INKubator Play Reading Series

The INKubator Play Reading Series is a hands-on play and artist development program.

SUBMISSIONS HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED DURING THE CURRENT CRISES. This allows us to focus on works in development while we are working remotely.

PLAYWRIGHTS

The INKubator experience offers committed writers an opportunity to develop and hone their plays in an artistically rich, focused collaborative environment that includes both a public reading and the active mentorship of Skylight’s creative team.

AUDIENCE

Audience experience is key to the development of a new play providing clues for next steps. To maximize attendance, we strongly encourage you to reach out to your community. Your post-reading conversation with the audience is an opportunity to clarify and further refine your work; we urge you to prepare specific, targeted questions for them rather than soliciting general (unproductive) feedback.

COACHING

INKubator participants learn that giving smart “notes” – and learning how to receive them – is essential to the development process. Skylight’s Artistic Team takes seriously the demanding and detailed work of creating great theatre. We want your play to be the best it can be. To that end, we’ll give you constructive notes following your reading.

READING

• Scheduled on a mutually agreed upon date, they occur on the current production's set when held on Skylight’s stage.
• Writers may have a cast and director already attached to the reading, or Skylight will help provide talent.
• Our color-intentional artistic policies are company wide.
• Inclusive Casting: Writers must be open to including disabled actors, a wider expression of gender, and that actors portraying family units may be of different races.
• Limited hours are provided for on-site rehearsal; minimal staging is a must.
• No Lighting cues. Sound cues must be kept to a minimum.
• Music stands, a piano and chairs are provided.
• The Writer is responsible for assembling an audience. The writer, director and cast should promote the reading for maximum attendance.

CONVERSATION & CREATIVE NOTES

• Playwright and audience engage in a brief, moderated, conversation immediately after the reading. To maximize the experience, the playwright (in advance) will have created specific, targeted questions to ask the audience.
• At the conclusion of the audience talkback, the playwright will meet with the Skylight Artistic Team for a constructive post-mortem analysis of what worked and what didn’t.

Notes are an essential part of the development process. If you cannot take a constructive note, do not apply.

To ensure that we are prioritizing the voices of historically under-represented playwrights, Skylight will no longer use an exclusively blind submission process. We welcome playwrights to provide any demographic information that they identify with. A decision not to provide this information will not have a negative impact on the selection process.

Skylight Theatre Company will ensure that the team of readers for pieces by BIPOC playwrights will include staff members who identify as BIPOC.

HOW TO SUBMIT*

SUBMISSIONS HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED DURING THE CURRENT CRISES. This allows us to focus on works in development while we are working remotely.

Skylight develops and produces new works.  The Play Reading Series is your entry point into the Skylight's Artistic Development Program. To be considered for a main stage production, your play must go through this submission process.

SUBMISSION RELEASE AGREEMENT

To be considered for the INKubator Play Reading Series, the playwright must sign a release granting Skylight Theatre Company first right of refusal to produce the play as a World Premiere production at a later date. Skylight will not consider any new work without this right.

TIMELINE

Our standard application period is the first of each month February through November.*

We're excited that so many playwrights are interested in working with Skylight and getting involved in our play development program.  We know the work that goes into crafting a new play and want to continue to be able to provide each writer the time and consideration.  It takes at least 90 days before we're able to give you an answer.

WHAT KIND OF PLAY CAN YOU SUBMIT?

We accept only new, full-length works and are particularly interested in works that are inclusive, pertinent to contemporary culture and mores, and help expand American theatre. We've also been known to be a little partial to local writers. You may only submit one (1) work. If you would like to submit more than one play, submit your second work the following cycle (typically one month later).

* Deadlines and requirements are subject to change without notice. Please check the website for the most up-to-date information. Submissions sent off-cycle are not considered or held, and must be resubmitted.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Print, complete and sign the submission package (includes the Agreement).
  - Download link has been omitted while submissions are suspended.
• Email the required materials in a single email with the title of your play in the subject line to: submissions@skylighttheatrecompany.com

Important: We do not accept hard copy submissions. Submissions without the executed Agreement are not considered. A receipt email is not an indicator that requirements have been met for consideration.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

The Submission Release Agreement

Information form

The complete script in PDF.

Synopsis of the play (maximum 100 words)

Narrative biography of the playwright, include the city and state where you live.  (maximum 100 words).

Statement of Interest: Describe where you are in the development of your play and what you hope to get out of a Skylight INKubator Reading (maximum 250 words)

Musicals: Also include a recording of no more than two (2) musical numbers from the play.

Skylight's INKubator Artistic Development Program is supported in part by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission