What happens when a group of actors, writers, and directors converge together with the task of writing and performing a new play in twenty-four hours?Insomnia!!
The Grex Group Theatre and Guiltner Creative Productions are proud to host the Insomniacs Play-In-A-Day Festival in New York City!
How it works
We invite some of the best up and coming actors, directors, and writers in the NYC area to converge upon a theatre for a weekend of creating new works to be performed for a live audience.
On Friday at 7 p.m. THE CLOCK BEGINS with our mandatory registration and orientation meeting where directors, playwrights, and actors meet and are assigned to their team. Each team is given instructions and a packet with a theme they must incorporate into their script.
The playwright will then seclude themselves somewhere within the city as they write the most brilliant script ever written! As soon as the play is complete (usually within a few hours), the actors will be called in for an all-night rehearsal process with their director. Then Saturday morning, tech rehearsals begin and an evening performance is given in front of a live audience at 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
How participants are chosen
We look for seasoned and early-career professionals for our festival! Great care is given to choosing our participants and our festivals rely upon the skills and talents of each person to make it a success!
When do I know if I’m selected as a festival participant?
We contact you through email to notify you if you are selected into our festival. You will be required to ACCEPT or DECLINE your spot within a 48 time period. If we have not heard from you within that time frame we will give your slot to someone else. Each participant must pay our $15 non-refundable registration fee by our deadline to secure your spot.
Why is there a fee?
We charge a nominal registration fee to help defer some of our expenses including our venue rentals for the festival. The fee also helps insure our participants commitment level to the festival. We strive to provide a professional and quality experience for all involved and want everyone's work to be showcased in the best way possible. Our fee helps us with this effort.
Where do we rehearse?
Each team will be required to find their own rehearsal space that suits their needs. You will be provided a list of rehearsal spaces that you can reserve, but your team will be responsible for paying for rehearsal space. We suggest that you find a “free” (restaurants, coffee shop, parks, apartments, building lobbies) location to conduct initial read-throughs and for planning. Then, reserve a rehearsal space for a couple of hours to conduct your blocking and run through.
What about Tech Rehearsal?
Each team will be assigned a 25 minute tech rehearsal on stage to work with our stage management and sound / lighting crew to run your play.
These tech rehearsals will begin Saturday morning and run throughout the day. It is crucial that each team show up on time for their tech rehearsal!
When do we perform?
There will be TWO festival performances Saturday night and your team will be assigned to ONE of these performances.
Can I invite my friends?
Yes! We hope to be able to share your new work with a live audience! Tickets to attend a performance is only $18, and you will be given one free seat for yourself for your performance! Seating is limited and we expect to sell out, so make sure to reserve tickets in advance through our web site the week of the festival.
If you wish to attend the second performance you will need to buy a ticket since seating will be limited.
How it works
We invite some of the best up and coming actors, directors, and writers in the NYC area to converge upon a theatre for a weekend of creating new works to be performed for a live audience.
On Friday at 7 p.m. THE CLOCK BEGINS with our mandatory registration and orientation meeting where directors, playwrights, and actors meet and are assigned to their team. Each team is given instructions and a packet with a theme they must incorporate into their script.
The playwright will then seclude themselves somewhere within the city as they write the most brilliant script ever written! As soon as the play is complete (usually within a few hours), the actors will be called in for an all-night rehearsal process with their director. Then Saturday morning, tech rehearsals begin and an evening performance is given in front of a live audience at 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
How participants are chosen
We look for seasoned and early-career professionals for our festival! Great care is given to choosing our participants and our festivals rely upon the skills and talents of each person to make it a success!
When do I know if I’m selected as a festival participant?
We contact you through email to notify you if you are selected into our festival. You will be required to ACCEPT or DECLINE your spot within a 48 time period. If we have not heard from you within that time frame we will give your slot to someone else. Each participant must pay our $15 non-refundable registration fee by our deadline to secure your spot.
Why is there a fee?
We charge a nominal registration fee to help defer some of our expenses including our venue rentals for the festival. The fee also helps insure our participants commitment level to the festival. We strive to provide a professional and quality experience for all involved and want everyone's work to be showcased in the best way possible. Our fee helps us with this effort.
Where do we rehearse?
Each team will be required to find their own rehearsal space that suits their needs. You will be provided a list of rehearsal spaces that you can reserve, but your team will be responsible for paying for rehearsal space. We suggest that you find a “free” (restaurants, coffee shop, parks, apartments, building lobbies) location to conduct initial read-throughs and for planning. Then, reserve a rehearsal space for a couple of hours to conduct your blocking and run through.
What about Tech Rehearsal?
Each team will be assigned a 25 minute tech rehearsal on stage to work with our stage management and sound / lighting crew to run your play.
These tech rehearsals will begin Saturday morning and run throughout the day. It is crucial that each team show up on time for their tech rehearsal!
When do we perform?
There will be TWO festival performances Saturday night and your team will be assigned to ONE of these performances.
Can I invite my friends?
Yes! We hope to be able to share your new work with a live audience! Tickets to attend a performance is only $18, and you will be given one free seat for yourself for your performance! Seating is limited and we expect to sell out, so make sure to reserve tickets in advance through our web site the week of the festival.
If you wish to attend the second performance you will need to buy a ticket since seating will be limited.