The Bottoming Process (2023) with Rick Cosnett and George Salazar. Photo by Jeff Lorch.
What is the lab?
The IAMA Emerging Playwrights Lab is an artistic home for early-career and emerging Los Angeles-based playwrights. Inaugurated in 2019 as the IAMA Under 30 Playwrights Lab, the IAMA Emerging Playwrights Lab is a more inclusive evolution to support writers at many stages of their playwriting career.
Over the course of this one-year residency, writers meet on a monthly basis, to share and develop a full-length play in a peer-guided format. Members of the Lab are given dramaturgical support from the Artistic and Literary staff at IAMA, as well as a ticket to each of IAMA's mainstage productions. The Lab will culminate in readings of each member's full length plays in a potentially public format in the summer of 2025.
Submissions
Submissions for the 2025 Lab are currently closed. Submissions for the 2026 Lab will open next summer. Please see below for detailed submission instructions.
Questions? Email Program Director Nicholas Pilapil at emerginglab@iamatheatre.com.
Submissions
A one-page project proposal. Including the description of the plot and style of the play you’d like to work on and why you would benefit from taking part in the IAMA Emerging Playwrights Lab.
A resume or CV of relevant theatre/writing experience (do not submit an acting resume.)
A 10-page writing sample of your choice.
Writers of all writing styles, ethnicities, genders, abilities, and ages are encouraged to apply.
Eligibility
Must be based in Los Angeles full time and be able to meet in-person on a monthly basis between September 2024 and July 2025.
Cannot be a full-time student or be enrolled in any academic playwriting course at any point during the duration of the Lab.
Must not have had more than one production of any full-length play produced commercially or on a LORT contract.
Meetings
The Lab will meet in-person, once a month between September 2024 and July 2025, to share and develop a full-length play in a peer-guided format.
Please do not apply if you will be out of town for extended periods of time that will cause you to miss more than two monthly meetings.
How to Apply
Send your new play proposal, resume, and writing samples as PDFs to emerginglab@iamatheatre.com. Submissions are currently closed; deadline to submit was August 1, 2024. Applicants will receive a response by September 2024. Please refrain from emailing to inquire about your application status. Questions? Email Program Director Nicholas Pilapil at emerginglab@iamatheatre.com.
