Midtown International Theatre Festival

About Us:

Every summer (starting in 2000) in midtown Manhattan, the Midtown International Theatre Festival (MITF) celebrates the diversity of theatre in New York City and beyond.

We emphasize imaginative, low-tech staging. But putting on a play in a festival burgeoning with many other shows - in only a handful of theatres - means tight organization, both in the Festival and among the participants. We have sufficient caring, paid staff to keep the trains running on time. We are truly the Festival That Cares.

In addition to offering a safe environment to develop innovative theatre, the MITF is devoted to keeping costs for participants down, starting with such benefits as 20 hours' FREE rehearsal space for full-length shows, FREE storage, FREE showcase insurance, and more.

The MITF welcomes submission of any kind of stage play, musical or otherwise, new or revived, mainstream or focused on an ethnic or cultural niche.

The Festival is the brainchild of John Chatterton, creator of OOBR ("the off-off-broadway review"), which for many years was the only publication exclusively devoted to covering the Off-Off-Broadway scene. Mr. Chatterton started the MITF as a way to present the finest Off-Off-Broadway talent in convenience, comfort, and safety. He also produces the Short Play Lab and the Midwinter Madness Short Play Festival.