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NAVIGATION
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National Playwriting Program
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Region VI Selected New Plays Announced!
These selections are the result of blind readings by out-of-region (Region V) judges. They are listed alphabetically by author's last name.
The following plays will receive staged readings at the Region VI KCACTF Festival in Huntsville:
Full-Length: AURORA by Leonard Madrid, University of New Mexico
One-acts: "Welcome to the Boys Club" by Amanda Bass, Texas Christian University
"Unravel" by Kamarie Chapman, University of New Mexico
"June Song" by Eric Dobbins, Texas Christian University
"Pecking Order" by Rob Florence, University of New Orleans
Ten-minute plays, which will be included in the ten-minute festival:
"Collected" by Amanda Correa, Southern Methodist University
"Kyla Goes Off" by Clinnesha Dillon, University of Arkansas at
Fayetteville
"Wine Not" by Brittany Foster, SMU
"Until Death" by J.R. Rasberry, SMU
"Cold Soup" by Christin Siems, SMU
"The Indefinable Aspect of Us" by Bradley Troll, UNO
Congratulations to our Region VI Student Playwrights!
KENNEDY CENTER AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATRE FESTIVAL
REGION VI
NATIONAL PLAYWRITING PROGRAM 2007-2008
Welcome. Please review carefully and thoroughly for information
regarding the KCACTF National Playwriting Program, which covers the
Region VI competitions (includes the One-Act and Full-length
competitions) and the KCACTF Michael Kanin Playwriting Awards Program. We certainly hope that you will
encourage your students and faculty to enter original material into any
of the appropriate competitions.
As always, we focus on the development of student writers and their
scripts. There is some basic information on the developmental
process in Appendix IV. I encourage playwrights, directors,
actors, producers, mentors, and instructors to give this information a
close reading.
We are also actively seeking mentors, student directors, workshop
presenters, and script readers (See below for submission
information).
Contact Information
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the
National Playwriting Program in Region VI, please contact me, Gretchen Smith, Region VI National Playwriting Program Chair:
Gretchen Smith, Ph.D.,
Division of Theatre
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas 75275-0356
214-768-2937
gesmith@mail.smu.edu
All script submissions should be mailed to:
DR. GRETCHEN ELIZABETH SMITH
4704 Abbott Ave, #106
Dallas, TX 75205
You may also like to visit the national website at: www.kcactf.org
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the
National Playwriting Program in general, you may also contact the
National NPP Chair, Kate Snodgrass, at ksnodgra@bu.edu
Deadlines
All entries for the following must be POSTMARKED BY NOVEMBER 1, 2007:
NPP Michael Kanin Ten Minute Play Awards
NPP Michael Kanin David Mark Cohen Award
NPP John Cauble Award (See Below under National Playwriting Program for national entry rules and deadline)
Region VI Developmental One Act Play Festival
Region VI Full-Length Play Competition
These are all reader awards (Except for the David Mark Cohen
Award. The John Cauble Award can now be a reader award, an
associate entry, or a participating entry.), meaning selection is
based on the merits of the script. Further, all one act scripts
will be considered for both the Cauble Award and the Region VI
Developmental One Act Play Competition. If your Cauble entry is
not a participating entry and it is invited to the Kennedy Center, it
will be given a staged reading there. If it is a participating
entry and is invited to the Kennedy Center, it will either be given a
staged reading or will be fully or partially remounted for
production.
Entry Forms
All submissions for the above listed awards and competitions must be
accompanied by TWO ENTRY FORMS—a standard entry form and a
certification of eligibility form. (Non-students entering the David
Mark Cohen Award do not need an eligibility form, but need to verify
status). Both can be found below under Appendices I &
II. Scripts entered for the Kanin Awards must be accompanied by a Cover
Sheet, which can be found in Appendix III. The KCACTF Registration Form is available on the
national website at http://www.kcactf.org.
Format
A standard script format is provided on the national website: www.kcactf.org. There are
several acceptable formats that are quite similar, but often times,
scripts are submitted in makeshift formats. Proper formatting
prepares playwrights for submissions to national competitions and professional theatres. Further, it
makes the job script readers have much smoother, which is primarily why
consistency of acceptable format is so critical. Please submit in
the suggested format, or in one that is almost identical. If it
is not, it will not be read.
KCACTF Ten-Minute Play Festival
This
year up to six scripts will be chosen for developmental staged
readings at the 2008 Regional Festival at Sam Houston State
University. Region VI students are eligible to submit a maximum
of
two ten-minute scripts.
Playwrights must submit four copies of each script, which must be in
standard format. Each script entered must be
accompanied by two entry forms (See Appendices I & II); and each
copy of each script must have two title pages—one with the title only
and the other a detachable page with title and all author contact
information. This is to keep the selection process blind and
fair. (All scripts entered into the regional competition are read
by three faculty and/or professional readers from outside our
region.) The script must NOT exceed ten minutes in performance
(7-10 pages, 12-point font, standard play script format) and must be written by a student enrolled in a college or
university during the festival year which has entered a Participating
or Associate KCACTF production (students whose school has not entered a
Participating or Associate production may submit a $20 entry fee per
10-minute play to KCACTF Region VI). Each script must be securely
stapled in the upper left-hand corner--no binders or folders.
Finally, scripts must be accompanied by a letter of support from the
student’s college or university mentor. Mail all this to me at
the above address, postmarked by the deadline: November 1, 2007.
Due to the high volume of entries, no script will be returned.
Playwrights whose scripts are selected for presentation will be
notified by December 15th, 2007.
Playwrights whose scripts are chosen must be in attendance at the
regional festival and be committed to developing their scripts before
and during the festival according to established standards: Once you
are notified that your script has been selected, you will be assigned a
faculty mentor and a student director. You will then begin the
process of developing your script based on feedback you receive from
your mentor and director via e-mail. When you arrive at the
festival, you will all meet; and once your play is cast, the actors
will become a part of the developmental team. (See Appendix IV for
developmental information, and I suggest consulting such sources as
Breed and Kahn’s Scriptwork for information on the developmental
process.) Playwrights are encouraged to develop their scripts up
until the day of performance, and of course after the regional
festival. This should be primarily about process, and all energy
should be devoted to helping the playwright develop her work.
Only FOUR Ten Minute Scripts from the country will be chosen to go to
the Kennedy Center. Three different faculty and/or professional
readers will select the script that advances. The script will be
chosen before the 2007 Region VI Regional Festival so that this award
is truly a reader award and the spirit is festive, not competitive.
Playwrights and directors will cast the play from student auditionees
at an audition that follows the preliminary rounds of the Irene Ryan
Competition. All students registered for the festival, except
Irene Ryan semi-finalists and their partners, may audition. If
your reading will run more smoothly and clearly with a narrator,
seriously consider casting an actor for this “role.” Once the
play has been cast, the developmental team will meet to decide upon a
rehearsal schedule. As suggested, the playwright must be
considered pivotal during the rehearsal process, and should be
encouraged to rewrite throughout. Remember to keep the staged
readings at ten minutes and under.
Set props are very minimal and suggestive, and staging should be kept minimal and suggestive. The focus is the
text, not the staging. These are script-in-hand, staged
readings. This is not to say that the directors and actors will
not be creative and interpretive forces. Excellent developmental
teams are necessarily made up of intelligent, talented, and skilled
artists. In short, this is a wonderful opportunity to make
theatre, from page to stage, with students, artists, and educators from
around the region and nation.
Please note that a ten-minute play is a complete play, not just a scene
from a longer work, nor is it a "sketch" that works out a basic conceit
superficially. It also does not need to shock to have dramatic
value. Tell your story in some dramatic way with your own
voice. Take the audience on a journey. Force yourself to
write something that must take place on the stage, and on the stage
only.
Region VI Developmental One Act Play Festival
Up to five one act scripts will be selected for staged readings.
One or Two of these scripts will be invited to the 2008 Regional
Festival for a workshop production that will be seen by the National
Selection Team for consideration to be brought to the National
Festival, either as a workshop production or as a staged reading.
The objective here is to help playwrights develop their scripts, plain
and simple. The script must be between ten and sixty minutes when
staged as a reading or a workshop production, and it must not have an
intermission. All selected playwrights must be willing and able
to bring a fully rehearsed staged reading to the regional festival
where it will be critiqued in an open forum by one or two
respondents. The focus should be on the script versus any
elaborate staging.
Your script will be considered for the Cauble Award and the Region VI
Developmental Festival. Submit four copies to me with entry forms
and letter of support. Then you must follow the guidelines for
the Cauble Award for your Kennedy Center submission. (See Below
under National Playwriting Program for national entry rules and
deadline.)
Be sure to follow format and submission requirements noted above.
Scripts will be selected by a team three readers not associated with
any of the submitting colleges and universities.
Seriously consider developing your script with a director and actors
before submitting. This holds true for any script you enter into
any sort of competition.
Region VI Developmental Full-Length Play Festival
Up to three full-length scripts will be selected for staged
readings. The objective here is to help playwrights develop their
scripts. The script must be over 60 minutes (or longer) when
given a staged reading, and it must not exceed one intermission.
All selected playwrights must be willing and able to bring a fully
rehearsed staged reading to the regional festival where it will be
critiqued in an open forum by one or two respondents. The focus
should be on the script versus any elaborate staging.
This festival is not part of any national competition or award.
It is a Region VI event only. Like all the work we help to
develop, it is hopeful that these scripts will eventually get full
productions.
Be sure to follow format and submission requirements noted above.
Scripts will be selected by a team of two or three readers not
associated with any of the submitting colleges and universities.
Seriously consider developing your script with a director and actors
before submitting. This holds true for any script you enter into
any sort of competition.
MICHAEL KANIN PLAYWRITING AWARDS
PROGRAM--Click here to go directly to the national website for the
latest on national playwriting awards: http://www.kcactf.org/
Checklist for the Michael Kanin NPP New Script Entries
Mail the following to the Kennedy Center ACTF Office:
∑ Playwriting entry form
∑ Three (3) copies of the script with cover page for
each award entered by December 1st (except David Mark Cohen Award or
Ten Minute Plays; See Above and Below for these submission rules)
∑ One page synopsis attached to each script
∑ Two copies of performance program with KCACTF sponsor page (following production)
∑ Verification of playwright’s status
∑ Copy of producing organizations certificate of insurance (only for participating entries)
∑ Permission letter from producing organization (only for participating entries)
Mail the following to Gretchen Smith, NPP Chair, Region VI:
∑ Copies playwriting entry form, and coversheet (the latter for a Kanin Award only)
∑ One Copy of all new scripts entered as
participating or associate productions, unless it is also a Regional
one-act entry/Cauble entry--four copies (Five copies for the David Mark
Cohen Award; See Below for further information regarding this
award)
∑ See Above for other submission information
Submission Process for Student Directors, Mentors, Faculty Readers, Workshop Presenters for the Regional Festival
Student Directors:
Up to six student directors will be selected to help develop and direct
one of the regional ten minute scripts. Please nominate your
outstanding student directors for this excellent educational and
artistic opportunity.
Nominated students should send a resume, letter of application
detailing their interest and experience in directing and developing an
original script, a letter of recommendation, and a statement of
directing philosophy and goals. Deadline: Postmarked by November
6, 2007. Send materials to Gretchen at the above address.
Mentors:
We are seeking 3-6 enthusiastic faculty directing mentors with experience developing original scripts and who are
dedicated to participating in and teaching the collaborative process. Mentors must be in attendance for the entire
festival. Mentors will work on ten-minute and/or one-act
plays. Interested faculty should submit a letter of application
that includes previous developmental experience. Deadline:
Postmarked by November 6, 2007. Send materials to Gretchen at the
above address.
Faculty Readers
We are seeking theatre faculty members from within and outside the
region to serve on a screening and selection committee for the various
play festivals. If you are willing to read and evaluate student
play script submissions, please contact Gretchen. Deadline:
Postmarked by November 6, 2007.
Workshop Presenters
If you teach playwriting and/or script development, and would be
willing to lead a workshop at the Region VI festival or at any of the
Region VI state festivals, please contact Gretchen. Deadline:
Postmarked by November 6, 2007.
APPENDIX I-Entry Form.doc
APPENDIX II-Eligibility.doc
APPENDIX III-Cover Sheet.doc
APPENDIX IV-Dev. Process.doc
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