Script Frenzy

This lens is currently under construction... enjoy what's here now, come back later to see what has been added!

Ok, back on NaNo I joined the Big Scary Fun Goals. Here is my basic list:

- To write more often, and get paid to do it, even if it means writing non-fiction articles more often than fiction stories.
- To paint-draw more often, and to sell my art online.
- To self-publish at least one non-fiction book this year.
- To self-publish at least one fiction book this year.
- To win Script Frenzy 08 for the first time.
- To take my play from Script Frenzy and find a local stage company to produce it.
- To win NaNo08, for my third win in a row.
- Start my own shop (Gothic clothen).

Okay, so some of those goals don't apply over here, but a couple do, and they result in some questions, that I'm hoping someone over here, may have some advice on. I'll explain:

- To win Script Frenzy 08 for the first time.

I have written a couple of very short odd plays, but nothing profesional. I have never done Script Frenzy before. I planned to do it last year, but than forgot to bookmark the date, and remembered it after it had already finished. This year, I am making sure I do not miss it. Not only shall I enter, but I shall win!

- To take my play from Script Frenzy and find a local stage company to produce it.


To get one of my plays accepted by a local stage company, and made into a stage production... doesn't need to be anything big, even a high school play... I just want to see them brought to life.

I don't think it will be too hard to get my play written, I have it well thought out and I think I know how I want to write it. And thanks to you guys here, I think I've figured out the basic, standards of formating.

However, this is the BIG SCARY of my Big Scary goals: To get my play on stage. You see, I have no idea how to go about approaching a stage company and asking them to consider my play. Does anyone have any advice on that?

I live in what is called Maine's "Arts District", there is the state theater, the town theater, a drama college, the state cultural hall, a few dozen small amature theaters, several "private" theaters in upstairs lofts, and every local high school has it's own drama group. There are about 4 dozen small acting troupes (most very amature, many use no costums or scenery at all) all less than 40 mins from me. Plus the world famous Portland Symphany Orchastra. (uhm... yeah, this is Portland, I'm talking about... the city the thinks and breathes nothing but theater, theater, and more theater). Basicly there is no lack of places for me to take my play, but it's a daunghting task and I have no idea where to start... or rather how to start. What should I do? What would you do?

Live theater is a REALY REALLY big thing around here. It's not an uncommon thing for practicly every one in the area to have worked in theater at some point, I myself am profesionally trained as a fashion designer for stage, however, I have never dared approach any of the acting troupes with a play before... call it a major case of cold feet...or an odd form of stage fright maybe? but it's a really big fear for me, to try to approach anyone with one of my plays. I'm terrified stiff of it! I need some major help in this area, if I'm going to make this goal real.

So Question #1:

What is the propper way to go about contacting an acting troupe or stage director, to get a play considered?

Should I contact them in person? by mail? email? at a certain time of the year?

What do I say? Who should I contact? (Manager? Director? the troupe? the theater? School principal? Drama teachers?)

If you have already gone out and tried getting your play on the stage, what did you do? What worked? What would you not do again?

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Okay, moving on, to the formating question:

Worse, than approaching the people is how do I get my play into their hands? I have no idea what I should do about geting the play published, so that I can get it to the stage director in the first place. I mean, I can't just print up 100 pages off my computer and hand them to a stage director. I've got to get them bound somehow right?

Has anyone ever gotten their plays bound via LuLu?

I'm thinking I should publish it via LuLu in spiral bound and than buy about 10 copies for myself to hand out to local stage directors.

I don't know yet, I'll figure it out though. Suggestions would be nice.

Well, this brings about anouther question: Who pays for the actors' copies of the play? Does the playwrite have to provide those? Does the troupe pay for them? Does each actor have to buy their own copy?

I am so confused about what to do here. What has everyone else done? Can anyone offer some advice about this?

Thanks!

I was wondering: Has anyone ever written (on Script Frenzy) a book of school plays?

Instead of one long play for Script Frenzy, a book of plays would have 10 or 12 short (about 15 minute) one act plays that are all based on a theme. Such as Christmas, or Easter, or Fairy Tales, or Folk Lore, or some other such theme. And they would be used by the school, such as, each classroom would pick one play, and than preform it at the school's Christmas Pagent or Parents Day or whatever.

I've seen several such play-books and I love them, but I've noticed that they are not really that common and that many of these school play books were written in the 1950's through 1970's, and that very few of them are written today.

Anyways, that's what I'm planning to do for Script Frenzy 2008. Instead of writing one long play, I'm going to write a book of short plays. I've got three differant themes choosen, so if I have time I'm going to try to write all three of them this year: Halloween, Christmas, and Fairy Tales. I'll be working on the Halloween one first, and if I finish it early, I'll move on to one of the others.

So, is anyone else planning on doing a set of sckit-type plays for schools?

Has anyone else done that before for Script Frenzy?

Anyone have any ideas or advice on this idea?