Experience the raw energy of New York City’s next generation of theater artists as The Artist Incubator presents a high-stakes culmination of its intensive pilot program at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center’s Rough Draft Festival. This performance showcases a select cohort of 20 student artists from LaGuardia Community College, comprising 8 actors, 4 producers, 4 directors, and 4 playwrights, who have spent the weekend bridging the gap between community college education and the professional stage. Joined by 8 guest actors specifically for the final 24-hour sprint, these artists embrace the "radically present" approach of The 24 Hour Plays (est. 1995, Mark Armstrong, Artistic Director) to create work that is produced, written, rehearsed, and performed in a single day. By joining us, you are supporting a vital career pipeline that transforms systemic exclusion into professional opportunity, witnessing firsthand the immediate, community-building power of theater that responds to the world around us.

The Rough Draft Festival is a theater festival that provides innovative and boundary-pushing artists with space, resources, and support to further develop their works-in-progress.

The festival showcases a series of in-progress performances and staged readings, offering artists the chance to put their work on its feet while giving audiences a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process.

Each year, LPAC selects up to 5 compelling and impactful projects and provides the time, space and resources to advance their development. These presentations often reflect the strength and depth of fully realized productions. 

Presented by the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, the Rough Draft Festival is committed to offering meaningful exposure and professional support to artists creating new work. Submissions are reviewed by a selection committee composed of theater industry professionals, ensuring that all applications are evaluated with artistic rigor, fairness, and an eye toward innovation. This year, LPAC will present five works-in-progress selected through a highly competitive review process, as well as one returning artist.