The 6th Annual Long Island City One Act Play Festival 2011

For the last six years, The Queens Players have hosted an annual one-act play festival. Through this annual festival, we have been able to give a voice to unheard playwrights, offer roles to actors that demonstrate their skill, and provide new directors with an opportunity to work in a professional setting.

While we particularly encourage participation from Queens based playwrights and artists, the Festival is open to all playwrights and artists. Please send all your materials to us in either word document or pdf form along with a completed application before December 1^st 2010.

This year we will be giving a prize to the winning play, the best actor/actress and best director.

The prizes are:

Playwright Prize -        $200 + + Commemorative trophy +Gift Certificate

Best Director Prize -    $100 + Commemorative trophy + Gift Certificate

Best Actor -                 $  50 + Commemorative trophy + Gift Certificate

Please note that winners need to be in attendance at the closing awards event or must nominate a personal representative to accept the prize. Non attendance may result in disqualification at the discretion of the producers

Guidelines:

• The play must be an original one act that has not been produced in the last 12 months.
• By submitting your play you expressly grant us the non-exclusive right to produce your play and guarantee us that it has not been previously produced in the last 12 months and that a production is planned within 3 months of the closing date of the festival.
• By submitting the play you warrant that you have read and agreed the Guidelines as published here.
• If your play wins the festival, a further extension of the non exclusive rights to mount the show within 6 months of the closing date is granted.
• The play must comply with the strict rule that all set, prop and costume pieces must be able to be constructed/struck in no more than 2 mins between the preceding and succeeding plays.
• All costume, set, and prop requirements must be kept simple. There are no individual budgets for plays but The Queens Players and The Secret Theatre will lend assistance where possible. An individual playwright or director may contribute to their production at their own expense.
• Directors and writers are encouraged to use stage blocks in place of furniture. The only exceptions are at the discretion of the producers.
• A simple light plot with two specials is provided. No deviation or alteration to the lighting plot is allowed.
• Please keep in mind that plays with difficult to cast roles, (i.e., minors, animals, seniors) have less chance of being accepted. Experience has taught us that it is infinitely easier to find actors in the 20 – 40 yrs age bracket. However, we encourage playwrights and directors to create characters and cast actors of all ethnicities and support cross gender casting where appropriate.
• Plays can be from 5mins to 25 mins in length. Reasonable cuts or substitution are at the discretion of the producers, Writers will be informed and consulted where possible. In the event of a ‘large’ edit or cut, [more than 4 sentences,] being proposed the writer may withdraw the play from the festival.
• Once a play has started rehearsal and casting is complete, it is considered ‘in production’ and the play may not be withdrawn from the Festival.
• The interpretation of the setting and characterization of the roles is left to the individual directors and actors’ discretion. Writers may not withdraw their material because of a disagreement about casting, design, or interpretation. Writers and directors are encouraged to meet and discuss issues before production begins if possible.
• No abusive or offensive material please. We welcome challenging material but respectfully reserve the right to refuse material for any reason and have no duty to explain these decisions.
• If your play is selected the director and cast will be chosen by the producers on behalf of The Queens Players.
• Each writer gets 2 complimentary tickets and will be offered the opportunity to promote their show via a discount code for reduced admission
• The winning play, director, and actor will be chosen by audience votes with the addition of three professional judges who will be in attendance on the closing evening.
• Information for the playwrights and participants will be posted on www.secrettheatre.com

Please submit your play or request more info sixsubmissions@thequeensplayers.com