10 MIN. PLAYS—SUBMISSIONS, FESTIVALS AND MORE

I mentioned in my last blog that Fire Rose Productions is looking for submissions for their 8th Annual Ten Minute Play contest. For those of you who have thought of writing a play, but found the process a little daunting, the 10 min. play format is a good place to start. Here are some sites I've found with useful information on how to write a 10 min. play:

http://www.10-minute-plays.com/how_to_write_a_10_minute_play.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2102436_write-ten-minute-play.html

In addition to Fire Rose Productions, other places that offer 10 min. play festivals where you can submit your play are:

http://www.10minuteplays.com/

http://www.shortandsweet.org/

http://www.inspiratofestival.ca/write-a-play.php

http://www.fusionabq.org/TheSevenSubmissions.htm

http://www.actorstheatre.org/humana_contest.htm

and the Festival of New Plays at Mendocino Community College where I got my start writing Ten Minute plays. Their annual deadline is Feb. 14.

Here's another great writing site that is chock full of useful information and resources:

http://www.burryman.com

Look under play submissions, and you'll find a list of places that publish plays, contests, festivals, plus submission guidelines.

Happy Writing!

"PLAYING WITH KNIVES" GOES HOLLYWOOD!

I just returned from a fun weekend in Los Angeles where my ten minute play, "Playing with Knives" was performed as part of Fire Rose Production's 7th Annual Ten-minute Play Festival. Last year, they had moved the performances to a larger theatre in Santa Monica, but this year, the plays were performed at their home theatre, the Secret Rose Theatre in North Hollywood. The 60-seat theatre was so packed that they had to place some throw cushions on the floor to accommodate the overflow. The younger, more supple of the audience members, my brother, Jason, included, gamely gave up their seats to get front-row floor seating. Well, at least Jason's tush was adequately padded!

The festival was divided into two groups (Group A & B) of 6 plays each. Group A performed on Jan. 7, 8 & 9, and Group B, which included "Playing with Knives", performed on Jan. 14, 15, & 16. The top 3 plays in each group (chosen by audience vote) got to perform in the "Best of ..." show on Sunday, Jan. 17. I was honored that "Playing with Knives" was selected as one of 6 for the "Best of ..." show. "Match Point", a very funny play written by Chris Widney, won the Mercer Award this year. Congratulations, Chris!

Thank you to Kaz Matamura, co-founder of the Secret Rose Theatre and Fire Rose Productions, and director of "Playing with Knives", and a talented cast who brought the play to life and made it so much fun: Michael Judson Pratt, Ellen Bienenfeld, Kevin Marshall Pinkney, and Stephen Katz.

Fire Rose Productions is currently seeking submissions for the 8th Annual Ten Minute Play Festival. Deadline for submissions is March 30, 2010. For more information, click here.