Seeking an Underwriter for Play Anthology

Kentucky Playwrights Workshop, Inc. which last year held its first ever play contest and 10-minute play festival is going to bring out an anthology of six of the seven plays produced as part of that festival. The anthology will contain:

Crish Barth's Hill Cattle
Len Cuthbert's Enigmatic Lucidity
Leon Kaye's More Pasta
Kay Rhoads' Last Church of Lost Souls
Thomas Pierces' Almost Connect...
and
Steven Schutzman's The Weight

We are now at the point where we are seeking a company or individual to help underwrite the cost of publication. For a donation of $1,000 the underwriter will receive:

1) Their name, or the name of their company:
a) on the front cover of the anthology
b) mention in the publication's "Introduction"
c) a 1/2 page advertisement for their company on the back cover of the publication OR
a full page advertisement of their company on the INSIDE BACK COVER of the publication
d) mention in the press release about this publication that: "Publication was made possible in part due to a generous donation by (name of individual or corporation)
e) an article about the company or indvidual on this blog (web site)
f) ability to purchase PRIOR TO PUBLICATION copies of the anthology at $5.00 per copy

2) Knowledge that if the publication is underwritten KPW, Inc. can reduce the RETAIL PRICE of the publication from our current estimated price of $10.95 to $8.95 thereby increasing the likelyhood of more sales of the anthology.

If anyone would like additional information about the anthology or how to become an underwriter of this effort please contact us at ky.playwright@yahoo.com

More History

When it became evident that we were actually going to have to judge the submissions Bill McCann contacted Actors Theatre of Louisville for help. One of the heroes of our tale, Amy Wegener ATL's Literary Manager came to the rescue. Riding out of Louisville into the outer reaches of Central Kentucky Ms. Wegener came to the group's June 7, 2009 meeting.

By this time members of 517 Playwrights had reduced the 100 submissions by about half. Contest Coordinator Bill McCann had forwarded about 20 or so submissions to each of the other judges and judged the remainder himself. At the early June meeting Ms. Wegener gave the group ideas about how to select not only good plays but plays that would work well together to create an evening's entertainment that would be both varied, but unified.

Two weeks later the judges met again and selected the contest winners:

Crish Barth, Orinda, CA, Hill Cattle

Len Cuthbert, Mt. Brydges, Ontario, CANADA, Enigmatic Lucidity

Lawrence DuKore, New York, NY, The Day that Brando Died

Leon Kaye, Hyde Park, NY, More Pasta

Thomas Pierce, Seattle, WA, Almost Connect....

Kay Rhoads, Ankeny, IA, Last Church of Lost Souls

Steven Schutzman, Baltimore, MD, The Weight

With the selection of winners, the hard work began. Jim Betts was selected to produce the plays: he found directors and actors, a venue oversaw the finding of props and scenery, and otherwise made the event happen. Meanwhile Bill McCann made certain that we had contracts with the playwrights and kept the playwrights up to date about what was going on with the contest.

Jim though had the biggest task-- getting the plays on stage. He found a venue in Midway, Kentucky The Thoroughbred Theatre located in the heart of that vibrant but small community midway between Lexington and Frankfort. Working with the theatre's owners Jim and John McDaniel and their staff a date for the production was settled on: October 9th throu the 11th. Time it seemed started to move faster.

Jim secured the help of Bob Singleton to co-roduce the event. Between them Jim and Bob found five other local thespians to help them cast and direct the shows.

Directors Announced for Winning Plays

James Betts, producer of the winning plays from this year's 517 Playwrights' 10-Minute Play Contest, announced the directors for the plays that will be produced under the auspices of the Kentucky Playwrights' Workshop, Inc. October 9-11, 2009 at the Thoroughbred Community Theatre in Midway, KY.

The plays and their directors, listed alphabetically by playwright are:

Scott Turner, director of Crish Barth's Hill Cattle.
Bob Singleton director of Len Cuthbert's Enigmatic Lucidity.
Ross Carter director of Lawrence DuKore's The Day Brando Died.
Lief Rigney director of Leon Kaye's More Pasta.
Lillie Ruschelle director of Thomas Pierce's Almost Connect....
Lief Rigney director of Kay Rhoads', Last Church of Lost Souls.
Jim Betts director of Steven Schutzman's The Weight.

Meet Playwright Len Cuthbert

Len Cuthbert, the author of Enigmatic Lucidity, has been writing plays since the late 1980's and is the creator of Fridge Door Live! a summer theatre camp for kids and youth. He has had several plays produced and published. He lives with his wife and two children near London, Ontario, Canada. For more information about Len or to learn about his plays and career visit his web site http://www.lencuthbert.com/

10-Minute Play Contest Winners!

The judges of this year's 517 Playwrights 10-Minute play contest have selected 7 winning plays by playwrights from Canada and the United States. More than 100 entries were received from as far away as Ireland, England and as close as Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky. The winners of this year's contest, listed alphabetically by playwright are:

Crish Barth, Orinda, CA, Hill Cattle
Len Cuthbert, Mt. Brydges, Ontario, CANADA, Enigmatic Lucidity
Lawrence DuKore, New York, NY, The Day that Brando Died
Leon Kaye, Hyde Park, NY, More Pasta
Thomas Pierce, Seattle, WA, Almost Connect....
Kay Rhoads, Ankeny, IA, Last Church of Lost Souls
Steven Schutzman, Baltimore, MD, The Weight

We are grateful for all who entered and who in doing so shared something of themselves with us. Those of us who judged the plays are also playwrights so we know how difficult it is to write, much less submit a play that others will accept or reject. Thanks go to all who put themselves out and took a chance by submitting to our contest. We appreciate the time and effort required to do so.

The seven winning plays will be produced at the Thoroughbred Community Theatre in Midway, KY October 9, 10 and 11th, 2009. The Friday and Saturday performances will be at night, the Sunday performance will be a matinee.