Calls for Artists: Fringe

The popular 24 Hour Playwriting Contest hosted by the Toronto Fringe returns for 2019! Your new play could win you a cash prize, a professional staged reading at the 2019 Toronto Fringe Festival and Fringe bragging rights!
Application fee = $30.

Applications are now closed. Stay tuned on our social media for the announcement of the winner! 

How it works:
• On Saturday, March 23rd at 5 pm, registered participants will receive 4 secret elements that will be the basis for this year’s contest.
• Participants have 24 hours to write a new play making sure to incorporate all 4 elements. Once the 24 hours are up, participants submit their script for adjudication.
• A team of jurors will read the scripts and vote on the winner.
• A director will be appointed by the Toronto Fringe to direct the staged reading of the winning script. They will hire actors and conduct rehearsals leading up to the big day.
• The winning play will be included as show in the 2019 Fringe program guide, and tickets will be sold to the reading.
• The reading will take place at a main Fringe venue one evening during the festival! (July 3-14, 2019.)

The Winning Playwright receives:
• Cash prize.
• A show listing for their winning play in the 2019 Fringe program guide.
• A staged reading with a professional director and actors that will happen during the 2019 Toronto Fringe.

Rules and Regulations:
• Scripts must be submitted electronically within 24 hours as a PDF to operations@fringetoronto.com. Subject line must read: YOUR NAME – 24 Hour Playwriting Contest Script Submission.
• Everyone is welcome to participate (except contest jurors).
• One entry per person is permitted.
• Plays are to be written by a single playwright, excluding partnerships or collectives.
• Musicals and dance pieces are not accepted.
• All plays must have a reading time of no more than 45 min and no less than 15 minutes.
• As all plays are judged blindly by the jury, the playwright’s name must not be written anywhere on the document. Instead please submit a separate document with the title of the play, playwright’s name, and contact information (email and phone).
• All scripts must include page numbers and formatted to be readable.
• The winner will be contacted by phone on Monday, April 8th 2019 and the winning playwright’s name will be announced on our website.

What it is: The Toronto Fringe Festival’s site-specific performances take place in non-conventional theatre venues. We consider venues beyond the downtown core catchment area, into neighbourhoods across the City of Toronto.

Who it’s for: Artists intending to create a show outside of Toronto Fringe’s main venues. Artists interested in bringing the Toronto Fringe to their community. Artists able to access their own venue and ensure accessibility for patrons with mobility needs.

Application Deadline: Site-specific shows are accepted into the festival on a first come, first served basis. Slots are now full for 2019.

Cost to apply: Once you have submitted your application, we will review it. If approved, you must secure your venue and pay a participation fee. Only then will your event be considered part of the festival.

Fees are based on the total number of seats available across your entire run:

• 299 seats or less: $551
• 300-479 seats: $651
• 480+ seats: $751

Example calculation: 9 shows x 75 seat capacity = 675 total capacity, thus the fee would be $751.

Terms and Conditions:

You cannot accept more than one slot to the Fringe, including the lottery and site-specific categories. If you are successful in the lottery after securing a site-specific spot, you will be asked to forfeit one of your two spots and any fees paid by that time will not be refunded. Please note the following rules:

• The Company Name, Primary Contact and Secondary Contact cannot be changed once submitted.
• The Primary and Secondary contacts of a company cannot be the Primary and Secondary contacts for a second company.
• If an individual/company submits more than one application, ALL relevant applications will be removed from the consideration, and no refund will be given for the lottery application fee.
• If the Primary Contact cannot continue with a production, we reserve the right to withdraw it from the Festival.
• Companies are not allowed to sell or transfer their spot to another company. If we find that they have, both companies will be removed from The Festival and will forfeit 100% of their fees.
• Permission: If your piece is not an original work, your company must secure the necessary performance rights, or permission from the author to perform in The Fringe.
• Unions/Associations: Participants must pay the appropriate fees and obtain the necessary releases from their union/association, and should be prepared to provide us with proof of permissions in writing if necessary. The CAEA Festival Policy is currently available for most companies at the Toronto Fringe and Equity members should contact their rep to find out more.
• Time Limits: All Fringe performances start on time and cannot run past a 90 minute running time limit.
• The proposed venue must be confirmed before the application can be accepted.
• The proposed venue cannot be a traditional theatre venue.
• Applications that are submitted that are incomplete will not be accepted and will not qualify for a spot in the queue.
• Applications must demonstrate that the play is tied to the specifics of the venue in some way - the site is integral to the success of the work.
• A venue cannot host more than one site-specific show during the festival.

Rules for acceptable site-specific venue locations:

• Site-specific shows will be accepted from within the standard Fringe catchment area (south of Dupont Avenue, north of King Street, east of Dovercourt Avenue, and west of University Avenue) as well as from any neighbourhood within the Toronto city limits. Example neighbourhoods are the Danforth, North York, Roncesvalles, Leslieville, Regent Park, etc.
• Venues must be physically accessible and barrier free to all patrons; they must meet the requirements to allow all mobility devices to enter (entranceway, passage to performance space, appropriate places reserved in audience seating area, etc.), and be safe to the general public. Where washrooms will be expected to be available (i.e. any indoor spaces), the washrooms must meet Ontario Building Code Barrier Free standards.
• Public parks will not be accepted as proposed venues as the City of Toronto cannot allow ticketed events to take place
• NEW THIS YEAR: The application form will include a section to outline the access plan of the venue, as well as upload images of the entrance and space. We encourage you to compile this information before beginning your application. Submitting an application without this info will be considered incomplete and not eligible for assessment until all elements are submitted.
• Proposed venues may require a visit by Fringe staff before they are approved.
• We encourage all shows to sign a rental agreement with terms suitable to their specific needs with their venue.
• The Fringe’s liability insurance extends to all site-specific venues to protect the general public seeing a show in the space, but does not extend any coverage to damage done to the venue incurred by a company’s activities in the space.

Winner of the 2019 Adams Prize: Tamara Williamson, The Break Up Diet

Winners of the 2019 New Play Contest:

1st Place - Michelle Wise, Checkpoint 300
2nd Place - Jason Maghanoy, These Kids
3rd Place - Alysha Mohamed, My Hands Were Made for This