Script Submissions for the Winter Strawberry One-Act Festival 2015. Deadline October 30, 2014

Submissions for the Strawberry One-Act Festival and Full Length Plays, Musicals and Staged Readings for the Strawberry Theatre Festival. DEADLINE: October 30, 2014


The Riant Theatre's Strawberry Theatre Festival will be at the Hudson Guild Theatre on 26th Street in Manhattan from February 11, 2015 - February 22, 2015, and is now accepting submissions for Full Length Plays (between 55 - 90 minutes) and Musicals (not to exceed 120 minutes), Short Plays (40 minutes - 50 minutes) and Staged Readings. Plays selected for the festival can perform between 3 - 5 performances and elect to share a percentage of the box office by paying a theatre usage fee between $1 - $9 per ticket to receive 10% - 100% share of the box office. To download an application go to www.therianttheatre.com or email us at RiantTheatre@gmail.com. The deadline to submit an application is October 30, 2014. Late Submissions deadline is November 14, 2014. The participation fee for the STF is $400 for plays received by October 30, 2014 and $500 for plays received after October 30, 2014. The participation fee for Short Plays is $350. All submissions are done by email.

Also seeking submissions for the Strawberry One-Act Festival (February 11th - February 22nd) for plays with a running time from 15 minutes - 30 minutes. Plays can advance from Round 1, Semi-Finals, Finals and the Awards Show & Performance. The judges for the Finals will consist of (2) Artistic Directors, (1) Agent and (1) Casting Director. The 4 Best Plays will perform at the Awards Ceremony on February 22nd and have the option to do an Encore Performance at one of our Partner Theatre Companies. The participating fee for plays accepted into the festival is $300 for plays submitted by Octboer 30, 2014 and $350 for plays received after October 30, 2014, which includes: an on-camera interview for your play, inclusion in our mailing brochures and the Riant Theatre Review Magazine, (1) ticket to our Launch Party and Screening of the Video Diaries Project: A Series of Short Films about the artists in the Strawberry One-Act Festival; (1) comp ticket whenever your play is performed, (1) ticket to the Awards Ceremony. The winner of the Best Play receives $1,500. Awards are given to Best Play, Best Director ($200), Best Actor ($150), Best Actress ($150) and Best Short Film - The Video Diaries Project ($250). Some plays will be selected for publication in the anthology The Best Plays From The Strawberry One-Act Festival. All Submissions must be done by emailed. Deadline October 30, 2014. Deadline for late submissions is November 14, 2014. Download an application at www.therianttheatre.com (There is no sharing of the box office for the One-Act Festival.).

The Strawberry One-Act Festival Awards were presented on Sunday, August 31st at the Theatre at St. Clement's, 423 West 46th Street, NYC.

And the Winner are....

LIKE A LADY By Jorge Franco IV (BEST PLAY AWARD)

CHAUNCEY ALAN for Like A Lady (BEST DIRECTOR AWARD)

TOMMY SCHUTZ for And Baby Makes Three (BEST ACTOR AWARD)

ELOISE EDWARDS for Like A Lady (BEST ACTRESS AWARD)

Writer’s Retreat Cruise to the Bahamas Royal Caribbean International - EXPLORER OF THE SEAS 7 Day Cruise to the Bahamas: February 10th – February 17, 2013 Departs Sunday, February 10th at 4pm from Bayonne, NJ

THE WRITER'S RETREAT

This writer’s retreat is for both emerging and established writers or film and video makers. The Workshops will offer valuable information and networking opportunities and will concentrate on writers intending to have their work produced or published. There will be special occasions where writers can read portions of their work to the group.

A GATHERING OF ARTISTS

The Retreat gathers writers, actors and directors to join with their peers to foster excellence through mutual support.  You will relax on the beautiful Royal Caribbean International “Explorer of the Seas” Ship in an elegant environment designed for comfort that includes all meals.  There will be excursions in the Bahamas and Florida that you can add to your itinerary.  In addition, there will be structured workshops and gatherings to stimulate creativity.  But more importantly you will enjoy an abundant time to write, reflect and connect with other artists while you develop a project or improve your acting skills.  Workshops will be conducted by Van Dirk Fisher, Founder & Artistic Director of the Riant Theatre.

ABOUT THE SHIP
The 138,000-ton Explorer of the Seas is loaded with recreational amenities: an ice-skating rink, in-line skating track, rock-climbing wall, television studio and full-size, open-air basketball court. The Royal Promenade, which runs through the center of the ship, is longer than a football field and wide enough to accommodate three lanes of traffic. Here you'll find restaurants, shops, entertainment and street performers. The basketball court converts to a volleyball court, and there's also a golf simulator, nine-hole miniature golf course and jogging track. Adventure Beach, just for families, has its own pool. Spots for socializing include a champagne bar, cigar club, sports bar, jazz club, dance club and a cocktail lounge at the top of the ship. Hungry? There's a casual grill, ice-cream parlor, the Windjammer Cafe and Johnny Rocket's, modeled after an authentic 1950s diner (complete with jukebox). Portofino, an intimate reservations-only restaurant serving Italian fare, complements three main dining rooms.

State Room with a Balcony

The Pool Deck

ITINERARY

Sun, Febrary10^th      Departs at 4pm from Bayonne, NJ.

Mon, February 11^th At Sea

Tues, February 12^th  Port Canaveral, FL.  Arrives at 1pm.  Departs at 11pm

Wed, February 13^th   Nassau, Bahamas.  Arrives at 2pm.  Departs at 11:59pm

Thurs, February 14^th Coco Cay, Bahamas.  Arrives at 8am.  Departs at 5pm

Fri, February 15^th  At Sea

Sat, February 16^th At Sea

Sun, February 17^th Arrives at 7am in Bayonne, NJ.

The Dining Room

The Night Club

The Connoisseur Room

The Spa

State Rooms starting at $636.  For further information email RiantTheatre@gmail.com

Scripts Wanted for the Strawberry One-Act Festival. Deadline: October 30, 2012.

The Strawberry One-Act Festival – Winter 2013 will be held at

The Hudson Guild Theater, 441 West 26th St., NYC,

Between 9th & 10th Avenue

February 28, 2013 - March 10, 2013

 

The Strawberry One-Act Festival is celebrating its 23rd season, the brainchild of Artistic Director, Van Dirk Fisher, is a play competition in which the audience and the theatre's judges cast their votes to select the best play of the season.  Twice a year, hundreds of plays from across the country are submitted for the competition.  Plays move from the 1st Round to the Semi-Finals and then the Finals.  The playwright of the winning play receives $1,500.00 and the opportunity to have a full-length play developed by the Riant.  The awards to be presented are Best Play, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. Submissions are being accepted for the festival until October 30, 2012.  To download an application click here.  To submit full-length plays, musicals and staged readings click here for an application for the Strawberry Theatre Festival.

 

The Judges for the Finals of the Strawberry One-Act Festival TBA.

 

The Award Ceremony & Performance will be on Sunday, March 10th at 5pm.  In addition, some of the plays in the festival will be selected for publication in our anthology: The Best Plays From The Strawberry One-Act Festival: Volume 9.

Submissions for Full-Length Plays, Musicals, Short Plays & Staged Readings for the Strawberry Theatre Festival

The Riant Theatre’s Strawberry Theatre Festival will be at the 160 seat Theatre at St. Clements on 46^th Street from August 3^rd – August 26^th, and is now accepting submissions for Full Length Plays (between 60 – 90 minutes) and Musicals (not to exceed 120 minutes), Short Plays (40 minutes – 60 minutes) and Staged Readings. Plays selected for the festival can perform between 3 – 5 performances and elect to share a percentage of the box office by paying a theatre usage fee between $1 - $9 per ticket to receive 10% - 100% share of the box office. To download an application go to www.therianttheatre.com or email us at RiantTheatre@gmail.com. The deadline to submit an application is May 15, 2012.

The participation fee for the Strawberry Theatre Festival is $500 (That includes Non-musicals (60 - 90 minutes) and Musicals (Running time not to exceed 120 minutes).

The participation fee for Short Plays is $350 (40 - 60 minutes).

The participation fee for a Staged Reading is $250 (Admission is FREE to the General Public and is scheduled in the theatre week days Monday - Friday in the afternoon.)

To download an application for the Strawberry Theatre Festival click here.

Also seeking submissions for the Strawberry One-Act Festival Competition (July 31^st – August 18^th) for plays with a running time from 15 minutes – 30 minutes. Plays can advance from Round 1, Semi-Finals, Finals and the Awards Show & Performance. The panel judges for the Finals will consist of: (2) Artistic Directors, (1) Agent and (1) Casting Director. The 4 Best Plays will perform at the Awards Ceremony on August 18^th and have the option to do an Encore Performance at one of our Partner Theatre Companies. The participating fee is $350, which includes: an on-camera interview for your play, inclusion in our mailing brochures and the Riant Theatre Review Magazine, (1) ticket to our Launch Party, (2) comp tickets whenever your play is performed, (1) ticket to the Finals, and (1) ticket to the Awards Ceremony. The winner of the Best Play receives $1,500. Awards are given to Best Play, Best Director ($150), Best Actor ($150), Best Actress ($150) and Best Short Film – The Video Diaries Project, a documentary about the artist in the SOAF ($250). Some plays will be selected for publication in the anthology The Best Plays From The Strawberry One-Act Festival. Submissions can be emailed for the One-Act Festival, Staged Readings and Short Plays. Deadline May 15, 2012. Download an application for the Strawberry One-Act Festival click here. (There is no sharing of the box office for the One-Act Festival.). For other info go to www.backtoonenyctheatre.blogspot.com , www.facebook.com/RiantTheatre, and www.twitter.com/RiantTheatre

Song: IF I FOLLOW MY DREAMS (NO MORE GAMES) Music & Lyrics by Van Dirk Fisher on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF1GVDKhZvM. The song IF I FOLLOW MY DREAMS (NO MORE GAMES) Music, Lyrics & Vocal Arrangements by Van Dirk Fisher and Featuring Joseff Goodwin & Bianca M. Gonzalez, is a celebration for anyone who has been lucky enough to have found that special love that's unconditional with NO MORE GAMES. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have in writing it.



You can download the song (mp3) at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joseffgoodwinbiancagoodw

Script Submissions for the Strawberry One-Act Festival, Deadline October 30th

Submissions for the Strawberry One-Act Festival are now being accepted. Seeking One-Act Plays running between 15 - 30 minutes. The deadline is October 30th. To download an application click here. Prize for Best Play is $1,500.00.

Auditions for Singers & Hip Hop Dancers for 2 Music Videos & Film

Singers & Hip Hop Dancers wanted for the Riant Theatre's 2 Music Video Projects and Film

The Riant Theatre is seeking Singers and Hip Hop Dancers for 2 music video projects & film. Singers must be comfortable singing R&B and Pop. Please prepare 1 song to be sung a cappello. Dancers will be asked to dance freestyle to music provided by us. Please email your picture and resume to obtain an audition appointment. RiantTheatre@gmail.com. You may also include a link with you singing or dancing on YouTube, etc. No pay. Non-Union. A dvd will be provided for participants when the music video is done.

Auditions will be held at 419 Lafayette Street, 2nd Floor. Between Astor Place & East 4th Street. Trains: #6 to Astor Place, R Train to 8th Street.

Depending on which project you are selected for the dates of filming are:

Sunday, October 30th, Sunday, November 6th and Wednesday and November 9th.

New Dimensions and Horizons: The Strawberry One-Act Festival Like You've Never Seen Before

By Van Dirk Fisher

Every time I begin to work on the Strawberry One-Act Festival I ask myself, “What can I do to make it better and provide more exposure for the playwrights, directors and actors?” This year I was inspired by one of our alumni, Phil Reissman, who invited me to see a screening of his play that was once in the festival. Well I had to attend. I was honored to be invited and very proud of his accomplishment. It was not too long after that that my wheels started turning. I’ve always wanted to present the festival on television as a reality show and allow our viewers to see the process that the artists go through to produce their play for the festival. In the past we’ve streamed the plays online for viewers to watch them online and cast their votes and the response was tremendous, but the time element of videotaping them and getting them online on time was challenging. So I’ve decided on a new approach and The Video Diaries Project was born.

Ten filmmakers were selected to participate in the project. Each was allowed to choose the play that they wanted to film and create their documentary. The artists were told to treat the project as a personal diary and to talk about the process they go through to develop their plays. It’s meant to be raw, up close and personal. In the end the filmmaker gets to tell the story from their observation and the end results is something remarkable. I’m very proud of them and welcome any and all attention that can be bestowed on them for having the courage to dream and the will and the tenacity to pursue it.

I’ve always said that all the playwrights are winners by virtue of being selected for the festival. The process of working on their plays, the lessons they learn along the way and the contacts they make with other artists are the real prize. The experience is priceless and the memories I hope they cherish them as fondly as I do.

The Video Diaries Project had a screening at the Tribeca Grand Hotel and at the Time Warner Corporate Head Quarters in NYC. Six of the best films were presented during the festival and an award and cash prize of $500 was presented to the Best Short Film of the Season, ELLEN’S DIARY by Brian Torres. Click here to watch the film. The award was presented on Sunday, August 7^th at 2pm along with the awards for Best Play, UNEXPECTED COMPANY by Wendy Mae Shelton, who received $1,500 and a development deal to have a full length play produced by the Riant Theatre, Best Director, ROB DRAKE (photo right) for Wait And See What Happens by Alison Costello, Best Actor, DENNIS BRITO for Paid Off by Robert D. Argen, Best Actress, BELLE CAPLIS for Unexpected Company by Wendy Mae Shelton.

Jane Rubinsky (photo right with playwright Arlene Corsano) joined the Riant Theatre this past summer as a contributing writer for The Riant Theatre Review, which featured articles about the artists in the festival. The festival was presented at the Hudson Guild Theatre and we were blessed with plays submitted from as far away as Australia (The Flowers Don’t Grow Here Anymore by Josie Parrelli) to Utah (Horst and Graben at the Chateau Godot by Jeffrey Gold); to Vermont (The Oasis by Andrew Fridae); to Connecticut (The Prenup by Charles Gershman); to San Francisco (Love For Beginners by Cesar Abella); to Maryland (Butterfly by Trish Cole); and finally to New York (Paid Off by Robert D. Argen). There was a wide array of topics addressed in the festival plays. Our next festival will be at the Hudson Guild Theatre and run from March 1^st through March 11, 2012.

The festival is currently accepting submissions for the festival. The deadline is October 30, 2011 and you may download the application by visiting our website at www.therianttheatre.com or by emailing us at RiantTheatre@gmail.com.

We are holding a competition for the Best Theme Song for the Strawberry One-Act Festival. You can download an application from our website for details on how to enter. The prize of $250 will be presented at the Awards Ceremony on March 11, 2012. Click here to hear the winner of the BestTheme Song from 2011 – IT’S STRAWBERRY TIME by Andrew Fridae and Daniel Brian Jones.

At the Launch Party for the Strawberry One-Act Festival we presented the PIONEER OF THE ARTS AWARD to Broadway Producer, ALDO SCROFANI, (Photo Right) 2005 Tony Award Best Musical DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (Nominee), Screenwriter, GERALYN LUCAS, (Photo Right: Center) WHY I WORE LIPSTICK TO MY MASTECTOMY - Lifetime Network, and JEWEL KINCH-THOMAS, (Photo Right: Right) Executive & Artistic Director of Riverside Theatre, and NY Family Arts Festival. The award ceremony was followed by a panel discussion with the honorees.

A special thanks to our staff and interns who helped make the event a success. (MJ Savasana, Chloe Glickman, Van Dirk Fisher (Artistic Director), Boncellia Lewis (Singer), Jarvis Chapman, Anaridia Burgos, Elvin Greene and Carolyn Canty.)

Souvenir mugs and Strawberry One-Act Festival t-shirts are available for purchase on our website as well www.therianttheatre.com. You can also buy our latest anthology THE BEST PLAYS FROM THE STRAWBERRY ONE-ACT FESTIVAL: Volume Six. It’s a good read. For those of you who are into steamy romance novels filled with suspense, you will enjoy my novel LOVING YOU. It’s available www.therianttheatre.com and www.amazon.com.

Photo of Playwrights & Directors at the Launch Party.

IndieGoGo - the best kept secret to helping you raise money to produce your show!

Producing theatre can be a challenge to anyone these days. Especially if you are an independent artist considering producing your own show. After taking into consideration all the factors of contracts, choosing a theatre, selecting your designers and casting your show, many of you may want to know how you can raise the money to make your dreams a reality? Recently I attended a panel discussion on Producing Theatre held at Space-On-White in Manhattan. One of the panelists was Slava Rubin, Chief Executive Officer of IndieGoGo (www.indieGoGo.com), a company which provides anyone with an idea - creative, cause-related, or entrepreneurial - the tools to effectively build a campaign and raise money.

They provide the tools for you to build your campaign but you need to put in some legwork crafting your story and doing community building and outreach to get it all started. They provide integrated social media tools, and the more you use them (it's what they like to call DIWO, or Do-It-With-Others) the sooner you will land you on their homepage, in the blog, or in their social media outreach and press.

Here are some frequently asked questions:

What is IndieGoGo?
IndieGoGo is a collaborative way to fund ideas.

IndieGoGo provides an easy online platform for anyone to raise more money, from more people, faster than otherwise possible. With IndieGoGo you can turn your passion into a funding campaign, promote your idea, engage a fan base, and get your passion funded. We provide all the tools you need to build a campaign and share it with the world.

How does IndieGoGo work?
Anyone can create a campaign, where you tell your story, set a funding goal, and offer perks to contributors. You can use IndieGoGo to create your campaign, share it with your network, engage fans, track information about contributors, and collect money. IndieGoGo provides excellent customer service for creating your campaigns and collecting money. We also promote campaigns through social media and press outreach, as well as on our homepage, in our newsletters, and on our blog.

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We started IndieGoGo to democratize funding. Now anyone with a great idea has the opportunity to share his or her campaign and raise money to turn a passion into a reality.

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IndieGoGo is open for anyone to use, with any type of campaign - creative, cause-related, or entrepreneurial.

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No. All campaigns on IndieGoGo are contribution based.

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It doesn't cost anything to create a campaign. There is a 4% fee on the money you raise when you meet your funding goal. 3rd party processing fees also apply.

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IndieGoGo is based in the United States, but we have members in 179 countries and counting. You can post and fund a campaign from any country as long as you have a valid bank account or credit card.

What is a campaign profile?
A campaign profile is the home of your funding campaign. Your profile includes your campaign pitch (an image or video and written story), and any ongoing updates and pictures you want to share with your contributors and fans. Your profile page is where people make contributions, share comments, and pick up widgets to share the campaign.

Who owns the rights to my campaign or idea?
You do. You keep 100% ownership of all the ideas included in your campaign on IndieGoGo.

What do I need to create a campaign?
You need a thumbnail image (that is what people see for your campaign throughout IndieGoGo), a pitch image or video (this is what people see when they open your campaign itself), a clearly identified funding goal, and a pitch story about your campaign. It's also recommended to have perks with your campaign, as well as team members helping you to spread the word.

What are perks?
You can offer perks in exchange for different contribution levels in your campaign. Perks enable you to engage fans, build trust, and provide an opportunity for more people to get involved. You can offer one-of-a-kind experiences, special acknowledgments, or limited supply products. Learn More.

What do I include in my pitch?
Cover the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your campaign. Be honest, transparent, and authentic.

How do I get my campaign on IndieGoGo's homepage, in the blog, or featured in the press?
The more you use IndieGoGo's share tools, comments, and updates (see below), and the sooner you gain traction with funding, the more likely it is you will be featured on our homepage, in the blog, or in our press outreach. We feature campaigns based on their GoGoFactor. The GoGoFactor is a combination of your activity updating and sharing your campaign, and the traction you are gaining externally with contributions. When your GoGoFactor goes up, so does the likelihood you will be featured.

What if I don't meet my funding goal?
If you don't meet your funding goal, you still keep the money you raise with your campaign. IndieGoGo charges a 9% fee on campaigns with unmet funding goals.

For more information on IndieGoGo and how to get started visit their website at www.IndieGoGo.com