Submissions are being sought for the seventh annual New Works Festival at College of the
Canyons—scheduled for May 2009— for possible inclusion in the upcoming
festival. The deadline for submissions is at 7 p.m. on November 12,
2008.

[view:node_ad=5]Only original work in the form of full-length, two-acts and 10-minute plays, as well as scenes and monologues will be considered. Since its inception, the festival strives to focus on the development process of the writer.

“Many festivals simply accept new plays and stage them,” said David Stears, who has been the festival’s director for the past seven years. “Our festival celebrates the writer and focuses on their process in the creation of a theatrical piece.”
No stranger to developing new works, Stears has developed more than 65 original works for the stage. As founder and producing artistic director of the Santa Clarita Repertory Theatre, Stears has also developed more than 20 original plays for performances at local area schools.

All submitted work will be reviewed by a selection committee.  Selected playwrights must participate in the development process of the festival and enroll in a theatre production class in the spring. The five-day festival will include performances, play readings, symposiums, workshops and an opening reception.

Playwrights participating in the festival last year included students from College of the Canyons, faculty members, students from regional universities, local residents, professional writers, and a playwright from South Carolina. Besides the addition of solo performances to the lineup, last year’s festival was also highlighted by the first cross-country, live video-feed of the play development process.

For more information about the festival and submission guidelines, visit www.canyons.edu/newworksfestival or contact Kim Gurnee at (661) 362-3073.