Ground Floor Theatre is accepting applications for the 2025 GFT Writes cohort. For this cycle, we are considering plays that fall within our mission of supporting work that focuses on underrepresented communities. GFT Writes will meet one to two Sundays a month over twelve months as each playwright develops their play. The process will culminate in a workshop and public reading in September 2025. Playwrights will receive a $600 stipend for their participation in GFT Writes.
To apply, email the following:
1. The current draft of the play you’d like to develop in the cohort.
2. Your theatre resume which includes your address. If your play has had any workshop or production history, please include that here.
3. A one to two page statement addressing the following: what excites you about your play; what questions you will explore as you revise your play; how your play fits into your body of work.
This will be a blinded review process, final selection will be unblinded. Do not include your name or contact information in either your play or statement.
GFT Writes will meet starting in October 2024, with workshops and public readings taking place the following September. Playwrights must be based in the Austin area.
For more information about GFT Writes, click here.
Send your materials in one email to megan@groundfloortheatre.org.
We are accepting applications May 21st-June 14th.
Questions? Contact Megan, megan@groundfloortheatre.org.
We look forward to reading your work!
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Tell me more about Ground Floor Theatre’s mission. How do I know if my play centers “historically underrepresented communities”?
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Ground Floor Theatre fosters an environment for creative thinkers and artists to produce works with a focus on historically underrepresented communities. If you’re not sure if you or your play fall within our mission, it may help to look at the plays we’ve produced and our current GFT Writes cohort. Some additional themes we’re interested in exploring include age, disability, indigeneity, and fatphobia. This list is not exhaustive; we hope to empower audiences and theatre makers whose stories are underrepresented in popular media.
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What are GFT’s expectations of writers accepted to the cohort?
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GFT Writes will generally meet one Sunday a month, in person, with two writers sharing work per session. Writers will respond to one another’s work in addition to developing their own plays. Because this is a collective process and our time together is brief, writers are expected to attend each GFT Writes session.
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I have a play I’m excited about developing with GFT Writes. It’s an early draft play, though. Is it still eligible?
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Absolutely - we will consider plays at any stage of development! Your statement is very helpful for us as we gauge where your play is currently and what your goals are for its development.
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I have an idea for a play, but it's not drafted yet. Can I still apply?
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First drafts are welcome, partially drafted plays are strongly discouraged.
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I don’t have much playwriting experience; can my application still be competitive?
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Yes! Writers of all experience levels are encouraged to apply. We are an incubator of new work – and new artists.
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Can I work on a screenplay?
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GFT Writes is a playwriting intensive. Our intention with this program is to foster new theater focusing on historically underrepresented communities. We love films, but we don’t develop them.
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Can I submit a screenplay with the intention of revising it into a play if I’m accepted?
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We strongly encourage you to revise your piece into a play before submitting.
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I applied last year. Can I apply again?
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Of course, please do!
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