This just in from Broom Street Theater, one of Madison's most venerable yet countercultural institutions:

Broom Street Theater is currently seeking script submissions for its 2009 season.

Broom Street is one of the nation's oldest continuous experimental theater companies and primarily produces original works by local playwrights.

There are openings for seven new plays in the upcoming year.

While there are no limitations as to style, length, or subject matter it helps to know the kind of work that has generally been done in the past. See the theater's website at www.broomstreet.org for more information on our history. Most of our plays are original, but we have occasionally performed scripts that have been done elsewhere or that are classics, but generally with a new interpretation.

Submissions are not limited to local playwrights, but all else being equal we prefer to promote local, regional, or state writers. Last year more then 150 scripts were received from many states and even across the ocean. Please limit submissions to one work.

If interested, please send either a full script or a proposal to the theater's Artistic Director, Callen Harty. Deadline for submissions is May 31, 2008. Scripts and proposals may be e-mailed to charty@broomstreet.org or sent by mail to:

Callen Harty, Artistic Director

Broom Street Theater

1119 Williamson Street

Madison, WI 53704

Along with the script or proposal, please indicate whether the author would also like to direct his/her own work or would prefer to have someone else direct.

If you are interested in directing, but not writing a script, please contact us at the same address. For further questions, please call (608) 244-8338.

Art Talk wants to know what you thinkof Broom Street Theater in the post-Joel Gersmann era?

Are the plays better?

And what about the productions?