Sage to Page
Got a terrific idea for a play,
but aren’t sure how to get it down on the page?
The great irony of theatre:
it’s enjoyed by a crowd,
staged by a crowd,
but written alone.
A collaborative art form born in isolation.
The goal of subtlenuance’s development program Sage to Page
is to break down that sense of isolation
and help transform brilliant ideas into brilliant scripts.
We’ll help you develop your brilliant idea,
we’ll dramaturg drafts,
we’ll workshop scenes,
and (hopefully) at the culmination of the process you’ll have a finished script you can be proud of.
Who you are
You’re probably not an experienced theatrical writer, but someone relatively new to exploring the dramatic form.
Perhaps you’re an actor, or director, or maybe you’re a writer experienced in forms other than drama.
You must be Sydney-based.
Who we are
subtlenuance is a Sydney-based indie theatre company solely dedicated to the creation of new work. Since our inception in 2008, we’ve produced 28 original plays at the Old Fitz, Ensemble Theatre, KXT, New Theatre, Old 505, Flight Path Theatre and a host of other venues. Have a look around our website and see what we’ve been up to. Our bios can be found HERE.
The deal
There is no deal.
Sage to Page involves no payment nor will you receive a fee. We will not make any financial or creative claim on your script. Though we’ll help you develop your script, it remains - at all times - entirely yours.
We won’t produce your script. As the name Sage to Page suggests, this is not a page to stage program.
The process
We’ll work out a process that best suits you, but it will most likely include:
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an initial meeting with our artistic director, in which your pitch and schedule will be discussed,
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meetings to discuss plot, character, genre, style, purpose, breadth, depth, textual integrity and audience,
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dramaturgy of initial drafts,
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a couple of workshop sessions and/or semi-public reading of the script with actors.
We envision the entire process taking approximately 4 to 5 months. You may or may not have a completed script at the conclusion of the process.
How to apply
Writers will be chosen according to a pitch, not a script. (We don't want a draft of your play. Seriously, we don't!)
In your pitch (300 to 500 words) you should outline:
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The conflict or tension you hope your play will explore.
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Why this conflict or tension excites you.
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The setting.
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The genre or type of play you envision. (This might be clarified by reference to another text with which your planned script will have either clear similarities or differences. And perhaps an analogy in the style of “I want my play to be Macbeth meets Titanic meets Pride and Prejudice” might be helpful.)
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A (very) preliminary sketch of the major characters.
Please also send a brief bio of 100 to 150 words.
Your pitch and bio should be sent to artistic director Paul Gilchrist adsubtlenuancetheatre@gmail.com
We’ll choose your pitch if it fits our interests and if we think the idea has potential in the dramatic form.
Applications are currently closed.