Artist application
Applications Are Open!!
Please read the info below before applying at the bottom of the page
We know it’s a lot, but it’s IMPORTANT
Many undead thanks!
What is the Stage Fright Festival?
Stage Fright is an annual queer horror theatre festival, the first of its kind!
Stage Fright focuses on the many facets of the horror genre, producing work that has wide appeal, is technically impressive, and remains authentic to the voices and perspective of the creators.
We prioritize the audience’s experience, leaning into spectacle while preserving the soul, promising to never be boring.
Our work is created using techniques and styles passed down from ancient times, through the vaudeville era, marrying tradition with the topical.
Through theater we build community.
What Are We Looking For?
Our mission is to produce original theatre by professional and emerging independent artists, of the highest artistic integrity, centering trans and queer creators and audiences.
The horror genre has a special and symbiotic connection to queer culture. We believe in the power that theatre and horror have to build and bond communities.
If that is something you can get behind, we would love to hear from you!
More specifically, we're looking for pieces that fall into two categories:
Over 45 minutes and under 45 minutes.
Longer pieces will be ticketed singularly, and shorter pieces will be grouped together in whatever way makes the most sense for their theme and length.
We will offer accepted applicants 2-3 total performance slots.
Whether you've done your show 1,000 times before or have only just scrawled the general idea on the back of a napkin before reading this, please submit pieces that you feel equipped to deliver fully produced by the time the festival comes.
We will open up a separate application for works-in-progress at a later date.
General Information
Where
CoHo Theater (2257 NW Raleigh St, Portland, OR 97210)
When
The festival will run from October 8-18th, 2026.
Who
Stage Fight Stage Fight was founded in 2022 by Jeff Desautels and Amica Hunter. Amica has since been swallowed whole and absorbed into the person of R.L. Routh, who now joins Jeff as a Festival Producer.
Stage Fright is volunteer-powered in the off-season by its producers and the following ragtag band of misfits:
Mishelle Apalategui - Artist Development
Anthony Arnista - Technical Director
Jenn Lindell - Production Manager
Laura Loy - Front of House Management
Majd Murad - Website
Summer Olsson - Development
Nathalie Owen FitzSimons - Outreach
Jackson Reed - Production Assistant
Soup Rossignol - Tech/Sound
Ronnie Rantis - Tech/Lights
Sarah Shives - Marketing/Web Content
David Sims - Graphic Design
Allen Tomlinson - Operations
(If you see a glaring omission that happens to be something you're talented at, you could be on this list too!)
What??
Stage Fright is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Our main activity is producing the Stage Fright Festival, an annual *say-it-with-me* "QUEER! HORROR! THEATRE!" festival.
Tell your friends!
Application Deadline
May 1, 2026
Accessibility
The first floor of CoHo Theater and stage is ADA accessible. However, The Voms, Tech Booth and additional dressing rooms are not ADA-accessible.
Stage Fright recognizes the written application process is not accessible for everyone who might want to submit. If this is a barrier for you for any reason, you are welcome to film yourself reading and answering each of the required questions.
You can email it to us at creeps@stagefrightfestival.com with the subject line "Stage Fright 2026 Application".
If your file is too big to email, you can share it with creeps@stagefrightfestival.com via Google and send us an email to notify us.
A Word About Tech
Our tech days will tentatively be Monday, Oct 5, Tuesday, Oct 6, and Wednesday, Oct 7.
Stage Fright operates under a fringe model, which means things are quick and dirty:
You will get up to three hours of tech time, and we will provide you a Board Op if you need one.
We are not able to deviate from our festival lighting plot, and your show must work within those constraints.
For your performances, you should be able to set up/tear down in fifteen minutes. And everything starts on time!!!
We cannot guarantee storage space at the venue, so have a plan to load in/out for each performance.
You will only have access to the green room backstage immediately before, during and after your show, if you need additional time and space to prepare, the CoHo Resource Room is available.
By applying to the festival, you are agreeing to operate under the restrictions inherent in this model of theatre.
A comprehensive technical questionnaire about your show will be provided to all selected artists.
Fees / Compensation
Artists will get up to three performance slots and earn all ticket sales from their own performances. They will be responsible for a $300 production fee that can be paid up front or deducted from ticket sales at the end of the festival.
On average, ticket sales for a single performance slot have been $450.
For shorter pieces sharing a bill, how your production fee and ticket sales are split will be relative to the length of your pieces. (For example, a 15 minute act sharing a bill with a 30 minute act would earn 33% of ticket sales, while the longer act would earn 66% of sales.)
Promoting yourself (alongside Stage Fright's promotion) and garnering an audience is the best way to maximize compensation!
WHAT WE PROVIDE
The venue for your show
Front of House and Box Office services (CoHo is running and keeping revenue from concessions.)
Marketing for the festival - social media, advertising, and press releases
Artist passes for your core artistic team which provides free admission to all Stage Fright programming
There are additional...SOFT...benefits to performing with Stage Fright:
You will be connected to and learn from a network of artists, both local and touring, and meet potential future collaborators.
The opportunity to Introduce your work to new audiences (we can't exactly prove this, but there are audiences already familiar with Stage Fright and CoHo who will be more likely to take a chance on seeing your work.) There is also opportunity for you to schmooze in the lobby and meet potential supporters of your work.