In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Poland’s Independence, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute announces a competition for a treatment of a musical play drawn from the life of Ignacy Jan Paderewski.
The pianist and composer (1860-1941) became the highest paid artist of his time. As a touring pianist, he crossed the US 30 times travelling in a private Pullman carriage, and embarked on journeys across Australia and Africa. A superb orator in 7 languages and an astute politician, he achieved the highest honour of becoming a signatory to the Treaty of Versailles as the first Prime Minister of independent Poland. An advocate for US intervention after the outbreak of World War 2, Paderewski sailed to America yet again, but was taken ill in New York City, where he died. He was buried at the Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C. by special decree of President’s Roosevelt’s, who memorialized the artist’s remarkable life by calling him a Modern Immortal.
Winner of the competition receives a cash prize, travel to Warsaw, and the possibility of a full book commission and staging in the US. There will also be cash awards for 2nd and 3rd place entries (First Prize: $5000, Second Prize: $3000, Third Prize: $1000). The competition will be judged by musical theater professionals chosen by the Institute.
- What to submit: 3-page original treatment for a play, including story outline and character breakdown, and a sample of song lyrics.
- Treatment guidelines: The treatment must be in English for an English-language musical play. The treatment must reflect the scope of a full-length major stage musical production.
- Deadline for submission: April 30, 2017. Electronic submissions only to paderewskimusical@iam.pl. Please include your full name, address and contact information.
[Source: culture.pl]