Update on the Play Contest

Amy Wegener of Actors Theatre of Louisville attended the June 7th meeting bringing solid advice and lots of encouragement about the play contest. Ms. Wegener's comments helped the judges clarify what was most important in choosing plays.

Discussion focused on questions like: from a practical standpoint can the play be produced in the space and with the resources available; are actors available for the roles; does the play sustain itself for its entire length; is diversity important in terms of such matters as where playwrights are from, gender (of playwrights and/or of the characters in their plays)? And so forth.

We did not read or discuss particular plays with Ms. Wegener. We did however, get into practical considerations regarding the contest such as venues in which to produce the selected plays (TBA after confirmation of the dates with the venue owner), the care and feeding of playwrights LOL:)! (contracts, contacting and working with out-of-area playwrights, etc.), where and how to find actors and directors for the plays we select and who, how and (even) whether or not to select a (single) winning play.

Though many of the questions were discussed at some length I'm not sure it is possible to say that we came up with many answers. In fact, it may be most accurate to say that we simply decided to defer conclusive answers to our next meeting on June 28th at 2:00 pm. Between June 7th and June 28th the final 15 plays will be read by all four judges with an eye towards selecting the final 6 to 10 plays that will ultimately be produced.

Once the finalists are chosen the playwrights will be contacted to notify them of their selection and to get formal permission to produce their work before winners names are posted on this blog and on the Playwrights Forum. Hopefully, posting of winners will happen sometime in mid-July or early August.

Pending confirmation of the dates and times production of the selected plays will be the second weekend in October 2009, October October 9, 10 and 11.

ATL Literary Manager to Speak

Amy Wegener, Literary Manager of Actors Theatre of Louisville (ATL) will speak at our June 7th meeting of 517 Playwrights. Ms. Wegener who has a large say in whose plays make it to the stage of Actors Theatre will discuss how to judge play contest entries.

The National 10 Minute Play Contest, sponsored in part by Actors Theatre of Louisville, receives hundreds of entries annually for just a few spots in the Humana Festival of New American Plays, and judging that contest is part of Ms. Wegener's job description. So 517 Playwrights is fortunate to have someone of her knowledge and skill to guide us as we get down to the final selection of plays for the First Annual 517 Playwrights 10 Minute Play Contest.

Our first 10 minute play contest, which received 100 entries in less than 6 weeks time, will be judged and semifinalists notified not later than July first of this year. Thereafter, we will begin looking for actors and directors to bring the plays to life on a Lexington stage.

If anyone is aware of a director who might want to be involved in this project please have him or her contact Bill McCann, Jr. at 859 940-9510. Thanks.