Record Submissions Received for 35th SAMUEL FRENCH INC. OFF OFF B'WAY Fest

SAMUEL FRENCH INC. OFF OFF BROADWAY SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL has received a record number of submissions for its 35th annual presentation, which will take place beginning July 13 at The Lion Theatre at Theatre Row. The week-long festival will feature a selection of 40 short plays, six
of which will be chosen by the Samuel French, Inc. Editorial Staff with assistance from a panel of judges comprised of established playwrights, literary agents and artistic directors to receive
publication and licensing contracts. The Forty Finalists will be announced on May 17.

Festival producers received 883 submissions this year, nearly a 20% increase from last year and an over 50% increase from two years ago. According to Festival Coordinator Kenneth Dingledine, "In addition to the largest number of submissions we've ever had, I feel it is interesting to note that the breadth of the submission base is expanding even further. Although we have a large concentration of applicants from the New York and LA areas, we have received a larger proportion of submissions from all over the U.S. and Canada as well as the UK, Eastern Europe, Australia and Singapore."

SAMUEL FRENCH INC. OFF OFF BROADWAY SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL started in 1975 and is Manhattan's oldest continuous short play festival. Hundreds of theatre companies and schools have participated in the Festival's first thirty-four years, including companies from coast to coast as well as abroad from Canada and England. This festival has served as a doorway to future success for many aspiring writers. Since its inception, 187 plays from the Festival have been published, and many of the participants have become established, award-winning playwrights including Theresa Rebeck, Shirely Lauro, Bekah Brunstetter, Steve Yockey, David Johnston and Sheila Callaghan. For more info on the Festival visit www.samuelfrench.com/oobfestival.

Emerging playwrights have produced work in the Festival with the support of such theatres as The Public Theater, The Royal Court, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Flea Theatre, The Living Theatre and Naked Angels, and with the backing of prestigious university playwriting programs such as The New School for Drama, Columbia University, The Juilliard School, University of Iowa, and NYU Tisch
School of the Arts' Dramatic Writing Program. By requiring authors to collaborate with a producing organization and present their work in performance, Samuel French seeks to encourage the collaborative and creative process of playwriting.

Samuel French Inc. was founded in 1830 with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and London, and retail bookstores in Hollywood and Studio City making it the oldest and largest publisher and licensor of plays in the world. For more info visit www.samuelfrench.com.

SAMUEL FRENCH INC. OFF-OFF BROADWAY SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL runs July 13 -18. The Lion Theater at Theatre Row is located at 410 West 42nd Street (between 9th/10th Aves -- accessible from the A,C,E,N,R,V,F,1,2,3 trains at 42nd Street). Tickets are $18 each, available in mid June at
212-279-4200 or www.TicketCentral.com.

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