The Frank Moffett Mosier Fellowship for Works in Heightened Language 

Monetary award to playwright: $3000 for full-length works, $1500 for one-acts.

Synecdoche Works may support further development of a submitted work at its discretion.

Conditions for Consideration

Submissions must be in a heightened version of the English language in order to provide a meaningful challenge to the actors. This includes, but is not limited to, works using metre, verse, rhyming schemes, pidgins, creoles, and code-switching.

Plays must contain at least 60% heightened language.

Submissions may be translations or adaptations of works in the public domain.

One-act submissions should target a minimum 40-minute final running time. Full-length submissions should target a minimum running time of 90 minutes.

Authors awarded a grant must be willing to participate in a brief rehearsal process culminating in a Zoom reading of their submitted work.

Submitted works cannot be currently attached to a theater or production company.

Submitted works cannot have had a prior development cycle outside of an educational program.

Author’s Rights and Responsibilities

By submitting a work for consideration by Synecdoche Works, the submitter certifies that they are the sole author of the work; that the work is the author’s original creation and does not infringe on copyright or any other rights; and that the work is not subject to any copyright claims, litigation, or other encumbrances. 

A work’s author has the right to withdraw from consideration at any time, for any reason. Withdrawal requests must be submitted in writing and are not required to specify a reason.

A work’s author awarded a fellowship may refer to that grant as “Recipient of the Frank Moffett Mosier Fellowship, Synecdoche Works, for <title of work>.” or equivalent wording, in English or any other language. The full name of the fellowship and “Synecdoche Works” must be included. 

Subsequent programmes, publications, and adaptations of the awarded work must include a brief acknowledgement of Synecdoche Works, e.g., “This work was supported in part by a grant from Synecdoche Works,” precise verbiage to be determined.

A work’s author has the right to request that Synecdoche Works refer to them by a different name than their legal name in public documents (e.g. alias, nom de plume, pseudonym). The author certifies they are permitted to use any such alternate name.

A work’s author granted a fellowship is responsible for ensuring any funds disbursed to them are sent to the correct destination (e.g. address, bank account information, etc). Unless special arrangements are made, any funds will be disbursed electronically or by bank check. The recipient is responsible for any taxes and legal declarations applicable to fellowship funds.

A work’s author awarded a fellowship has the right to decline it for any reason.

Synecdoche Works Rights and Responsibilities

Synecdoche Works does not claim any copyright over any submitted works.

Synecdoche Works has the right to reject any submitted works at any time for any reason. Synecdoche Works has no obligation to consider any submitted works, or to notify any authors unless they have been awarded a fellowship.

Synecdoche Works has the right to allow select persons to read and/or participate in the rehearsal and/or reading of the selected works under non-disclosure agreements, with no additional rights or permissions implied or granted to those persons. Synecdoche Works will exclude any persons the work’s author asks to be excluded.

Synecdoche Works is not responsible for any costs incurred by any other parties in connection with the submitted works, including but not limited to: research, development, or production costs; printing, reproduction, publishing, binding, or typesetting; computing devices, software, services, internet, power, transportation, phone, fax, mail, or shipping.

Synecdoche Works will cover reasonable fees necessary for disbursement of funds to fellowship recipients (e.g. wire transfer fees, cashier’s check fees, etc).

Submission constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions. Any grant awarded to authors found to have violated these terms and conditions will be cancelled and must be returned to Synecdoche Works within 30 days of first written notification by Synecdoche Works. Synecdoche Works has the sole discretion to determine whether these terms and conditions have been violated, and determinations are final.

Award is not guaranteed for any one submission period. Award funds do not accrue.

Synecdoche Works makes no other representations or warranties than those listed in these terms and conditions. Synecdoche Works rejects all liability in connection with this fellowship. Legal disputes are subject to binding arbitration in the jurisdiction of Alameda County, California.

Submissions Are Closed