Westport Center for the Arts seeks to foster the creative talent in our community by supporting emerging local playwrights. Staged readings provide a way for writers and actors to exercise their talent, and they provide a chance for the audience to hear new voices.
Upcoming Performances
Westport Center for the ArtsCALL TO PLAYWRIGHTS
Dear friends in the Kansas City theatre community,
Do you know a new or established playwright who would like to have a staged reading/script in hand performance of their play done before an audience by local professional actors, under the direction of a skilled director? We are looking for full-length (approximately 90-120 minutes long) plays for staged readings in the next 18 months.
If so, we would like to encourage you to share this with them and encourage them to submit a script to the Westport Center for the Arts Theatre department.
Westport Center for the Arts is a more than 10-year-old community arts organization that has produced fully staged plays (Butcher’s Son, JFK: A Ghostly Evening, Goat Song) and staged readings (The Three M’s, Stealing Kandinsky, The Meeting, A Christmas Carol, The Life and Times of Barbara Jordan, and many more).
We are looking for new and established playwrights.
We have established a total budget of approximately $3,000 for such a staged reading/script-in-hand performance, with $500 for the playwright; plus actors, director and any equipment needed.
Our current themes of interests are:
Marginalized communities/people, including but not limited to:
• Immigrants
• LGBT
• First Nations
Local history (regional), including but not limited to:
• Quindaro Underground railroad
• Regional Jazz/Blues history (focus on family/personal relationships of musicians rather than scandals)
Contemporary Issues, including but not limited to:
• Youth and aging,
• race relations,
• economic disparity.
Combination of the any of the above categories
To be considered, the playwright is asked to submit a one paragraph synopsis, character list (number of actors need for a staged reading) and the full play script to: lora_farrell@hotmail.com. Rolling deadline for 2018-2019 season.
Thank you, Board of Directors, Westport Center for the Arts