YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT (YDP '09)
MAY 28-JUNE 7, 2009
YDP '09 Audition Notice
The Gorilla Theatre's Young Dramatists' Project is the only Tampa Bay area event that offers full-scale, professional productions of teens' works.
Now in its ninth year, YDP '09 is a playwriting competition open to all middle and high school-aged students in the Tampa area. The world premiere of the 5 winning scripts by 5 up-and-coming student playwrights will occur May 28-June 7, as the official close of the Gorilla Theatre's 2008-2009 season.
"I wish there had been a Young Dramatists' Project around when I was a budding playwright back home in Indiana in nineteen hundred and ...oh, oh never mind," Gorilla Theatre cofounder and producer Aubrey Hampton, states.
He created the next best thing by sponsoring and producing a program to help young student playwrights get their works produced.
Winners receive mentoring by local dramaturge, Jim Rayfield, in preparation for their debut production. Also, each is given a royalty of $250 for each produced play, a professional production (8-show run) and paid membership into the Dramatists' Guild (the professional association of playwrights, lyricists and composers).
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
1. Be a resident of Hillsborough, Pinellas, or Pasco County and enrolled as a middle or high school student.
2. Submit an original one-act play of 10-20 double-spaced pages (electronic submissions only please. See paragraph 14 below for further details)
3. The play should not exceed a running time of 20 minutes.
4. Roles should be limited to between 2-8 characters.
5. Pages must be numbered.
6. The playwright's name or identifying information must not appear within the script itself. See cover page information (paragraph 16, below).
7. The script must include a breakdown page that includes:
9. Playwright should expect multiple, and possibly extensive, re-writes in a short period under the supervision of the Dramaturge.
10. Playwright must make themselves available to provide such rewrites as needed in the initial stages of the project.
11. Playwright attendance is mandatory at initial read-throughs and discussions with the Dramaturge, Director, Artistic Director, and Actors. Attendance may also be required at early rehearsals.
12. Attendance at auditions is encouraged.
13. Any conflicts with the dates below must be disclosed at submission time:
14. Scripts must be submitted as document attachments to an email. Acceptable formats are Word 97 or 97-2003 compatible format or rich text file, i.e. a document with the suffix .doc or .rtf.
15. The script itself and the breakdown page (See paragraph 6 above) must be in one word document.
16. In a separate word file, please attach a cover page that includes:
14. Closing date for submissions is February 27, 2009.
REWARDS
1. All participating playwrights receive two complimentary tickets to see YDP '09.
2. Winning playwrights have their photo submitted to the media with a press release.
3. Winners are assigned a professional Dramaturge to polish the play.
4. A professional director is assigned to each winning play along with professional actors and technical crew.
5. Winning plays are produced by the Gorilla Theatre and offered as the closing play of the season to our subscribers and the public, May 28-June 7.
6. Winners receive a royalty of $250.
7. Winners are nominated for membership to the professional Dramatists Guild and their first year's dues are paid.
8. Winners receive 2 complimentary tickets to the show.
9. Winners' school principal and drama (English) teacher will also receive a complimentary ticket to the show.
Questions? Contact James Rayfield, YDP Artistic Director, 813-935-3752 matt.jim@verizon.net
DOWNLOAD DOCUMENTS IN WORD FORMAT
Submission Guidelines
Background to YDP
Letter from the Producers
Letter to Thespian Sponsors
MAY 28-JUNE 7, 2009
YDP '09 Audition Notice
The Gorilla Theatre's Young Dramatists' Project is the only Tampa Bay area event that offers full-scale, professional productions of teens' works.
Now in its ninth year, YDP '09 is a playwriting competition open to all middle and high school-aged students in the Tampa area. The world premiere of the 5 winning scripts by 5 up-and-coming student playwrights will occur May 28-June 7, as the official close of the Gorilla Theatre's 2008-2009 season.
"I wish there had been a Young Dramatists' Project around when I was a budding playwright back home in Indiana in nineteen hundred and ...oh, oh never mind," Gorilla Theatre cofounder and producer Aubrey Hampton, states.
He created the next best thing by sponsoring and producing a program to help young student playwrights get their works produced.
Winners receive mentoring by local dramaturge, Jim Rayfield, in preparation for their debut production. Also, each is given a royalty of $250 for each produced play, a professional production (8-show run) and paid membership into the Dramatists' Guild (the professional association of playwrights, lyricists and composers).
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
1. Be a resident of Hillsborough, Pinellas, or Pasco County and enrolled as a middle or high school student.
2. Submit an original one-act play of 10-20 double-spaced pages (electronic submissions only please. See paragraph 14 below for further details)
3. The play should not exceed a running time of 20 minutes.
4. Roles should be limited to between 2-8 characters.
5. Pages must be numbered.
6. The playwright's name or identifying information must not appear within the script itself. See cover page information (paragraph 16, below).
7. The script must include a breakdown page that includes:
- Paragraph on the theme of the play
- Number of pages long
- Number of characters comprised of number of male and female
- Character listing and descriptions - may include physiology, sociology and psychological traits
- Number of scenes
- Number of sets with a description of each
9. Playwright should expect multiple, and possibly extensive, re-writes in a short period under the supervision of the Dramaturge.
10. Playwright must make themselves available to provide such rewrites as needed in the initial stages of the project.
11. Playwright attendance is mandatory at initial read-throughs and discussions with the Dramaturge, Director, Artistic Director, and Actors. Attendance may also be required at early rehearsals.
12. Attendance at auditions is encouraged.
13. Any conflicts with the dates below must be disclosed at submission time:
- Submission Deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2009.
- Winners Announced by March 31, 2009.
- Playwright Photo Shoot April 4 or 5, 2009.
- Auditions week commencing April 13, 2009. Callbacks later that week.
- 1st read through with Dramaturge/Actors/Playwrights/Directors April 20, 2009.
- Playwright must be available for possible rewrites between April 5 and April 30, 2009.
- Rehearsals officially begin April 26, 2009.
- Playwrights should plan to attend award ceremony on Opening Night May 28, 2009.
- Performance Dates: May 28-June 7.
14. Scripts must be submitted as document attachments to an email. Acceptable formats are Word 97 or 97-2003 compatible format or rich text file, i.e. a document with the suffix .doc or .rtf.
15. The script itself and the breakdown page (See paragraph 6 above) must be in one word document.
16. In a separate word file, please attach a cover page that includes:
- Title of Play
- Author's name, address, phone, email, age and grade level
- Author's school name and address; and English or drama teacher's name, phone number and/or email address.
14. Closing date for submissions is February 27, 2009.
Adherence to all above guidelines is mandatory.
REWARDS
1. All participating playwrights receive two complimentary tickets to see YDP '09.
2. Winning playwrights have their photo submitted to the media with a press release.
3. Winners are assigned a professional Dramaturge to polish the play.
4. A professional director is assigned to each winning play along with professional actors and technical crew.
5. Winning plays are produced by the Gorilla Theatre and offered as the closing play of the season to our subscribers and the public, May 28-June 7.
6. Winners receive a royalty of $250.
7. Winners are nominated for membership to the professional Dramatists Guild and their first year's dues are paid.
8. Winners receive 2 complimentary tickets to the show.
9. Winners' school principal and drama (English) teacher will also receive a complimentary ticket to the show.
Questions? Contact James Rayfield, YDP Artistic Director, 813-935-3752 matt.jim@verizon.net
DOWNLOAD DOCUMENTS IN WORD FORMAT
Submission Guidelines
Background to YDP
Letter from the Producers
Letter to Thespian Sponsors
