Dionysus Festival • Pit & Balcony’s 24-Hour Theatre Competition and Showcase

Pit & Balcony is paying homage to the Greek god of wine and drama with the 2nd Dionysus Festival, taking place over April 5th and 6th, 2024.

During this 24-hour lock-in style event, teams of four will compete to write and rehearse completely original 10-minute plays. The plays will then be presented in a public showcase on April 6th at 8:00 pm where the audience will choose the winning team.

“Great Dionysia was a 6-day theatre festival celebrated yearly, usually in March, in 5th century Athens,” says Rhiannon Evans-Hall, Dionysus Fest committee member and dramaturg. “After a huge kickoff feast playwrights would compete by having their newest works celebrated in honor of Dionysus.”

Pit & Balcony will emulate the ancient carnival by hosting a private kickoff feast on April 5th at which time the festival’s theme will be revealed to the participants. 

Teams will then be invited to utilize all spaces within the theatre and the costume shop over the following 24 hours to write and rehearse their original pieces. Supplies, meals, and sleeping arrangements will all be provided by the theatre in addition to minimal technical elements for each finalized play.

Early bird registration will end on March 18th, but interested teams of four may still register up to 4pm on April 5th at this link.  Early Bird Registration cost is $120/team. Registration after March 18th is $160/team

On  April 6th the theatre will open its doors to the public for a showcase of the plays written over the preceding 24 hours. Doors will open at 7:00pm and performances will begin at 8:00. Beer, wine, and charcuterie snacks will be available for purchase.

The plays will be showcased during the public event with prizes given to the top three teams based on audience vote. Showcase admission is “Pay-What-You-Wish” at the door with opportunities to make additional donations throughout the event.

The Dionysus Festival is supported in part by Buffalo Wild Wings, Rick Ford, Human Kind, The Saginaw Spirit, The Bavarian Inn Lodge, and Lionwood Creations.

More information can be found at www.pitandbalconytheatre.com or by calling 989.754.6587.