Request for Proposals
We are now accepting submissions for Bainbridge Performing Arts’ 2026-2027 Mainstage Season. Proposals should be submitted anonymously. Please follow the guidelines below to ensure your proposal aligns with our mission and goals. Submit your completed form by 8pm on Friday October 3, 2025.
IMPORTANT: Please do not share this link with anyone outside of BPA’s staff team, board of directors, or advisory council.
Reflections
As you consider shows for submission, we invite you to reflect deeply on the mission, vision, and core values of Bainbridge Performing Arts. The season we curate reflects our commitment to creating a brave space, sparking joy, and changing lives. We encourage proposals that resonate with these ideals and our diverse community.
Availability
Proposed shows must be available for amateur licensing. Before submitting, please verify rights availability with the following publishers:
• Concord Theatricals (Samuel French, Tams Witmark, Rogers & Hammerstein)
• Broadway Licensing (Dramatists Play Service, Playscripts)
Technical Requirements
Due to limited wing space, the absence of a fly loft, high material costs, and other limitations, please keep in mind that some productions may not be feasible in our venue. Considerations around set complexity, technical needs, and budget constraints are important in ensuring successful production.
Name Recognition
For Mainstage productions, we strongly prefer titles, playwrights, or source material familiar to our audiences and talent pool. It's important to balance artistic risks with sales and marketing considerations, and unfamiliar titles can pose a challenge for both audience and performer turnout. Our new studio space provides an opportunity to produce lesser-known works more regularly as part of our Studio Series.
Critical Acclaim
Shows with recognition—such as Tony, Pulitzer, Obie, or Drama Desk nominations or awards—often guarantee a higher level of quality. Many of our most successful productions have come from this pool. For inspiration, check out previous winners and nominees:
Casting Interest & Requirements
Proposals should include casting requirements that fit our local talent pool. We particularly seek shows with strong roles for women and at least one production per season with roles for younger actors. Based on recent trends, there’s higher engagement from performers under 15 than teens aged 15+.
History
Our most successful productions in recent years have included: The SpongeBob Musical, Cabaret, Beauty and the Beast, All Bard at Bloedel Shakespeare productions, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, Mary Poppins, Hair, Snow Falling on Cedars, Spamalot, Shrek, Avenue Q, A Chorus Line, The Full Monty, Chicago, The Rocky Horror Show, The Grapes of Wrath, A Light in the Piazza. We typically avoid reproducing shows within a 15 year window. A list of the last 20 years of Mainstage productions has been made available to you, and you can also view a list of past BPA productions by visiting the archive page here:
https://www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org/archives
Community vs. Regional
Our audience expects both innovation and challenge. Rather than relying on typical “community theater” fare, we strive to select shows that reflect the diversity and complexity of our region. Consider shows that have been produced by regional theaters like OSF, ACT, ArtsWest, the 5th Avenue Theatre, or Village Theatre. We seek material that expands our sense of community, builds on our mission, and lifts diverse voices and perspectives.
RFP Submission Form
Please complete the form below to the best of your ability, leaving comments where necessary for clarification. We appreciate your time, commitment, and collaboration in helping us shape this significant season.
Next Steps
After all submissions have been received, they will be reviewed by staff for feasibility, then a survey with a complete list of submissions will be made available to our Programming Committee who will vote to narrow down the list to the top ten. Those ten proposals will be discussed in our Programming Committee meeting in November.