A: Applications are open until 11:59 on Friday, June 3rd.

Yup! There are not restrictions on applications to The Little Shakespeare Festival. Artists can apply from any city, state, or country.

We accept all forms of performance, including, but not limited to, traditional plays, staged readings, improv shows, stand-up comedy, storytelling, drag shows, variety/cabaret shows, musicals, clowning shows, dance shows, musicians/bands, mixed media, film, burlesque, and performance art. The biggest restriction is simply what our venue, UNDER St Marks, can handle (for example, we cannot support any ariels). We accept non-English language and bilingual shows (please fill out the application in English, though).

While most of the festival shows have been between 60 and 90 minutes, there is not a limit on run times. That said, we strongly suggest shows be at least 40 minutes to stand alone (if we get multiple shorter pieces, we may consider arranging a double bill) and shows that run about an hour are the easiest to schedule.

A: You apply with a production. The Little Shakespeare Festival does not provide casting, directors, stage managers, or artistic team members. We may be able to help you find the folks you need to fill out your team, but you will be responsible for producing your show as a part of the festival.

A: Just fill out the form! There are no fees associated with applying for or participating in the festival. Instead, we do a box office split to help cover the costs of producing the festival.

A: You can, but both will not be accepted. If you have multiple shorter pieces (under 30 minutes) that could be presented together, you can submit them as a single project.

A: It takes place in New York City at FRIGID New York’s home venue, UNDER St Marks, in the Lower East Side. USM is a 45-seat basement blackbox. Unfortunately, it is only accessible via stairs. If you’re not familiar with the space, you can see the venue details here or email office@frigid.nyc to set up an in-person viewing.

A: Every production that participates in the festival will get…

• 1 to 5 performances
• One tech and front of house staff member for each performance
• One staffed tech rehearsal
• Participation in festival marketing efforts including publicity by Emily Owens PR
• Full ticketing setup, including festival ticketing and 3rd party vendor listings
• The option to stream and/or record performances
• Free tickets to other festival shows on a stand-by basis
• A box office ticket split wherein the first $200 of each performance goes to the theater and the remainder is a 50/50 split
  

A: Conor Mullen curates the Little Shakespeare Festival and has done so since 2022. Conor is an educator, theater artist, stage combat choreographer, and Shakespearian improvisor based out of New York City. He is a founding member of As You Will, which has been performing “unscripted Shakespeare” and teaching accessible workshops on iambic pentameter since 2015. While not a member of staff, he is a long-time part of the FRIGID community.

A: First, we highly suggest you review the festival handbook before applying. There are even more details about the festival timeline, what we can and cannot allow in the space, tech, and ticketing. If you still have questions, you can email us at office@frigid.nyc.