Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Accepting Applications for 2012 National Critics Institute

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is now accepting applications for its 2012 National Critics Institute (NCI) to be held July 2-16, 2012. Applicants may submit through Friday, June 15, 2012.

A two-week intensive, the National Critics Institute offers writers, professional or amateur, complete immersion in the life of professional theater. NCI runs concurrently with the O'Neill's National Playwrights Conference and National Music Theater Conference and provides Critic Fellows a unique opportunity to observe the growth of new American Theater while sharpening their own skills as writers.

Selected applicants can expect a rigorous exploration of their work. Critic Fellows see a production every night and their copy?a review of the show, an interview with a playwright, a feature about an actor or director?is due early the next morning. Copy is then usually read aloud and discussed by the group under the direction of a seasoned theater writer or editor. With feedback from professionals like Michael Feingold (The Village Voice), Linda Winer (Newsday), and Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune ), applicants will receive frank, objective criticism of their work and learn the latest trends in theatre journalism, from blogging and tweeting to web publishing.

"We don't come to the O'Neill to tell the playwrights what's wrong with their scripts," says NCI director Dan Sullivan, who reviewed theater for the Los Angeles Times for twenty years. "This is about our process as writers? the place where we exercise our right to fail. It's a tough two weeks, not a vacation at the beach. We like to call it a boot camp for critics. For critics with experience it's a re-boot. There's no other program like it."

Although primarily designed for working writers, NCI also welcomes theater educators. The program has included professors associated with the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for years. CEU credits are available.

Cost of the session is $1,800. This includes private room, meals, tuition and tickets to National Playwrights Conference, National Music Theater Conference, Goodspeed Opera House and Ivoryton Playhouse. Limited financial aid is available for qualified candidates.

For more information call Dan Sullivan at (612)-522-9053 or visit www.theoneill.org/professional-development-and-education/nci/.