National Playwrights Symposium 2019
2019 Master Playwrights
(Subject to Change)
JEFF TALBOTT’s play THE SUBMISSION was the inaugural recipient of the Laurents/Hatcher Award and was produced off-Broadway by MCC Theater; it went on to receive the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award for New American Play. Other plays: THE GRAVEDIGGER'S LULLABY received its world-premiere in March 2017 off-Broadway by TACT; i, which premiered at Pioneer Theatre Company in February 2018; and CIVICS AND HUMANITIES FOR NON-MAJORS which was commissioned by Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey and produced there in April 2018. Also: THREE RULES FOR THE DRAGON (2017 O’Neill Finalist, workshops – Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Colt Coeur and Premiere Stages), A PUBLIC EDUCATION (2015 O’Neill finalist; workshops – Pioneer Theatre, TACT), HOW TO BUILD A CITY (workshops –TACT, Route 66), ELLIOT (readings – Crowded Outlet, MCC Theater), and ALL THE STARS IN THE MIDNIGHT SKY (workshops/readings – MCC, TACT). He writes musicals with composer Will Van Dyke: IMAGINE HARRY (NAMT 2015, 2017 O’Neill Finalist), WINTERSONG (2016 Goodspeed Johnny Mercer Colony, 2017 NAMT Finalist) and SEVEN BROKEN HEARTS (2017 Rhinebeck Writers Retreat). They have released an EP (A VIEW OF THE RIVER) and a single (A NEW YEAR featuring Annaleigh Ashford). Jeff graduated with honors from the Yale School of Drama.
CUSI CRAM's plays include: Dusty and the Big Bad World (Denver Theater Center), Lucy and the Conquest(Williamstown Theater Festival), All the Bad Things (LAByrinth Theater Company at the Public Theater), Fuente(Barrington Stage, and O'Neill Playwrights Conference), and The End of it All (South Coast Repertory), Landlocked(Miranda Theater) and A Lifetime Burning, which was a part of Primary Stages 2009/2010 season. She most recently was commissioned by Princeton University to adapt Fuente Ovejuna. She has also received commissions from The Atlantic Theater Company, South Coast Repertory, The Actors Theater of Louisville, New Georges and The Echo Theater Company. Her work has also been produced and developed by: The New Group, New York Theatre Workshop, The Public Theater, PS122 and the Dag Hammarskjold Theater at the United Nations. She is the recipient of the 2004 Herrick Theater Foundation New Play Prize, a Camargo Foundation fellowship in Cassis, France and was most recently a Bogliasco Fellow in Italy. Her work is published by Samuel French, Smith & Kraus, Playscripts and Broadway Publishing. She has also received three Emmy award nominations for her extensive work in children's television. Her play, Dusty and the Big Bad World was optioned by Points West Films (Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt producers). She is currently returning for her second season as a writer on the Showtime series, The Big C, starring Laura Linney and Oliver Platt. She is a founding playwright of The Fulcrum Theater, a member of LAByrinth Theater Company and sits on New Georges' Kitchen Cabinet and on the board of Leah's FEWW. She teaches playwriting workshops with LAByrinth and ESPA at Primary Stages. She is a graduate of Brown University and the Lila Acheson American Playwright's Program at Juilliard.
The National Playwrights Symposium is an event dedicated to bringing talented emerging and professional playwrights together with some of the world’s most renowned artists in an environment of community, creativity and craft.
In the past, we have hosted great playwrights including Christopher Durang, David Auburn, Lisa D'Amour, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Donald Margulies, Terrence McNally, Amy Herzog, Nicky Silver, David Ives, Israel Horovitz, Ken Ludwig, Halley Feiffer, Lee Blessing, Steven Dietz, and William Mastrosimone among others. Our guest experts present differing programs and ideas and may ask you to participate in various writing exercises and discussions throughout the symposium. We’ll also have actors available to read your work and that of our esteemed guests.
In the past, we have hosted great playwrights including Christopher Durang, David Auburn, Lisa D'Amour, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Donald Margulies, Terrence McNally, Amy Herzog, Nicky Silver, David Ives, Israel Horovitz, Ken Ludwig, Halley Feiffer, Lee Blessing, Steven Dietz, and William Mastrosimone among others. Our guest experts present differing programs and ideas and may ask you to participate in various writing exercises and discussions throughout the symposium. We’ll also have actors available to read your work and that of our esteemed guests.
Each day of the Symposium will begin with a complimentary continental breakfast for you to enjoy before starting with a featured guest each morning. We will break for lunch and then resume our sessions in the afternoon. After a daily workshop is finished, you will have a small group session with one of our esteemed Master Playwrights, so you can have a more personal discussion about your work. After dinner, evenings and nights will be spent preparing for the next day, writing, and socializing with your fellow playwrights, some of whom may become lifelong friends and collaborators.
Application process:
All interested playwrights must complete an application and submit a writing sample. Although we would like to welcome all interested playwrights, in order to maintain the personal experience of our group process, we can only invite approximately 15-18 artists. There is no fee to apply and no one submits a payment until after they are accepted into the event and have committed to attending.
CLICK HERE to fill out an application for the 2019 National Playwrights Symposium.
Writing Sample Guidelines:
Please email a 5-10 page playwriting sample to symposium@capemaystage.org in PDF (preferred) or Microsoft Word format. Please title the file “Sample[Your name]” (e.g. SampleSmith.pdf) and include your name on the first page of the document. RETURNING PLAYWRIGHTS may disregard this submission.
CLICK HERE for additional information about the National Playwrights Symposium.
Important Information:
Symposium dates: Evening of Sunday, May 12 through the morning of Friday, May 17, 2019 (A detailed schedule will be provided.)
Symposium fee: $645 (applicants received by March 15) or $695 (applicants received after March 15)
Deposit due: $300 (non-refundable) – If accepted into the program, deposit must be paid within one week of your official invitation. We will provide a payment notification at the time of acceptance.
Discount Housing (optional): $375 for 5 nights of shared accommodations with another symposium attendee (2 per room) at Camelot Motel or $700 for a private suite. Suites have two double beds in the bedroom, one sofa bed in the living room, a dining table, a desk and a small kitchenette. The motel is a 10-minute walk from Cape May Stage and close to many stores and restaurants. HOUSING PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO RATE CHANGES BY THE HOST HOTEL. IF SO, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF ANY INCREASE AND YOU MAY CHANGE YOUR HOUSING PLANS AT THAT TIME. Alternate accommodations may be arranged by the attendee.
Full payment due date: April 1 (or upon approval if after April 1)
We hope to see you in May!
Interested in making a donation to The National Playwrights Symposium? CLICK HERE to make a donation or establish a scholarship in your name.
Application process:
All interested playwrights must complete an application and submit a writing sample. Although we would like to welcome all interested playwrights, in order to maintain the personal experience of our group process, we can only invite approximately 15-18 artists. There is no fee to apply and no one submits a payment until after they are accepted into the event and have committed to attending.
CLICK HERE to fill out an application for the 2019 National Playwrights Symposium.
Writing Sample Guidelines:
Please email a 5-10 page playwriting sample to symposium@capemaystage.org in PDF (preferred) or Microsoft Word format. Please title the file “Sample[Your name]” (e.g. SampleSmith.pdf) and include your name on the first page of the document. RETURNING PLAYWRIGHTS may disregard this submission.
CLICK HERE for additional information about the National Playwrights Symposium.
Important Information:
Symposium dates: Evening of Sunday, May 12 through the morning of Friday, May 17, 2019 (A detailed schedule will be provided.)
Symposium fee: $645 (applicants received by March 15) or $695 (applicants received after March 15)
Deposit due: $300 (non-refundable) – If accepted into the program, deposit must be paid within one week of your official invitation. We will provide a payment notification at the time of acceptance.
Discount Housing (optional): $375 for 5 nights of shared accommodations with another symposium attendee (2 per room) at Camelot Motel or $700 for a private suite. Suites have two double beds in the bedroom, one sofa bed in the living room, a dining table, a desk and a small kitchenette. The motel is a 10-minute walk from Cape May Stage and close to many stores and restaurants. HOUSING PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO RATE CHANGES BY THE HOST HOTEL. IF SO, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF ANY INCREASE AND YOU MAY CHANGE YOUR HOUSING PLANS AT THAT TIME. Alternate accommodations may be arranged by the attendee.
Full payment due date: April 1 (or upon approval if after April 1)
We hope to see you in May!
Interested in making a donation to The National Playwrights Symposium? CLICK HERE to make a donation or establish a scholarship in your name.
