Application and Program Details

 

Who Should Apply

The TSGP Incubator/Mentor program is intended for people who:

  • have faced barriers to career advancement in theatre on the basis of their gender

  • have paid or unpaid experience with theatre outside of a classroom context, in any role

  • are demonstrably interested in pursuing playwriting or directing professionally

  • want to approach (or already approach) their art and career with an intersectional social justice lens, and are committed to ongoing growth and learning in this area

  • are able to participate in meetings, workshops, and rehearsals in person (either live in Seattle or can get to Seattle on a regular basis.)

Application process

Materials At a Glance (please refer to the official application form for important prompt details, response length limits, and where to upload your materials):

  • A resume or description of past experience in theatre in any role

  • Responses to the following questions:

    • What has drawn you to this program at this point in your career and what do you hope to get out of it?

    • How has your lived experience informed your understanding of intersectionality and social justice?  How do you see this influencing your role in art-making? Share some examples.

  • Work samples:

    • Directors - up to 5 production images and/or a link to a 3 minute video

    • Playwrights - 10 pages maximum plus a cover page with your name and email. PDF or Word/Google doc. We encourage you to submit an excerpt from the script you want to use in this program, but a sample from another script is OK.

Important Dates

  • Applications Open: March 1, 2023

  • Application Deadline: April 7, 2023 - 11:59pm PST

  • All Applicants Notified on First Step Application Status: April 23, 2023

  • Interviews: May 8 & May 13, 2023

  • Initial Notification of Offer of Cohort Membership: May 14, 2023

  • Acceptance Deadline: May 22, 2023

  • Program Begins: Mid-July 2023

Interviews for the program will be held on Zoom either on May 8th between 5-8 p.m. or May 13 between 12-4 p.m.

Program Details

Time Commitments

Participants in the 2023-20234 TSGP I/M Program are expected to attend at least one large group meeting per month for the duration of the program. Activities can include:

  • At least 1 required facilitated cohort meeting (usually 2-3 hours)

  • A one-on-one meeting with the playwright or director mentor

  • Core workshops on Monday nights as scheduled in September and October

  • Preparation activities and meetings for production for the culminating One-Act Festival

Additionally, participants in the TSGP I/M Program commit to spending time outside of these meetings doing self-directed work, including activities such as:

  • Completing and/or revising a script for the One-Act play festival

  • Scheduling/planning/directing rehearsals for the short play festival

  • Attending/observing 1 rehearsal of each director-playwright team in the cohort

  • Doing small amounts of workshop-related external work (reading, watching videos, other prep)

  • Revising, writing and curating professional materials for future use in your career (such as your resume, work samples, statements of purpose etc.)

  • Self-directed networking e.g. arranging with a TA to observe one of the TA’s rehearsals

  •  Attending professional networking events in the community, including plays and conferences.

This program is designed not just as an educational program for individuals but also to build personal and artistically collaborative connections amongst a cohort. Because of this, each participant's experience in the program depends on the presence and engagement of their peers.

Requirements and Support

This program does not require degrees or formal training as prerequisites, and welcomes any and all applicants who have enough experience doing theatre (in any context) to know they are interested in it as a career.

This program is scaffolded by the Playwright Mentor and the Director Mentor, who provide artistic and professional mentorship to participants; the Artistic Director, who serves as the Program Facilitator; and a Production Stage Manager for the One-Act Festival, along with three designers offering support in Scenic, Lighting, and Sound design.

Cost

This program is offered at no cost to participants, and the One-Act Festival production budget, teaching artists, and staff are funded through the Seattle City Office of Arts and Culture Hope Corps Grant as well as the generous support of individual donors.