Introducing the Women Leaders Fellowships
For the last twenty years, PlayGround and the broader community have seen the impact that the June Anne Baker Prize has had in uplifting early-career women writers; and, now, we want to take this a step further and invest in next-gen women leadership across every theatre discipline.
The facts:
- While representing 51% of the population and the majority of theatre audiences, women only comprise on average 30% or less of artistic directors, directors, and playwrights.
- Women earn less than men in major artistic roles. According to a 2011 National Household Survey, as actors and comedians, women earned 26% less than men; as authors and writers, women earned 12% less; and as producers, directors, choreographers, and in other related roles, women earned 16% less than men.
- Women constitute over half of all theatre school students. Yet, after graduation, women make up fewer than 30% of the profession’s creative leaders.
- There is a direct correspondence between the number of women artistic directors and women directors, and women playwrights and roles for women actors, i.e., increasing women’s representation in one area has a positive effect on the others.
We’re excited to announce that, through the success of this year’s PlayGround Gala and the Fund-a-Future campaign, PlayGround is establishing five (5) one-year paid fellowships for early-career women artists, in the areas of directing, acting, playwriting, design/tech, and theatre management. In the spirit of PlayGround’s June Anne Baker Prize, which has fostered a community of twenty early-career women playwrights over the past twenty years, the new Women Leader Fellowships are intended to create an ongoing and growing community of future women leaders, representing all theatrical disciplines.
ELIGIBILITY
In all areas except design/tech and theatre management, PlayGround will accept applications only from current PlayGround Company Members (directing, acting) or Best of PlayGround alumni (playwriting). For the 2021-22 theatre management fellowship, PlayGround will accept applications from female-identified members of the 2021-22 fellowship cohort. Design/tech fellowship applications will be limited to non-company members residing in the nine counties Bay Area.
PROGRAM
Fellows will receive a one-year guaranteed income of $5,000 (based on $20 per hour), to be applied toward a personalized residency that takes advantage of the unique opportunities for professional growth offered through PlayGround programming, offers mentorship through PlayGround senior staff and company veterans, and is uniquely designed to meet the long-term needs and goals of the individual fellow. All fellowships will include support for networking, including introductions and opportunities to collaborate with artists who can continue to foster fellows’ future success.
Acting
The acting fellow will be invited to regularly participate in Monday Night PlayGround performances, in-house full-length staged readings, and the PlayGround Festival, while also having the opportunity to develop an original solo work as part of the Solo Performance Festival. The acting fellow will receive audition coaching by veteran members of PlayGround’s artistic staff.
Directing
The directing fellow will be invited to regularly participate in Monday Night PlayGround performances, in-house full-length staged readings, and the PlayGround Festival, while also having the opportunity to develop an original solo work as part of the Solo Performance Festival. The directing fellow will additionally have the opportunity to assistant direct for a festival premiere production and may be further connected with PlayGround Company Member projects outside of PlayGround.
Playwriting
The playwriting fellow will be supported in the development and/or revision of multiple new full-length plays, including invitation to join the Playwright Residency Program, access to professional table readings, dramaturgical support, consideration for PlayGround Festival developmental workshops and premiere productions, and the opportunity to develop an original solo work as part of the Solo Performance Festival.
Design/Tech
The design/tech fellow will work closely with PlayGround’s production team and resident designers, receiving thorough training in PlayGround and Potrero Stage equipment and facilities and provided with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in design (lighting/sound), live broadcast, and technical direction over the course of the PlayGround season.
Theatre Management
The theatre management fellow will work closely with PlayGround’s Artistic Director and other senior staff, receiving a full hands-on immersion in theatre production, including marketing and communications, individual fundraising and grant writing, financial management and human resources, as well as artistic curation and literary management.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Fellowship applications will be accepted via Google form and are due by 11:59pm PT on Sunday, October 24, 2021 (extended deadline). Fellowship applicants for all programs (with the exception of playwriting) must be resident in the nine counties Bay Area. Fellowship recipients will be announced publicly at a PlayGround All-Company Gathering taking place at Shotwell’s Saloon on Thursday evening, October 28, 5pm-7pm.