New Works
About
Paramount New Works
Supporting artists in the development of illuminating theatrical work.
Paramount Theatre has a passion and a commitment to not only to produce sensational musicals and thought-provoking plays on our stages, but also to contribute to the national catalog of new theatrical works by offering developmental support and resources to artists in the creation of their work, fostering growth and connection to our expanding audience base and community.
Through our new work development series, the Spark Lab Series, Paramount partners with writers, composers, and other artists to support them in developing new works in progress in a variety of genres. It is committed to providing a safe, creative, collaborative and flexible environment to address the specific needs of a new work in its journey from page to production, both for our stages and stages across the country and world.
OUR PURPOSE
- To support artists in the creation of new and fresh narratives from a variety of perspectives through workshops, readings, and public presentations of the work.
- To demystify and expand appreciation for the incubation of new works by inviting the audience to participate in the process.
- To foster community dialogue that encourages expansive imaginations and broad views of people and the world.
- To establish and nurture partnerships with local, national, and international collaborators.
The Spark Lab
The Spark Lab Series
Launched in 2025, the Spark Lab is an incubation program for new, original, theatrical works that supports emerging as well as established artists through a week-long developmental workshop residency culminating in a public showcase of the work-in-progress.
This program aims to create a healthy environment and creative playground for new plays, musicals, and other genre-defying theatrical experiences to develop and thrive, while honoring each project’s and artist’s specific goals. During our submission window, we will accept proposals for plays, musicals, or other theatrical “experiences” (puppetry, physical theatre, multi-media theatre, immersive storytelling, etc.) to be reviewed for developmental opportunities throughout the year.
3-4 projects are selected for development on a rolling basis throughout the calendar year. local, national, as well as international artists are welcome to submit proposals for consideration during our submission windows.
Selected proposals receive a week-long fully supported workshop to aid in the development of their project. The week culminates in an invited reception, public reading/presentation of the work, and feedback session with the audience and artists involved.
The Spark Lab Series is supported through funding by individual donors as well as the Aurora Women’s Empowerment Foundation.
Blood of my mother’s
February 8th, 2025
A play by Karissa Murrell Myers, Directed by Denise Yvette Serna
On Christmas Eve 1997, pregnant Marina fled to her older sister Lillian’s house in the middle of the night with the biggest problem she ever faced: an unwanted pregnancy. After giving birth, Marina abandons the baby Egg in her sister’s care, much to the concern of Lillian’s husband, Richard. Now sixteen years later, Egg has gone missing and no one seems to care but her sister/cousin Deanna. The search for the truth turns this Filipino -American family’s world upside down as they are forced to face their inner demons. Because sometimes, the place you run to for safety turns out to be the most dangerous place of all.
Submission Guidelines
Submission Guidelines for New Works
The Paramount New Works team reviews script submissions for developmental opportunities from artists living in the Greater Chicagoland area on a rolling basis throughout the year. For artists living outside of Chicago and its surrounding areas, Paramount will announce an open submission month for samples of unproduced plays to be considered for all opportunities. Otherwise, scripts will be reviewed by invitation or agent submission only. Please carefully review the submission instructions below for more details on our guidelines for submissions.
For local Chicagoland Artists:
Paramount Theatre is interested in getting to know more new plays and new voices from local artists with works-in-progress. If you’d like us to read your work and to be kept in consideration for upcoming development opportunities, please send us the following materials:
- A 10-20 page script sample from a full-length work. (This does not need to be the first 10-20 pages).
- A short (up to 1 page) synopsis of the full work. (Unfinished works are also accepted for consideration).
- If submitting a musical project, please also include a linked online folder for demos of 2-3 songs representing the overall musical tone of the piece. (Individually emailed attachments of musical files are often too big for our email server.)
- A resume and bio with your current contact information listed.
Please submit materials using one of the following options:
- E-mail to newworks@paramountarts.com with links to digital copies (no attachments over 1 MB)
- Mail hard copies to the following address:
Paramount New Works
Aurora Civic Center Authority
8 E. Galena Blvd, Suite 230
Aurora, IL 60506