Local Playwrights Get Hopeful At
Shawnee Playhouse
The Shawnee Playhouse in Shawnee on Delaware presented its Annual Series of Staged Readings February 27 and 28 featuring presentations of plays chosen to be the finalist of The Shawnee Playhouse 2011 Original Playwright Contest. Those reading the works while seated were Travis Southard, Kevin Hillman, Mark Lichty, Nance Brown, Mark Pender, Kim Moldovan, and Midge McClosky who, as the Playhouse’s GM, served as the event’s emcee. The plays were varied in style and topics and members of the audience were given an opportunity to select their favorite play. The play generating the most interest will become a full production at The Shawnee Playhouse in January 2011.
The plays that were part of the readings included: Mandarin Dinner For One by John E. McGuigan; Orpheus by Paul Adam Smeltz; Occasional Versus by Robert Grogan; Psycho Soccer Mom by Tom Hudak; A Night in the Toll Booth by Tom Hudak;
Keeping My Voice Down by Craig Czury; Tolstoi in Trepidation by Maureen Bunns Shannon; Spanakopita by Larry Rosler; Light From Us Would Set the Sun on Fire by Craig Czury; On Innocent Ears Befallen by Jonathon Davies; Ethereal Killers by Zanne Hall; The Scranton Poem Opera by Craig Czury; Ukelele Land by Uke Jackson
If my experience that afternoon was any indication how the remainder of the series went, I would say it was a great time to be in the theatre. It was wonderful being able to hear new and exciting works written for the stage while imagining in your mind’s eye what they would look like upon the stage in a full production. This exploration into our imaginations was enhanced by the opportunity to actually selecting a play that will become a full production in the future. It was like being a producer auditioning plays. I was pleased to have my play, “Orpheus,” included among them. From a playwright’s perspective, it was good to be able to hear my work. Every writer knows the act of writing is a solitary one with certain limitations. You can read your work over and over, you can mouth the words to your self, or you can email it to friends to see what they think. But, until you actually hear someone else read the words, you never really know the language of the piece you’re writing. How does it sound? Is there a natural flow in the dialogue? Are the themes germane to the work being communicated? All these questions and more can be answered by hearing the work, thus enabling us writers to modify, enhance, or discard aspects of it.
Although I had hope to win the competition, I mainly wanted to hear how my play sounded so I could determine whether it needed more work. Well, I heard it and it does. I’ve discovered some inconsistencies and repetitions I had no idea existed from just reading the material silently to myself. I have come to believe quite some time ago it is bad form to vote for yourself in this type of competition. I voted for another play, but not merely because if was in good form to do so. I felt the play I voted for was much better written than my play; it was very amusing and I’m still thinking of some of the funny lines in it.
The winner should be announced shortly. For more information, contact The Shawnee Playhouse at (570) 421-5093.
Caption: Shawnee Playhouse General Manager Midge McClosky introduces original theatrical works during their Annual Staged Readings Series. (Photo credit: Paul Smeltz)
Paul Smeltz is the friend/facilitator ofwww.theforwardianartssociety.com
WANTED: The School of Visual and Performing Arts in Stroudsburg is seeking ethnic dance groups- African, Chinese, Indian, etc.- to perform with the Dance and Paper Theatre in "Dancing With Cranes" at ESU on Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m. The theme is world peace. Each group will have 5-10 minutes to show their own choreography. Some dancers from each group will be selected to learn the director's choreography. Contact Kathy Kroll at (570) 424-5285 or email kkroll@ptd.net for more information.
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Playwrights Vie at Shawnee
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