Mandate
The ESTA board which includes representatives from each of your States has approved doing an Original Works Project in 2006 to encourage and promote the writing and production of new plays (original works).
Background
We have noticed in the last few years our States tend to be doing more original works. The ESTA board thinks we should recognize this trend and actively encourage it. To this end ESTA will sponsor a non-competitive Original Works Project planned for July 21-23, 2006 at the Chapel Street Players, Newark DE.
Idea
The idea is to give opportunity to playwrights to see their new works done and get feedback in regard to the writing as well as the playing of them. Secondly, we search for new ways to strengthen community Theatre within our States and think this may lend a spark in that direction.
How To
The whole fun and interest is at the State Community Theatre Association level where most of the action occurs. The ESTA Original Works Festival is really the icing on the cake. There are probably a number of ways for a State to accomplish their nominations for the Original Works project. A possible painless method would be to continue to include Original Works in your regular yearly competitive festival. Those that function within the rules could of course be involved in the competitive part. Those that might operate outside competitive festival rules could be nominated based on their own merits.
Criteria for Original Works 1. States should decide for themselves how they want to handle Original Works submissions.
2. There is no restriction on when an original work was written or by whom. In community theatre some professionalism is permitted in regard to directors, actors, et al as stated in the AACTFest Handbook Section 3.02 Actors who receive more than 25% of an annual "living wage" as income from work as actors in live performances or are active members of Actors Equity may not participate. Normally paid directors, production staff, musicians and technicians are permitted.
3. The Original Work must be unpublished. a play that has not been published or professionally produced nor represented by an agent. The playwright negotiates all performance rights directly even if the royalty is $0.
4. One or more Original Works may be submitted by a playwright to a State for evaluation.
5. There is no restriction in regard to the length of an Original Work.
6. Original Work is to be performed in order to be nominated by a State to ascertain that the writing is playable. If a nominated play is accepted to the Festival, it is up to the original producing company to remount the play including whatever alterations they may wish to make--subtractions, additions, corrections, adjustments.
7. Original Works may or may not be included in a State's annual One Act competition. It is unnecessary for an Original Work to win a competition for it to be nominated. It is also not necessary for an Original Work to be restricted by the standard rules required for the competitive part of the regular annual festival.
8. If possible, a State should try to provide evaluation of the writing in addition to the regular adjudication to help the State in their nominations of Original Works.It is a valuable service for which ESTA and the States could become known. This is a service that is hard to get elsewhere and is a valuable opportunity for the States and ESTA. Spread the word also to provide as much lead time as possible to playwrights.
9. A State may nominate up to three Original Works to go to the ESTA Original Works Festival even if one or more is full length because the ESTA Committee has to develop a workable schedule. The Committee wants to provide adequate time for both playwriting and production evaluation during the weekend, therefore we would ask you to rank your nominations and provide approximate running time.
10. Original Works entrants over a period of two years or in two State Festivals (as determined by each State) prior to the ESTA Original Works Festival are eligible for nomination by a State even though they may not have benefited from a writing critique.
11. The State should appoint someone to the ESTA Original Works Selection committee who is familiar with their nominees to aid in developing an equitable and interesting weekend of plays.
Judges
ANNETTE PROCUNIER of Toronto, Canada is a world renowned adjudicator . She will adjudicate and discuss the productions as well as playwriting at the July 2006 ESTA Original Works Festival. Annette has adjudicated more than 70 festivals in North America, Europe and Japan in the past 18 years. Highlights include AACTFest in 1999 and 2003, the World Festival in Monaco in 2001 and in Halifax in 2003 as well as the Yakumo International Theatre Festival in Japan in 2004. In the fall of 2005 she is adjudicating the Dundalk Maytime Festival (May 2006) as well as the US Army (AACT Region 10) Festival in Germany. Annette is adept at finding the key portions of productions and assisting both the audience and the participants to learn from her comments.
Note: Closer to home Annette will be adjudicating the New York State Festival, November 18-20, 2005 at the Cayuga community College in Auburn, NY. come to this festival and experience Annette's Director workshop and a very impressive festival from which we can all benefit.
STEVE WILLIS of Greensboro NC is an Assistant Professor of Speech& Theatre at Bennett college for Women in Greensboro, NC. He is a member of The Dramatist's Guild Inc, , Southeastern Theatre Conference and a founding member of Greensboro Playwrights' Forum. Steve has received numerous prizes and awards for his plays as well as for stage adaptations of short stories by Allan Gurganus and Richard Bruce Nugent. His most recent play"Falling So Slowly" had its world premiere in Melbourne, Australia in January 2005. Other plays have been produced in New York, Chicago, South Africa and throughout the southeastern United States. In addition to his work as playwright and college professor, he is a respected director and actor.
Direct questions of communications to the Co-chairs:
Sherman C. Ward Jr. Andiebodie@AOL.com
Chris Mackowski CMACKOWS@sbu.edu
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