The Mixtape New Play Festival Submissions
Instrumental Theatre Company seeks short plays with music for a developmental workshop process titled The Mixtape New Play Festival to be presented in February 2025!
Who are we?
Instrumental Theatre Company is an emerging Chicago theatre company committed to inspiring harmony through ensemble storytelling crafted at the intersection of actors and musicians. Our main focus is to develop, devise, and present plays with music, new musically inspired storytelling, and actor-musician driven work where music is a primary storytelling element.
We are made up of actors, musicians, writers, improvisers, devisers, and directors with varied experience across the Chicago theatre scene.
What kind of play are we looking for?
ITC is seeking new musically inspired material. Plays should be between 10 and 30 minutes and feature some inclusion of music. This could be a play with music, a short musical, a play about musicians, or a musically inspired story, an adapted folk or fairy tale, myth and legend retellings, etc. As a company, we are interested in how music evolves a story, whether that be singing, instrumental accompaniment, percussive underscoring, or any other way music weaves into the story.
What do we mean developmental workshop?
We are seeking three to four pieces depending on length. These pieces will be rehearsed and performed as staged readings in February 2025. We are looking for playwrights interested in collaborating with actor-musicians and directors to continue developing their work.
These pieces in development will serve as a launching point for future projects. Our ideal playwright is someone interested in the intersection of music and story and enjoys working with an ensemble on new work development.
What is required to submit?
Scripts between 5 and 25 pages will be considered. Works in progress will also be considered, assuming you include a target trajectory/synopsis for the story. The script should involve music in a way that benefits the storytelling. It is not required that the music already be written. There may be demos and sheet music or just lyrics or just stage directions or anything indicating the musical ideas within the script. Developing the musical elements will be equally important in this process, and our cohort of actor-musicians are eager to help generate material to accompany scripts and stories.
When is the deadline to submit?
January 1st, 2025.
Is this paid?
Playwrights of selected scripts will be paid a small $50 stipend. We recognize this is not nearly adequate for the hard work of developing new plays, and we aim to continue improving our artist payment each and every project.
How to submit?
Please complete the Google Form linked HERE by January 1st, 2025. Submissions will be reviewed ITC ensemble members on a rolling basis. If you have questions, please email info@instrumentaltheatre.org.
