ABOUT THE OP PERFORMANCE LAB

The Orchard Project Performance Lab is a self-directed lab for theatremakers, writers, composers, teams, companies, and ensembles looking for time, resources, and support for projects in any stage of development. As The Orchard Project’s oldest program, the Performance Lab has historically been form-fitting in-person residency during which artists are provided with rehearsal space, room and board, and the community of their fellow artists-in-residence. The Performance Lab takes place in person in Saratoga each summer.

As a participant in the Performance Lab, you will be expected to:

• Clearly communicate your project’s stage of development + specific needs with regards to space and rehearsals prior to the beginning of the lab;
• Share your progress with your Performance Lab community while in residence, or in rare cases, solely OP staff.

In the Performance Lab, you can expect:

• Access to free rehearsal space;
• Room and board onsite at Skidmore College in the company of your fellow residents;
• Open rehearsals during which peers and industry professionals can view your work;
• Feedback and support from OP staff and fellow artists-in-residence at your request.
• A community of diverse projects and artists, providing a supportive environment for you to work alongside and support a range of artists through sharings and OP community events.
• In addition, while some Performance Lab residencies exist within the confines of our artistic community, others include public sharing resources and opportunities, and these are specified in advance. All residencies, both private and public facing, overlap, and are all part of the same OP community.
• Ongoing alumni artist resources and future-driven support through OP Forward.