KPW New Play Contest Announced

The Kentucky Playwrights Workshop is holding a KPW New Play Contest. Deadline for submissions is midnight February 15, 2012. Up to seven new plays will be selected for a community reading in June of 2012 as a part of the Second Friday program at Berea Arts Council. In September 2012 a staged reading of the winning plays will be produced at Berea Arena Theater.

Any Kentucky Playwright Workshop(KPW) member is eligible to submit one ten-minute play. Any Kentucky resident or student attending a Kentucky college may become a member by including a $10 check, made out to KPW, with their submission.

According to contest coordinator, Trish Ayers, "One of the primary reasons for holding the contest is so that we can attract new members. Consequently, we are seeking outside judges and have arranged for public readings of the winning plays."


KPW New Play Contest Rules, 2012

1. Each member may submit one new ten-minute play with two to four characters which has not been published or fully staged. The entry should be emailed or postmarked by February 15, 2012. Each submission should include:
a. A cover page attached with a paper clip to the script which includes title of play, playwright name and contact information. Electronic submissions include this as a separate attachment.
b. One page with character descriptions
c. Maximum of ten pages of dialogue in standard play submission format (12 pt. Courier) the title of the play included on each page.
d. The title of the play included on each page of dialogue
e. Page numbers on each page of dialogue with the exception of the first page.
f. Only include name and contact information on cover page
2. Electronic or postal submissions will be accepted
a. Please submit electronic submissions in PDF or Microsoft Word to: ky.playwright@yahoo.com
b. Please submit postal submissions to: KPW, PO Box 5522, Lexington, KY 4055
3. Scripts will not be returned
4. Submissions that do not follow these rules will not be considered.
5. Decisions of the judges are final.

Support the artist, not just the arts

Leon H. Kalayjian, who writes plays under the name Leon Kaye, is an owner in the Kalayjian, Oaks & Associates Insurance Agency. They specialize in wholesalers insurance, restaurants, and high end homes insurance. They can write all lines of insurance including; life, and health and are licensed in many states including; NY, NJ, CT, NC, VA, GA, IL, CA, MI, SC and FL.

Leon Kaye's 10-minute play MORE PASTA was produced by the Kentucky Playwrights Workshop, Inc. as part of the Midway Festival of Plays in October 2009; the plays were produced at the Thoroughbred Community Theatre in Midway, Kentucky.

If you have insurance needs contact Kalayian, Oaks & Associates at 10 New King St., White Plains NY 10604. Leon Kaye may also be contacted by phone at 914-428-3200 or by e-mail at lhk@koa1.com Help the arts, support the artist!

10 MINUTE PLAY CONTEST = 10 PAGES

Okay. I thought this would have been obvious, it's in the title of the contest, but we are seeking 10 minute plays. A ten minute play runs 10 minutes, not three, or four, or five minutes. Please submit plays that are 10 pages long, or close to that length (8 or 9 pages, at least). Plays that are too short are not considered for production; Neither are plays that too long-- in excess of 10 pages of dialogue. Common sense is the factor that should be your guide: 11 pages is too long, seven pages is too short.

Use a 12 font sized font such as Courier or Times New Roman and make certain that your play has 10 pages of dialogue. Last year we produced seven scripts: 6 of the 7 scripts were between about 9 minutes 50 seconds and 10 minutes 15 seconds; the seventh script, which ran about 8 minutes, was about 8 1/2 pages long. Please do not submit short scripts, they may be read; they will not be chosen for production.

As a reminder: this is a 10-minute play contest, submit a 10-minute play script.

517: On the Radio!

News about this year's play contest is starting to get around. On Sunday May 30, 2010 Bill McCann, Jr., contest coordinator for the 2nd Annual 517 Playwrights 10-Minute Play Contest will be on "Key Conversations" on Groovin' 1580AM radio to discuss this year's play contest. Key Conversations, sponsored by Key Newsjournal and Clear Channel Radio, Lexington, KY, airs at 10 am each Sunday morning. For more information about the program you may go to the link www.groovin1580.com Happy listening!

Kentucky Playwrights

Slow off the starting line, Kentucky playwrights are catching up to those from elsewhere who have submitted plays to this year's 2nd Annual 517 Playwrights 10-Minute Play Contest. Currently a total of 35 plays have been submitted, eight are from Kentuckians. Plays by six Kentuckians have come in from Berea, Georgetown, Lexington and Louisville. This year's contest is intended to put a spotlight on Kentucky playwrights who are allowed to submit two scripts and as many as six of the selected plays will be by Kentuckians. So, if you reside in Kentucky and have written a 10-minute play... submit today.

Rules for this year's contest were posted on this site, on May 2, 2010. If, after reading the rules, you still have questions please send them to ky.playwright@yahoo.com.