Sharing Our Stories Initiative

A strong and enthusiastic Request for Proposals for NEW PLAYS & MUSICALS to be developed and produced at The Rose Theater from Omaha-area and Nebraska artists from communities whose voices are currently under-represented on our stages. We are particularly interested in artists who identify as global majority, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color, as well as artists with exceptionalities, and other artists whose voices contribute to cultural equity to tell the stories they would like young people to engage with in our community.

Encouraging proposals for:

• Musicals (preferably 45-75 minutes long)
• Plays (preferably 45-75 minutes long)
• Anthologies
• Revues
• Oral History
• Immersive theater experiences
• Theater-in-Education shows – shows that can tour to schools
• Other Art Forms: Dance/Opera/Slam Poetry/Visual Art

As a theater for young audiences, The Rose seeks:

• Works for Young Audiences and Families
• Works offering educational performance and design opportunities to area students and educators
• Works for the very young (birth until age 5)
• Works ABOUT the Omaha or Nebraska experience encouraged
• Adaptations of stories from other media (film, television, video games, books, etc.)

THE WHY:

To generate new works driven by LOCAL artists of color, artists with exceptionalities, and other artists whose voices contribute to cultural equity, telling the stories they would like young people to engage with in our community. As a primarily white institution, The Rose is committed to confronting & challenging racism, able-ism, xenophobia, and other barriers to inclusivity by using the arts & education work of our theater to promote cultural equity. Consequently, proposed projects do not need to explicitly address cultural identity.

THE WHAT:

Time and space to work with teaching artists and young people to develop the project according to the project’s needs. Some works might best be developed with devising sessions, others might be ready for a reading and some feedback. There is no one pathway for a project concept. Compensation to work on the project: $500 in the development phase, with the expectation that the artist will be ready to participate in meetings about the project, and at least 1-2 development workshops, within a 12 month period. If The Rose produces the piece, the artist will be commissioned at a fee to be mutually agreed upon (typically $3,000-$5,000 for a mainstage play or a work for the very young, $1,000-$2,000 for school tours, youth productions and most other uses). Adaptations of existing copyrighted work are often subject to approval from rights holders. If such approval is granted, The Rose will pay for the underlying rights and hand over negotiations of future royalty splits to the artist themselves to solidify with rights holders.

Rose Mission Statement

The mission of The Rose is to inspire young people and their families to discover the magic of theater, to find their voices and enrich their communities.

EDIA Statement of Purpose

The purpose of The Rose is to help young people shape and utilize their voices to make a better community. Recognizing that anti-racist work is the primary work to make a Rose joyfully and boldly commits to co-creating an equitable future with young people. We promise to do this by using theater as a bridge that connects us all.

THE HOW:

For submission:

• A one to two page treatment or a short video about the play, idea, or concept.
• An artist statement explaining your artistic passions, your collaboration style, and what you would like to accomplish throughout the year. This can be shared in whatever form the artist most feels express themselves- video, written text, visual art.
• If applicable, samples of past work (scene samples, poems, choreography, music, etc.)
• If applicable, a Resume or CV Submissions and questions should be addressed to briang@rosetheater.org

WHEN:

August 19, 2022: Proposals Due

September 1, 2022: The first two artists are chosen for the project

May, July or August 2022: depending on artist availability, staff will hold a script in hand reading of draft for invited guests.