THE RETURN OF
THE SILVER SPRING STAGE ONE-ACT FESTIVAL IN SEPT. 2023*
* pending the completion of construction work at the Stage
Silver Spring Stage will bring back the one-act festival after a two-year hiatus on September 22 – October 1, 2023. We will present 4-5 one-act plays, with the same plays running on both weekends.
The festival will be smaller than in the past due to constraints of time and space. We are inviting directors to submit scripts by May 8 and we will accept published or unpublished plays running 15-45 minutes in length. Our goal is to have about a 2 to 2 ½ hour performance with an intermission.
We are looking for diverse plays. The submitted plays should be able to be produced simply using set elements, costumes, and props from the Stage’s extensive stock.
One play will be selected from the festival to be entered in the Maryland Community Theatre Festival in January/February 2024.
Unlike the past, this year we are only accepting plays with directors because we don’t have the time to choose plays and then find directors. Our goal is to return to the full festival in 2024.
While the current construction schedule at the Stage calls for the work to be completed by the end of July, that timing could change and affect the schedule of the festival.
How to Apply
Step 1 – Send an email to OAF2023@ssstage.org with your resume, an introduction paragraph, and two references. If you are submitting an unpublished play, please send an electronic copy of the script and permission from the playwright.
Step 2 – Fill out the director’s questionnaire (see the button below).
[LINK TO FORM]
Deadline for Submission is Monday May 8th.
The Director Selection Process
Interviews will be held by invitation only. Silver Spring Stage hopes to let all applicants know by May 15 whether we wish to schedule an interview. All interviews will be held virtually with members of the One-Act Play Committee on May 23 or May 24.
Final Selection:
Based on the combination of script, answers to director’s questions, and interview, Silver Spring Stage may recommend you to fill the role of director. We will try to keep directors informed of the status of their proposal throughout the process. Please review the next section, “Some Things You Should Know,” and find the “Questions for the Directors” below.
SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Important Dates for One-Act Festival
● Auditions – Sunday July 9 and Monday July 10
● Tech starts on Saturday September 16
● PWYC Preview – Thursday September 21
● Performances – Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, September 22 – October 1.
Facts about Silver Spring Stage and our process:
We are a true all-volunteer community theatre. Actors, designers, directors, producers, board members, carpenters, painters, graphic designers, and others donate their time, talent, and energy. While we do not pay anyone involved in our productions, we do have a modest production budget to help cover materials and supplies, and have recently included a $75 director stipend for each of our one-acts.
We have a COVID compliance team in place to support our productions and we update protocols as circumstances require.
Silver Spring Stage continues to require masking for all our performances; masking is recommended for all volunteers while in the building outside of performances, but it is not required. Our masking policy applies to all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, but that policy is subject to change and is regularly reviewed. We no longer require proof of vaccination. Our policies will continue to be updated as circumstances require. Read our full protocols on our website.
We have a unique space all our own.
● Our theatre space is in the basement of the Woodmoor Shopping Center.
● We have our own rehearsal rooms, conference room, and shop/storage on site.
● Our stage offers black-box style intimacy with brand new seating on two sides. The playing area is set on point like a diamond. (If you think of it as a baseball diamond, the audience sits along the base lines that run to home base. The backstage area follows the lines from first base to second to third base.)
● Our backstage area is generous but our floor-to-ceiling height is limited by the architecture of the building. We don’t use microphones.
● All shows must hold open auditions – we don’t “pre-cast” roles. That said, directors are responsible for casting their own shows. If you know someone you want for a role, invite them to audition and cast them if you wish. We ask directors to keep an open mind.