THE ANNUAL PARITY DEVELOPMENT AWARD INFO PAGE
Please read this entire page before applying.
WHAT IS THE PARITY DEVELOPMENT AWARD?
The Parity Development Award was created to provide visibility and opportunities to women, trans, gender-expansive, and intersex playwrights.
The playwrights selected for the Parity Development Award receive $2,500 each and extensive developmental support for their plays for approximately one year, with the possibility for Parity to produce their work following the one-year period.
What does the developmental support entail?
One private table reading to begin the process.
Regular meetings with our dramaturgical team (Literary Manager Jaye Hunt and Artistic/Executive Director Ludovica Villar-Hauser.)
One public staged reading directed by Ludovica Villar-Hauser with non-equity actors as the end of the first year of development.
Following this year of development, Parity meets with the playwright to determine if both parties would like to move forward together.
Who is the Parity Development Award for?
Each year Parity presents two Development Awards, one to a woman (cis or trans) and one to a trans, gender-expansive, or intersex playwright who have demonstrated a dedication to the craft of playwriting and a singular talent for storytelling. If you are not in any of these gender demographics, we ask that you not apply for the Award.
The Parity Development Award is for early-career playwrights. Who do we classify as early-career playwrights?
Playwrights who have not had more than three professional productions of their work.
Playwrights not represented by agents and/or managers.
If you have had more than three professional productions of your work, or you have an agent and/or manager, but you consider yourself early-career, you may still apply for the Award. We ask that you note this in your application.
We believe the next great play can come from anywhere; we read all eligible applications and make no judgments based on a playwright’s education or age.
Playwrights do not need to be located in New York City, but must be willing and able to self-report to NYC at several points throughout the development process. Parity Productions does not currently subsidize travel/stay, and most meetings are conducted on Zoom.
WHAT KIND OF SCRIPTS ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
Parity is looking for scripts that are close to being production-ready. All of our work champions women, trans, gender-expansive, and intersex artists and centers their stories.
Plays for consideration must be new and may not have had a previous professional production with more than three performances (either Equity or non-Equity.) Plays that have been previously produced will not be read. However, we will consider works that have had prior readings or workshops.
If playwrights apply in multiple Award cycles, Parity prefers them to apply with a new work every year. If playwrights do choose to reapply with the same piece, Parity strongly encourages playwrights to have developed the play considerably in between application periods.
Plays for consideration may not be musicals. Parity loves musicals and recognizes the many talented book writers and lyricists and composers in our community, but doesn't currently have the resources for the proper development (and production) process of a musical.
Please know that you will be asked to sign that you have read and understood the above as part of your application process.
In order to apply, please create your free profile on The Parity Database. Applications will open in March, and will only be accepted through The Parity Database.
If you have any questions not answered on this page, please email Literary Manager Jaye Hunt at literary@parityproductions.org.