FRINGE BLACK BOX

THEATRE FESTIVAL

 

Festival Begins April 12th, 2021 — Submit Today!

The Fringe Black Box Theater’s One-Act Play Festival.

The Festivals mission is to help keep theatre alive during the pandemic.

Enter your dynamic one-act play for a staged reading and competition.

The winner is crowned “Best of Festival”, has their play filmed and distributed through All Media TV and Twitch.

16 plays compete in staged readings to move onto the next round.

4 plays get produced and performed in the Finals.

1 Play wins!

Plays no longer than 20 minutes with casts of 8 or fewer qualify.

Choose to direct your own work or work with and established director.

Submissions: Open Now through March 26th, 2021 11:59pm EDT
Reading Fee: $15.00

Late Submissions: March 27th through April 9th, 2021 11:50pm EDT
Reading Fee: $40.00

Official Selections Announced March 29th & April 12th, 2021

Virtual Staged Readings: April 19th, 26th, May 3rd, & 10th,  2021

Semi-final winners Announced: May 11th, 2021

Virtual Finals: May 15th and 16th, 2021

Grand Prize Winner Announced: Monday May 17th, 2021

Fringe Black Box Theatre
Angry Shih Tzu Productions
Comedy Therapy Logo
Drinks Jokes N Storytelling
All Media Tv

FESTIVAL

SUBMISSIONS

SCREENING AND

PERFORMACE TICKETS

FESTIVAL INFORMATION

FESTIVAL DATES

Festival Begins April 12th, 2021 — Submit Today!

Submissions: Open Now

Regular Submissions End:  March 26th, 2021 11:59pm EDT
Regular Reading Fee: $15.00

Late Submissions End:  April 9th, 2021 11:50pm EDT
Late Reading Fee: $40.00

Official Selections Announced:  April 10th, 2021

Virtual Staged Readings:
April 19th, 26th, May 3rd, and 10th, 2021
Audience Tickets: $10.00

Semi-Final Winners Announced:
March 29th & April 12th, 2021

Virtual Finals: May 15th and 16th, 2021

Grand Prize Winner Announced: Monday May 17th, 2021

FESTIVAL DETAILS

The Fringe Black Box Theater’s One-Act Play Festival.

The Festivals mission is to help keep theatre alive during the pandemic.

Enter your dynamic one-act play for a staged reading and competition.

The winner is crowned “Best of Festival”, has their play filmed and distributed through All Media TV and Twitch.

16 plays compete in staged readings to move onto the next round.

4 plays get produced and performed in the Finals.

1 Play wins!

Plays no longer than 20 minutes with casts of 8 or fewer qualify.

Choose to direct your own work or work with and established director.

 

STAGED READINGS

Staged Reading I

Monday
April 19th, 2021 ~ 8pm

Tonight’s featured Plays and Playwrights are:
Cleaning House by Michele Miller
The Cocktail Party by Don Jameson
The Mackenzie Four by Vinnie Nariello
The Sweatshirt by Sean Conway

Staged Reading II

Monday
April 26th, 2021 ~ 8pm

Tonight’s featured Plays and Playwrights are:
The Perfect Date by Marc Kaye
The Birds are Feeding Me by Rex McGregor
Broad Daylight by Alex Goldberg
Principal’s Office by Jon Koppel

Staged Reading III

Monday
May 3rd, 2021 ~ 8pm

Tonight’s featured Plays and Playwrights are:
It is the Cause by Stephen Olson
Tumbling After by Paula Fell
The Slightly Exaggerated True Story of Civic Virtue by Mark Aaron Loewenstern

Staged Reading IV

Monday
May 10th, 2021 ~ 8pm

Tonight’s featured Plays and Playwrights are:
Killer Chicken by Jack Rushton
Senior Moments by Pamela Morgan
A Cheap Maid in Chasteside by Craig Gustafson
Dinner for Four by Christopher Tait
The Universe’s Experiment – by Sebastian Martinez

THE FINAL IV PERFORMANCES

Finals Day I

Saturday 
May 15th, 2021 ~ 6pm

Finals Day II

Sunday
May 16th, 2021 ~ 2pm

The Festival Begins!

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MEET THE JUDGES

Mark Riccadonna

Mark Riccadonna

Mark moved to NYC in search of himself and happiness. He pursued Theatre at The American Academy of DramaticArts, joining ” The Company” after graduation. Soon after, Mark stumbled upon Stand-up comedy and found success as a storyteller, performing throughout New York City, and on the road. Mark also performs for Armed Forces Entertainment and has entertained U.S. and U.N.Troops worldwide, performing all over the globe and across The United States.

Outside of comedy, Mark is an accomplished actor and writer. Most recently Mark has a lead role in the feature film “Days of Power” and was a contributing writer for Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update”, Columnist and Travel writer for “Today’s Man” Magazine”, Wrote and Directed “Radio Gods” television Pilot, starred in “Game Night” (Winner of the International Film Festival NYC) been seen on AXS TV’s “Live at Gotham”, FOX’s “Laughs”, heard on Sirius XM and Bob and Tom, and also has a hit Podcast “Drinks Jokes and Storytelling” which now has its own channel on Twitch.tv/drinksJokesNStorytelling. They recently broke a world record for Longest Stand Up Show.

Whether he is working with The Amoralists Theatre Company (In the acclaimed hit “Happy in the Poor House”), Angry Shih Tzu Productions or on tour with Stand-Up, Mark continues to climb the ranks. He is a gifted storyteller, with a charisma that makes you feel like you’ve known him forever, unique delivery, signature voice (that has landed him several commercials), and likability; you will see why he is a favorite at clubs and theatres everywhere.

Mark’s latest albums “If Tom Brady”, & “It’s All Downhill From Here” is currently through Realize Records and can be heard on Sirius/XM and Recently produced the film “Dark State” which is premiering at AMC Theatres March 19th.

Jim Mendrinos

Jim Mendrinos

Having dipped his toes in just about every comedic pool—from stand-up to television to playwriting to screenwriting—Gotham TV writing teacher Jim Mendrinos has found there is more than just one path to being funny.

Officially, Jim began performing stand-up comedy at the age of nineteen. Before long, Jim performed stand-up at the fabled Catch a Rising Star in New York City. As luck would have it, the producer of Hee-Haw saw one of Jim’s shows in Nashville and hired him to write one-liners for the television show. Throughout his career, Jim has worked for David Letterman, The Tonight Show, The Chevy Chase Show, Head of the Class, Roseanne, and Saturday Night Live. In addition, he has been staffed on nine TV pilots and optioned eleven pilots.

“Your reputation is currency,” Jim stresses. “I’ve never missed a deadline in television, which is rare. I get calls because they know by hook or by crook, it’ll get done.”
Jim has also dallied in political humor as a frequent guest on Fox News’s Strategy Room.
He produces the New York City Underground Comedy Festival, which has helped at least 70 comedians get on television for the first time. He says, “I wanted to help people in the same way that my mentors helped me.”

Sheila Simmons

Sheila Simmons

Sheila has an extensive creative career that encompasses many genres. Her first film short, REPRIEVE was accepted to the New Filmmakers Winter Film Series, an Official Selection for NYC Filmmakers Festival, NY , International Film Festival (LA) and The REAL You Film Festival.

Aside from writing the graphic novella REPRIEVE is based on, she has written directed and produced other film projects , including A LOTHARIO’S LAMENT, which is her second short film that she has written, directed and produced. It won an Official Selection in The Short Film Corner- Court Metrage at Cannes, The New York City International Film Festival, The Hoboken Film Festival and Manhattan International Film Festival, International Film Festival Manhattan, as well as a few selected screenings.

Some of her Acting credits include 30 ROCK, HBO’s The Vagina Monologues and All My Children. Sheila has also performed in various Stage productions both on and off -Broadway, including Intimate Apparel, by Lynn Nottage, The Screw Tape Letters by C.S. Lewis and Spell # 7 by Ntozake Shange.

Film credits include 2 Marys, Lover Man, Sing Me To Sleep, two versions of Doubt, first as Mrs. Mueller, then Sister Aloysius, and The Chair Lady which is the first American Frum film to be subtitled into Hebrew for screenings in Jerusalem. Yes, Sheila did a film that was truly Kosher!
Sheila is now is in production for her online police procedural that she wrote, directs and stars in entitled, BLUE WALL: THE SERIES. The show will be airing on VHX in the Fall.

Rob Bartlett

Rob Bartlett

Born in Brooklyn, Rob is best known for his 31-year tenure with the Imus in the Morning Program, providing many of the show’s most popular characters. In the early 1980’s he was one of the three members of the Improv Group, The Identical Triplets, with Eddie Murphy, and when the group went their separate ways, he began a 10-year career as a National Stand-Up Comic Headliner.

He made his Broadway debut as author and star of More to Love, A Big Fat Comedy’, with Dana Reeve, and his many Broadway roles include Mushnik in the Original Broadway Cast of Little Shop of Horrors, Amos Hart in Chicago, Speed in The Odd Couple with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and the dual character roles of ‘Mr. Twimble’ and “Wally Womper” in the Broadway Revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with Daniel Radcliffe.

Off Broadway, Rob won a Drama Desk Award for his role in Tabletop. Along with appearances on The David Letterman Show, and Late Night With Conan O’Brien, Rob won Two Emmy Awards for his Not For Profit Television Special and had recurring Television roles as Troy, the Security Guard in ABC’s Ugly Betty, Defense Attorney Milton Schoenfeld in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC, Bond Attorney Bernie Bucovitz on the last season of the hit CBS drama The Good Wife, and Guest Starred in a five-episode story arc on Elementary as Captain Dwyer.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Fringe Black Box Theater Festival?

A group of writers, producers, comedians and actors are keeping the arts and theater alive during the pandemic. We are committed to showcasing the wealth of talent that exists and are producing a festival over a month to bring one-act plays together.

Where is the festival taking place?

The entire festival will be taking place online through Zoom. Once you register, all relevant information will be sent to you.

When is the festival taking place?

The semi-final staged readings will take place for 4 consecutive Mondays via Zoom at 8PM EST, April 19 through May 10 (April 19 and 26 and May 3 and 10).

When will the 4 finalists be announced?

The 4 finalists will be announced on Tuesday, May 11.

What is the date of the finalist competition?

The final 4 plays will be performed on Saturday, May 15 at 8 PM EST and May 16 at 2 PM EST via Zoom.

When will the winner be announced?

The winner will be announced Monday, May 17.

What does the winner receive?

The winner will have a professionally filmed stage production that will be featured on All Media TV and Twitch. The date will be determined following the announcement.

What are the submission guidelines for my one-act play?

Your one act must be an originally written one-act play no longer than 20 minutes in length (approximately 20 pages) and with no more than 8 characters. We’re not going to disqualify you if it is a bit more than 20 minutes so don’t edit your great material! We just don’t have time to sit through the entire Godfather trilogy!

When is the submission deadline and how much does it cost to enter?

Early bird submissions are $15 by 11:59 PM EST by March 26, 2021. Late submissions from March 27 through April 9, 2021 11:59 EST are $40. A portion of the sum total from every submission and ticket sale will go to a charity of choice as determined by the grand winner.

Do I get to choose which date I would like if my play qualifies for the semi-finals?

With so many submissions, we will assign each semi-finalist a date. If, for some reason, that date is not compatible with your schedule, we will do our best to accommodate a date that will work with you as best we can, assuming it is possible.

Where do I submit my one-act play?

Please follow the instructions on www.fringeblackboxtheatrefestival.com. Payment is required at time of submission either via PayPal or Venmo. The PayPal and Venmo information is available on the website.

What format is required for submission?

Please submit your one-act play in a PDF written in screenplay format. Please have a title page that includes the name of your play, the authors name(s) and the best email to reach you with.

When will I be notified if my one-act is selected as a semi-finalist?

Semi-finalists scheduled for April 19 or 26 will be notified by March 29. Semi-finalists scheduled for May 3 or 10 will be notified by April 12.

Will I need to have my own actors available if selected?

When you submit, please indicate if you have actors available to read should your one-act be selected. Should you require actors or a director, there will be a nominal fee, depending on the extent of what you need. Please note, all actors or directors requested will rehearse over Zoom.

Will I need to direct my own play if selected or have someone available?

You may choose to direct your own play yourself or with someone you choose. However, if you wish you use one of our directors, please make sure you denote so on your application. Should you require actors or a director, there will be a nominal fee, depending on the extent of what you need. Please note, all actors or directors requested will rehearse over Zoom.

Are there rehearsals if selected?

There will be a 1-hour rehearsal for each selected play via Zoom scheduled prior to the performance.

How will the festival be judged?

The event will be judged by writers, producers and actors who have been and continue to work in theater, stand-up comedy and entertainment. Each one-act play will be judged across 5 categories: plot, character development, dialogue, overall writing quality and entertainment value. All selections are at the discretion of the judges. All the judge’s decisions are final.