What does the festival provide?

The ITW~ITW festival aims to be a retreat for our artists-in-residence, where all basic life needs are provided during the festival so artists can focus solely on their work.  We provide: 

• One-week developmental workshop

• Dedicated studio space

• A cast to hear the script outloud

• A director

• A music director and piano (if needed)

• A stage manager

• Round-trip transportation

• Housing

• Three meals a day

• A stipend

• Two public staged readings

• Talkbacks and audience feedback

• A community environment with all artists on campus

Where is your festival?

The In the Works-In the Woods Festival at the Forestburgh Playhouse is nestled in the heart of the gorgeous Sullivan Catskills in Forestburgh, NY.  Artists that attend the Festival will rehearse, create, live and absorb the tranquil beauty of the Playhouse campus and surrounding areas.

Who can apply?

Anyone who is 18 years of age or older and has the right to work in the United States can apply.

What makes my show eligible to apply? 

1. Your piece is eligible if it has only had a staged reading or workshop presentation. Your piece is not eligible if it previously had a fully produced, professional production with full design elements, professional pay and a marketing campaign.

2. As we are a new works festival, we ask that all main elements of the show be original, including book, music and lyrics.

3. Anything that is included in the show that is not original must be part of the public domain or the artist must be able to prove that they have permission to use the material.

Can I submit a work that I have previously submitted?

Yes. Artists may submit a work up to two times.  

Can I submit more than one piece?

Yes.  Every artist may submit up to two pieces per season.

Is there a cast size limit?

Our cast size for musicals are preferably 16 actors or under, while cast size for plays is 8 or under.  We encourage applicants to think about what roles can be doubled to present in a Staged Reading setting in order to help bring the cast size down.

When will next year’s ITW submission window be announced?  

The submission period opens in early-January. To stay up-to-date on all festival news, please follow us on Instagram @intheworksinthewoods and @fbplayhouse, and subscribe to our mailing list.

If you have any questions about submissions or the festival, please email itw-itw@fbplayhouse.org.

What is your selection process?

ITW receives around 200 scripts through our submission window each year.  In our first round, we ask for selections of shows, to review with our selection committee.  In the second round, we will ask for full scripts and all demos (if applicable). Then, final selections will be made.  

The ITW~ITW Selection Committee is a collection of theatre professionals including directors, writers, dramaturgs, and other artists. Final festival selections are made by ITW Artistic Director Matt Lenz. 

Do you accept artists outside of New York?

We welcome artists from across the United States to submit their new works to the Festival. Unfortunately, we are not able to work with international artists at this time.

Why do you have a submission fee?

The submission fee subsidizes the expense of the application process–assisting with administrative costs, stipends for the selection committee and platform fees.  

If the submission fee is cost-prohibitive, please email itw-itw@fbplayhouse.org and we will find an appropriate solution.

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Am I able to get feedback on my submission?

Due to the amount of submissions received and the small staff operating the festival, we are currently unable to provide feedback on your piece.  

If you have any questions about submissions or the festival, please email itw-itw@fbplayhouse.org.

To stay up-to-date on all festival news, please follow us on Instagram @intheworksinthewoods and @fbplayhouse, or subscribe to our mailing list.  We appreciate your interest!