UPDATE: This post reflects the extended deadlines for both programs. The PILOT Project deadline is now October 7, 2024, and the SoftLaunch deadline is October 14, 2024.

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Cleveland Public Theatre announces two interconnected opportunities for performance creators: SoftLaunch and The PILOT Project.

SoftLaunch

SoftLaunch is a new performance festival that seeks bold experimentation, innovation, and complete reinvention of what theatre can be. (Think installation art, immersive performance, shows for one or two people, and way beyond all that—we don’t know what all this can be!) 

SoftLaunch is a weekend-long festival/conference, January 23-26, 2025. Audience members get a pass and can wander as they wish to see different performance experiments. This is a beta test, and we are seeking work that ranges from workshop to fully produced.  

We are only interested in projects that do not fit the normal theatre mode─not plays that are produced in a normal theatre setting even if that play is radical. 

For example:   
Sleep No More? YES
Recent Sankai Juku performance? NO  

We plan to include works that are fully produced, in workshop, and less developed, in which the work is purely explained with some visual references (the equivalent of a staged reading but for this other kind of work.) 

CPT provides the following SoftLaunch benefits: 

• CPT will provide a rehearsal space which might be the space where the artist might perform depending on availability, or other available space.
• Four hours of assistance from a technical team member.
• A stage manager for the larger event.
• Access to CPT lights, sound, props, and sets as available (artist must formally request).
• Front-of-house and box office support.
• Direct mail piece advertising the series.
• Program/schedule for the event.
• A $500 to $1200 project fee determined by scale/scope and level of completion.  

The value of CPT’s investment in each individual project is over $2,500-7,500. 

Lead Artists will: 

• Be present on site at all showings of their work (even if they are not performing).
• Attend four meetings: 12/7 @ 10am, 1/4 @ 10am, 1/18 @ 10am, and wrap-up meeting, 2/1 @ 10am.
• Attend technical and dress rehearsal.
• All artistic content: content must be owned by the artist, or the artist must have authority to use material (in case of adaptation or inclusion of other content).
• Their own separately contracted creative teams including performers, designers, technicians, etc.
• Attend symposia and forums during SoftLaunch.

There are three ways artists can get involved in SoftLaunch: 

1. Apply through the Google Forms application here.
2. Apply for The PILOT Project (see below).
3. To perform in SoftLaunch, if you are not already connected to a project, let CPT know you are interested. We will share that interest with the creators of work for SoftLaunch. Send an email with resume and headshot to artistic@cptonline.org with the subject line: “Performer for SoftLaunch.”

Yes, you can do all three of the above!  

SoftLaunch applications are due no later than October 14, 2024.

The PILOT Project 

The PILOT Project is a learning community guided and facilitated by Cleveland Public Theatre’s Executive Artistic Director Raymond Bobgan with the explicit goal to explore new forms and new innovations in theatrical performance. This will be an open workshop where students will learn and share different theatre inspired performance trends and ideate around new forms and ideas. This workshop will be free for those accepted into the project.   

Participants/PILOTs will be afforded special opportunities to create work for SoftLaunch, CPT’s newest new work development festival intended for theatrical work that is NOT theatre in the normal sense—think performances for one, seances, performative installations, immersive performance, participatory performance, and so much more. Participants must be available for SoftLaunch and rehearsals in advance, and will be compensated with a small fee for being a part of the event as well as a small budget for projects. 

SoftLaunch will go public January 23-26, 2025. (You don’t have to be in The PILOT Project to be a part of SoftLaunch, there is a separate application for that, but if you ARE part of The PILOT Project you are expected to be a part of SoftLaunch in some way!) 

The learning community will be encouraged to come up with new and impactful ways to engage with audiences.  

Participants/PILOTs commit to attending all workshops (one absence will be permitted) on Saturdays at 10am-1pm: 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9, and Sunday, 11/10, 1-4pm. 

This work is inspired by Raymond’s successful Directing Creation course but will be more of a group process and discussion platform. 

To apply for The PILOT Project, send an email with the following criteria to Artistic@cptonline.org: 

Email subject should be your last name followed by The PILOT Project.

Provide Name as you want to be called and as it would appear in a program.  

Provide Phone Number.  

Attach resume. Provide links to any relevant work samples.  

Answer the following questions in a total of approximately 2-3 “pages.”

Q1: Why do you want to be part of The PILOT Project?

Q2: What experience do you bring in making plays and/or in making “not-plays”?

Q3: Do you already have some ideas about the kind of work you want to make?  

Q4: What strengths do you hope to bring to the room? 

Q5: Where is your learning edge at? In what ways do you hope to grow and learn?  

Applications for The PILOT Project are due no later than October 7, 2024.

Have Questions? Reach out to SoftLaunch Co-Line Producer Anastasía Urozhaeva, aurozhaeva@cptonline.org.