New Works Series
admin April 26th, 2009
Threads Theater Company’s New Works Series seeks to serve Christian writers through developing scripts that have the potential for success in the mainstream marketplace, specifically the New York theater community. We provide this support by creating opportunities for writers to experience an exciting developmental process of table readings, Writers’ Forum participation, staged readings and possible “showcase” production by involving professional actors, directors and writers. We provide crucial script feedback through each stage of the developmental process and also provide the writer with opportunities to interact with New York City audiences.
Interested? Want to participate?
Playwrights, Lyricists and Composers
Threads seeks to develop relationships with writers as individuals, not just with their work. We want to tailor our involvement according to the writer’s needs. However, writers must truly desire feedback and be open to structured suggestions and comments. Writers must also be willing to utilize and synthesize the feedback/comments for improving their scripts. We want writers who are as excited about the development process as we are!
While Threads is currently not accepting “cold” script submissions, we do accept invitations to readings and workshops of new works. The readings can be of completed works or works that are “still in progress.” Scripts should be free of royalty, copyright, or proprietary restrictions. If the script is an adaptation, or contains any material that might be copyrighted (songs, poems, quotes, etc.), we ask you, the writer, to please indicate this on a cover letter with the invitation. If the original work is still under copyright restrictions, you should acquire the rights to the copyrighted material before inviting us to the reading.
Threads is also cultivating relationships with Christian universities that provide playwrighting programs. If you are part of such a program, please have your advisors or department heads contact us.
Send invitations with a brief cover letter introducing yourself and your piece or your program to
Kim Prentice at Kim@threadstheatercompany.org
Thanks for your interest in Threads!
FAQ
What types of scripts does Threads look for?
Threads seeks to produce well-crafted plays written from a Christian worldview that meet the following criteria: the play needs to show both the world’s goodness and its brokenness (psychological, social, spiritual and/or environmental), and needs to point to the reality of redemption, renewal or healing. The play should respectfully explore issues of faith, spirituality, and/or religion, yet refrain from offering easy solutions to the complexities of life. Finally, the play needs to be potentially marketable to both professing Christians and secular audience members.
Stylistically, the piece can be anything from farce to drama, language plays to musicals, screenplays to one-acts, children’s shows to more adult-themed plays. Because Threads’ prime target audience is the mainstream NYC theatergoer, scripts that are primarily evangelistic or didactic in purpose would probably be better served elsewhere.
Will Threads accept scripts with adult content?
Yes. Threads will not rule out a script simply because it contains profanity, violence, and/or adult sexuality. We believe that strong language, sexual content, violence, and other potentially objectionable material can honor God if it is used as an integral part of a story that points to the Creator rather than simply to provoke strong emotions in the audience.
What happens if Threads is interested in my script?
If we feel you and your script are a good match for Threads, you will be invited to meet with the Threads team (in person, if at all possible). This initial meeting will help us to get to know each other. In addition, it will allow us to determine how you best like to work and how you are most comfortable receiving feedback and comments. It is very important to us that you feel safe and comfortable working with Threads. We trust you as a writer and want you to trust us as providers/facilitators of feedback and organizers of the developmental structure.
Each script will be dealt with on an individual basis. Depending on the status of the script, we might offer a closed table read with a feedback session and a small invited audience, an invitation to present portions of your script at our regular Writers’ Forum, a performed table reading for a larger audience, or even a staged reading.
Who will be performing my script?
Threads ensures that our writers have the best talent available to them. We currently have a pool of professional New York-based actors within our acting company. These actors have been carefully auditioned and screened. We also keep an extensive and current file of actors from which we can fill casting needs. If a role is type-specific and we cannot fill it from our files or from our company, then we can hold auditions for that particular role.
Who will be directing my script?
Threads will also assign a director to each project. As with the actors, the directors are carefully interviewed and screened and adhere to the working policies of Threads Theater Company.
Will Threads produce my work?
Threads plans to produce a minimum of one selected new work each year. Due to budget restrictions and the high cost of producing theater, Threads is extremely selective with the scripts that it can or will produce. The produced work WILL come from playwrights who have been involved in our development process. So, there is a possibility of production. The decision to produce is on a case-by-case basis. If there is more than one script ready for production, then it will be discussed and agreed upon by our team and one will be selected for annual production. It is our hope that even those scripts that complete the development process and are not chosen for production will benefit greatly from the working relationship.
How long can I work with Threads on my script?
We choose to serve the writer and provide him/her with the most available and immediate methods of development. We understand that writers all work on different time tables utilizing different approaches. Therefore, the length of the process is to the satisfaction of the writer and/or Threads. We do, however, set guidelines and “timely” and “realistic” deadlines for the writer and strongly urge them to keep on task within the framework that has been mutually agreed upon.
How do I contact Threads for more information?
If you have any additional questions, please email Kim Prentice at Kim@threadstheatercompany.org
![[Post to Twitter]](http://threadstheatercompany.org/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter-micro3.png){kind=icon}
- Comments(0)
