Playwrights
Custom Made is always seeking the latest theatrical creations. We are a proud associate member of the National New Play Network, as well as a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG) and Theatre Bay Area (TBA). There are two different tracks for playwrights, and their agents, to send us their work. We ask that you look over Custom Made’s history and mission and make sure, first of all, that we are good fit. Secondly, please keep in mind we are a small, intimate, stage and nothing is ever going to fly in. We have produced large cast shows in the past, but we encourage submissions that keep the cast size under control. That all said..
For consideration for our mainstage, or select, season:
These are plays that have been through a developmental process and are looking for a world premiere, or have had a recent production history outside of the San Francisco Bay Area. Local playwrights are encouraged to submit, but we also will consider national and international playwrights.
Please send an email to our Literary Department
literary at custommade dot org
with a synopsis of the play, character breakdown and a short sample.
For local, San Franisco Bay Area writers looking to develop their work with Custom Made:
Announcing Open Submissions for the 2018 Custom Made New Work Development Program!
Custom Made Theatre Company’s New Works Development program is seeking four (4) writers who have an early stage manuscript they are looking to develop over the course of the next year.
Each selected writer will be paired with a director from our directing pool and given two public readings, several months apart, at the Shelton Theatre in San Francisco. The readings will include written and verbal feedback from the audience, collected and facilitated by the New Play Development Director. The selected writers will be expected to finish three drafts of their play over the course of the year.
One writer will be selected to become our “Resident Playwright” and their project will move on to an additional developmental reading in New York, and a 4 performance workshop in San Francisco at the EXIT Theatre in 2019. The selected finalist will also get to develop an additional work with Custom Made in 2019, and both plays will be in consideration for inclusion as full productions in a future Custom Made season.
Our new work development program is a key component of our commitment to producing new plays. Custom Made is excited to use its status as an NNPN associate member company to champion the work of local writers at a national level.
Submission Guidelines:
Applicants for the New Works Program at Custom Made should submit:
As One Document:
1) A theatrical resume, including three artistic references
As a Separate Document (sans identifying information):
2) A one to three page treatment of the work they would like to bring to the program, including:
- A Character Breakdown
- A Synopsis
- A Progress/Development Plan For The Next Draft of the Script
- A List of Goals for program participation
3) A ten page excerpt from the current draft of the script.
Submissions do not need to be the first ten pages of the script, but should be consecutive and representative.
Submissions should have NO IDENTIFYING INFORMATION ON THEM except the title of the play, which should be on the top of each page, and should be the name of the document.
Works for consideration should have at least one completed draft ready to be submitted additionally if requested, but works in consideration should not be “done,” as the purpose of the program is to have the script develop via the relationship with Custom Made. Work developed through this relationship must be done so exclusively with Custom Made during the workshop period, extended to six months beyond the final reading. The finalist manuscript will be subject to a first refusal/first production exclusivity clause for one year after the end of the workshop period.
The window for submissions is open from October 1 to November 15, 2017 and should be sent to Stuart Bousel at [email protected].
Please put “PLAYWRIGHT’S NAME, New Works Submission” in the subject line. Playwrights may only submit once, and must be willing to produce evidence of residency in the Bay Area upon request. Selected Participants from the previous year may not submit two years in a row.
