* THIS EVENT HAS EXPIRED *
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The Bay St. Louis Little Theatre Presents…
2020 Mississippi Writes Original
(MWO)
*
One-Act Originals by Mississippi Playwrights
April 16, 17, 18 & 19
GENERAL NOTICE:
The Bay St. Louis Little Theatre announces calls for submissions of original one-act plays written by Mississippi residents. Works may be submitted from October 28 to December 15, 2019. The five (5) final selections will be announced by January 15, 2020. The BSLLT/MWO Repertory Actors will begin rehearsals in early 2020. The show will feature the collection of selected plays presented each day of “The Annual Tennessee Williams Tribute: Mississippi Writes Original” scheduled for April 16, 17, 18 & 19.
EVENT CALENDAR:
October 28 – December 15 – Submissions accepted
December 15 – January 15 – Review process concluded and works selected
January 15 – January 30 – Consultations with playwrights
January 30 – February 10 – Auditions and casting
February 10 – April 15 – Rehearsals
April 16 – Show opens!
Production dates/times:
April 16 – 8pm
April 17 – 8pm
April 18 – 2pm
April 18 – 8pm
April 19 – 8pm
ELIGIBILITY:
- Only the works of Mississippi residents are eligible for final selection. Must provide proof of residency if requested (ex. driver’s license.)
- Only original, previously unpublished, and previously unperformed works are eligible for selection.
- Only three (3) submissions by the same writer are permitted for submission. Each submission requires a separate entry fee.
- Co-writer’s (two or three writers) works are acceptable where other eligibility requirements are met.
- Writers whose works are selected must be able to attend the event on one of the show dates. Notification of the date of attendance must be given by April 1, 2020.
*Important – Writers must copy and submit with their signature the following understanding:
“I understand that changes in script and set may occur if necessary for stage or cast requirements. The intent of the content will not change. Direction, casting, and production decisions will be made under the guise of the Bay St. Louis Little Theatre.”
Writer Signature____________________
Date______________________________
SELECTION-CRITERIA:
(1) Insight – substance of content, whether educational or cultural or psychological, etc.
(2) Creativity – innovative or original perspective, story-line, character interplay, issue-dynamics, etc.
(3) Craft – artistic command of large and small aspects of the work.
(4) Economy – cast-size, sets, costumes, props requirements, play time, etc.
(5) Engagement – attraction and/or entertainment power, maintenance of attention.
(6) “Mississippi” – Mississippi-centric (people, issues, culture, situations, etc.)
(7) No musicals and no children’s (casting of mostly children) productions will be acceptable.
(8) Only the first 50 works submitted will be eligible for selection.
Selection-Criteria Notes:
- Involvement of Mississippi history, folklore, culture, creativity, people, etc., is strongly encouraged.
- Performance-production will essentially be minimalistic, if not entirely abstract, in respect to set, costumes, sound, etc.
- Cast-size: 5 maximum, with 2-3 encouraged
- Page/Word-limit: Open (30-page maximum suggested.)
- Time-limit: 20-25 minutes maximum for total run-time is ideal; slightly longer (30-35 minutes) and, of course, shorter submissions will be considered.
Selection-Process Notes:
- The selection committee is the Guild of Bay St. Louis Little Theatre. The Theatre Guild is responsible for the selection of all the productions throughout the show season.
- Writing original work for actors and audiences as diverse as Mississippi itself, writers of any age, race, creed, religion, sex, or other significantly distinguishing characteristic, and from any region within Mississippi, are strongly encouraged to submit their original work for consideration.
- Submissions that serve to promote or celebrate (etc.) any evidently racist, sexist, vulgar, violent, or similarly dehumanizing themes or positions (etc.) will not be considered.
- Submissions are reviewed and selected on the basis of their dramatic content through a “blind-review” process guided by the selection-criteria. Submissions are distributed to the selection committee by numeric and title designation, i.e., without their cover pages.
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMITTED WORKS:
- All entries must be typewritten, minimum of 10-point font.
- All entries must be e-submitted in the standard word-document formats: .doc or .docx.
- All entries should be submitted with the 1st page as a COVER PAGE that provides:
(1) Writer name(s) – if pen name is used, legal name must also be included.
(2) Writer(s) residential address(es).
(3) Writer(s) contact information – phone & email address(es).
(4) Title of work.
(5) Page and word count of the work (excluding the Cover Page content).
(6) Creative Statement (250 words or less): why the work was written; its primary insight(s); its appeal- and/or engagement factor(s).
- Writer name(s) must NOT appear on the submitted work after page 1.
- Pages 2+ of the submission should consist of the work itself, with:
(1) Title at the top-center of page 2.
(2) Cast List (names required; descriptors optional) underneath this title on page 2.
(3) Title of the play and page number clearly delineated at top-right on Page 2 and all following pages.
- Note: Beyond these requirements, formatting of the work itself (pages 2+) need not follow any particular style or convention, but it should minimally be clear, coherent, and consistent.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
- Submit works electronically to MWO@bsllt.org before midnight on December 15, 2019
Only electronic submissions are accepted; i.e., no hard-copy or “paper” submissions will be reviewed
= Input “MWO Submission” into Subject Line
= ATTACH works (in .doc or .docx form) to the email: do NOT paste into the body of the email
- Submit $10.00 entry fee for each work submitted before midnight on December 15, 2019, in one of the two following ways:
(1) By credit card or Paypal:
= Include the TITLE of your submitted work with your payment
(2) By check to: Bay St. Louis Little Theatre / ATTN: MWO / 398 Blaize Avenue / Bay St. Louis, MS 39520
= Pay to the order of: “Bay St. Louis Little Theatre”
= Write the TITLE of your submitted work on the check