The 2018 Boston Project: Call for Proposals

Call for Proposals

The Boston Project is a new works initiative supporting the creation and development of plays set right here in our hometown. Our goal is to create more plays that explore what it means to be in this city at this moment, and tap into the full breadth of experiences and identities that make up life in Boston. We are seeking proposals for currently unwritten full-length scripts set in contemporary Boston.

The Process

1. Proposals for unwritten full-length plays meeting the requirements below will be accepted through May 30^th, 2017.
2. From the submitted proposals, SpeakEasy will select two projects, and invite the playwrights to spend the 2017-2018 season writing and developing their plays with us.
3. Once proposals are selected, SpeakEasy will work with the playwrights to build a development schedule that fits their needs. Potential available resources include: regular dramaturgical meetings, research assistance, deadlines, casual table reads, and feedback sessions with the artistic staff. After the first draft deadline, each playwright will also be paired with a dedicated, professional dramaturg and director to assist with their process.
4. The development process will culminate in a two-week workshop and invited staged reading in May/June 2018, featuring professional actors from the area.
5. Each selected playwright will be paid a commissioning fee of $2,500.
6. SpeakEasy will hold an exclusive production option on the proposed play during its development process, and for a period of ninety days following the 2018 workshop.

How to Apply

To be considered for the Boston Project, please submit by 8pm EST on May 30^th, 2017:

1. A 1-2 page proposal for an unwritten full length play (90+ minutes). The play must be set in Boston or its surrounding areas, and take place within ten years, plus or minus, of the present day.
2. 5-10 exploratory pages for the proposed play. These pages need not be a single, polished scene, but should give a clear sense of how the play will ultimately live on stage.
3. A professional biography or writing resume detailing your playwriting experience.
4. A separate full length (90+ minutes) play by you.

All materials should be submitted in .pdf format to bostonproject@speakeasystage.com. The components may be in separate documents, but please include all materials in a single e-mail.

Proposal Submission Deadline: May 30^th, 2017

Important Information

• This project is designed to support the development of a brand new play. This is not the time to submit a script which you’ve already written; we want to work with you as you explore a fresh idea in its earliest stages.
• The proposed play need not center on or be inspired by any real event/person. The only requirement is that it be set in contemporary Boston or its surrounding areas.
• For this project’s purposes, “contemporary” means plus or minus ten years from today.
• Your 1-2 page proposal should explain the play you intend to create, and may  include: a synopsis of the work as best you know it, a potential cast list and/or character breakdown, a statement regarding the inspiration for the work, and any other information about the play you envision. You may also let us know any specific needs you foresee during the development process. The ultimate goal of the proposal is to show us what your play will be beyond its initial premise/inciting incident/idea.
• There is no hard limit on cast size, but typically the plays that SpeakEasy produces use between four and eight actors.
• While we love musicals here at SpeakEasy, we will not be considering proposals for new musicals as part of this season’s Boston Project.
• You do not need to live in the Boston/New England area to submit a proposal, but SpeakEasy is unable to provide housing or travel reimbursement during the development and workshop process.
• Part of SpeakEasy’s mission is to reflect the vibrance and diversity of our city. Projects which further that goal will be of particular interest in the selections process.
• Proposals that most caught our eye during the first season’s consideration were those in which Boston was an essential component, and not just a generic backdrop. We hope writers will use this opportunity to explore a story that could only take place in this city, and that transcends “typical” Bostonian tropes.

Questions regarding the proposal process or the Boston Project itself can be directed to bostonproject@speakeasystage.com.