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Atlanta Dramatists - Events & Submission Opportunities

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Hello everyone, Atlanta Dramatists has some huge news! We have officially been approved for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status! That means we can now apply for grants, and provide tax receipts for donations. If you are looking for an organization to support, please consider Atlanta Dramatists!

• Donations may be made via Zelle or PayPal at this email address: atlantadramatists@gmail.com, or via Venmo at this link: @atlantadramatists.

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1. Wednesday, April 16 at 7pm - Atlanta Dramatists and UUCA will present a series of Playwriting Workshops by Corey-Jan Albert titled Write That Play! Whether you’re an experienced playwright or you’ve simply always wanted to write a play, these six workshops can help you jumpstart your creative process and strengthen your creative writing. The workshop on April 16 is titled: Ready… Action! (since plays are about what we see, as well as hear)..For more details, see under the "Education" category below.

   • To sign-up, please visit: Tickets for Atlanta Dramatists.

2. Wednesday, April 23 at 7pm - Atlanta Dramatists and UUCA will present a series of Playwriting Workshops by Corey-Jan Albert titled Write That Play! Whether you’re an experienced playwright or you’ve simply always wanted to write a play, these six workshops can help you jumpstart your creative process and strengthen your creative writing. The workshop on April 23 is titled: Break Through your Writer's Block - how to keep the energy going. For more details, see under the "Education" category below.

   • To sign-up, please visit: Tickets for Atlanta Dramatists.

3. Monday, April 28, 2025 at 7pm EST - Atlanta Dramatists will host a Zoom reading of Ken Love’s play Black River. Dan Brown will be the moderator. More info will be provided as we get closer.​

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***For more upcoming events, please view our Google Doc labeled "Upcoming Events"! ***

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Submission Opportunities:

1. Essential Theatre is accepting play script submissions for the 2026 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award competition! Now through April 23, 2025. The only competition of its kind, exclusively dedicated to the work of Georgia playwrights, with the winner receiving both a $1,000 cash prize and a full production. There are no restrictions as to style, length or subject matter, though previously unproduced plays that would run an hour or more in performance are preferred. Playwrights must be current residents of the State of Georgia. Plays can be submitted via our online form, e-mailed to Peter@EssentialTheatre.com in PDF or Word Document format, or mailed to: The Essential Theatre, 1414 Foxhall Lane #10, Atlanta, GA 30316. Be sure to include your name, address and e-mail information ON THE TITLE PAGE OF THE SCRIPT.

   • Essential Theatre was founded by a playwright, to create a space for playwrights to be playwrights.

   • Since the first Essential Play Festival in 1999, we’ve premiered or presented 46 new works by 37 different Georgia playwrights, with readings of over 50 more. The Essential Theatre Playwriting Award, which began in 2001, has been awarded to 30 plays penned by a total of 28 different Georgia playwrights, many of which have gone on to publication and future productions around the country. 

   • “So proud to be an alumna of Essential Theatre, run by the inestimable Peter Hardy. They produced my first plays and basically started my professional career.” -- Lauren Gunderson, 2001 and 2004 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award Winner

2. Atlanta Dramatists is accepting short scripts and excerpts now for our Zoom short reading series on Sunday, May 4 at 7pm EST. In order to ensure a proper casting, we will need your 15-page (or less) samples and cast breakdown by Sunday, April 27. Please note that we are only accepting new scripts from dues-paying members at this time. If you are a dues-paying member and would like to participate, please email the script and cast breakdown to atlantadramatists@gmail.com with the subject "Atlanta Dramatists - Sunday Meeting". We will accept the first 6 plays. Any more than 6 will be moved to the following session.

   • Samples must be 15 minutes or less. Can be a stand-alone play or a sample from a larger play.

   • Please complete the cast breakdown by clicking this link, downloading this form, updating the info, and then attaching this form to the email.

   • We need to send scripts to the actors in advance, so they can review them. Therefore, we will need the scripts to be sent with the cast breakdown.

   • The Zoom link is: https://gmc-edu.zoom.us/j/86485893763?pwd=K2JYQ0VseTJuMUIvUDdwRklWQmM1Zz09 // Meeting ID: 864 8589 3763 // Passcode: 123456

3. Atlanta Dramatists is accepting full-length plays for our 4th Monday Full-Length Play Reading Series #4MFLPRS. Please note that we are only accepting new scripts from dues-paying members at this time (if you have already submitted a script and received confirmation with a reading date, you will be grandfathered in). If you are a dues-paying member and would like to participate, please email it to atlantadramatists@gmail.com.

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Casting Opportunities​

1. The Academy Theatre is holding auditions for Tapas: The Bow, our annual short play festival. We're auditioning April 12 from noon to five and April 14 from six until nine PM. These are non-union roles and a stipend will be paid to each actor. We're looking for actors of every background. Actors should prepare a monologue no longer than 1 minute and be prepared to cold read. The show opens May 9th and closes May 25th. It runs Saturday at 8 and Sundays at 3, and opening night runs at 8 PM. Limited appointments are available via academyoutreach@yahoo.com. Shelby Semands and Robert Drake are producing, with Stage Manager Elisabeth Allen.

2. Morehouse School of Medicine is casting now for Standardized Patients. This is a pretty well-paid gig wherein you essentially act like medical patients while the medical students try to figure out how to diagnose you. You usually get a clear outline of the character with some scripted dialogue, but much of it is improv, based on the character outline. It's a lot of fun, and several of our members work there. If you are interested, please send your headshot and resume to Dr. Jan Abraham at jeabraham@msm.edu. The schedule is flexible.

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Education:

1. March 19-April 9 - Atlanta Dramatists and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta (UUCA) will present a series of Playwriting Workshops by Corey-Jan Albert titled Write That Play! Whether you’re an experienced playwright or you’ve simply always wanted to write a play, these six workshops can help you jumpstart your creative process and strengthen your creative writing.

   • Sessions Include:

     • 3/19 - The Art of the 10-Minute Play

     • 3/26 - Develop Vivid Settings

     • 4/2 - Create Interesting Characters

     • 4/7 - Craft Dialogue that will Carry Your Story and Monologues that Aren’t Boring

     • 4/2 - Ready… Action! (since plays are about what we see, as well as hear)

     • 4/9 - Break Through your Writer's Block - how to keep the energy going.

• Sessions are active and engaging and will include opportunities to share and hear your work read aloud. Participants should come prepared with a pen or pencil, paper, curiosity, and an eagerness to try new things. Laptops are okay but not necessary. You’ve got nothing to lose but your creative roadblocks!

  • When: All workshops are on Wednesday evenings at 7pm, and will each be roughly 2 hours long.

  • Where: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 2650 N Druid Hills Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329

  • How much: For non-members, each workshop is $20. If you attend all six, the rate is $100 (which means that one workshop would be free). For dues-paying Atlanta Dramatists members and/or UUCA congregants, each workshop will be $15. f you attend all six, the rate is $75 (which means that one workshop would be free).

  • Who: Corey-Jan Albert is an award-winning playwright and songwriter in Roswell, GA. Her work has been seen throughout the Atlanta area, including Emory University, Georgia State University, Agnes Scott College, Neighborhood Playhouse, Act3 Productions, and Onion Man (now Vidalia) Theatre Company. Water and Wind, her album of original songs was released in 2023. She has taught playwriting throughout the Atlanta area, helping people to explore and develop their own creative voices.

  • To sign-up, please email: atlantadramatists@gmail.com. We will follow-up with a sign-up form.

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• June 23-27, 2025 - Atlanta Dramatists and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta (UUCA) have created two Youth Playwriting Camps for summer 2025.

  • ​The Junior Playwriting Camp is for 10-13 year-olds, who will  learn about play structure, along with characters, conflict, dialogue, and action. The process will include creative hands-on games and exercises, quiet writing time, guided peer feedback experiences, and one-on-one feedback time with the instructor.

  • The 25 Hour Play Project is for teens aged 14+  who want to write AND direct AND act. The first two days involve creative writing exercises as each participant writes a 10-minute play. On the third day, we’ll read the plays aloud, considering them primarily as directors. Each participant will direct one play and act in two others. Rehearsals take place during the last two days. The process is engaging, involving and FUN. The first two days involve creative writing exercises as each participant writes a 10-minute play. On the third day, we’ll read the plays aloud, considering them primarily as directors. Each participant will direct one play and act in two others. Rehearsals take place during the last two days. The process is engaging, involving and FUN.

• Both camps will culminate with a Friday night reading of original student-written 8-10 minute plays.

  • When: June 23-27: 9am-3pm, and Friday night showcase at 7pm

  • How much: $225 for family members of dues-paying Atlanta Dramatists members and/or family members of UUCA congregants. $250 for non-members. We also offer need-based discounts for members and non-members alike.

  • Where: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 2650 N Druid Hills Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329

  • Who: Instructors Alicia Pillsbury (Junior, 10-13 yrs old) and Corey-Jan Albert (Youth, 14-18 yrs old)

  • Bio: Alicia Pillsbury has been a certified teacher for almost 25 years, teaching in a variety of educational settings, with a special focus on all things language arts. She has also worked in educational theatre for 18 years, teaching theatre classes, directing and producing shows, and teaching theatre-related electives, including everything from puppetry to playwriting. Her passion is working with youth and inspiring them to express themselves both on and off the stage through the various avenues that theatre provides.

  • Bio: Corey-Jan Albert is an award-winning playwright and songwriter in Roswell, GA. Her work has been seen throughout the Atlanta area, including Emory University, Georgia State University, Agnes Scott College, Neighborhood Playhouse, Act3 Productions, and Onion Man (now Vidalia) Theatre Company. Water and Wind, her album of original songs was released in 2023. She has taught playwriting throughout the Atlanta area, helping people to explore and develop their own creative voices.

  • To sign-up for the Junior Playwriting Camp, please visit: https://atlantadramatists.ludus.com/200474540

  • To sign-up for the 25-Hour Play Project, please visit: https://atlantadramatists.ludus.com/200474535

  • For more information, please contact Alicia Pillsbury at aliciapillsbury@gmail.com or Corey-Jan Albert at cjacreative@icloud.com.

  • *Need-based discount and before/aftercare available on request.

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Membership Announcement:

On September 19, 2024, Atlanta Dramatists celebrated our one-year anniversary. In that time, we've achieved some significant milestones:

• Created an amazing Board of Directors, made up of 9 incredible artists and humanitarians, as well as an Advisory Board with 12 other amazing artists and humanitarians.

• Successfully partnered with Academy Theatre and Senior University of Greater Atlanta (SUGA) on several ventures, and laid the groundwork with numerous other organizations for potential future partnerships. 

• Fully cast and held cold readings of 16 full-length stage plays and screenplays live and over Zoom.

• Fully cast and held cold readings of nearly 70 short plays and excerpts of longer plays live and over Zoom.

• Full cast and staged 2 fully rehearsed readings of original musicals.

• Successfully held 2 workshops with a guest artist (on Stage Combat and Stage Intimacy), and laid the groundwork for countless others.

• Held a garden party and poetry reading at our Vice President Carol Welter's home.

• Fully incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Georgia.

• Met with Georgia Lawyers for the Arts and have begun the process of filing for a 501(c)3 designation.

• Built up a website, a Facebook page, and an Instagram page.

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Excerpt for the workshops and the two fully rehearsed readings, all of the above events have been entirely free and have incorporated volunteer talent. While our Board of Directors intends to remain volunteer-based, we do feel it's important that we begin to pay and recognize our actors and other talent who help make our readings and events so special. To that end, we have decided to shift from a free membership to a paid membership model. What does this entail?

• $20 membership fee for the entire year (if you pay now, you will be covered for the remainder of 2024 and all of 2025)

• Dues-paying members will receive discounts (and sometimes even free admission) to all of our workshops and readings for the year.

• Only dues-paying members will be eligible to have their scripts read in our First Sundays reading series, our Fourth Monday reading series, and our Fully-Rehearsed Play Reading series. Please note that if you have already submitted a script and have received confirmation with a reading date, then you will be grandfathered in for that reading, but if you wish to submit future scripts (including short excerpts), you will need to become a dues-paying member.

• These fees will allow us to begin paying our actors who participate in these events a small stipend, as well as allow us to file necessary paperwork, hire directors and dramaturgs for fully-rehearsed readings, pay the venues (including Academy Theatre), and meet other necessary financial goals.

• $20 membership fee may be paid through Venmo at @atlantadramatists, through Zelle at atlantadramatists@gmail.com, or by cash or check made out to Atlanta Dramatists at one of our official events.

• Audience members are welcome to attend our cold readings for free on Zoom or live, though a small fee may be requested for attendees of our fully rehearsed readings, workshops, and potential full productions. Dues-paying members will always receive a discount (and possibly even free admission) to any of our events that require an admission fee. The discount amount may vary based on the scope of the event.

• To fill our membership form, please click here: Contact Information - Google Forms

• If you have any questions or concerns about this update, please email us at atlantadramatists@gmail.com. 

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​​​​Thanks! And we look forward to seeing you at some of our scheduled events!

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Sincerely,
Daniel Guyton
Founding Member
Atlanta Dramatists

Our mailing address is:
Atlanta Dramatists

320 W Broad St

Ste 200

Fairburn, GA 30213

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• To follow Atlanta Dramatists on Facebook, please click here: 
  Atlanta Dramatists (Atlanta) | Facebook

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• To join the private and exclusive Atlanta Dramatists' Facebook group (where we often post casting notices and outside play submission opportunities), please click here: www.facebook.com/groups/atlantadramatists

• To sign up for our mailing list (if you haven't already), please click here: www.atlantadramatists.com