FAQ


OnStage! Frequently Asked Questions

 

ORGANIZATION

Why doesn’t the Festival split box office proceeds with participating theater companies?

The Festival is self-financed and any proceeds will be used to cover out-of-pocket organization expenses.

Please note that OnStage! has decided to keep ticket costs low in order to facilitate access to American culture and language to as broad an audience as possible, even while being fully aware that box office proceeds in an “Off Off” independent context are usually minimal. That minimum box office must also be taxed and then shared with the theatre.

What does OnStage! cover for participating theater companies?

In 2020, the artists will perform in Rome and in at least a second city (Neaples or Milan), tour travelling and staying expenses will be entirely covered by the Festival Organization.

Besides that, participating companies will receive:

  1. performances at well-equipped theaters in the three main theater cities in Italy, at no charge
  2. a dedicated festival Technical Director who will assist companies in recreating optimal sets and accommodating their tech needs as much as possible
  3. the support of the theater’s Press Representative and that of the Festival’s official Press Rep who, working in tandem, will secure the greatest possible visibility for your show
  4. professional photos (always) and professional HD (when possible) video footage of your show
  5. the Italian translation and professional Italian supertitles for your show, specially installed on slides
  6. a second technician exclusively dedicated to operating your show’s supertitles
  7. as we are aware that the financial commitment for theater companies can be onerous, we treat their sponsors as if they were our own, giving them full visibility so that the sponsors themselves have a satisfactory return

Can the Festival offer any kind of arrangement with hotels, B&B and restaurant?

OnStage!festival Organization is constantly working to make arrangements and partnerships to make the artists and their crews staying in Italy as nice and happy as possible. We will offer them a network of hotel, B&B and restaurant with dedicated special prices. Besides the professional experience, it’s a vacation in Italy, after all!

 

DEADLINES AND FEES

What are the OnStage! 2019 deadlines?

Below you’ll find the schedule of the key deadlines for Festival’s upcoming edition. We suggest you follow the latest updates on our Facebook page and on the onstagefestival.it website

January 2021 – SHOWS and OnStage Award submissions open

March 2021– SHOWS and OnStage Award submissions close

May 2021 – Official announcement of selected SHOWS

September 2021 – Official announcement of the OnStage Award winner

November 2021 – OnStage! Festival Third Edition

Is there a submission fee or participation fee for shows?

No – there is no submission fee when applying to participate in the Festival. Shows can be submitted free of charge, and will not be subject to any participation fees if selected. The artists selected for the SHOWS category will be asked to pay a $600 security deposit per show, which will be returned to them upon their arrival in Italy for the Festival.

Is there a submission fee for the OnStage! Playwriting Award?

Yes – A non-refundable $40 submission fee is required to participate in the OnStage! Award, to partly cover administrative and translation fees.

Why is a security deposit required for artists selected in the SHOWS category?

The security deposit is a simple precautionary measure to protect the Festival in the event that a theater company decides to withdraw after giving official confirmation of its presence. Unfortunately, previous experience has shown us the negative consequences of some artists’ unreliable behavior. For this reason we have been forced to request a security deposit, which is returned promptly upon the artists’ arrival in Italy for the Festival.

When will I have to pay the security deposit?

The payment of the $600 security deposit is only required in the event that your theater company is officially selected for the festival, and its payment is required in order to finalize the company’s participation. You will be asked to pay after our confirmation, by the April 20th, 2018.

When will the security deposit be returned to the participants?

The security deposit will be returned to the participants in full upon the artists’ arrival in Italy for the Festival.

 

SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL

How can I submit a show?

To submit a show or a reading it is necessary to send by the date listed above:

  1. the appropriate fully filled out application form [LINK to FORM SHOWS], plus:
  2. an email [LINK to entries@onstagefestival.it] with all the additional material specified in the official Call for Submissions, with the subject: SHOW or READING plus the title of the piece

How can I submit my play for the OnStage! Playwriting Award?

Submissions to the OnStage! Playwriting Award are subject to a non-refundable $40 submission fee. In order to submit, it is necessary to send by the date listed above:

  1. the appropriate fully filled out application form [LINK to OSA], plus:
  2. an email [LINK to osaward@inscenany.com] with all the additional material specified in the official Call for Submissions, with the name of the play as the email subject

Can I submit a play for a reading?

Although OnStage! festival regularly includes a few readings in the program, we don’t open a call to select them. in fact, we work with US partners (i.e. The Cherry Lane Mentor Project) and Playwrights Associations to choose the plays to be presented in Italy. If you represent a Playwright Project or Association, you are very welcome to contact us to propose a partnership (info@onstagefestival.it).

When will I know if my show has been selected?

The show selection takes place in two steps: the shortlist and the final selection. In the event that your submission is shortlisted, you will receive an email asking for further confirmation of your intention to participate under the Festival’s terms and conditions. This will include further information regarding the Festival venues, for your review. Once the Festival and the shortlisted companies are in full agreement, the final selection will be made, and selected companies will be required to pay the $600 deposit – at which point they will be an official participant of the festival. Theater companies and artists whose proposals are not selected will also be notified. Follow our website and FB page for updates and deadlines.

 

REQUIREMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FESTIVAL

Can individual artists participate or must a theater company necessarily be formed?

Individual artists can participate.

Can non-professional artists participate?

The Festival is only open to professional artists and theater companies.

Can non-professional playwrights participate in the OnStage Award?

The OnStage Award is only open to professional playwrights.

Is it possible to submit a short play?

We will not consider short plays, defined as plays with a duration of less than 50 minutes

Will the shows be presented in their original language?

Yes. The shows will be presented in English with Italian supertitles. The Festival will take on the responsibility of producing professional translations and creating professional supertitles on slides.

Can I submit a show if I only have partial video footage?

We strongly encourage full-length video footage of your show to accompany your submission, as this is key in allowing the festival organizers to correctly evaluate all artistic and technical aspects of the show. However, for the purposes of the selection process, we will also be accepting shows without video footage, or with partial video footage including trailers, highlight reels, edited clips. Please send us as much video as you have, and do note that in any case it will be essential to create a full-length recording of the show if selected, in order to allow the creation of the Italian supertitles.

Can I submit more than one show for the same edition of the Festival?

No, each theater company or artist can submit only one show.

Can I resubmit a show that I already submitted to a prior edition of the Festival?

Yes. We are able to host a limited number of shows each year, so the fact that your show wasn’t selected for a particular edition does not mean that it was considered unsuitable.