Diamond Mesh Inc. Theatrical Productions To Launch Inaugural MANIFESTIVAL In New York City

Diamond Mesh Inc. Theatrical Productions, led by producers Matt Bader and Faith Pasch, will launch the inaugural Manifestival, a new works theatre festival running July 16 through August 9 in New York City.

The Manifestival will feature new, character-driven plays developed for intimate production settings. The festival is designed to support emerging and independent playwrights by prioritizing storytelling and performance over large-scale design elements.

The festival is currently accepting digital submissions of new plays running 60–75 minutes. Eligible scripts must feature casts of five actors or fewer and be adaptable to minimal staging. Selected works will be presented in one of two formats: the Signature Series, which includes three performances during the festival, or the One Night Only Series, a single-evening presentation.

In a model uncommon among New York City festivals, participating productions will retain 100 percent of their ticket sales. Festival slots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis through the official Manifestival submission form.

Diamond Mesh Inc. was founded with a mission centered on exploring contemporary human connection through theatre. According to the company, its work is intended to examine themes of isolation, community, and presence through live performance.

Faith Pasch is a New York City-based actress, singer, and producer whose credits include I Was a Teenage She-Devil (UK premiere) and work with Disney Cruise Line. She is the founder of Faith Pasch Productions and a co-founder of Fate Productions, which focuses on cabaret work by female and non-binary artists.

Matt Bader is an actor, writer, and producer from Milford, Connecticut. His producing credits include The Silly William Gambit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As a performer, he has appeared in The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Connecticut Repertory Theater, the series The Startup, and productions with The Dinner Detective.