News and Events
28 October 2009

WRiTEON Events

November Naked Stage
Sunday, 1 November 2009, 7 pm
Larkum Studio, ADC Theatre
Tickets: £5/£4 conc
Book free online: www.adctheatre.com
Box Office: 01223 300085

Our penultimate Naked Stage for 2009 features three new pieces: a sketch, a one act comedy, and an excerpt from a work in progress. Book now for this Sunday's show:

Playing by Anita Lehmann
Long suffering mother with teenage son- or might it be the other way round?
Cast: Rob Wells and Sarah Ingram
Directed by: Anita Lehmann

Sugar Sugar by Paul Richards
Talentless actor Kenny's life is thrown upside-down when hard-nosed businessman Tony and his wife-to-be Kelly come to fill up their car at his 24 hour petrol station. A turn of events finds Kenny and Kelly alone, but surely life isn't so cruel to suggest the only time he is alone with a girl it's purely fiction?
Cast: David Geasor, Nick Wood, Cara McLean
Directed by: Geoff Broad

Cuckoo by Jean Rees-Lyons
Set in a virtual world, this extract from a work in progress is less about hearing the first cuckoo in spring, more about finding a nest full of subversive control........
Cast: Robert Jezek, Heather Yeadon, Rhonda Nicholl, Francesca Brown
Directed by: Jean Rees-Lyons

WRiTEON Casual Scriptreading/Feedback Group
Next Meeting: Tuesday 17th November, 7.15pm
36a The Limes, Harston CB22 7QT

The casual scriptreading and feedback group meets monthly to provide feedback on scripts in progress. Last month's meeting saw four scripts read aloud and discussed. Scripts include one sketch and three scenes from longer works in progress - two for radio and one for television. All writers are welcome to attend these meetings. You don't have to bring a script and there is no guarantee yours will be read at your first session if you do - but it will be eventually. For more information, please contact organiser Julia Bolden at julia@writeon.org.uk.

Improv Comedy Workshop - Taster Sessions
Mondays, 9 & 16 November, 7.30-10pm
Arbury Community Centre, Campkin Road,CB4 2LD
£10 per session or £15 for both

Twenty improvisers are already on board for this series of two workshops subsidised by WRiTEON and led by Jonathan Burke of The Scat Pack - acclaimed for its long form improv performances at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Jonathan says he will happily take 30, so if you've ever wanted to try your hand at Whose Line is it Anyway type improvisational games this is your chance. No experience or inborn wittiness necessary, just a bit of courage and the desire to try it out.

Lifts are available from the centre of Cambridge or station. If you need a lift, please let Michelle know when booking.

To book, write to michelle@writeon.org.uk

Workshops

WRiTEON Discount Offer for Wordfest Devising Workshop
29 November 2009
1-5 pm
Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Recital Room
£25 for WRiTEON Subscribers - Quote "WRiTEON Discount" when booking
Book at ADC Box Office or by phone 01223 300085

Devising for Performance: A Workshop for Writers, Directors and Actors
Part of Cambridge Wordfest
 
WRiTEON is helping to sponsor this unique workshop which will help release the creativity in all of us. Devising is the process of working with a group to turn an idea into a performable piece. Explore this creative technique with  Splendid Productions, fresh from critical success at the Edinburgh Fringe with their groundbreaking devised production of Buchner's Woyzeck. Using their highly-structured Brechtian approach, you will be part of the birth of a new piece of theatre. An active workshop for all levels of experience - the only prerequisite is the desire to get up and get creative!

Quote Write ON Discount when booking by phone to save £10 off the full price.

For more information see: www.splendidproductions.co.uk and www.cambridgewordfest.co.uk

Writing Opportunities

Escalator East to Edinburgh - Applications Now Open for 2010
Stage One Deadline: 20 November 2009

The Junction, which oversees the Escalator East to Edinburgh scheme which offers financial assistance, mentoring and advice to artists taking work to any of the Edinburgh festival, is now accepting applications for the scheme. To receive a copy of the guidelines, please reply to this message with Escalator Grant in the Subject line.

Script Submissions Sought For Watermill New Writing Festival
Deadline: 01 Jan 2010

Submission fee: £20

The Watermill Theatre in Newbury, Berkshire, is re-launching RAISING VOICES for 2010. The Watermill has over many years made known its commitment in supporting new talent in theatre, with new writing on tour, in the main house and in the studio space whenever possible.

Playwrights of all backgrounds are invited to submit a new full length play for The Watermill, celebrating the diversity of the English language and the visual and emotional dynamics of live theatre. Each play should be a complete evening's entertainment and employ a maximum of 6 actors (which need not limit the number of characters within the story).

Each play will be read by one of a team of professional practitioners who will write a short critique for the writer.

Three plays will be chosen and the writers will have the opportunity of working for a day with a professional director and actors to present their play at a staged rehearsed reading at The Watermill in front of a public and invited audience, on March 29/30/31st 2010, at 7.30pm.

Your script may be emailed in PDF format to Outreach@watermill.org.uk, or a hard copy sent to: Raising Voices, Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, Nr Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 8AE

Wipst Premier Screenwriting Competition 2009
Deadline: 30 November 2009

If you think you’ve got what it takes to write a script then this is your chance to see your work on the screen. Vibe Tv Ltd  is an industry partner looking for great stories in any of the following genres: Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Family, Horror, Romantic Comedy, Thriller/Suspense, Documentary, Fantasy, Ghost and Open genres.             

Vibe’s Mission is to create an opportunity for screenwriters to have a 10 minute pilot of their work made available for distribution, e.g. to film festivals or Production/TV/Film companies to promote their work and to generate funding for the full project.

The competition aims to create a positive industry and audience exposure for work that would otherwise not be seen.  Writers will receive nominations and certificates as they progress through the competition process which will add to their portfolio.

Winner will be announced on January 18, 2010.  A pilot (10 minutes) will be commissioned to promote the screenplay which will be filmed in March/April 2010 at an appropriate location.

For more information about how you can enter the competition,  visit www.vibetv.tv

Edinburgh Fringe 2010 - One-Act Playwriting Competition
Deadline: 27 November 2009, midnight

BigVillage Theatre Co. is proud to announce an exciting new competition for aspiring playwrights. Following the success of their writing competitions in 2005 and 2007, the Edinburgh-based group is now offering writers the chance to win a full-scale production of their play at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2010.

The winning script will be performed in a six or seven-night run at an established central Edinburgh venue in August 2010. The winning playwright will be welcome to attend rehearsals and will receive two complimentary tickets to each performance.

The basic rules for entering the competition are as follows:

Quesstions and entries should be sent to the BigVillage secretary, Anne Robertson at: AnneRobertson252@yahoo.co.uk

More details can be found at: www.bigvillage.org.uk/

Bare Bones Showcase - Short Plays Wanted
First Deadline: 5pm, Saturday November 14th 2009
For Performance: January 25th

Bare Bones will be a showcase night of new short plays and will run at the Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington from January 2010. This is a fantastic opportunity for writers to have their work presented as a polished performance on a London stage with professional actors and directors bringing their work to life.

The night will run in a Monday night slot every two months. The show will be rehearsed to performance level, and will play twice during the evening. Bare Bones operates a strict policy of minimal set, lighting, costume, and play will be performed on whichever set is being used in production at the theatre that week. The Bare Bones night will consist of five or six plays of various styles and genres to create an exciting and engaging production.

Bare Bones are now asking writers to submit their scripts to be considered for the first night in January. The play can be on any topic and in any style but must conform to the following:

To submit a play to be considered for the Bare Bones night on January 25th the deadline is: 5pm, Saturday November 14th 2009. Plays submitted after this date will be considered for the following night in March. Submit Scripts in Word or PDF format with a cover letter to Rebecca at: barebones2010@gmail.com

Radio Sketches Wanted for Watson's Wind Up
Deadline: Thursday noon preceding each show

Watson's Wind Up, a topical sketch show for BBC Radio Scotland, has just started its 15th series. The show is recorded every week in front of a live studio audience and a new series of 13 episodes began on Friday 9th Oct at 6.10pm. 

Though the show has a core of established writers who have worked on it for many years it does have an open submission policy, as radio has always been a great way to blood new writing talent. Writers who started penning quickies for Watson's Wind Up have gone on to develop fuller scripts with the show's producers, The Comedy Unit.

Your material must have a topical focus, satirising people and stories that have been in the news.   National news stories regularly feature in the show, but you'll have more of a chance if it has a Scottish angle.   The BBC news site has a page dedicated to Scottish stories so visit that for research if you want to know what is making the headlines North of the Border.  Scottish papers like The Daily Record, The Scotsman, and The Herald also have regularly updated websites.

Main submission points:

Email your sketches to philipdiffer@comedyunit.co.uk. Sketches should be attached on .doc files only and your name stated clearly on each sketch.

See www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/index.shtml for more information.

Playwrights Wanted, Solidaire Theatre Productions
Closes Thursday 12 November 2009
Essex

Solidaire Theatre Productions are taking submissions of new short plays, for an upcoming one act play festival.  They are looking for a wide variety of work from any genre,  no longer than 25-30 minutes.

Please submit a hard copy of your play along with a cover letter that provides a short synopsis of the play, and a character breakdown. Each respondent may send up to three scripts for consideration.     

Submissions can be sent to:

Solidaire Productions
24 A The Broadway
Loughton, Essex
IG10 3SY
For further information, please e-mail:  solidaireproductions@hotmail.com or visit the website:  www.solidairetheatreproductions.moonfruit.com

Writing Opportunities in the USA

Want to expand your markets? The two links below will take you to organisations similar to WRiTEON but based in the US. Both list writing opportunities, many of which are open to international writers.

www.pwcenter.org/opportunities.php

www.nycplaywrights.org/

Call for Submissions - PILOT, Foursight Theatre
Deadline:  Saturday 7th November, 1pm

Submissions are now being taken for the next PILOT Night, co-piloted by Foursight Theatre at The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton on Tuesday December 8th 2009.

PILOT is the renowned experimental playing field where theatre makers can put their work to the test in front of a lively, supportive crowd.

All you need is an idea in early development that you’d like to scratch. We’ll give you a small bursary, expenses, some rehearsal space, documentation of your performance, an audience, and the opportunity to get honest feedback.

For further info and an application form, go to:

www.pilotnights.co.uk

Acting Opportunities

Cambridge Filmmaker Seeking Actors
No Deadline give
Unpaid


First time director Thomas Dobrowski is seeking four actors to help him make a 10 minute film called Deal. Filming will take place in the outskirts of Cambridge at the Recycling Centre. Transport for crew and actors provided. He expects to finish filming over one day, on a weekend to be arranged with the cast.

Roles Available:

         Johny - (25-35 years old), inconspicuous, naive, everyman

         Nadia  - (25-35 years old), nice look, a femme fatale type, Marlon’s wife

         Marlon - (25-35 years old), jealous husband role

         Old Man   - (40-60 years old), mature look with a sense of humor.

Script is available to peruse - request by replying to this bulletin.

To apply for a role, please contact Thomas on homersub@wp.pl. Include a CV , brief description of why you are interested in the role and at least one photo.

Looking for Male and Female Leads, Model Films
Closes Friday 13 November 2009
Unpaid, London

Waiting for Being follows a man and woman, Jack and Leah, as they try to decide who they want to be in their next lives.

The film will run for 10 minutes and shoot over one weekend in mid-late January 2010, plus rehearsals.

The entire film takes place in a white space, representing the world of the unborn or unmanifest. The style of the film will be of chaos emerging from the void, taking form, experimenting with styles, before hitting on a final form, ready to play out in the "real world".

LEAH - is an old soul and finds the process of self-discovery a joy.

JACK - is a less experienced soul who struggles with his emerging identity.

For both leads the playing age is 20 - 40. The roles require the actors to perform naked for sequences of the film, since the characters are unborn and still in the process of self-discovery.

Auditions will take place on Thursday 26th November in central London between 11am - 4.30pm.

If you are interested in either of the roles or would like to see a script please contact the Writer/Director - Andrew Southern: waitingforbeing@yahoo.com with your Spotlight or other relevant web link.

The project is entirely self-financed. Cast members will receive full credit, expenses and a copy of the film for their show reel.

Community Notices and Events

Two Events from Cambridge Storytellers

Cambridge Storytellers Tell Halloween Stories
Wednesday. 28th October 8 pm, £5/3
CB2 cafe, Norfolk St, Cambridge, CB1 2LD
Open telling: stories to chill the blood.  Come to tell or to be terrified,

Lost in Translation: Shonaleigh and Pete Chand
Saturday, 7th November, 8 pm, £7/5
St. Andrew's Hall, Chesterton, Cambridge, CB4 1DH

A road trip from the shade of the pomegranate tree to the magical city of Lutz, Lost In Translation is an acclaimed performance piece from two of Britain's most exciting storytellers, trading stories from Jewish and Indian backgrounds. When two ancient cultures walk side by side only one question remains: are the healing properties of chicken soup really more effective than lamb biryani?

For more details see www.cambridgestorytellers.com or phone Marion 01223 510756