2020 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.

Submission Deadline: June 15th, 2019 @ 8:00pm EST

Selections Announced: September 1st, 2019

The Process

1. Proposals for unwritten full-length plays meeting the requirements on the following page will be accepted April 15^th through June 15^th, 2019.
2. From the submitted proposals, SpeakEasy will select two projects, and invite the playwrights to spend the 2019-2020 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, table reads, and feedback sessions with the artistic staff. Each playwright will also be paired with a dedicated, professional dramaturg to assist with their process.
4. The development process will culminate in a two-week workshop and invited staged reading in May/June 2020. SpeakEasy will pair each playwright with a director for this process, and cast the reading with professional actors.
5. The selected playwrights will each be paid a commissioning fee.
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 2020 workshop.

Application Requirements

To be considered for the Boston Project, please submit by 8pm EST on June 15^th, 2019:

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. Please include all materials in a single e-mail.

Proposal Submission Deadline: June 15^th, 2019
Selection Announced: September 1^st, 2019

Important Information for Applicants

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• The intention of The Boston Project is to develop plays over time that legitimize Boston as a beautifully complex setting. It is crucial that playwrights have strong roots in the greater Boston area, consider themselves to be “local” playwrights, and have a deep and thorough understanding of the city and its arts community.
• 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.

SpeakEasy’s Mission

SpeakEasy produces intimate, entertaining plays and musicals that are new to Boston and compel thoughtful conversation. We champion new talent and future arts leaders, alongside a diverse community of experienced local theatre professionals who share our devotion to excellence. We treat our artists, audiences and supporters as collaborators, working with us to make Boston a city that is sustainable for artists.

Questions regarding the proposal process or the Project itself can be directed via e-mail to bostonproject@speakeasystage.com.