NYC's Athena Theatre Selects DHARMA for its Reading Series Program

I am delighted to share that DHARMA has been selected for the Athena Theatre’s play reading series. This initiative was developed to explore original works for a World Premiere Production and/or New York Premiere Production. Athena Theatre is dedicated to curating, developing and producing NYC Premieres of contemporary plays that challenge traditional stereotypes, work that is visceral and complex, and stories borne out of philosophical conversations.

Athena Theatre is committed to introducing future classics: theatrical and universal pieces that explore issues surrounding modern living and communicate between diverse people and perspectives; works that captivate, resonate, and deepen audience awareness of timeless issues. Athena Theatre actively and responsibly invests in new voices for the stage by nurturing playwrights and promoting original works that highlight the melting pot of humanity.

I AM A FELLOW WITH THE DISNEY ABC TELEVISION WRITING PROGRAM

I have been selected as 1 of 8 participants in The Disney ABC Television Writing Program.

“The Creative Talent Development & Inclusion team is excited to continue expanding the pool of talent with this diverse group of writers on the cusp of breaking through,” said Tim McNeal, vice president, Creative Talent Development & Inclusion. “We look forward to championing their careers as they move up the ranks to join our showrunner and producer alumni in continuing to change the face of Hollywood.”

Created in 1990 with the Writers Guild of America West, the one-year program’s goal is to help participants secure their first staffing assignments via Disney-ABC Television series. While staff jobs are not guaranteed, program organizers say they have a nearly 100 percent hiring rate. This past season, the 2018 writers collectively landed eight script assignments. In addition, two alumni signed ABC Studios overall production deals.

DHARMA IS A SEMI-FINALIST FOR THE BURMAN NEW PLAY AWARD

DHARMA is a semi-finalist for the Barrington Stage Company's first-ever Bonnie and Terry Burman New Play Award. The Company received nearly 500 submissions and Dharma is one of 60 semi-finalists. The winner will receive $25,000 and two runners-up will receive $5,000 each.  Now in its 25th season, the Barrington Stage Company is an award-winning professional theatre in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.

I'm a Finalist in the the Adi Shankar script contest for The Simpsons!

Filmmaker Adi Shankar is crowdsourcing a “cure” to The Simpsons’ Apu problem, asking fans to write their very own episode.

Last year, comedian Hari Kondabolu’s The Problem With Apu documentary looked at the problematic nature of the Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, arguing that the character perpetuates a racial stereotype.

Indian-American filmmaker Shankar has now launched a contest for a “screenplay centering on the character Apu set in the world and canon of The Simpsons that takes the character of Apu and in a clever way subverts him, pivots him, intelligently writes him out, or evolves him in a way that takes a mean spirited mockery and transforms him into a kernel of truth wrapped in funny insight aka actual satire”.

Shankar has promised to “take the winning script to The Simpsons writers’ room and Fox Broadcasting Company, to make it an official episode of The Simpsons‘ upcoming season, and recommend that they hire the winning writer into their room for the next season”.

“If The Simpsons writers’ room rejects the episode,” he adds, then Shankar himself will “finance the winning script and produce it as an unofficial fan film that looks identical to an official Simpsons episode”.

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I'VE ADVANCED TO THE SECOND ROUND OF THE WB WRITERS WORKSHOP

I’m delighted to share that I’ve advanced to the second round of the Warner Bros. Writers’ Workshop selection process. Every year, the Workshop selects up to eight participants out of more than 2,500 submissions and exposes them to Warner Bros. Television’s top writers and executives, all with the ultimate goal of earning them a staff position on a Warner Bros.-produced television show. For over 40 years, the Workshop has been the premiere writing program for new writers looking to start and further their career in the world of television. The Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop consists of three components, all geared towards preparing the writer for a successful career in television writing.

Sesame Street Awards a Development Deal to Me!

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational arm of Sesame Street, has awarded creative development deals to Nayna Agrawal and Roxy Simons, two emerging television writers at the culmination of the second annual “Sesame Street Writers’ Room“ fellowship program.

The Program is an intensive eight-week program to highlight and grow underrepresented talent in children’s media. After an open call for script submissions in January, seven fellows were selected from a pool of over 450 applicants through a series of blind readings. Coming from a range of professional and artistic backgrounds, the fellows met in New York for eight sessions led by Emmy-nominated television writer Susan Kim, participating in hands-on workshopping and meeting with agents, executive producers, and other industry professionals. Guest speakers included The Backyardigans creator Janice Burgess, Doc McStuffins creator Chris Nee, Wallykazam! creator Adam Peltzman, and Gullah Gullah Island creator Maria Perez-Brown, plus Ken Scarborough, Sesame Street’s head writer. At the recent closing reception, the formal announcement of the winning fellows was followed by staged readings of their scripts and a networking mixer with award-winning industry professionals.

News and announcements on next year’s program – as well as more information on this year’s guest speakers and fellows – will be posted on www.sesamewritersroom.org.