WRiTEON! - Newsletter 


News and Events
August 2007


Attention all Writers - Performance Slots for Naked Stage 2007 Still Available
Are you thinking of submitting a script to a producting theatre? The Hampstead Theatre website has this advice for new writers: "We advise writers to join a writers' group at their local theatre or set up local writers' groups in order to do the simple things first. A writers' group can offer criticism and read your work aloud, and this can often highlight obvious errors in dialogue or structure which can be remedied before the play is sent to a producing theatre."

This is exactly the purpose of WRiTEON!'s Naked Stage series. Casting will begin shortly for this year's series and at this writing there are still plenty of performance slots available for scripts of up to one hour in length. Whether you are new to WRiTEON! or an experienced writer, Naked Stage provides a great first opportunity to see a script on which you have been working performed. We will do our best to stage all scripts submitted, and each will be provided with a director and at least two rehearsals before the reading. Readings will take place AT CB2 on Sunday evenings between 7 October and 9 December. This year's artistic directors for Naked Stage are Michelle Golder and Eddie Butler, and they will be very happy to answer any questions you may have. To submit, or for further information, send your question or formatted script to michelleATwriteon.org.uk or edwardbutler1AThotmail.com (replace AT with @). But please act soon. It is a huge challenge to organise such a big event and the sooner we get all the scripts in the sooner we can get organised, the better the cast you will get, and the more likely you will receive the performance date of your choice.

If you have already submitted for Naked Stage, Eddie or I will be contacting you shortly about your performance date.


Guildford Book Festival - Play Writing Festival
Deadline: 31 August

In partnership with Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford Book Festival is holding a Play Writing Festival for the first time this year.

Entries are invited from playwrights who wish to write for the stage. The characterisation and story line is up to you, but please remember the judging panel will prefer contemporary themes or exploration of modern issues.

Entries may be as

   1. a complete one act
   2. one act from a longer play
   3. a series of scenes

Where an extract is submitted, kindly ensure you include a summary of the whole play.

The playing time should aim at 25-40 minutes.

The Festival Awards

Three scripts will be selected and on Friday 26 October at 7.45pm at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud's Mill Studio Theatre, they will be given a rehearsed reading at a public performance. In addition they will be awarded a written evaluation.

The Festival Awards will be hosted by Ronald Harwood CBE. One of our most renowned playwrights, his plays include The Dresser, Interpreters, Another Time and Taking Sides. He won an Academy Award for the screenplay of The Pianist and is Vice-President of the Royal Society of Literature.

The Judges

The judging panel will be made up of Theatre / Literary professionals.

[Out-of-date links and contact info removed.]

Visit www.guildfordbookfestival.co.uk or www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk for more information.


Flesh Pot Theatre
Showcase for One-Act Plays

London-based theatre company Flesh Pot Theatre is looking to source one-act plays for performance at the Devonshire Arms in Kensington. They are currently favouring quirky comedies.

Plays should have no more than four characters, or have the ability for actors to double up, and should be 30-40 minutes in length. The company is unable to pay writers for their material, unless it is performed, at which time, depending on door sales, they can pay a nominal royalties fee. Material not used will be returned.

[Out-of-date links and contact info removed.]

Ten in a Bed Theatre
Ten in a Bed Theatre seek new theatre writing to premiere as rehearsed readings at their regular monthly event in the Clerkenwell Theatre. If you are a budding or emerging theatre writer with a script that you would like produced as a rehearsed reading, they want to hear from you.

Ten in a Bed Theatre can only accept scripts submitted by post. As well as plays, they will also consider excerpts, works-in-progress, sketches, sit-coms and radio plays. As they are dedicated to new writing, they cannot consider any work that has received a full professional production.

For more information, including how to submit your manuscript, please visit www.teninabedtheatre.org.

Ocras Production of The School for Scandal
Last three performances
 
Sheridan’s comedy depicts a society of vicious gossip and scandal. Written in 1771, it could be about the world of footballers’ wives and c-list celebs who regularly adorn the pages of such rags as Heat and OK today.
 
Cambridge based Ocras Theatre Group was formed in 1995 to bring the best of Irish Theatre to Cambridge audiences. It is unique in that it gives students of drama and performance and experienced community actors the chance to work alongside professional counterparts.Director Collette Parker has directed for WRiTEON! and this production also features WRiTEON! actor Joe Oxley.

[Out-of-date links and contact info removed.]


Frank's Aim is True at Edinburgh Festival This Week
21-27 August

If you are thinking of heading up for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this week, don't miss WRiTEON! writer Paul Richard's production  Frank's Aim is True, directed by WRiTEON! founder Tom Marty and featuring Stefan Haselwimmer and Vaughan Allanson. Paul's offering is a quirky, bittersweet comedy about a young man whose worship of Elvis Costello makes up for his dead end job as a chip shop cook. It's on at Sweet Grassmarket Venue 18, Apex City Hotel, 61 Grassmarket, from 12:20 pm. Visit www.edfringe.com for further information or to book tickets.


Bawds Auditions for Spring 2008 Production
Bawds Spring 2008 production is a Harold Pinter double-bill: Monologue and Celebration. Auditions for this production, venue and exact dates of which are to be confirmed, will be held on Tuesday 9th & Thursday 11th October 2007 at The Cambridge Deaf Centre, Romsey Terrace, Mill Road, Cambridge
between 7.45 p.m. and 9.30 p.m.
For further information visit www.bawds.org.