LaBute New Theater Festival

NEIL LABUTE

Neil LaBute received his Master of Fine Arts degree in dramatic writing from New York University and was the recipient of a literary fellowship to study at the Royal Court Theatre and also attended the Sundance Institute’s Playwrights Lab.

Films Include: In the Company of Men (New York Critics’ Circle Award for Best First Feature and the Filmmaker Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival), Your Friends & Neighbors, Nurse Betty, Possession, The Shape of Things (a film adaptation of his play by the same title), The Wicker Man, Lakeview Terrace, Death at a Funeral, Some Velvet Morning, Dirty Weekend and Fear The Night (along with various short films).

Plays Include: Bash: latter-day plays, The Shape of Things, The Mercy Seat, The Distance From Here, Autobahn, Fat Pig (Olivier Award Nominated for Best Comedy), Some Girl(s), This Is How It Goes, Wrecks, Filthy Talk For Troubled Times, In a Dark Dark House, Reasons To Be Pretty (Tony Award Nominated for Best Play), The Break of Noon, In a Forest Dark and Deep, Reasons To Be Happy, The Money Shot, The Way We Get By, All The Ways To Say I Love You, How to Fight Loneliness, Reasons to be Pretty Happy and the upcoming Comfort and Bounce The Moon (along with various collections of short plays).

Adaptations Include: Woyzeck, Dracula, Miss Julie, Uncle Vanya and Antigone.

TV Work Includes: Full Circle, Ten X Ten and Billy & Billie for DIRECTV, Van Helsing for SYFY and The I-Land for NETFLIX.

LaBute is also the author of Seconds of Pleasure, a collection of short fiction which was published by Grove Atlantic.

THE CREATIVE TEAM FOR THE FESTIVAL INCLUDES:

Neil LaBute – Film Director, Screenwriter and Playwright
William Roth – Actor, Founder, Artistic Director St. Louis Actors’ Studio
John Pierson – STLAS Assoc. Artistic Director, Actor, Teacher English and Theatre Departments John Burroughs School
Nathan Bush – Actor, Professor of Theatre Arts -Oregon State University
Michael Hogan – Actor, Director
Edward Scott Ibur –Novelist, Director, St. Louis Literary Award, Associate Director of Dual Enrollment at St. Louis University, Director, Gifted Arts(Writers & Artist Project for Middle School & High School)
Elizabeth Helman – Actor, Writer, Director, Professor of Theatre Arts -Oregon State University
Maggie Doyle Ervin – English Department, John Burroughs School
Patrick Huber – Associate Director, St. Louis Actors’ Studio-Set Design and Lighting, Teacher Theater, Design and Architecture Mary Institute, Country Day Prep School

SUBMISSIONS 2024!

Submissions will be accepted October 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024.

PROFESSIONAL SUBMISSIONS

Successful entries will have no more than four characters and be crafted specifically to exploit our intimate performance space. (18′ x 18′ stage) Changes in scenery or setting should be achievable quickly and with few major set moves. Our focus is on fundamental dramaturgy: plot, character and theme.

Professional, new and previously unproduced one-act play submissions should include a letter of inquiry, a synopsis and a 10-page sample from the script. Running time for each performance should not exceed 45 minutes. Up to Eight plays will be chosen. In addition, a new piece from Mr. LaBute will be performed every night for the run of the festival.

2024 HIGH SCHOOL SUBMISSIONS - Due by May 31, 2024

Winning plays by high school students will be presented in readings. The guidelines are straightforward: The one act should include no more than four characters featuring a clearly developed plot and distinctive characters. No longer than 15 minutes in length. Non-Professional, new and previously unproduced one-act play submissions should include a letter of inquiry and complete script.

Submissions should be sent to:
LaBute New Theater Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio, 360 N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108
For more information: 314-458-2978 or help@stlas.org

PRESS

LaBute Festival Adds New York Shows
St. Louis Actors’ Studio to celebrate LaBute