwriting Ensemble at Victory Gardens Theater where she premiered her plays North Star, Shoes, and Living Green. Her work as a theater and educator has been recognized by the NAACP, the Joseph Jefferson Awards, Chicago Black Theatre Alliance Awards, and Evanston Mayor’s Award for the Arts, among many others.
This festival will take place over two weekends (June 20th-22nd and June 27th-29th) at FJT’s home, the Noyes Cultural Center in Evanston. The first weekend will be for the playwrights to connect with each other and spend uninterrupted time developing their play. The second weekend will offer rehearsal time with a director and actors, culminating in a public staged reading. Playwrights will have the opportunity to participate in talkback sessions with the audience.
Important Dates:
January 6th - February 10th - Submissions are open for the Festival
Late February - Playwrights will be informed of their submission status
June 20th (evening) through June 22nd (early evening) - In-Person in Evanston, IL - introductory dinner, guest speaker, writing time, and script workshopping with actors and a director
June 27th (evening) through June 29th (early evening) - In-Person in Evanston, IL - rehearsal with actors and a director, a public staged reading, and a talkback with the audience
Details:
Playwrights should be able to attend both weekend sessions in-person at Noyes Cultural Center (927 Noyes Ave, Evanston, IL). Travel stipend and housing are not available.
Playwrights that are accepted into the festival will receive a $50 stipend.
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre is able to offer writing space, wifi, and printing services. FJT is not able to provide laptops or devices to work on. Directors and assistant directors will be hired by the theater. It will be the director’s responsibility to cast the reading, and directors will collaborate with the playwright on casting.
The Plays:
There will be three plays selected: one full-length and two one acts. One acts should be between 15-45 minutes with the full length between 60-100 minutes
Plays can be in any stage of the development process.
Plays must require 4 or less actors for a reading. Staged directions will be read aloud.
The mission of Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre is to present work that center the African-American experience and explore stories of the African Diaspora. The inclusion and interpretation of this mission is up to the playwright. Playwrights of all races, ethnicities, sizes, religions, sexualities, abilities, and genders will be considered.
Please submit your work through the following form by February 10th to be considered: https://forms.gle/vQU7qfjxohbcgjo56. Reach out to FJTheatre@cityofevanston.org with any questions.
