Playwriting Competition

Swan Theatre Amateur Company

Children’s Theatre

 

 

Playwriting Competition

STAC’s Children’s Theatre has been producing scripted plays for children since about 1975 and has presented at least seven productions a year. The plays are staged twice on Saturday mornings between the months of October and May each year in the main house at the Swan Theatre, Worcester. Each play is staged twice on the same morning to audiences of around 150 to 200+ a house.

STAC’s Children’s Theatre is looking for new plays!

Plays should be

·         for children between the ages 2-9

·         for a cast of 4 to 7 at most (where possible gender flexible casting)

·         approximately 40 minutes long in performance (approximately 12 pages of dialogue, but it also depends how much action is included)

Plays should include

·         original, imaginative, lively story-lines

·         well-known songs, or adaptations of well-known songs, with which the audience can join in

·         traditional audience participation, for example, ‘Oh yes, she is’ ‘Oh no, she isn’t’; ‘He’s behind you’; ‘Can you help us, girls and boys?’ or other creative variations of workable participation.

Plays should reflect

·         contemporary values of equality

·         the interests of the target audience

Prize: The writers of the winning plays will receive 10% of the box office (£2.25-£2.50 a ticket) each time their play is performed by STAC CT. The judges will be Frank Welbourne, Rene Chester, Helen Tippins and other members of STAC who have extensive experience of Children’s Theatre and their decision will be final.

Closing date for entries: 31 May

Results: Our intention is to announce the winners by 30 June 2014

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If you are interested in taking part in the competition and would like to see a current production Pirates Never Wash Their Hands by Anne Hogg will take place at 10.30 and 11.45 on Saturday 3 May, 2014.

Entry implies acceptance of all the following guidelines:

·         Plays must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant. 

·         Plays must not have been previously performed or published.

·         There is no limit on number of plays submitted by individuals.

·         There is no entry fee.

·         Entrants should be aged over 16 years.

·         Plays should be submitted by E-mail as attachments to f.welbourne@btinternet.com (Word document or pdf).

·         The playwright should retain their email as proof of authorship.

·         No entry form is required  but please include the following details in your e-mail message: Playwright’s Name  and Address, Phone No, Name(s) of Play(s).

·         Please put your name, email address and telephone number and page number in a footer/header on each page.

·         Font: 12 point, Arial.

·         All entrants will be notified that their entry has been received.

·         By submitting your play to Swan Theatre Amateur Company Children’s Theatre you agree:

 For one year after 30 June 2014, to grant STAC CT the exclusive right to perform your play as often as they choose, in whatever venue they choose and making whatever small, necessary changes they need to in order to facilitate performance.

After 30 June 2015, to grant STAC CT the non-exclusive right to keep the play in its repertoire and perform it as they choose until you withdraw permission.