A playwright based retreat, the National Winter Playwrights Retreat prioritizes the playwright, not the work being produced. Playwrights have an opportunity to have work read or sung, conversation over dinners and coffees, sightseeing in the San Juan Mountains, and an introduction to our local LORT theatre. The retreat provides respite and renewal for playwrights. However, the artist's rejuvenation inevitably finds its way into her art. In enabling the playwright freedom from expectations, we enable the art.

HBMG Foundation's team of a Latino Playwright/Director and a Female Actor/Writer, Manuel and Ann Zárate are passionate about diversity. As founders and directors, they seek especially to empower playwrights of all ethnicities and gender. Additionally, diversity of experience and age is considered in the selection of playwrights each year.

Retreat Details:

HBMG Foundation invites you for one week (Sunday through Saturday) December 31-January 6, January 21-February 17. You are responsible for securing travel arrangements. We’ll provide accommodations, an opportunity to have your work read, and tourism activities. Playwrights will live together in dorm housing at Creede Repertory Theatre (Creede’s local LORT). You may elect to have your work read aloud by professional actors in a private salon setting. After it’s cold reading, your work will receive feedback from actors, staff and other retreat participants, and you may request a private dramaturgy session. We do not expect your work to be completed. In some cases, you may only have a few scenes in development. The cold reading can be at the beginning of the week so you can do rewrites or end of your stay so you hear what you’ve accomplished.

If you can get yourself here (drive yourself, or fly via Boutique Air into Alamosa's airport where we'll pick you up) and get yourself fed (there's a grocery store across from your housing), we’ll provide the gorgeous scenery, accommodations, and a few tourist treats! Write, network and recharge. This is not a competition; we want artists to create.

2018 Application Details: 

Contact Ann at annzarate@hbmgfoundation.org and introduce yourself both professionally and personally. Please note if you are applying as a playwright, artistic director, dramaturg, or director. You are welcome to apply as a team if you are working specifically with an actor, director, composer or dramaturg on a piece in progress. Give us details of what you would be working on during the retreat and your dates of availability December 31-January 6, January 21-February 17. Sunday is arrival day and Saturday is departure day. We do not allow for late arrivals or early departures as there may be other applicants who can stay the entire week DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS OCTOBER 1.

There is no application fee and no need to submit a writing sample. 

For a list of previous playwrights and collaborators, check out Winter 2017, Winter 2016, Winter 2015, and Summer 2014!

Partners over the past four years have included Creede Repertory Theatre, Black and Latino Playwrights Conference, Adams State University, and BJ Meyers & Bill Kuhlke. For information on 2018 partners... stay tuned!
 
For more information email us!
     
from our playwrights
"It was an absolute gift to be in the quiet of the mountains in such a lovely home with the support of artists who offered support and respect without demanding anything in return.” Arika Larson, New York

"Really, it’s more a movement than just a retreat.” Tom Coash, New Haven, CT

"It didn’t take me long to realize what an incredible gift it was to be in Creede, surrounded and supported by such incredible energy and generous artists.” Jennie Webb, Los Angeles