Hi Noel, I don't think we've ever met, but congrats on everything that's been happening for you, and Skip says to say hi!
We had a nice "NYMF partner reading" experience at NYMF - co-presented by the Seattle-Area Village Theatre - last year with Last Starfighter, so if it seems that I'm trying to defend NYMF on their disclosure in advance of the financial element, well, i am.
They did say on their site that before you submit, you should read the Frequently Asked Questions, and I don't know how they could be more clear about the financial issue than they are in the FAQ's. I hope I'm not quoting too much from their site, but it's to emphasize NYMF's openness on this issue, that everyone should have read the following before submitting:
"What will it cost me to be involved in the Festival?
We founded NYMF with the goal of delivering the resources all shows need so that, if need be, writers could afford to produce their own shows. We provide a framework to allow the shows to be produced much less expensively, and we take care of the big ticket items – the performance venue and venue staff, the major marketing, a generous lighting package and major overall technical support.
You will still have to cover some other things, though – generally speaking, the Festival covers the items that are shared by the productions but you will will need to pay for the unique expenses of your particular show. Depending on the size of your cast, your production values, and your shows specific needs, this may range from as little as $3,000 to as much as $20,000. These costs may include:
Actors (under the 2006 AEA-NYMF sideletter, you would have expected to pay around $200 per actor)
Production Staff (Director, Designers, Musical Director, Musicians, Stage Manager, Board Operators, Run Crew, Casting Director, etc.)
Set Materials and Construction Costs (remember: simple but effective – you’ll be sharing the venue with several other shows, and will have to strike your set after each show)
Publicity Costs (in addition to the Festival-wide publicity, you should do your own; we can help you with cut-rate deals on postcards and PR services)
Costumes (though we can assist you in securing not-for-profit rental rates)
Rehearsal Space (we will help by securing deals for festival participants, but rehearsals are entirely your responsibility)
Additional/Special Technical Needs (anything out of the ordinary that wouldn’t be provided by NYMF as part of the standard package).
In addition, each show pays a participation fee ($500), due upon acceptance into the festival. NYMF will credit $50 of your application fee toward the participation fee.
Box office proceeds (collected via a third-party system and professional box office staff) are split between NYMF and the individual shows, so you may make back some of your expenses – particularly if your show sells well."
