Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights
7510 Sunset Boulevard, #1050
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 957-4752
E-mail: alapnews@aol.com
ALAP is a support and service organization for Southern California playwrights. Events include an Annual Playreading Festival, symposiums, and social gatherings. Publications include a bimonthly newsletter and an annual membership directory. ALAP is all-volunteer. Dues are $35 and are tax-deductible.
Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center
681 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 822-3006
Beyond Baroque promotes reading, writing, and publication of contemporary literature through regular readings, free and tuition-based workshops in literature and performance, a magazine, and an archive of small press publications. Contact: Fred Dewey.
Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.
(323) 960-5115
www.dramaguild.com
The Dramatists Guild is the professional association of playwrights, composers, and lyricists. The guild is national, with its main office in New York; West Coast membership liaison is Dan Berkowitz (ICIMEDIA@aol.com).
First Stage
6817 Franklin Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 850-6271
www.firststagela.org
E-mail: safstar@aol.com
First Stage works for the development of new work for the screen and stage. It offers staged readings, workshops, and general support for the playwright. Contact: Dennis Safren.
Samuel French Theatre & Film Bookshops
7623 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 876-0570
Open Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sunday
11963 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 762-0535
Open Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m.
www.samuelfrench.com
Samuel French has the largest collection of theatrical books and publications this side of the Chattahoochee.
Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop
335 N. Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 502-3309
The venerable workshop, based on the teaching of the late Lehman Engel, a seasoned Broadway conductor, consists of 30 beginners and 90 continuing members, including choreographers, performers, directors, writers, and musicians. The workshop offers a forum for writers to study the specific crafts of music theatre, bookwriting, composing, and lyric writing, culminating in staged readings and showcases. The application deadline for the workshop, which meets monthly September-June, is in late summer; placement is by interview. Contact: John Sparks, artistic director.
Mark Taper Forum
New Work Festival
http://www.taperahmanson.com/taper/scripts.asp
Literary Department
Mark Taper Forum
135 N. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
The Mark Taper Forum begins accepting submissions for its New Work Festival in January. All submissions should be postmarked no later than Mar. 1.
New Playwrights Foundation
608 San Vicente Blvd., #18
Santa Monica, CA 90402
(310) 393-3682
www.newplaywrights.org
E-mail: dialogue@newplaywrights.org
Since 1969 the New Playwrights Foundation has worked to develop and disseminate new works for theatre and other media written by local nascent and lesser-known writers. Writers workshops meet twice a month in the Santa Monica area for readings, critiques, and exchange of information. Contact: Jeff Bergquist.
Playwrights' Arena
Los Angeles Theatre Center
514 South Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Playwrightsarena.org
E-mail: jrivera923@juno.com
Playwrights' Arena is dedicated to discovering, nurturing, and producing new work written exclusively by Los Angeles playwrights. It also holds readings, workshops, and roundtable discussions.
Playwrights Kitchen Ensemble
Attention: Dan Lauria
The Coronet Theatre
368 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
http://members.aol.com/PKEPKEPKE/PKEFrame1.html
(310) 652-9602
Playwrights Kitchen Ensemble works with playwrights and screenwriters to improve their scripts by hearing their work read by professional actors during staged readings. Participating writers benefit from receiving relevant, objective impressions and constructive criticism about their works-in-progress. Contact: T. Jay O'Brien
Playwrights Ink
(213) 385-4562
E-mail: tjacobson@lacma.org
Playwrights Ink works to develop stage-worthy plays with individual and culturally diverse viewpoints. It fosters relationships with acting ensembles, individual artists, and theatres. Contact: Tom Jacobson.
South Coast Repertory Literary Department
South Coast Repertory
P.O. Box 2197
Costa Mesa, CA 92628-2197
www.scr.org/aboutSCR/colab.html
SCR accepts submissions year-round for full-length plays, translations, and adaptations. Submitted plays are considered for possible inclusion in the NewSCRipts series and the Pacific Playwrights Festival, as well as for production on SCR's Mainstage or Second Stage. Playwrights may submit work through established agents or by first sending a brief synopsis and a 10-page dialogue sample.
Take One Film & Theatre Books
11516 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 445-4050
http://www.take1filmbooks.com
Open Mon.-Sat. noon-8 p.m., Sun. noon-4 p.m.
This newly opened bookstore caters to L.A.-area actors and showbiz types—particularly those on the Westside or otherwise situated closer to the 405 than the 101. It's the perfect place to find audition monologues, agents guides, craft books, and, of course, the latest copy of Back Stage West. Tim Morell, the owner, is the former buyer for Samuel French and Skylight Books.
Writers at Work
4022 Fountain Ave., Ste. 202
Los Angeles, CA 90029-2220
(323) 661-5954
www.writersatwork.com
Email:wtrsatwork@aol.com
Writers at Work offers workshops and other services emphasizing freedom of the imagination, rigorous standards of craft, commitment to one's work, and a supportive environment honoring diversity of voices, styles, and concerns. While committed to serving all writers, it has a particular interest in those whose stories have not been widely recorded: women, lesbians, gay men, and people of color. Contact: Gwin Wheatley.
Writers Guild of America, West
7000 West 3rd St.
West Hollywood, CA 90048
(323) 951-4000
www.wga.org
The Writers Guild was established in 1933 and is the union for writers in the fields of motion pictures, broadcast, cable, and new technology industries. It represents members in collective bargaining and other labor matters.
The Writer's Store
2040 Westwood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 441-5151 or (800) 272-8927
http://writersstore.com
This store sells script-formatting software, supplies, and books related to screenwriting, novel and fiction writing, and film/TV/video production. The store also offers writing classes and seminars. Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.