Now accepting script submissions for Loopshop 8!

Strangeloop Theatre is committed to producing new or newly adapted work, and our annual workshop series, Loopshop, gives Chicago audiences the chance to see a number of new works by emerging playwrights in one sitting.

The series, now in its eighth year, showcases short plays or scenes from full-length scripts in development for two nights in July.

Submission details are as follows:

• All submissions must be performable in 10 minutes or less. 
• All submissions must be original works that have never been fully produced before. Works that have been developed in a workshop environment are acceptable.
• Adaptations and translations are also acceptable as long as any necessary permissions and rights with copyright holders have been obtained. 
• In the case of submissions from larger works, the playwright must choose and/or edit the scene or cutting they want submitted to Loopshop and submit that scene or cutting only. We will not accept any submissions longer than 10 minutes for Loopshop. 
• The deadline for submissions is May 31.

Strangeloop Theatre is committed to play development and the growth of works in progress. Our development process focuses on production-oriented collaboration between writers and artists, as well as readings and performances of scenes that allow audiences to experience and react to the work. To that end, we also welcome submissions that are in early draft or unfinished forms.

You can find information about past Loopshop productions on this blog, on our website and Facebook page.

To submit your work or to ask questions about Strangeloop new play production and development, please contact plays@strangelooptheatre.org.  Please include "Loopshop 8 script submission" in your subject line.

From our artistic directors: We are in Development

Hello everyone and Happy Giving Tuesday!

This Giving Tuesday, I am asking you to consider committing to a monthly donation to Strangeloop Theatre.

Strangeloop is growing in so many ways, but for me, the most interesting growth has been in development. This year Strangeloop has made a real effort to create an internal development series. This is a place for company members to workshop their ideas into more polished scripts that can then contribute to our season selection discussions. We have long been interested in new and adapted work, but to have some many ideas coming straight from our artists has been incredible.

We have held public readings of two of these works. The reading of the full script Thinking Caps, by company member Keith Gatchel, was presentedon September 2 as a part of the Greenhouse Trellis Reading Series. Select scenes from a movement-based stage adaptation of The Odyssey, being adapted by Carrie Campana and Maria Burnham, were performed on November 24 at Black Rock Pub. At both events, we received invaluable feedback from our audiences. There are more exciting ideas in the pipeline, and we can't wait to continue our progress.

In fact, our Spring of 2015 mainstage show will be a full production ofThinking Caps, a play which supposes the advantages and consequences of telepathic social media. The biggest challenge facing new ideas is they need support. New plays are harder to market and therefore riskier for companies to produce.

We think the risk is worth it, we hope you do too.

Commit* to supporting new works by setting up a monthly donation through on our website – strangelooptheatre.org. Simply click on the donation button and you'll be able to set up the amount you wish. If you donate today — or any Giving Tuesday during the holiday season — through our website, PayPal will provide a 1 percent match on every donation received. These types of donations will help create a financial base of support for all our operations, including supporting these new plays. Strangeloop is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. Your contribution will be tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for supporting Strangeloop Theatre.

Letitia Guillaud
Co-Artistic Director

*There are many other ways to give. If you cannot commit to monthly donations, one-time donations in check form can be made out to "Strangeloop Theatre, NFP" and sent to 2616 N. Spaulding Ave. #2, Chicago, IL 60647. If you cannot give at this time, you can still support by helping to spread the word. 

If you are interested in volunteering and feel you have skills that would be helpful to us, or are interested in serving on our board, please e-mail us at loop@strangelooptheatre.org. Thank you.