The Neukom Institute Literary Arts Award in Playwriting

About the Neukom Award

The Neukom Literary Arts Award for Playwriting is an annual partnership between the Neukom Institute of Computational Science at Dartmouth, the Department of Theater at Dartmouth College, and Northern Stage based in White River Junction, Vermont. This year's Neukom Festival features both the winner, Instagirl by Canadian playwright Jessica Moss, and the finalist, angel's share by NYC-based playwright Dominic Finocchiaro.

The weeklong workshops will run from April 20-27, culminating in the Neukom Festival from April 25-27, 2024, that will consist of two public readings of each play at Northern Stage and at Dartmouth featuring professional and student actors.

How can students be involved?

We are very excited to invite students to audition for the Neukom readings this year, as there are a number of roles that fit with the Dartmouth demographic! Students cast in the readings will have the opportunity to work alongside professional playwrights, directors, actors, and stage managers for a week in the Spring term. As professional new works development is not usually part of the college theater programming, this weeklong opportunity can allow students to learn more about developing new works and connect with professionals in the field. Participating students will receive a stipend of $100 for the workshop.

Rehearsals will take place on Dartmouth campus; transportation to and from Northern Stage will be provided for the readings that take place at Northern Stage.

Project Details

AUDITIONS: 6-9PM, Mar. 26-27th, 2024; Sign up HERE

WORKSHOP DATES: Apr. 20-27th, 2024 (Apr. 24 day-off; rehearsals during the day on the weekend, in the evening during the week); Acting coachings on the evenings of Apr.16-18th

READING DATES:

angel's share Public Reading #1: 4/25/24 @ 7:30PM (Northern Stage, White River Junction, VT)

Instagirl Public Reading #1: 4/26/24 @ 7:30PM (Northern Stage, White River Junction, VT)

angel's share Public Reading #2: 4/27/24 @ 7:30 PM (Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH)

Instagirl Public Reading #2: 4/27/24 @ 7:30 PM (Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH)

ACTING OPPORTUNITIES:

Instagirl by Jessica Moss: 7 college-aged/young adult female-identifying roles

The 2023 Neukom Award-winning Instagirl puts social media and influencer culture center stage unlike any other piece. The emotional feminist comedy focuses on a house of Instagram influencers and their perpetual struggle in pursuit of fame and success. When an AI influencer is brought into the house as a final attempt by their agency to revive their dwindling careers, her arrival rips open the facade kept up by these young women and probes hard at what lies at the core of authenticity and humanity. Moss's uniquely comic portrayal of these young influencers is fresh and bold, yet compelling to all, regardless of one's familiarity with social media.

angel's share by Dominic Finocchiaro: 1 student-aged male-identifying role

The 2023 Neukom Finalist angel's share tackles the meaning of humanity in a computerized world through a different lens. In the (not too) distant future, where a deceased loved one can be "archived" and digitally "resurrected" via another person, a couple grapples with the consequences of using this technology for their son, who has recently passed. Finocchiaro's gorgeously poetic piece outlines a sorrowful yet hopeful journey undergone by parents in their search for solace.

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2024 Neukom Institute Literary Arts Award for Playwriting. Submissions of full-length plays and other full-length works for the theater will be accepted; all submissions must address the question "What does it mean to be a human in a computerized, digitized world?" Playwrights with either traditional or experimental theater pieces, including multimedia productions, are encouraged to submit works to the award program.

As in the past, the award comes with a $5,000 honorarium as well as a support for a two-stage development process with table readings at local arts festivals/organizations. Note that works that have received a full production are NOT eligible for the competition. 

The deadline for all submissions is May 1, 2024 at 5pm. The awards will be announced in the fall of 2024.
 
Submissions must include:

• An anonymized (blinded) copy of the piece
• Playwright resume/bio
• Production history of the piece
• One-page statement of purpose that answers the following questions:
  • How does your piece address the theme of exploring humanity in our computerized, digital world?"
  • What are your goals for the piece in its current form?
  • How would you use the two-part development process to achieve these goals?

Complete information for play submissions as well as information on previous winners may be found on the Neukom Awards website: https://sites.dartmouth.edu/neukominstitutelitawards/