Starting in the 2006-2007 season, Playwrights' Platform has instituted an Actors in Residence (AiR) program. Under the direction of Kelly DuMar and Phyllis Rittner, the Actors in Residence Program comprises a troupe of actors who are available to our member playwrights upon request for readings and Platform productions throughout each Platform season (Sept-June).

Mission Statement

To establish a highly talented, multi-cultural, age-diverse and cohesive group of actors who are readily available to serve playwrights in the development of their plays for readings and productions, and to create an ongoing workshop environment for actors to gain breadth of experience and networking to foster their acting talent and careers.

AiR Program Leadership

The Actor-in-Residence Program is coordinated by Playwrights' Platform President Kelly DuMar and Phyllis Rittner.

Playwright Benefits

This initiative has been developed in response to one of the greatest challenges for playwrights - finding talented actors to work with, as they develop their plays, who fit the roles and have passion and discipline to prepare and follow-through. The Platform has a long history of attracting talented and generous actors and this initiative grows out of that history. Actors who don't fit the role, cancel at the last minute, or fail to prepare for the reading cause stress from the playwright who has requested Platform calendar time and wants to make the most of it.

As the AiR program develops, Playwrights will have the benefit of:.

• Readily available actors of the sex, age, and race to fit their roles
• The opportunity to work closely with certain actors for multiple readings of the same script to develop roles in an informative, collaborative way
• Trust that the actors they request will show up to perform
• The opportunity (optional) to rehearse scripts in advance of public readings so they can work out kinks and establish more clearly what they hope to gain from the reading, as well as the opportunity to revise before public presentation
• Feedback from the actors about role development
• Increased ability to cast the best actors for festivals and production
• To establish long-term relationships with actors for mutual benefit

Actor Benefits

One of the greatest challenges for aspiring actors is how to establish a reputation in a community that demonstrates their range of talent and provides opportunities to be considered for desirable roles. Actors in Residence will have the opportunity to:

~ Network with playwrights whose work is produced in a wide variety of Boston-area festival and venues
~ Gain exposure through headshot/bio posted at www.playwrightsplatform.org and benefit from all Playwrights' Platform marketing
~ Network with directors who do the casting for these shows
~ Network with other talented actors who will recommend them for roles
~ Develop their craft in rehearsal and public readings
~ Gain valuable feedback and validation for growth and development
~ Demonstrate the range and breadth of their talent
~ Gain on-the-spot acting experience
~ Learn how to work effectively with playwrights and directors
~ Try on roles to see if they fit before making a significant commitment to work on a certain play
~ Collaborate directly with playwrights to make great plays
~ Experiment and play
~ Perform in front of Boston audiences

Actor Commitment

~ Attend a monthly (TBD) meeting facilitated by Phyllis Rittner, in collaboration with playwrights, for assignments, rehearsal with playwrights, and ongoing workshop development of acting skills.
~ Perform in a minimum of one public Platform reading per month upon playwright request.
~Perform in a minimum of one of our three productions per year - The Shea Festival, The Boston Theatre Marathon production, and/or the Annual Summer Festival, upon playwright request.

Playwright Commitment

~Give priority casting to Actors In Residence for public readings, performances, and productions in PP Festivals and beyond

Selection Process

A committee has been appointed by Board leadership consisting of: the Actor In Residence Coordinator, appointed by the Executive Board as an Advisory Board Member (Phyllis Rittner), at least one Executive Committee Member, (Kelly DuMar) (two additional Executive Board or Advisory Committee members (Jerry Bisantz, Patrick Brennan, Gail Phaneuf) and a Playwrights' Platform general member (TBD):

~The selection committee is responsible for establishing the criteria for actor selection for each PP season, Sept.-June.
~ The Selection committee is responsible for selecting ten-fifteen actors: deciding which actors may be invited and holding an audition to select the actors who will make up the troupe.
~ The selection committee is responsible for orienting selectees and formalizing their commitment in writing.
~ Selection should be complete by September 1 or the first meeting of the PP Season.

Actors - Please Note!

Whether or not you are selected for the AiR program, you will certainly continue to have opportunities to read roles at PP meetings and act in productions - playwrights aren't obligated to cast AiR members for any roles or readings and there will continue to be opportunities for actors from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience to be involved with the Platform playwrights. A new group of AiR members will be selected each summer for the next PP season (Sept.-June).