Callboard

www.tanys.org Callboard - Volume XX • Issue 2 • Fall 2023 Page 15 ESTA Report “A Road to Recovery” was the theme for ESTAFest, April 14-15, 2023. It was hosted by The Tatnall School in Wilmington, DE. ESTA Vice President of Festivals, Marsha Amato-Greenspan, welcomed all to the return of Festival, and personally thanked the ESTA Board for dedicating the Festival to her late husband and ESTA Treasurer, Jeff Greenspan. Festival adjudicators Annette Procunier, Libby Anne Russler and Bernard Dicasimirro did an outstanding job along with the supervision of AACT Festival Commissioner, Mary Jo DeNolf. Representatives from all regional states attended. NY representatives Joan Luther, Paul Nelson and Frances Ruoff were recruited for various tasks including: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, silent auction and lunch duties – Paul Nelson from TANYS was in charge of flipping burgers, in addition to an early adjudication. It was great to be back again and all enjoyed the weekend with excellent productions. Looking forward: the ESTA New Works Festival takes place in the spring. This Festival is intended to provide education and guidance on new works and to help playwrights, directors and actors in developing new works. An added bonus is, if the adjudicators feel it is warranted, there is a $500 monetary award for the playwright based upon criteria the adjudicators use. The rules are as follows: • The play is non-published with no professional production. • The group has 80minutes bare stage to bare stage. This means they call start, set up, perform, strike and call stop within this timeframe. • Everything must fit in a 10' x 10' space. • Published works are acceptable for performance only. • Adjudicators are able to provide a critique on the playwriting as well as all other elements of the production. • If a published work is submitted, it still follows the same format as above; however, adjudicators cannot critique theplaywriting. Thepublishedworkwill be considered for thepublishedwork category if there are more than three entered; if not, then it will only be eligible for Best in Festival. • Each state can send a maximum of four productions; however, at least two should be original works. All four may be original works. The goal this year is to have at least 16 productions. ESTA is planning an April Festival if possible. NOTE: Submissions are not limited to only theatre groups. Playwrights may produce and submit a show if they are a member of an ESTA Region II state organization. It is preferred they have had the work adjudicated. The playwright and/or theatre do not have to be members of AACT. Playwrights, directors and companies, check the TANYS or ESTA websites for upcoming information. For more information, contact ESTA VP of Festivals Marsha Amato-Greenspan at wineact@gmail.com .