Thank you for your interest! This registration is now closed.

If you were in touch prior to the January 20th deadline, contact us about late registration.

How It Works

About/General:

The Future Is Female Festival invites individuals and theatre companies across the US to host productions or staged readings this March (2017) of ten-minute plays written by women of all backgrounds on the subject “the future is female,” and what that looks like and/or means to them. By joining under the umbrella of a shared festival happening simultaneously in numerous places, our voices will be louder. Instead of spending the month celebrating women’s history, we’ll celebrate women’s futures.

Festival Structure:

• Each theatre company, organization, or individual who chooses to produce an outpost of the festival (a “Host”) is responsible for the details of their own production, such as…
  • Selecting plays according to Fest Guidelines (see tab).
  • Selecting actors, directors, stage managers, and other staff/talent as needed. *There will be a festival directory with names of interested artists of all disciplines.
  • Setting a budget, fundraising, booking a venue, ticketing, and so on. *Please consider ways of making your show(s) affordable for various income levels.
• Hosts may choose the scale of their show according to their budget and resources—full productions and staged readings are both welcome.
• Hosts agree to adhere to TFIF Festival Guidelines and Deadlines (see tabs), and must complete this Registration Form.

Festival Dates:

• Hosts may choose any date(s) and time(s) within March 2017 for their show/reading.
• Hosts can run their show/reading for as many nights as they want.
• All showings/readings must be open to the public.

Supporting Good Causes: (optional)

As a Festival about a future in which the world is a better, brighter, more equal place for all, Hosts are encouraged to find a way to build a fundraising component into their shows. This can be done through donations built in to tickets, using a percentage of proceeds, or simply collecting small cash donations in a basket at the door. Each Host can choose to donate to a local or national cause, such as a social justice or women’s rights group. The charity you pick will be listed with your show information, so your audience can be excited about seeing a show that supports a great cause, too.

Guidelines

These guidelines are a way of keeping The Future Is Female Festival unified across all of its different outposts & locations. If you need to modify something, just make sure it doesn’t interfere with or change the spirit of the festival. 

Selecting Plays: 

• Each Host is responsible for sourcing and selecting the plays for their show.
• All writers must be women. (This can be anyone who identifies as a woman, including non-binary individuals who most closely identify as female.)
• All plays must be written specifically for the premise "the future is female."
  • Please refrain from using existing works, even if they feel like they fit the premise.
• All scripts should be 10-15 minutes, in order to encompasses numerous writers in a night. Aim for at least five plays.
• Hosts are asked to present work written by a diverse array of women with regard to age, race, religion, sexual orientation, and so on.
  • If you have an existing ensemble or community with whom you work, you are asked to look outside of it if necessary.
• Hosts may acquire their plays however they want. e.g., Soliciting specific writers to create a play for your production, or doing an open call for submissions. Playwrights don’t have to be local to your area, unless you want.
• Characters in the plays do not have to be only women; each writer will create her own vision of a future that is female.
• Hosts may set guidelines for playwrights on things like cast sizes and set pieces, as needed for your budget.

Casting, Directors, and other Staff:

• Hosts are encouraged collaborate with female artists, but with the exception of writing the plays, men are welcome and encouraged to participate at all levels; you may certainly get dudes involved and excited about women’s futures, too!
  • Consider casting and staffing choices that add to the diversity of the participants.
• Each Host is responsible for adhering to all union rules and requirements as applicable for artists/staff in AEA or other unions.

Show Titles & Credits:

• Hosts are encouraged to call their show "The Future Is Female Festival," but may use another name if you prefer.
  • If you use a different show name, include "SHOW NAME is part of The Future Is Female Festival" in your subtitle/show description, to help with social media/marketing.
• Hosts agree to include recognition and bios in their printed programs and any online show info for a small number of volunteers organizing the Fest umbrella.

Combining TFIF Fest with Existing Projects and Programs:

Many Hosts have expressed interest in participating in TFIF Fest in conjunction with an existing project or program. This is totally fine, as long as you keep the spirit of TFIF Fest in what you do and comply with all Deadlines (see tab above) and the basic components of these Guidelines with regard to dates (must be in March 2017), plays (a significant portion of your show must be 10-min. plays written by women on the premise "the future is female"), and credit to “The Future Is Female Festival” in your show title/printed programs.

Deadlines

**Newly updated and clarified!**

• Sunday, January 15th, 2017  Extended! Now Friday, January 20th! 
  Last date to sign up as a Host
  • You must register using this form by this date. If you previously signed up with a different form, you still must complete this one to be included.
    
    
• Wednesday, January 25th, 2017: Send in any of your show details relevant to marketing/PR -- at minimum, your date(s) and venue, and any significant milestones/names/achievements related to your outpost.
  
  • Registered hosts will receive a form about a week ahead of this deadline to use to submit this info.
    
    
• Wednesday, February 1st, 2017: Final chance to update anything you want included in the festival calendar/social media, such as artist names.
  
  
• March 1st – 30th, 2017: THE FUTURE IS FEMALE!
  
  

*TFIF Fest is a work-in-progress, so Deadlines may be added or changed; don't worry, if you're a registered Host, you'll be notified in advance.

Register

I am so ready to envision a future that is female! I and/or my organization will be producing an outpost of The Future Is Female Festival.

*Please only submit the below fields once per producer or organization.

I have read and accept How It Works, Guidelines, and Deadlines.

I kindly acknowledge that The Future Is Female Festival is a grassroots effort being run on 100% volunteer labor by a small group of organizers. As such, I understand that my participation in this Festival is being counted on, and I will honor my good faith commitment.