November 2014

Welcome!

The ICWP board feels it's important to communicate its goals, achievements, opportunities, and needs with its constituency, and we plan to put out a newsletter at least monthly, perhaps more often.  That is where you come in.  We sincerely seek feedback as to what you want in a newsletter.  

A few of the items that we have agreed upon include our organizational achievements, recognition of important volunteers, and items of importance in theater, especially as it relates to women playwrights.
50/50 Applause Award

In that light, let me begin with extraordinary success of the ICWP 2014 50/50 Applause Award, given to theatres producing works by women playwrights more than 50% of their season.

This year, over 100 nominations were received and 67 recipients from 9 countries received awards.  By comparison, the first awards in 2011 had 5 recipients from one country.  It is becoming a sought-after award with theaters and directors self-nominating, expanding the reach and influence of ICWP.

ICWP would also like to recognize the Herculean efforts of the individuals on the 50/50 Applause Awards committee: Rita Barkey, Amy Drake, Elise Geither, Ellen Margolis, Adrienne Pender, Debbie Tan, Lucia Verona and Sharon Wallace.

This committee did their work as a team, in addition to their individual research. They supported one another and were quick to respond to challenges others were encountering. Members who had previously volunteered on this committee lent their wisdom and advice.

Through their efforts, we were able to reach out to theaters in more countries than ever before, send press releases to international theater bloggers, and translate our communications into multiple languages.

After the nominations window, they offered thoughtful suggestions on improvements for next year, based on their experiences. ICWP sincerely thanks and recognizes the work and efforts of this group who truly worked as a team.

Read More http://womenplaywrights.org/award Recipient
Theatres thank you video http://womenplaywrights.org/award-video

The nomination of Madhuri Shekar for the Lark/PoNY Fellowship

Many prestigious competitions and fellowships do not have open submissions.  They require nominations from organizations or agents.  Playwrights of New York and Lark Play Development Fellowship offer a one-year residency in New York.  Living expenses, medical insurance, and artistic support are provided to a serious young playwright. 

ICWP was asked by the search committee to submit a nomination.  After reviewing the Fellowship's goals, ICWP nominated Madhuri Shekar, Indian-American writer and ICWP member.

Ms. Shekar was strongly recommended by her professor, Paula Cizmar also an ICWP member, as a unique and poignant writer in a critical point in her career.

It is an honor for an organization to be asked to nominate and careful consideration and appropriate recommendations legitimize our organization and position us to participate in other nominations.

For this reason, ICWP is creating an awards committee that will be responsible for selecting candidates when ICWP is asked for recommendations.

Read More about the Lark PONY Award  http://www.playwrightsofnewyork.org/about.html

Current events about gender parity in the arts, especially theater

Women Playwrights International has been dedicated to planning and convening inspirational triennial international conferences, for women playwrights and allied theater artists, that began in 1988. 

It has organized conferences in different parts of the world in an effort to give access to underrepresented regions.

Next year's conference will be June 29 - July 3 in Cape Town, South Africa.

ICWP President, Karen Jeynes, is active in organizing the event. 

Registration is now open at http://www.wpiconference.com/

The ICWP Member Directory

The Member Directory  link has been moved to a more prominent position on the website, linked from the Homepage. Here you will be able to see how your playwright profile looks to the public. http://www.womenplaywrights.org/member-directory

Member Corner

Now, I leave it up to you.  Please give me feedback about the contents of this newsletter and your suggestions for future issues.

I am also interested in including personal accounts from members, not production notices but informative accounts of working on a play in any capacity.

This would be a mini-article where you could expand upon your experience for the benefit of all.

Yours for equitable, engaging, and innovative theater.

Mona Curtis

Newsletter Editor
monacurtis@hotmail.com