Theatre Lab Guidelines

Important Dates

The application for the 2013 Theatre Lab is now closed. Applicants will be notified on or after April 15, 2013.

Eligibility

The Theatre Lab welcomes applications for projects at any stage of development. Submitted work cannot have been previously produced, but may have received prior workshops or readings. In addition, projects scheduled to receive a production before October 28, 2013, are not eligible due to our agreement with Actors' Equity Association. Commissioned work is eligible for submission, however, playwrights must obtain written permission from their commissioning organization prior to applying.

Playwrights, directors, composers, ensembles, performance artists, or choreographers may submit applications. Playwright/director teams are permitted and encouraged to apply together; however, if you do not have a director attached to your project, please note that Sundance Institute will help to match you up with a director if your play is selected for inclusion in the Theatre Lab. Many emerging playwrights do not have access to a director and Sundance Institute is positioned to match these artists with an experienced director.

Sundance Institute is interested in both established and emerging theatre artists, as well as artists making a transition from areas outside of theatre. We welcome solo performers and projects for young audiences. Participants must be available for the entire length of the Theatre Lab (July 8-28, 2013). Artists may only submit one application. Previous applicants may re-apply, but not with previously submitted material.

Project Selection

Through open submissions, we consider an estimated 700+ projects. Sundance Institute looks for original, compelling, human stories that reflect the independent vision of the theatre artist. We are interested in supporting a diverse and daring group of theatre artists who tell unique stories, present material in a new form, or conceptualize existing material with an innovative vision. We look for writers and collaborators who are interested in genuinely exploring their material. The Theatre Lab is more than a place to “rehearse”; it is an environment that encourages and supports risk-taking, experimentation, and rigorous re-writing and re-imagining. In order for Sundance Institute to fully evaluate your submission, we require a 1-2 page artistic statement as part of the application (see below for additional information).

What Sundance Institute Provides

The Sundance Institute Theatre Program provides professional actors, dramaturgs, rehearsal space, and stage management for the collaborative team working on each project. At the end of the Theatre Lab, projects will culminate in an informal presentation for the Lab community only, followed by a feedback session with Sundance Institute artistic staff and guest Creative Advisors.

Each full-time Fellow (playwright, director, collaborator) receives a $1500 honorarium and company of actors (if applicable), selected by Sundance Institute in collaboration with the Fellows, to support their project. Actors are selected for their professionalism, versatility, and suitability for the development process. Actors operate on a Special Agreement with Actors’ Equity Association during the Theatre Lab.

Sundance Institute dramaturgs, a team of highly skilled professionals made up of affiliated senior dramaturgs and guest dramaturgs with wide experience in the realm of new play development, are uniquely qualified to provide engaged, considered, and empowering guidance to the projects during the Theatre Labs, to offer fresh perspectives on the work at hand, and to ensure the primacy of the participating artist’s independent vision. The Theatre Lab sees itself as a complement to, not a replacement of, any pre-existing developmental relationships participating artists may have on a given project, and is sensitive to the process of “passing the baton” at the conclusion of the Theatre Lab. We strongly encourage that each rehearsal room is open to members of the Lab community for quiet observation. If you do not feel comfortable allowing colleagues to observe your rehearsal process, the Sundance Institute Theatre Program may not be the most appropriate place for you.

Giving Back to Sundance Institute

Sundance Institute was founded by Robert Redford as a way to give back, to support other film and theatre artists by providing them with an opportunity to develop their projects and skills. Sundance Institute does not accept royalties on projects supported by the Theatre Program. Playwrights own their work fully, but are required to publish Sundance Institute's logo, bio, staff listing, and credit:

"[Title of Project] was developed, in part, at the 2013
Sundance Institute Theatre Lab at the Sundance Resort"

This credit is required on the title page of all printed materials of future readings, workshops, productions, recordings, and publications of their projects. This and other requirements are detailed in a Memo of Understanding that Sundance Institute enters into with each selected playwright. Please call the Theatre Program at (646) 822-9564 with any questions.

How to Apply

Step One

Complete the online application form and upload your materials electronically. After submitting your materials online, you will receive an email that contains your Log Number. Please use this number in all communications with the Theatre Program. Materials to include:

• Script Draft of your play or musical (unprotected Word or PDF document)
• Artistic Statement (If applying as a playwright/director team, Sundance Institute requires a statement from both the playwright and director)
  • Describe the status of the project, including prior readings and workshops, and what you hope to accomplish at the Lab. Include comments on the content, style of the piece, and the team's objectives for the workshop.
• Resumes/Bios for each collaborator
• Letter of acknowledgement from a commissioning organization (if applicable)
• $35 non-refundable application processing fee payable by credit card on the online application or send a check payable to SUNDANCE INSTITUTE (referencing your log number) with your application materials.

Step Two

If applying with a musical, dance project, or visual-based piece, FIRST GET YOUR LOG NUMBER (see above), then send copies of your supplemental material (recorded music, sketches or renderings) via snail mail to:

• Sundance Institute Theatre Lab Application
  Log Number: [include log number here]
  180 Varick St, Suite 1330
  New York, NY 10014
• If you wish mailed materials to be returned, please enclose a large self-addressed stamped mailing envelope.

NOTE: If you do not have access to the Internet, please call the Theatre Program at 646-822-9564 and we will work with you to submit your materials using alternative methods. Please make every effort to utilize the online application as it ensures the safe delivery of your application and supports the Greening Initiative of Sundance Institute.

Deadline

The deadline for all submissions was November 15, 2012. Applicants will be notified after April 15, 2013.

Questions

Applicants can find answers to many questions on the FAQ page.

Theatre Lab FAQ

If you have additional questions, please email theatre@sundance.org.

Other Sundance Institute Theatre Program Activities

Sundance Institute selects the slate of writers and composers for the annual Playwrights Retreat at Ucross Foundation from the finalists and semi-finalists gleaned from the open submission process, as well as those who have previously submitted. Theatre Program alumni are also considered for this residency. Please do not call or email to participate in the Ucross Foundation residency. Additionally, Sundance Institute staff continually outreaches to the writing community to identify ensemble-devised work and a range of musical theatre projects for other Lab experiences. Sundance Institute rounds out its season with annual work in East Africa by supporting theatre practitioners from the region.

The application for the 2013 Theatre Lab is now closed. Applicants will be notified on or after April 15, 2013.