SANDBOX - PlayWorks
Iowa Thespian PlayWorks
Iowa Thespians is proud to present the second annual Iowa PlayWorks. Any Thespian from the state of Iowa is eligible to submit a play for Iowa PlayWorks. There are two components to the PlayWorks program:
If you have any questions, email our PlayWorks coordinator, Alan Strait, at alan.strait@lewiscentral.org
- Playwriting (as part of the Thespy Award program)
- All-State Staged Reading
If you have any questions, email our PlayWorks coordinator, Alan Strait, at alan.strait@lewiscentral.org
PLAYWRITING INFORMATION
Who can submit?
Any active Thespian from the state of Iowa can submit ONE play for Iowa PlayWorks. There is no limit to the number of students who can submit a play from each school. This event is connected to the Playwriting category of the International Thespian Excellence Awards (Thespys) program. Student writers that are interested in participating in the PlayWorks program should submit their play to the Thespy Award Portal. The Thespy Award performance fee is $20.
STUDENTS: CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR SCRIPT TO THE THESPY AWARD PORTAL
SCRIPT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: October 1, 2021
Playwriting Guidelines
The following guidelines are based on the International Thespian Excellence Awards (Thespys) program. If you have questions on the guidelines, contact our Thespy Award Coordinator, Aaron Dean, at adean@dbqschools.org.
Playwriting
In Playwriting, the skills measured are:
Plays must be the original work of a single student writer. Collaborative works or adaptations won’t be considered, nor will plays that include music, lyrics, or dialogue written by anyone other than the submitting writer. Only one play may be submitted per student.
The entrant must prepare:
Process
Script Selection
Theatre professionals will review and critique all play submissions through the Thespy Award program. Based on adjudicator scores, up to two scripts will be selected to be performed in a staged reading with an All-State cast on the Gallagher-Bluedorn stage at the festival.
Staged Reading
An All-State cast will be selected based on the character needs of the chosen play(s). Playwrights will have an opportunity to work with the director and cast members during a virtual read-thru prior to festival. At festival, playwrights will assist the director in the rehearsal process with the actors before the performance on the Gallagher-Bluedorn stage.
Who can submit?
Any active Thespian from the state of Iowa can submit ONE play for Iowa PlayWorks. There is no limit to the number of students who can submit a play from each school. This event is connected to the Playwriting category of the International Thespian Excellence Awards (Thespys) program. Student writers that are interested in participating in the PlayWorks program should submit their play to the Thespy Award Portal. The Thespy Award performance fee is $20.
STUDENTS: CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR SCRIPT TO THE THESPY AWARD PORTAL
SCRIPT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: October 1, 2021
Playwriting Guidelines
The following guidelines are based on the International Thespian Excellence Awards (Thespys) program. If you have questions on the guidelines, contact our Thespy Award Coordinator, Aaron Dean, at adean@dbqschools.org.
Playwriting
In Playwriting, the skills measured are:
- An understanding of how the elements of the play create an intentional structure
- The ability to create well developed characters
- The ability to create authentic dialogue that supports and amplifies the action
Plays must be the original work of a single student writer. Collaborative works or adaptations won’t be considered, nor will plays that include music, lyrics, or dialogue written by anyone other than the submitting writer. Only one play may be submitted per student.
The entrant must prepare:
- A typed (12-point font) short play on any subject with a running time of thirty minutes or less (approximately thirty typed pages)
- The cover page of each submission should include the title of the play, the student’s name and email address, school name and troupe number, and the troupe director’s name and email address.
- The entrant does not have to make a presentation – the work should stand alone. Judges will supply feedback in the adjudication form online.
Process
- Write a one-act play. A one-act play for PlayWorks should be between 10-30 minutes. One page often translates to one minute, but is not an exact measurement.
- Make sure the play is formatted in a similar way to this example: Playwriting Format
- Submit your play to the Thespy Award Portal by October 1, 2021
- The plays will be read by a panel of judges and feedback will be provided for the play. Winners will be announced by October 7, 2021.
Script Selection
Theatre professionals will review and critique all play submissions through the Thespy Award program. Based on adjudicator scores, up to two scripts will be selected to be performed in a staged reading with an All-State cast on the Gallagher-Bluedorn stage at the festival.
Staged Reading
An All-State cast will be selected based on the character needs of the chosen play(s). Playwrights will have an opportunity to work with the director and cast members during a virtual read-thru prior to festival. At festival, playwrights will assist the director in the rehearsal process with the actors before the performance on the Gallagher-Bluedorn stage.
ALL-STATE STAGED READING INFORMATION
Prior to festival, a cast of student actors from around the state will be selected to participate in the festival performance. During festival, the selected actors will work with a theatre professional to prepare for the performance. The staged reading will be performed for the full festival delegation on the Saturday of festival.
NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ALL-STATE STAGED READING. The creative team will work with troupe directors to select cast members based on the characters needed. This character breakdown will be determined after the selected script(s) is determined. The creative team may arrange a pre-festival virtual read-thru to familiarize the actors with the script before in-person rehearsals/performance at festival.
If you are a student interested in performing in the staged reading, you are encouraged to have your troupe director email our PlayWorks coordinator, Alan Strait, at alan.strait@lewiscentral.org with your information. This will help the creative team as they recruit actors.
OUR GOAL IS TO GET AS MANY SCHOOLS AS POSSIBLE INVOLVED IN THE ALL-STATE STAGED READING!
Prior to festival, a cast of student actors from around the state will be selected to participate in the festival performance. During festival, the selected actors will work with a theatre professional to prepare for the performance. The staged reading will be performed for the full festival delegation on the Saturday of festival.
NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ALL-STATE STAGED READING. The creative team will work with troupe directors to select cast members based on the characters needed. This character breakdown will be determined after the selected script(s) is determined. The creative team may arrange a pre-festival virtual read-thru to familiarize the actors with the script before in-person rehearsals/performance at festival.
If you are a student interested in performing in the staged reading, you are encouraged to have your troupe director email our PlayWorks coordinator, Alan Strait, at alan.strait@lewiscentral.org with your information. This will help the creative team as they recruit actors.
OUR GOAL IS TO GET AS MANY SCHOOLS AS POSSIBLE INVOLVED IN THE ALL-STATE STAGED READING!
The Iowa Thespian PlayWorks program provides student playwrights an opportunity to have their work featured in a staged reading at the Iowa Thespian Festival.
More information will be released shortly on the Iowa Thespian PlayWorks program.
More information will be released shortly on the Iowa Thespian PlayWorks program.
ACTOR AUDITIONS
Deadline March 6th.
Audition Information
Monologues for Auditions
Flipgrid Code/Link
Audition Google Form
Iowa Playworks 2020-2021 Sponsored by Rockford University.
Iowa Thespians is proud to present the 1st Iowa Playworks Event. Any Thespian from the state of Iowa is eligible to submit a play for Iowa Playworks. Please pay attention to the following details and pass them on to your students. Any questions, email Alan Strait at alan.strait@lewiscentral.org
Who can submit?
Any active Thespian from the state of Iowa in grades 7-12 can submit ONE play for Iowa Playworks. There is no limit to the number of students who can submit a play from each school. There is no cost for submission.
What should an interested student do?
- Write a one-act play. A one-act play for Playworks should be between 10-30 minutes. One page often translates to one minute, but is not an exact measurement.
- Make sure the play is formatted in a way similar to the way provided below, this does aid in a clean reading/evaluation of the script.
- Email the play to alan.strait@lewiscentral.org in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or PDF format. The deadline will be January 25th, 2021
- Winners will be announced by February 7th, 2021. The plays will be read by a panel of judges and feedback will be provided for the play.
What type of plays can be submitted?
Any school appropriate one-act play may be submitted, musical or non-musical. If a musical is submitted, the music needs to be written as well and should be original or public domain. Consider this presentation will be through zoom, so plays for a virtual platform should be encouraged but not required. Any play format is allowed.
Who decides the shows?
A committee of teachers and theatre professionals will review and critique the submission. None of the judges will be affiliated with the schools of students who submit plays. The judges will be announced at a later time.
What happens at state?
This year we will have a staged/filmed reading of the Playworks selection to close out the Thespian Festival. Casts will be auditioned after the play selection has been made and cast requirements determined and a director will be assigned to help the play come into fruition. Due to the virtual nature of the festival this year, all auditions, rehearsals, and performances will be done virtually and not in person. Audition information will come shortly after selections are made. Auditions will be done as a “cold” reading from material made available immediately after play selection. Information will be made available on February 8.
Playwriting Page Format
The following is an example of playwriting format
https://www.writopialab.org/programs/specialty-programs/worldwide-plays-festival/the-competition/standard-playwriting-format
Make sure to include a cover page which has the: Title of play, Author’s Name, Author’s Email, Author’s Phone Number, and Author’s School.
Thank you to our festival sponsors!
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