Clay & Water 2020

Now Accepting Applications for our
Second Annual Playwrights’ Retreat

Application Deadline:  October 31, 2019
Retreat Dates:  January 25-30, 2020 (Departure January 31)

Discover Clay County, Florida. Stay within walking distance of Green Cove Springs’ famous Spring Park and of the lovely St. Johns River, at the River Park Inn–a beautifully renovated historic bed & breakfast. Recharge your batteries, and focus on your writing.

HOW IT WORKS

We provide accommodations, a no-pressure developmental reading of your work-in-progress, and a chance to see some of the points of interest of the surrounding area to five selected playwrights.

Accommodations are fully covered by Clamour at the historic River Park Inn, a beautiful bed & breakfast just steps away from Spring Park and the St. Johns River in Green Cove Springs, Florida.

EXPECT TO PAY YOUR OWN WAY HERE. Fly into Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) where we’ll pick you up, or drive yourself to Green Cove Springs. (There’s also an Amtrak station in Jacksonville, if needed.)

Arrival day is Saturday, January 25, 2020 and departure day is Friday, January 31. Late arrival and/or early departure is not allowed, because there will be many applicants who are able to attend for the full week.

Breakfast is provided.  You will be responsible for your other meals while you are here.

There are a few reasonable restaurants, a wine bar, and a coffee shop within walking distance of the bed & breakfast inn where you’ll be staying, and we’ll get you to a grocery store at the beginning of the week. Be aware, however, that there are no cooking facilities available at the inn. There is a small refrigerator, so you could keep some sandwich fixings and fruit and the like at hand. Breakfast is included daily at the Inn (proprietor’s choice). Nearby restaurants are Mexican, wings and burgers, and soup and sandwich lunches, so if you have serious special dietary requirements, this may not be the retreat for you!

Each playwright will get a developmental reading of a work-in-progress.

We will provide local actors for readings. Readings will be in the evenings and open to the public at no charge–and will be fully understood to be unrehearsed, cold readings for development and NOT performances.

Whether you want your reading early in the week so you can spend the rest of the time on rewrites or you want to write first and read later, we will try to make that work within the framework of all requests. There will be a moderated audience feedback session at your reading. (Don’t worry! Our audiences are supportive.)

We do ask you to be available for two informal meet-and-greet Q&A sessions with local students and/or other interested community members to answer questions about the craft and business of playwriting. These will be held either within walking distance of the Inn or transportation will be provided.

Two optional sightseeing opportunities will be scheduled.  One will be a short trip to see various points of interest in Clay County. A longer excursion can be arranged toward the end of the week to see St. Augustine. Transportation will be provided. Any entrance fees to historical sites or other attractions are your responsibility.

If you applied to a previous retreat and were not accepted at that time, by all means, please apply again.  We’re looking for the right combination of people, so many factors go into selection. You should never feel that not being chosen in any given year is a reflection on your writing.

If you were accepted and attended a previous retreat, as much as we would love to see you again, we’d like to keep meeting new people.  We will probably not be able to invite you back again at this time.

Aside from being at the Meet-and-Greets and at your own reading, attendance at readings and tourist opportunities is optional.

We are working on the funding for small travel stipends and meal allowances, but we cannot promise that. For now, expect to pay your own way here and to feed yourself.

To apply: Contact Elaine at esmith@clamourtheatre.org up to and including October 31, 2019 and introduce yourself. Tell us a little about yourself both personally and professionally, and tell us what you plan to work on while you’re here. Ask any questions you may have. There is no application fee, but we would like to see a short writing sample (no more than ten pages in a PDF).  Note:  Writing sample requirement is waived if you have previously submitted a ten-minute or full length play to Clamour.

Clamour Theatre Company is committed to diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual preference, and experience.

SPONSORS

And thank you to the restaurants and many other contributors to our “No Starving Artists” Fund who are helping to feed our guests while they are here!

  • Janet Peterson, dōTERRA Essential Oils
  • Connell CPR Training
  • Annie Grogan
  • The Stokes Family, supporters of Clay County Literacy Coalition
  • Anonymous Finally Friday donor
  • Hair Pros Salon
  • Something Special
  • Two Chic's Eclectic Mix
  • The Guitar Station
  • The Treasure Box
  • Gail Mugler
  • Visual FX
  • Chaney's Home Improvement
  • The Sheik Sandwiches (GCS)
  • Walgreen's
  • Lynne Vincent to Wear

MORE

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