2010 Playreading Submissions

During 2010, the Tasmanian Theatre Company will produce ten rehearsed readings of Tasmanian plays.

If you are a playwright and would like to submit a play to be considered as part of the Tasmanian Theatre Company Playreading Series for 2010, check your play fits the selection guidelines and follow the submission process below.


SELECTION CRITERIA

–  Selection for readings open to writers currently resident in Tasmania or with significant Tasmanian connections (eg grew up in Tasmania).
–  Writer to attend readings and rehearsals if possible.
–  Only whole scripts (not partial scripts) to be submitted but they can be at any draft stage. If not the final version, identify at what stage you think your script is at.
–  Original work of the author free of any encumbrance regarding rights and the copyright of any other parties.
–  The play has not been professionally produced in the current draft stage.
–  No restrictions on style or genre.


SUBMITTING YOUR PLAN

If your play fits the selection guidelines, then follow the simple steps below.

1. Download and complete the information page form below.

2. Post or hand deliver:

– a completed play submission form (download link below),
– a synopsis of the play (no more than 100 words). Include name of play (but not writer’s name)
-THREE copies of your play
– a character breakdown including doubling-casting options etc.

to

Tasmanian Theatre Company
Level 3, 77 Salamanca Place
Hobart 7004

Scripts received after June 30th will be considered for reading in 2010 or 2011


PLEASE NOTE

– The assessment process is anonymous so make sure that the writer’s name does not appear anywhere on the script or the synopsis.

– The name of the script and page numbers MUST appear in the footer of the play.

– Type must be at least 12 point.

Failure to do any of the above will result in your script not being considered.


OUR PROCESS

A panel of three readers (a representative of the Tasmanian Theatre Company, a representative of Playwrights Anonymous and a representative of the theatre industry) will assess your script based on the following criteria:

THEATRICALITY
Will it work onstage (or for a radio audience in case of radio plays)? Did the work make good use of live theatre (or audio) (or was it a film or novel in disguise)

LANGUAGE:
Did all the characters sound the same? Was the dialogue truthful, compelling, appropriate to style and content?

FORM/STRUCTURE:
Did the theatre work progress, did it have well-developed character and story arcs, subplots, did it have a climax? Is it overlong or too short?

CHARACTERISATION:
Were the characters believable, complex enough, intriguing, compelling, suitable to the story, well crafted?

STORY:
Was it engaging, plausible, fresh, satisfying?

ORIGINALITY:
Did the script demonstrate a unique voice or vision? Was the topic of interest?

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED AUDIENCE:
(For example, mainstage adult, youth, children etc) Will it be appropriate, entertaining, challenging, suitably pitched?

A copy of the readers’ assessment will be emailed to you.  No further correspondence will be entered into. Please do not respond to assessment or ask for clarification or more information. We are not providing a dramaturgy service.

If your play is selected for reading, a professional director and a professional cast will be selected.  The cast will rehearse once and then read your play at the Backspace Theatre. You will be invited to the rehearsal and to the reading and will be expected to take part in a discussion about the play after the reading.

No payments will be made to writers and no royalties will be paid for readings.


Play submission form

Microsoft DOC Download

Play submission form (Microsoft Word file)

5 Responses to “2010 Playreading Submissions”

  1. Who are Playwrights Anonymous? Are all of the members of this group qualified to assess scripts?

    Comment by anonymous on 17/02/2010 at 7:32 pm

  2. Hi ‘anonymous’ and thanks for your question. Playwrights Anonymous is a collective of Hobart based theatre writers. As we note above, the plays received will be assessed by a “…panel of three readers (a representative of the Tasmanian Theatre Company, a representative of Playwrights Anonymous and a representative of the theatre industry.) So the plays will be read by three people who will approach the task from different perspectives. The TTC makes sure that all assessors are suitably experienced and that their assessment of plays adheres to the criteria and process outlined above. I hope this encourages you to submit a play of your own and addresses any concerns you may have had. M.

    Comment by Mark on 17/02/2010 at 11:51 pm

  3. Hi Markand thanks for your answer.”Playwrights Anonymous is a collective of Hobart based theatre writers.” Will these people be able to submit plays? Will they be assessing their own work? Will they be reading the works of their fellow collective members?

    Comment by anonymous on 21/02/2010 at 12:01 am

  4. Hi there. To address each of your questions (which are all good and worth asking) “Will these people be able to submit plays?” Anyone who meets the criteria described on the site may submit a play. “Will they be assessing their own work?” Again, only one person from that group will be on the panel of three who will assess play. The other two assessors will be from the TTC and from the wider theatre industry. Assessors may submit a play, if they meet the criteria like everyone else, however no assessor may make recommendations on their own work. “Will they be reading the works of their fellow collective members?” In a small writing community it is almost inevitable that an assessor will consider the work of someone they know in some way or another. Please do remember that in the submission guidelines we ask very clearly that all copies of plays submitted are not marked anywhere with the writers name – to insure that plays are assessed anonymously in order to protect submission from any bias. Thanks again for your questions. M.

    Comment by Mark on 24/02/2010 at 12:34 pm

  5. Well thanks for answering my questions Mark. I do hope, “the plays will be read by three people who will approach the task from different perspectives.” as you say. Good luck with it all.

    Comment by anonymous on 09/03/2010 at 10:17 am

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