Wyoming Arts Council

Call for entries: Riot Act, Inc.'s, New Play Festival


From Riot Act, Inc.’s, web site:

In honor of the tenth anniversary of Riot Act, Inc.’s Annual Series of Shorts, the company is celebrating by hosting its first New Play Festival.  Always wanted to write a play?  Or maybe you’re an experienced writer who would like some feedback.  Anyone can enter Riot Act’s New Play Festival and four talented finalists will have their plays produced for our Annual Series of Shorts in June 2014.

Here’s how it works:  You write a 20-30 minute play (see guidelines below) and submit it by February 1, along with a $30 entrance fee.  One of our fantastic judges (see below) will read your play and give you written feedback and suggestions.  The judges will narrow the field down to the final four plays, which will all receive a full production as part of Riot Act’s Annual Series of Shorts in June!

Winners will be notified no later than March 30, 2014. Judges for this inaugural competition include:  John Hanlon, head of ThinkTank 47, a local drama teacher, actor and director; Tim Sandlin, the head of the JH Writers Conference and a noted local novelist; Bob Berky, a Jackson-based performer, director and playwright; Deanna Darr, a Riot Act board member, theatre critic with the Boise Weekly,  and avid theater supporter; and Robin Moore, local actor and theater supporter. Auditions will be held in early April after directors are selected for each of the final four plays. Rehearsals will run April through May with performances June 12-14, 2014.  This is a wonderful opportunity for playwrights to gain valuable feed-back and see their work produced.

Playwrights can take advantage of the expertise and experience generously offered by Off Square Theatre’sThinkTank 47—a local playwriting class/club that meets first Thursday of every month. Writers can not only learn more about the craft, but also use the group as a sounding board as they create their plays. Playwrights can also submit their plays for a round table reading and review with the Think Tank 47 group as long as they give at least six-weeks-notice.

Basic Guidelines:

Plays must run 20-30 minutes in total (20-30 pages).

Plays can require no more than six total actors.

Set and prop concepts should be simple and must be easily broken down and moved.

Please visit our website for registration materials, format guidelines and more specific directions.

Deadlines and Submission Fees 

Entries cost $30 each and must be submitted by Feb. 1, 2014.

For more information and registration, please visit our website at www.riotactinc.org/playwriting-competition.  For any questions please contact riotactplaycomp@earthlink.net or 307-203-9067.

New Play Festival Guidelines

Riot Act Playwriting Registration Form


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