The Griot Festival seeks plays 30 - 90 minutes long

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The Griot Festival was created with the intention of offering a unique opportunity for playwrights/theatrical artists and Producers of African American descent who reside in NY and NJ. The festival’s purpose is to inspire and support both emerging and established playwrights/theatrical artists of African American descent who would like to step beyond the page and get involved in the production of their work. In short, they will have creative input from the first sentence they write to the last curtain call. It is also a great opportunity to become familiar with all the elements of a theatrical production in the making and to become familiar with the process that translates writing into a living work onstage in a safe and supportive theatrical environment. The Griot Festival is included and part of the Venus/Adonis Festival. All participants that are part of the Griot Festival will benefit of competing to all prizes offered by the Venus/Adonis Festival + an extra prize as best Play of the Griot festival only given to the Griot’s participants of $250.

Only plays from writers of African American descent in New York and New Jersey will be accepted.

All genres of shows are welcome in our festivals. If your show has already had a run (in theaters or in other festivals) you can still participate, but only with a completely new cast and crew.

The Griot Festival is a playwright’s contest designed to offer writers a chance to direct their own shows, helping them to develop a sense of casting, staging, use of lights and direction. With Griot, it is our intention to give writers a chance to create their vision from the first stroke of their pen to the last scene of their play. Griot is part of the Venus/Adonis which is not only a festival; it’s a competition as well. That means that there are prizes! The winner of the Best Play award will receive a prize of $2,500. Best African American Production $250, Winner of Best Actor will receive $500, Best Actress, $500, $500 Best Director and $200 Best Original Play. Griot and Venus/Adonis, are hosted by the Cabrini Repertory Theater, a beautiful proscenium theater in uptown Manhattan.

In order to submit a play please send the following via email:

1. A 100 word synopsis of the play

2. The complete script + character breakdown

3. Your telephone number and home address, plus the phone number of one other person in your production that we can contact

4. Your bio

5. All genres of shows are welcome to submit to our festivals. If they’ve already had a run (in theaters or in other festivals) they can still participate, but only with a completely new cast and crew and if it run no after 2012.

As soon as your play is accepted, you will be sent the festival guidelines.

All plays will be given a three-performance run at the theater.

Submissions must be between 30 and 90 minutes long.

Each applicant is fully responsible for all elements of their production. These include directing, casting, stage-managing.

There is no fee to submit your play to the Griot Festival.

Once you are accepted, you will be asked send in a $200 fee to participate to the festival. if your play is Non Union
If your play Is Equity, then you need to send a check for $500 which will entitle you to receive 50% off of all box office tickets.

No more hidden and surprising costs.

Again, there is no submission fee. Only those plays that are accepted will be required to send in participant payment.

Submissions will be accepted until December 24, 2014.

Send to: griottheaterfestival@gmail.com