ABOUT

The IN THE WORKS Commissioning and Showcase program is designed to support artists at the very earliest stages of their creative process. Supporting both emerging and established playwrights, composers, lyricists, theater-makers, and creative teams, the ITW program welcomes artists with bold ideas, innovative styles, and unique voices to create stories under the Trademark umbrella. 

Over one calendar year, artists are given financial support and consistent opportunities for critical feedback to support the development of their new works. At the end of this annual cycle, each artist or creative team in the cohort will receive a 16 hour workshop followed by a public reading at the IN THE WORKS SHOWCASE. This provides each artist and their new work with a 20 minute “proof of concept” cutting of their play or musical to share with a live audience. 

Visit Trademark’s production, development and commission webpage to see our detailed commissioning history. 

TIMELINE FOR SUBMISSION AND SELECTION 

• Open Submission Window: July 1 to July 31 (a maximum of 50 submissions will be accepted) 

• Panelist Review: August

• Finalist Conversations: September

• Selection for Commission: October

• Public Announcement: October 31

All date ranges above are subject to change.

SELECTION PROCESS

• STEP 1: Open Submission Window

Any US-based artist or group of artists can submit a project proposal, script and/or music sample, resumé, and cover letter to be considered for commissioning via our website. Select artists in our growing artist network will also be invited to submit before the review process begins. Note: a maximum of 50 submissions will be accepted.

• STEP 2: Panelist Review

All submissions will be reviewed over a one-month period by a panel made up of Trademark Artistic Staff and other experienced theater artists. Submissions will be reviewed using a standardized rubric.

• STEP 3: Finalist Conversations

After the review process, the highest rated submissions will be recommended to the Artistic Director. A minimum of 5 of these submissions will be invited to meet with Trademark’s Artistic Director to discuss their previous work, their current project proposal, and what Trademark’s possible support of their creative process might look like. 

• STEP 4: Selection for In The Works Commission

After the above conversations, 2-3 artists will be selected as the new class of Trademark’s IN THE WORKS Commissioned Artists.

SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE

• A commission fee of $2500.

• Voluntary engagement with other members of your cohort throughout the year. 

• Direct mentorship and critical feedback from Trademark Theater’s Artistic Director throughout the draft submission process. 

• A 16 hour workshop and reading process, led by a director, including a stage manager and up to five performers to present a 20 minute cutting of your new work to Twin Cities audiences. Basic lighting and sound support will also be provided.

• Access to feedback from attendees of the ITW Showcase.

• Promotional support for your public reading. 

• Photo and video documentation of their public reading.

TIMELINE UPON SELECTION FOR PROGRAM

• Bios, headshots, and brief synopsis of the project due: one week after selection. 

• Treatment and ITW questionnaire due: January 1 

• Rough draft due: March 31 

• First draft due: July 31 

• Pre-workshop draft due: August 31st 

• Showcase rehearsals and reading: September or first quarter of the following year

All date ranges above are subject to change.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must be US residents and be generally considered early to mid-career artists. Special consideration will be given to Minnesota based artists. Up to one slot in each cohort may be made available to artists outside the state of Minnesota.

Artists must have presented their own theatrical work to audiences as a professional at least two times OR must demonstrate a significant involvement in live performing arts over the past five years.

Artists must be interested in developing their work in a collaborative environment with mentorship and critical response. 

Projects pitched for In The Works must NOT have had a professional public performance in the past, nor a scheduled premiere in the future. If a project has received previous development support in the form of a commission, workshop, reading, or similar presentation in the past, please state so clearly in the history section of the submission application. (Note that this program is designed to support artists and their projects at the earliest stage of the creative process.)

Any artists selected for the IN THE WORKS program in Trademark’s previous season are not eligible to submit. Any artists currently developing or presenting work in Trademark’s current season are not eligible to submit. 

Full-time students, tenured faculty at college/universities, or staff or board members of Trademark are not eligible to submit. 

Please contact info@trademarktheater.org for questions about eligibility. 

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 

Ideal projects pitched for IN THE WORKS might contain: 

• Bold and daring ideas that blend genres or forms. 

• Conceptually intriguing ideas and/or big swings. 

• Projects that center a sense of play, human extremity, and/or a sense of rigorous creativity. 

• Innovative stories that have yet to be seen from voices that have yet to be heard. 

SELECTED ARTISTS MUST ATTEND AND/OR PARTICIPATE IN 

• Feedback sessions with Trademark Artistic staff. 

• The workshop and reading process at the end of their commission cycle as part of the In The Works Showcase. 

• Pre-production meetings for the Showcase presentation. 

• Occasional promotional and marketing activities for Trademark Theater, including written and videoed testimonials. 

• Additional activities as designed by Trademark staff. 

TO APPLY

Visit THIS LINK to submit your materials. (LINK IS NOT YET ACTIVE, PLEASE CHECK BACK SOON.)

A checklist for your application can be found HERE.