Submission Process

For 2011, we will be presenting six productions as part of our professional series: four local and two national. This programming will be selected by a jury made up of members of the Neanderthal Arts committee and theatre professionals. There is no reading fee.

Local Companies

There is an entrance fee to the Festival of $500.This fee will provide access to a venue, technical support, marketing and publicity, front of house and a guarantee of 5 performances. Participating companies will keep 75% of the box office.

Deadline for submissions from local companies: December 31st, 2010.

National Companies

The entrance fee for national companies will be waived.

Deadline for submissions from national companies: 31 December 2010.

Application Package

Please note, that Neanderthal Arts will be presenting productions from companies/groups of individuals. As much as possible, you should detail for the jury the nature of your production and the elements that make it up.

All applications must include both hard copies of all requirements and a clearly labelled CD including electronic copies of 1 & 2:

  1. Letter of Intent:
    Maximum 2 pages, giving an overview of the project, where it stands in its development, what you plan to do, and how you plan to do it. What excites you about this project and why do you think it’s appropriate for Neanderthal Arts.
  2. The Play:
    Please include a fifteen page excerpt from the play, ideally the first fifteen pages. If the play has not yet been written, a synopsis and complete description should be submitted. For non text-based work, a proposal/project description outlining the production should be included.
  3. Support Materials (optional):
    We will accept up to three pages double sided of support materials. These can include, but are not limited to, resumes, reviews, short bios of key members in your team or letters of support from professional artists. Please do not exceed the maximum of three pages. If the play has received a previous production, please include promotional materials to give us a sense of how the show was marketed and how it might fit into our programming.
  4. Electronic Materials (optional):
    If you have any materials on DVD of production highlights, please send them along.

Applications will be assessed based on artistic merit, clarity of vision, and balance with the other plays selected.

Hard Copy Applications and CD should be sent to:

Neanderthal Arts Submissions c/o Upintheair Theatre
4096 Commercial Street
Vancouver, BC
V5N 4G3

Rules & Regulations

  • Prefered show length is 60 minutes. (Neanderthal Arts will consider pieces up to 75 minutes.)
  • Participating companies are responsible for obtaining the relevant production rights for their shows and performers. If anyone in your company has a membership in a guild, union, or other professional association, you must acquire the necessary releases, or pay the required fees to the respective organization. If you are producing an existing play, you are responsible for obtaining the relevant rights from or paying the required fees to the playwright or his/her agent.

If you have any further questions with regards to your application or about the Festival in general, please visit our website at or contact us by email at info@thal.ca.