sheherezade 15 submissions

Updated 6/22/15 to clarify 8 pages and format

Sheherezade is a fully produced short play festival of plays written by PCSF members, performed by an ensemble local cast, and directed by 3-4 local directors.
PCSF is grateful to Wily West Productions for producing Sheherezade for us in years past. Now, the format and structure of Sheherezade is changing. This December, PCSF will produce the final Sheherezade festival in its current form; starting in 2016, we will transition to a new format for our annual short play festival. More information about these exciting new changes will be made available in the coming months. For now, here is some general information about this year’s show:

  • Submissions Open: Closed
  • Submission Deadline:  July 19, 2015, 11:59 p.m.
  • Submit a Play: via our Submittable submissions website (You won’t be able to see the submission form until June 15th.)
  • # of Plays:  8-9
  • Performances:  December 3-5 and 10-12, 2015
  • Venue.  Exit Stage Left
  • No theme!  We want to showcase the best work PCSF members have without thematic limits.
  • Playwrights Honorarium. PCSF will provide a $25 honorarium to selected playwrights.

Check the PCSF newsletter in coming weeks for additional updates and information. 

Timeline:

  1. The submission deadline is July 19, 2015. 
  2. Selections to be made and announced in August 2015.
  3. Workshop (closed, invitation only) readings of selected plays in September and October 2015. These will require playwright participation and potential modifications requested. This is the development process for the production.
  4. Auditions in September 2015.
  5. Rehearsals begin in October/November 2015. Playwright attendance at 1-2 rehearsals and dress rehearsals is required.
  6. Performances in early December.

Guidelines
Remember every guideline is specified for a reason.  Be kind to the people processing and reading your plays; take a minute to understand each guideline and then adhere to them (please!).


Here are the guidelines this year and good luck!

  • Be a member. Join when you submit if you aren't already a member. Plays will not be read if membership is not current at the time of submission. Not sure? Contact membership@playwrightscentersf.org to confirm your membership status.
  • Make it good, tight and well structured! We want your best work. This may be a fun evening of short, sometimes frivolous plays, but it doesn't mean we don't take it seriously. We want plays that are rehearsal-ready, are anchored by compelling character-driven story lines, and are self-contained. We don’t want sketch pieces, excerpts from longer pieces, scripts meant for film, or musicals. Tip: Have a living room reading; take it to Scene Night; proofread it before submitting.
  • No previous production (readings okay).  This is a new-play play festival, providing an opportunity to produce work that hasn’t been seen before.
  • Keep the set, sound and costume requirements to a minimum! As a basic framework, assume modular or generic set pieces, simple chairs, and a table.
  • No more than 6 characters (3 male / 3 female) – and within reason be as flexible as you can about the casting.  We use an ensemble, diverse cast and do not cast individual plays until after the ensemble is chosen! Don't force us to turn away your amazing play because we can't reasonably cast it.
  • We mean it when we say "8 pages limit".  If the play is over 8 pages we won't read it. (8 pages have a run time between 6 & 12 minutes).
    • We don't count the cover or character list. Please do include them.
  • One play limit.  Playwrights can submit 1 play.
  • Please understand the playwright responsibilities before submitting.  
    • Your participation in the workshop readings and publicity processes are crucial!  There are two workshop readings that we request the playwrights  attend and ask that they attend at least one or two of the standard rehearsals and make themselves available to answer questions and assist the director with resolving issues he or she may encounter during production.  
    • Attendance at the Auditions, Dress Rehearsal, and at least one performance are also strongly recommended.
    • Promoting the show is another critical part of any production. PCSF will of course be promoting the show, but playwrights are responsible for helping us get the word out. We'll provide materials and suggestions and ask you to tell people and encourage attendance among your network.  
    • We may need to ask you to help us track down or provide any odd or specialty props or costumes you’ve written into your play.
  • No critiques or evaluations will be provided.
  • Use standard format guidelines (download the PDF or the Word template). And yes, we will check that the font size, margins and general rules about indented stage directions, etc., meet guidelines. Don’t try to cheat the margins or font size to get it to fit within 8 pages.
    • PCSF standard is 12 point Courier
    • 1" to 1-1/2" margin on the left, 1" margin elsewhere
    • Download the guidelines
  • We are using Submittable for submissions and tracking.
    • Submit your play at Submittable between June 15 and July 19, 2015.
    • Give us one blind copy of the play in Microsoft Word or PDF. If you cannot submit via electronic submission, please let us know to make arrangements. Selections are anonymous. We do our best to make sure the selection committee doesn't know whose play they are reading. That means there should be nothing in the file that tells us who you are!
        • Tip: To ensure your file really is blind, in the File menu, choose Properties, then wipe out your name that Word puts in there. Save the file, open it and check again.
  • The automated notification you receive when submitting is your acknowledgement of receipt.  If we have any guideline or other issues with the submission we will contact you as soon as possible.

By submitting the playwright agrees to the following:

  • Submitting a script for consideration does not guarantee participation in the festival.
  • PCSF reserves the right to disregard submissions that do not meet the guidelines specified above.
  • The playwright allows PCSF and its production team to print and make copies of the work to be used in the selection process and in production, if chosen.
  • Playwrights of selected plays will receive an honorarium of $25.00. If selected, you will receive notification by email.
  • You will also receive a contract that must be signed and returned within the time-line indicated. If we do not receive the contract, we reserve the right to cancel the selection.

Updated 6/12/2015