JAW took the form of a festival of work-in-progress staged readings or performances given one or two public or invitational presentations in 79 E. 4th Street or in The Fourth Street Theatre. These Festivals were curated by the NYTW Artistic Staff.
Each presentation was afforded fifteen hours of rehearsal at NYTW and given casting, script copying and some technical support. Following the presentation, an NYTW staff member facilitated a Critical Response session. Most participants were part of the NYTW Usual Suspect community or Emerging Artist Fellows.