Getting in touch with us, and some FAQs.
OCPA is always interested in new playwrights.
New and striking playwriting voices – from all walks of life – intrigue us.
That said, we accept new members selectively. We don’t want to have 50, 100 or 500 members, or grow so fast that our meetings become gatherings of strangers and we serve our playwrights inadequately.
If you’re interested, submit a sample of your work (a full-length play or a one-act) to ocpabox@gmail.com. Our Board will read it and consider you for membership.
Some FAQs.
Q: Does OCPA teach playwriting?
A: At the moment, no. OCPA meetings are not playwriting classes (though playwrights can and do learn much about the craft of playwriting at our meetings). Most of our playwrights have been through the equivalent of Playwriting 101 and have had many productions. If you are seeking an excellent playwriting course, South Coast Repertory’s Professional Conservatory, Fullerton College and Long Beach City College frequently offer them.
Q: Will you produce my play?
A: We sometimes get calls or emails from people who have written a one-person show or a musical. It frequently turns out that is the only play they have written, and they want to know if we would like to produce it. While we do occasionally produce, our productions feature works from our member playwrights – works that have commonly been developed through our process.
Q: Are OCPA playwrights asked to write in a certain style?
A: No. Never. We have had playwrights from age 19 to age 87 as members, coming from different paths in life, their playwriting informed by different points of view and different life experiences.
Q: What is the new play climate like in Orange County?
A: Very sunny. Across the LORTs and various non-Equity storefronts, there are a dozen or so new plays produced here annually (sometimes closer to two dozen). Theatres tend to be very receptive to new work. In addition to brand new work, there are another dozen-to-two-dozen “newer” plays from American and foreign playwrights that reliably go up, some of them California, west coast or even U.S. premieres.