UNDERSCORE; Short Film Festival
Last fall, we had the pleasure of inviting filmmakers in our community to showcase their published projects with an intimate audience at our studio in Gowanus. This year, we upped the ante and invited filmmakers alike to submit with us to create - from start to finish - an original short film to be showcased at Cobble Hill Cinemas in Brooklyn, NY.
938collective’s mission to collaborate and create across mediums sets our festivals apart. UNDERSCORE started by collaborating with musicians to devise and orchestrate an original score to be included in their teams’ final cuts. Over the course of six weeks, screenwriters wrote an original 10-15 minute script inspired by the developed composition, at which point teams met and began to work together to film and edit the script.
Join us on Tuesday, October 15, at Cobble Hill Cinemas in Brooklyn, NY, to be a part of this unique festival and celebrate the work our collaborating artists have prepared for your viewing pleasure.
You can purchase tickets at the link below. Can’t make the premiere? Consider supporting us, this, and future projects through The Field.
![Improv workshop [for actors]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62797b05e6698a213d311b4b/1722267118907-67WDGR59MNTFOAJRON09/FinalImprovPoster.png)
Improv workshop [for actors]
Improv [for Actors]
In this introductory workshop, join Stephen Kropa (Second City New York, iO Theater) as you explore where the expected meets the “-un.” This 3-hour pay-what-you-can course will give you the confidence of choice in your text and scene work. Moderate experience helpful but not required.
This workshop will take place at 938’s studio in Gowanus, BK. We ask that interested parties register for the event below. Any donations and contributions to the workshop and the teaching artist can be made via Venmo before the event @collective938. We encourage actors of all levels and experiences to pursue stretching themselves and their craft! Spots are limited and are granted on a first-come-first-serve basis.
STEPHEN KROPA
Netflix, HBO, CBS, Paramount+... these are just some of the channels Stephen Kropa enjoys. Before becoming an originating teacher at the Second City New York, Kropa studied at the famed iO Theater, The Second City Chicago Conservatory, and ComedySportz Chicago where he quickly rose the ranks to be known as a graduate of those institutions. Currently residing in Brooklyn, NY his passion and verve for directing, improv, writing, teaching, and performing is only rivaled by his being a "Tom Cruise claims to watch a movie a day and I aim to beat that" level cinephile.
Summer Open Mic
BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverage):
you're welcome to bring your own beverage. Let's raise a toast to the wonderful community that makes events like these so special.
This a free event (but we appreciate any donations) and we hope to see you there, supporting the performers!
Your presence and contributions will make this event truly special-
Interested in performing/ showing off your talent? Join us at our studio on AUgust 2!
Open Mic .
August Open Mic Details:
Date: aug 02, 2024
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: 117 9th Street, Brooklyn, Studio 207
“ stories and acts inspired by summer.”
Short Play Festival
Long time no see; but guess what? 938collective is back with its annual Short Play Festival!
Come with a whoop, come with a call,
Come with good will or not at all.
Up the ladder and down the wall,
A halfpenny roll will serve us all.
Last spring, our first-ever short play festival was a huge success, catapulting us into a year full of artistry, exploration, and community building. We met so many lovely creatives across identities, backgrounds, and locations across the country and are excited to jump into this process again in 2024!
The festival theme and the collection of plays we’ve curated stir and soothe feelings of what has been lost in our youth, what’s been rediscovered, and what we now desire.
What makes our short play festival model unique is its invitation to respond to a theme and collaborate with artists across all backgrounds and identities. This year, we asked playwrights to respond to a nursery rhyme published in 1877 by Walter Crane, a bite of the text can be found at the header of this page.
We're thrilled to bring together 8 original works, orchestrated by 11 co-directors, with over 20 actors eagerly waiting in the wings.
Join us on June 14th and 15th at 7:00 PM to be a part of this unique festival and celebrate the collaborative work that our participating artists have prepared for your viewing pleasure.
scene salon
Join us for our scene salon for a night of scene work and readings on April 25!
Bring your own beverages(BYOB), your favorite snacks, and your friends for some scene work gone commando. Whether you're a seasoned performer or just curious about the stage, our scene salon welcomes all levels of experience and interest.
Our upcoming event will feature scenes from various plays, including The Goat, or Who is Sylvia by Edward Albee, I Am the Wind by John Fosse, The Effect by Lucy Prebble, The Aliens by Annie Baker, Grace by Craig Wright, and HIM by ee cummings.
PDFS of the plays can be found HERE should you want to take a peek before our salon.
Come solo and meet new artists who share your passion for theater, or bring your friends for a night of laughter and camaraderie. At our scene salon, the spotlight is on collaboration and connection. Sign up below!
April 25
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
117 9th street
Studio 207
Spring Open Mic
BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverage):
you're welcome to bring your own beverage. Let's raise a toast to the wonderful community that makes events like these so special.
This a free event (but we will always take donations!) and we hope to see you there, supporting the performers!
Your presence and contributions will make this event truly special-
Interested in performing/ showing your talents? FIll out this form!
Open Mic .
MARCH Open Mic Details:
Date: March 23, 2024
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: 117 9th Street, Brooklyn, Studio 207
24-Hour Play Festival
24-HOUR PLAY FESTIVAL: portrait of the 4th wall
On Saturday, February 24, an ensemble of talented creatives will perform 5 NEW short plays at our FIRST-EVER 24-Hour Play Festival: portrait of the 4th wall.
All 5 plays will have been devised, blocked, designed, and performed in the 24 hours before what promises to be a fantastic culminating performance!
The theme? Or, to our playwrights, the catch?
We’ve partnered with Gallery Particulier, a PLG (Prospect Lefferts Garden) based gallery that connects artists and community members while cultivating exhibitions in the home; “artworks can be hosted, everyone can be a gallerist.”
Using pieces curated by our friends at Gallery Particulier, our 5 playwrights will be paired with artwork created by the gallery’s talented artists intended to guide, inspire, or challenge their writing.
Join us at the historic Gene Frankel Theatre at 24 Bond Street, New York, NY 10012, for a creative, community-based celebration of spontaneous, fast-paced, DIY theatre! Tickets are $15.00, and doors open at 6:30 PM on Saturday, February 24. Will we see you there?
Can’t make the event but want to support the festival? Support our crowdfunding campaign at the field. org (our new fiscal sponsor)!
Saturday, February 24
Gene Frankel Theatre
24 Bond Street
New York, NY 10012
Doors at 6:30 PM
BYOB
Merging Mediums (writing workshop)
Join us for an evening of writing in our upcoming workshop, Merging Mediums. This FREE late-night workshop, hosted by 938collective, invites writers (or people curious about writing) of all backgrounds to use their words while interacting with examples of art: whatever art means to you.
Whether you're a playwright, a journaler, a prose writer, a copywriter, a poet, or a wordsmith, this workshop encourages you to express your ideas in the medium that feels most natural to you. As mentioned, we encourage community members who are new to writing or curious about writing to join us, too!
FRIDAY FEB 9
7:00 - 9:30 PM
BYOB: In the spirit of the weekend, writers are invited to bring their own beverages and bites (favorite charcuterie option, tea, grapes, kombucha, cracker, Diet Coke, beer, wine, La Croix, and or Seltzer)!
Invite your friends and fellow writers for this evening of inspiration and creativity.
Unfortunately, we are at capacity for this event, but stay tuned for more workshops in the future!
Body Wash
A 2-day Body Wash workshop led by Maya Rubio
Participants will collaboratively workshop expanded modes of meditation and prayer practices, incorporating creative acts like writing, movement, and sensory attunement.
Character Development Workshop
We invite all playwrights of all backgrounds and experience levels to join us to interrogate what makes characters live, breathe, move, and make choices. This is a free workshop and an excellent opportunity to expand on your craft or to drive your work further, no matter your writing stage.
Short Film Festival
Want to support the filmmakers in your life? Attend our upcoming Short Film Festival: an evening dedicated to the celebration of local artistry through the medium of short films. This event promises to be a showcase of creativity and talent, featuring a diverse selection of short films from various genres.
Gowanus Open Studios
On the weekend of Oct. 21 - 22 (12pm-6pm), more than 350 artists and 70+ venues in the greater Gowanus neighborhood will open their doors, giving the public a rare glimpse inside the former factories, warehouses, and studio buildings of this vibrant neighborhood. This year we at 938collective are so excited to be collaborating with gallery particulier to showcase works with many talented artists!
opening the gates of hell
Kickstart the Halloween season with a twist at our 'opening the gates of hell' Showcase and Open Mic Night on Friday, OCTOBER 6TH! This event promises a spooky and artistic atmosphere you won't want to miss.