SCRIPT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
MaD (Monologues and Duologues) 2012 is a series of staged rehearsed readings of new short pieces for one or two actors, to be presented in the ADC Bar, Park Street, Cambridge, on Sundays 20th & 27th May, 3rd, 10th & 17th June at 7pm each evening, followed by an opportunity for audience feedback.
Submissions are now open. Scripts must be e-mailed to submissions@writeon.org.uk (we cannot accept scripts by post). Scripts must be received by midnight on Friday 13th April 2012. Your script may not be acknowledged until after the closing date.
ELIGIBILITY
You must be a paid-up WRiTEON Member to submit. There is no additional submission fee. Membership costs £15 for the year. Annual membership runs from 1st May to 30th April. If you are a 2011-2012 member, that membership will cover you for this submission as the deadline is before your membership expires. If you are not a 2011-2012 member, you can join for 2012-2013 any time from 1st March 2012 (thus gaining up to 14 months membership for the price of 12). NB This would also entitle you to claim members’ discount for workshops on 26th March and/or 22nd April if you wish to attend either or both of those. See News page for details.
For details of how to join/renew your membership for 2012-2013, which can be paid by PayPal, credit card or cheque, go to:
http://www.writeon.org.uk/contact.htm
CRITERIA
Scripts must be for one or two actors only.
Scripts can be as short as you like but must run no longer than 20 minutes.
We are looking for pieces which feature some on-stage action and/or some sort of transformation in the character/s and/or their situation through the unfolding of events, rather than just a long speech or piece of dialogue.
As well as conventional monologues/duologues, we may consider scripts with more characters provided that the piece is clearly written with the intention of being performed by either one or two actors (think “Stones in His Pockets” by Marie Jones or “Two” by Jim Cartwright) rather than larger cast plays where parts can be doubled (i.e. the actor exits and re-enters as someone else). Please do not submit scripts intended for a larger cast in the hope that we can adapt them as we will not consider these.
Writers may submit an extract or the beginning of a longer piece only if it makes sense in isolation and will provide a satisfying experience for an audience.
Writers may submit more than one script, either separate or in some way related. Previous seasons have included (i) a series of three linked monologues, where the same story was told from the perspective of three different characters with new information being revealed by each, and (ii) a series of monologues/duologues each featuring one or two different characters in the same setting.
THE DEAL
WRiTEON is an open collective of writers, actors and directors; including professionals, former professionals and amateurs. We exist to provide a service to writers, enabling them to see how their work translates from page to stage and to offer valuable experience to directors and actors in working with new writing.
Selected scripts will be cast as appropriately as possible from our pool of available actors. We reserve the right to withdraw scripts if suitable actors cannot be found.
Scripts will have 1-3 rehearsals with a director before being presented as script-in-hand staged readings, following which, audience feedback will be invited.
The performing space (ADC Bar) seats 50 and has a small, raised, uncurtained, corner stage, basic lighting and a sound system. There is room for minimal furniture on stage, e.g. a sofa and/or small table and chairs. Sound effects, if used, should be kept simple. There are no wings; entrances (and exits) are either from behind a curtain downstage right and up a step onto the stage or through the auditorium and up a step onto the stage from downstage left.
Writers whose submissions are accepted are expected to attend the staged reading and will be allocated one complimentary ticket. Additional tickets may be purchased for friends and family from www.adctheatre.com. The writer may also be able to attend one or more rehearsals at the discretion of the director.
SCRIPT FORMAT
Scripts should be in Microsoft WORD.
Please use a clear 12 point font.
Pages must be numbered.
Please remember that actors will need to read from the script on stage so make this as easy as possible with a consistent clear layout, character names in CAPITALS, clearly distinguishable from speeches, stage directions in CAPITALS or italics [bracketed where they appear within the dialogue] and a space between speeches.
The title of the play must appear on every page in a header or footer (in a smaller font and with adequate space between this and the script).
A completed form must be included at the front of each script submitted. Copy and paste the form below onto your submission and complete it before e-mailing. Do not attach it as a separate document. Please make sure that all the information you need to give is included on the form, rather than in a covering e-mail.
WRiTEON MaD (MONOLOGUES AND DUOLOGUES) 2012
SUBMISSION FORM (to be attached to front of script)
TITLE OF MONOLOGUE OR DUOLOGUE:
NAME OF WRITER AS YOU WISH IT TO APPEAR IN PUBLICITY:
APPROXIMATE RUNNING TIME (Maximum = 20 minutes):
IS SCRIPT COMPLETE IN ITSELF OR PART OF A LONGER PIECE? (if the latter, please explain)
HAS PIECE BEEN PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED/READ?
(if so, give details of when and where and say whether or not it has since been revised)IF SELECTED, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GAIN FROM HAVING THIS PIECE STAGED BY WRiTEON AS A REHEARSED READING?
NUMBER OF ACTORS REQUIRED (maximum two for this season):
NAME/S OF CHARACTER/S WITH GENDER AND APPROXIMATE AGE PLUS (OPTIONAL) DESCRIPTION (maximum 10 words per character):
PLEASE LIST ANY PROPS, COSTUMES, ITEMS OF SET OR SOUND EFFECTS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE PIECE (N.B. staging is minimalist so it may not be possible to meet your requirements):
DESCRIPTION OF PIECE FOR PUBLICITY USE (maximum 50 words)*:
BIOGRAPHY OF WRITER (maximum 50 words)*:
WRiTEON MEMBERSHIP NUMBER: (or date and method of most recent payment, if membership number not known/not yet received)
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE NUMBER/S:
E MAIL ADDRESS:
ARE THERE ANY OF THE ADVERTISED PERFORMANCE DATES FOR WHICH YOU WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE TO ATTEND? (if so, which?)
WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING REHEARSALS AS AN OBSERVER IF THE DIRECTOR AND ACTORS AGREE TO THIS?
ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
* These may be used in advanced publicity and/or the programme. We reserve the right to edit:
