Would you like your play televised?

If you were a playwright would you like to see your award winning play televised? When we began the play contest we thought we would pick the best few plays, find a few directors and actors and either do a staged reading or perhaps stage them. End of story.

Well, a little research and difficulty finding a suitable venue has lead to SOME (not much, admittedly) discussion about filming the plays and putting them on tv. This would mean that fewer plays could be selected, but that they'd get greater exposure. What do you think? Comment and let us know. Thanks very much.

May 17th Agenda

Our May 17th meeting is likely to a bit different than most of our meetings: in an effort to try and find the semifinalist plays we'll focus on reading and discussing submissions to the play contest. This of course will not be our last opportunity to judge submissions, or to discuss them. But, at least from my perspective, judging the submissions has been difficult work; the quality of scripts entered in the contest has been high, cutting down to only nine semi-finalists is going to be a hard job. We need this opportunity to discuss the plays that have been submitted.

So, even if you've never been to a meeting of 517 Playwrights, plan to come to this month's meeting. We will meet near the elevators on the second floor of the downtown (main) branch of the Lexington Public Library then find a quiet table where we can read and discuss submitted scripts. Please join us in finding the best nine (9) semifinalist plays possible.

May meeting

Just a reminder: the May meeting will be on Sunday May 17th at the main branch of the Lexington Public Library. The meeting will run from 2 to 5 pm. We'll meet on the second floor, near the elevators, then find a table to read scripts, discuss the play contest and conduct any other business. Please join us!

May meeting of 517 Playwrights

The next meeting of 517 Playwrights will be held on Sunday 17 May at the main branch of the Lexington Public Library. As we did this past Sunday we will meet on the second floor and then find a table to sit around and read scripts and discuss the play contest or other business. The meeting will last from 2 pm to 5pm. If you have questions please contact me at (859) 940-9510.

Actors, directors and fans of theatre: Join us!

517 Playwrights is open to anyone and everyone. If you are a playwright come and share your work with other playwrights: you'll be given feedback about what works and what doesn't. You'll be given encouragement to keep working and writing. You'll be given suggestions from fellow writers about how to make the play better. And always you'll be hearing the works of others who also are 'struggling' to make their works work.

Sounds like we only want playwrights doesn't it? Not at all, Theatre is a collaborative effort and new plays need to be no less. Right now all of our members and participants are playwrights, but for this organization to really succeed we also need directos and actors, plus theatre goers and technicians, to join in our efforts. People who have a different interest in theatre work each bring a different perspective to new works. So please, whatever your theatrical 'calling,' join us in bringing new works to the stages of our minds in the hope that one day those plays will move from the mind to the stage!

See you Sunday April 5th at the main branch of the Lexington Public Library, near the second floor elevators. We'll gather there then pick out a table and read and discuss the new scripts our members bring to the table. The meeting will begin at 2:00 and end promptly at 5:00 pm (when the library closes). Based on the plays we've read up to this point you will be impressed by the talent of our area playwrights. Join us.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of 517 Playwrights will be Sunday April 5th. We will meet from 2 pm to 5 pm at the downtown branch of the Lexington Public Library. We'll meet by the elevators on the second floor then get a table. Bring a script you've been working on. Hope to see you there.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of 517 Playwrights will be held on Sunday April 5th at 2:00 at the Central Library-- Main Street in Lexington. We will not have a reserved room. Instead we'll meet on the second floor, get a table and have our readings and meet there.

Among the items for the meeting portion will be discussion will be discussion of how to split up of the scripts received from the play contest for initial judging. At this point we have received 76 submissions, by April 5th my guess is that we will have received the 100 scripts necessary and the contest will have to be "Closed." So, during the meeting we will need to officially close the competition and determine how judging will work: initial judging, and how many rounds of judging will be necessary to determine the 10 finalists. Come to the readings and meeting on April 5th: 2-5 at the Central Library, 5th floor.

If you are a playwright, or simply interested in new plays you are welcome to come to the April meeting.

Reminders:

The next meeting of 517 Playwrights will be Sunday March 1, 2009 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm at the Northside Branch of the Lexington Pulic Library. You do not need to be a playwright to attend; you only need to be interested in encouraging new play development. If you are a playwright-- whether you've come to our meetings before or not-- feel free to bring a play you're working on and we'll read it and give you feedback. The goal is to be supportive of others like ourselves who are working hard to develop new works for the theatre.

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Speaking of new play development: the play contest is booming. So far we have received well over 50 submissions. We will cut off submissions at 100 for this year's contest. So if you haven't already submitted do so soon. Presently we are receiving scripts at a rate of one or two a day. That rate is rather like a trickle-- but a trickle of water can fill a sink pretty fast. And a trickle of plays can end a contest's submission period long before it is set to officially end. Don't lose out on your chance for your 10 minute play to be considered for this year's contest!

Next New Plays Readings

517 Playwrights will meet at the Northside Branch of the Lexington Public Library on Sunday March 1st, 2009 to read new plays. The meeting will run from 2:00 - 5:00 pm in the small meeting room. The Northside Branch is located on Russell Cave Road about a mile north of New Circle Road. Come join us!

PS. Those who attended the last meeting may recognize that I have had to CHANGE the meeting DATE, but I have not changed either the time or place.

Next New Plays Reading

The next meeting of 517 Playwrights for the purpose of reading new play scripts will be held on Sunday February 22, 2009. Time and location still to be determined. Plan now to join us.

Don't forget...

Don't forget to bring extra copies of your script with you to today's new scripts reading at 2:00 pm TODAY-- an hour from now! Please keep in mind that it is very hard for five or six people to share a single script. It is not necessary for there to be a script per actor, but bring enough that it is not difficult for the readers to keep their places and for the play to be read at a "normal" pace. See you soon.

Reminders

It's awfully hard to blog without a computer-- which explains my long silence, since mine has been in the shop for almost two weeks! I got it back today and here I sit...

Last week (January 16th) Steve Taylor's three one acts were premiered; I hope lots of folks got out and supported Steve and the good cause they were being produced to support: LIFE House.

This coming Sunday-- January 25th-- from 2-5 pm we'll have our second meeting to read new plays. Bring your new script, however 'good' it may be and hear it read aloud. Only when playwrights hear their words is it possible to truly get them 'right.' So bring your script. Join the fun, meet fellow playwrights and get some of the 'warm fuzzies' every writer needs and few playwrights seem to find easily.

PS If you didn't make it to the first play reading you can still join us Sunday at the Beaumont brnach of the Lexington Public Library from 2-5pm. See you then!

New Plays Reading

Finish up your first draft, or polish up that master work and bring it to the next new plays reading to be held at the Beaumont branch of the Lexington Public library on Sunday January 25th from 2 to 5 pm. Hope to see you there.

Next New Plays Reading

The next meeting of 517 Playwrights will be held on Sunday January 25, 2009 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm at the Beaumont branch of the Lexington Public Library. Bring a play you've written and join the fun!