Iowa City -
Dreamwell Theatre continues its tradition of producing original work through its annual playwriting contest, the Writers’ Joust. The winner will receive a $100 cash prize and a full production of his or her play in July, 2013. Two runner up playwrights will receive a staged reading of their plays.
The theme for Dreamwell’s 2012-13 season is “OVA-tion!”, featuring all female playwrights. Dreamwell is looking for full length plays that demonstrate women’s impact on some aspect of life (for example, but not limited to, family, society, politics, religion, or art). Note that for the Writers’ Joust, men are encouraged to submit plays as well.
Previous contest winners were Tom Deiker’s Innocence and Amy White's World's Teeniest.
Writers’ Joust Rules
Writers must currently live in Iowa or explain their connection to the state. Judges have the right to disqualify a playwright without adequate connection to Iowa.
Keep the set and production value simple.
Only full length plays will be considered.
Plays cannot have been performed (except for readings) or published.
Manuscripts should be 12 font, double spaced, 1 inch margins and page numbered (starting with cover sheet).
Include a cover sheet with: Name, e-mail, phone, title of play, brief statement of how your play fits the contest theme, and a character breakdown.
Do not include your name on the script itself – only on the cover sheet. Scripts are judged anonymously.
Email submissions to: joust@dreamwell.com or by postal mail to: Dreamwell Theatre, Writers’ Joust, PO Box 2903, Iowa City IA 52244.
Deadline is December 1, 2012 for e-mailed entries. Mailed manuscripts must be postmarked no later than December 1, 2012.
Mailed manuscripts will not be returned.
Only one submission per playwright.
All playwrights submitting by the stated deadline will be sent a confirmation e-mail.
All playwrights will be notified of winning plays through an e-mail by March 31, 2013.
Want to contribute reviews or articles?
Contact us at ictheatreblog@gmail.com.
Showing posts with label Writers Joust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writers Joust. Show all posts
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Friday, November 19, 2010
Dreamwell's Innocence Asks: What Makes a Monster?
By James E. Trainor III
Dreamwell - Pedro Lopez was found guilty of murdering 110 girls in Ecuador and confessed to murdering another 240 in Peru and Colombia. This isn't part of the play; this is true. Or rather, it's part of the play and it's true. Lopez's story is well-documented, and if you're not the type with a queasy stomach, you can Google it; it's all there in black and white. But playwright Tom Deiker, for whom even serial killers can give us insight into the human condition, is much more interested in the gray. That Lopez is a monster is clear, but how did he get that way? What makes a monster?
The action of the play follows a reporter (Chuck Dufano) who is
trying to answer that question. He speaks to the people who have been dealing with Lopez's case, and the people who had effects on his childhood. His mother (Elizabeth Breed), a prostitute with twelve other children, threw him out on the street at age eight. Shortly thereafter he was kidnapped and brutally raped. The reporter speaks to a warden (Kevin Moore) who attempted to solve Lopez's crimes, a teacher (Nelson Gurll) who took him in only to molest him, a manic sheriff (Brian Tanner) who laughs off the obscene violence that surrounds him, and an American nun (Ariane Parkes-Perret) who rescued him from an angry mob.
All this tragedy and mistreatment could serve to exonerate Pedro Lopez, make him sympathetic and ultimately write him off as a messed-up kid, and it does -- to a point. However, the reporter also talks to Pedro himself (Ken Van Egdon), who is unrepentant, manipulative and downright frightening. When he describes his crimes, it is with the dreamy tones of one seduced by lust or power. He's confident he will be released, and he has no intention to cease in his quest -- or compulsion -- to rob others of their innocence, as he was robbed of his.
The tone of the piece wavers between calm, still moments of reflection and sudden flashes of emotion. The colors of the set are dry and the lights are hot, invoking an oppressive summer in a South American climate. Pauline Tyer's direction does not push the theatricality at all, and the scenes are honest, organic, and for the most part subdued. Much of the action is seated as the reporter conducts his interviews, but the intensity of the dialogue rarely rests for a beat. As the reporter uncovers more and more of Pedro's life story, his mission embroils him in sticky moral dilemmas, and the other characters are stuck with him at his table, essentially trying to solve the problem of evil itself.
Pedro Lopez, however confined in his cell, is comparatively free. He comes off the
stage to the footlights, leering at the audience and implicating them for being spectators to his ghastly crimes. When he is done telling his story, he strides confidently through the audience to the front door of the theatre, reminding us that the real-life Pedro Lopez was set free and most likely killed again.
The effect is quite unsettling. Lopze's very presence is a slap in the face, intended to wake us up to the suffering that goes on around us. The content of Innocence is extremely graphic, though none of it is gratuitous. Dreamwell artists, thankfully, do not shy away from the horror of this piece, as Tyer says, the goal is to make the audience "emotionally responsible," not to "make it easy on you."
It's tough stuff. But not without purpose; these are, after all, questions that have haunted us for ages. If we're to attribute a sense of order to the universe, whether divine or secular, how does we account for such needless suffering? What makes an innocent boy become such a monster? Was there a point at which he could have been saved? Is he to blame? His mother? His rapist? None of these questions is easy to examine, and none of them has final answers, but Innocence does well to explore them so thoroughly, if only to warn us that we all hold the seed of violent aggression that made Pedro Lopez "The Monster of the Andes."
The cast is really strong, particularly considering how hard this material is to read, let alone perform. Dufano is at his best as the journalist, and we see him grow from detached and only intellectually involved to intensely affected as his morbid curiosity is satisfied. In the later scenes, when he confronts Pedro's mother and teacher, he is fiery and fierce but in excellent physical and vocal control.
Breed's performance as the mother is sympathetic and her accent is quite convincing. Moore is very solid as the warden; his accent is impeccable and he makes great use of his physical presence despite the rather static staging. Tanner is energetic as the excitable sheriff, and while his accent tends to slip and one wants to push his energy level even higher, he shows off a surprising range here. Parkes-Perret brings reflection and calm courage to this explosive world as a nun in the midst of a spiritual crisis, and Gurll is very believable as the weasely teacher who took advantage of Lopez. His performance is particularly nuanced; though he only appears in two scenes, he is able to telegraph his guilt in the first one without going over the top.
Van Egdon is simply chilling. This is not to say he isn't charming at times, even
funny, but his portrayal of this disheveled beast is so compellingly present that it makes one's skin crawl. When he confesses -- almost brags -- about his crimes, we grimace at the unrepentant monster before us. When he challenges the audience about the monster within each of us, we are horrified but helpless to object. Yet when he finally reveals his vulnerability, telling the story about how his own innocence was shattered, we are unable to dismiss him. There's a little boy behind all of that evil, a boy long ago thrown into a cruel and violent world and now locked into compulsively playing out the same incident until someone stops him for good. There are many layers here, and Van Egdon expresses them all with nuance, courage, passion and skill.
Innocence is playing for two days only, November 19th and 20th, at the Unitarian Universalist Society in Iowa City. Showtime is at 7:30 pm, and tickets are available at Dreamwell's website.
Dreamwell - Pedro Lopez was found guilty of murdering 110 girls in Ecuador and confessed to murdering another 240 in Peru and Colombia. This isn't part of the play; this is true. Or rather, it's part of the play and it's true. Lopez's story is well-documented, and if you're not the type with a queasy stomach, you can Google it; it's all there in black and white. But playwright Tom Deiker, for whom even serial killers can give us insight into the human condition, is much more interested in the gray. That Lopez is a monster is clear, but how did he get that way? What makes a monster?
The action of the play follows a reporter (Chuck Dufano) who is
trying to answer that question. He speaks to the people who have been dealing with Lopez's case, and the people who had effects on his childhood. His mother (Elizabeth Breed), a prostitute with twelve other children, threw him out on the street at age eight. Shortly thereafter he was kidnapped and brutally raped. The reporter speaks to a warden (Kevin Moore) who attempted to solve Lopez's crimes, a teacher (Nelson Gurll) who took him in only to molest him, a manic sheriff (Brian Tanner) who laughs off the obscene violence that surrounds him, and an American nun (Ariane Parkes-Perret) who rescued him from an angry mob.All this tragedy and mistreatment could serve to exonerate Pedro Lopez, make him sympathetic and ultimately write him off as a messed-up kid, and it does -- to a point. However, the reporter also talks to Pedro himself (Ken Van Egdon), who is unrepentant, manipulative and downright frightening. When he describes his crimes, it is with the dreamy tones of one seduced by lust or power. He's confident he will be released, and he has no intention to cease in his quest -- or compulsion -- to rob others of their innocence, as he was robbed of his.
The tone of the piece wavers between calm, still moments of reflection and sudden flashes of emotion. The colors of the set are dry and the lights are hot, invoking an oppressive summer in a South American climate. Pauline Tyer's direction does not push the theatricality at all, and the scenes are honest, organic, and for the most part subdued. Much of the action is seated as the reporter conducts his interviews, but the intensity of the dialogue rarely rests for a beat. As the reporter uncovers more and more of Pedro's life story, his mission embroils him in sticky moral dilemmas, and the other characters are stuck with him at his table, essentially trying to solve the problem of evil itself.
Pedro Lopez, however confined in his cell, is comparatively free. He comes off the
stage to the footlights, leering at the audience and implicating them for being spectators to his ghastly crimes. When he is done telling his story, he strides confidently through the audience to the front door of the theatre, reminding us that the real-life Pedro Lopez was set free and most likely killed again.
The effect is quite unsettling. Lopze's very presence is a slap in the face, intended to wake us up to the suffering that goes on around us. The content of Innocence is extremely graphic, though none of it is gratuitous. Dreamwell artists, thankfully, do not shy away from the horror of this piece, as Tyer says, the goal is to make the audience "emotionally responsible," not to "make it easy on you."
It's tough stuff. But not without purpose; these are, after all, questions that have haunted us for ages. If we're to attribute a sense of order to the universe, whether divine or secular, how does we account for such needless suffering? What makes an innocent boy become such a monster? Was there a point at which he could have been saved? Is he to blame? His mother? His rapist? None of these questions is easy to examine, and none of them has final answers, but Innocence does well to explore them so thoroughly, if only to warn us that we all hold the seed of violent aggression that made Pedro Lopez "The Monster of the Andes."
The cast is really strong, particularly considering how hard this material is to read, let alone perform. Dufano is at his best as the journalist, and we see him grow from detached and only intellectually involved to intensely affected as his morbid curiosity is satisfied. In the later scenes, when he confronts Pedro's mother and teacher, he is fiery and fierce but in excellent physical and vocal control.
Breed's performance as the mother is sympathetic and her accent is quite convincing. Moore is very solid as the warden; his accent is impeccable and he makes great use of his physical presence despite the rather static staging. Tanner is energetic as the excitable sheriff, and while his accent tends to slip and one wants to push his energy level even higher, he shows off a surprising range here. Parkes-Perret brings reflection and calm courage to this explosive world as a nun in the midst of a spiritual crisis, and Gurll is very believable as the weasely teacher who took advantage of Lopez. His performance is particularly nuanced; though he only appears in two scenes, he is able to telegraph his guilt in the first one without going over the top.
Van Egdon is simply chilling. This is not to say he isn't charming at times, even
funny, but his portrayal of this disheveled beast is so compellingly present that it makes one's skin crawl. When he confesses -- almost brags -- about his crimes, we grimace at the unrepentant monster before us. When he challenges the audience about the monster within each of us, we are horrified but helpless to object. Yet when he finally reveals his vulnerability, telling the story about how his own innocence was shattered, we are unable to dismiss him. There's a little boy behind all of that evil, a boy long ago thrown into a cruel and violent world and now locked into compulsively playing out the same incident until someone stops him for good. There are many layers here, and Van Egdon expresses them all with nuance, courage, passion and skill.
Innocence is playing for two days only, November 19th and 20th, at the Unitarian Universalist Society in Iowa City. Showtime is at 7:30 pm, and tickets are available at Dreamwell's website.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Backstage with Innocence
Dreamwell - In 2009, Dreamwell committed to bringing more original work to stage. They devised a Writers Joust competition, where Iowa writers would submit full length plays that dealt with a subject people fear to talk about. Dreamwell received many plays and chose three for the festival. Two were presented last weekend as staged readings. The winner of the Joust opens this weekend as a full production (November 19 and 20 at 7:30 pm at 10 S. Gilbert in Iowa City. Tickets available here.) Innocence by Tom Deiker explores the choices made by individuals who encountered serial killer Pedro Lopez, and how those choices may have lead to more murders. We had a chance to ask Tom a few questions about his play.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
Tom: My background is in clinical psychology, with most of my career spent researching, developing, evaluating, and administrating public mental health programs in hospitals, clinic, prisons, nursing homes, residential care, substance abuse, sex offender programs, forensic hospitals, child care, etc. My two professional interest areas were psychopathology and aggression, which sometimes overlap - the universal standard for civil commitment of the mentally ill, for example, is "danger to self or others" - with a larger interest in aggression as the "human defect" causing the most human misery in the world - as in ethnic violence, sexism, homicide, genocide, slavery, religious extremism.
I am beginning to see why the story of Pedro Lopez was of interest to you.
Tom: My early research in trying to predict aggression, especially homicide, in society, as well as in offenders and the mentally ill, shows convincingly that it's virtually impossible based on tests, demographics, behaviors. Regrettably, that doesn't deter "experts" from flying by the seats of their predictive pants in courtrooms and civil commitment proceedings to remove people from society, sometimes for life - such as the tragic recent return of indefinite civil commitment of sex offenders in most states, including Iowa. In my readings on serial killers I stumbled on the case of Pedro Lopez, "Monster of the Andes," who raped and killed some 350 young girls in Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. If you have a chance to see or read the play, you will recognize the above themes of poverty, ethnic violence, government apathy.
So how does Innocence tell his story?
Tom: Innocence basically tries to lay out for the audience in dramatic form the range of viewpoints, attitudes, reactions, and "solutions" to a horrific serial murderer - from philosophical to religious to scientific, hopefully to stimulate thought and discussion.
How much of this play is true to the story and how much creative license did you take with it?
Tom: I read everything written about Pedro Lopez. Innocence is a genuine docudrama in that all the biographical and historical references are accurate -- e.g., raised by prostitute mom, thrown out onto the the street in the middle of the civil war at age 8, raped by a man all night in an abandoned building almost immediately, etc. Almost all of the actual words of Pedro were used where I could - his grandiose notion he was the most famous man of the century, his description of the kidnapping, rape, and murder process, and the watching in the eyes for the loss of innocence. The fictional overlay was giving the characters in his life a voice from their point of view in conversation with the journalist, there being no record of those likely conversations.
Can you talk a little bit about your writing process - was there lots of rewriting, how did the play change as you went along, what choices did you make which guided your process?
Tom: I violate most of the rules I've read on writing, don't write character bios, don't make outline or story boards before writing, don't write straight to the end before rewriting; I spend a lot of time reading about my topic, taking notes, walking around with the story line, characters, try to follow general guidelines for introduction of characters, distinct voices and character personalities, introduction of conflict and it's resolution. But once I have those in mind I work my way through the scenes one at a time, starting from the beginning and rethinking/rewriting repeatedly to the latest scene until I'm happy with the process, then continue that process until the final draft is finished. One of the reasons I write this way is that I come to know each page of the story and find the characters themselves begin saying the next line or plot point, one of those "immersion processes" other writers have spoken of. I always set the script aside for at lest a couple weeks before returning to it, try to read it as a reader and ask myself what questions/puzzlements/weaknesses the reader would experience; I also read each character through separately to hear their distinct voice and personality quirks. I have in many projects, Innocence included, written a detailed descriptions of the story line with each scene and then looked for missing/redundant/discontinuous story elements. This script also had a translation process from longer, more narrative screenplay, to shorter more condensed and physically limited stage play. This play also had more of a "philosophical" overlay, trying to give different characters different understanding, insights, and beliefs about "why people kill the innocent."
What has the rehearsal process been like from your perspective - have you been involved at all?
Tom: I have not been involved, will sit in on the dress rehearsal only to thank and support the cast and director.
How does it feel to be the winner of the Joust?
Tom: I've had a few staged readings of my full-length screenplays and stage plays, but this will be the first staging of one of my full-length stage plays. So this is my most exciting experience in my 68-year-old-novice-playwriting career.
What's your next project?
Tom: I just finished my first full-length play written from scratch (all others were written from those screenplays which could be adapted to the stage). Honour addresses Christian and Muslim extremism against the background of tensions following the influx of Muslim Somali refugees in Minneapolis-St. Paul - “whitebread America”. The play’s title and theme revolves around the Muslim practice of “honour killing” females who deviate from strict family control. This play turns honour killing upside down and drops it into the lap of fundamentalist Christian mother, who discovers her daughter has formed a lesbian relationship with a Muslim girl, the mother hires some local redneck thugs to "scare" the Muslim girl, who the thugs rape and kill. The mother tries to convince her family and the victim's family that the death is a Muslim "honour killing."
Anything else you'd like to let our readers know?
Tom: Just my gratitude to Dreamwell for the opportunity and for bringing contemporary plays on contemporary themes to the Iowa City region.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Writers Joust festival begins this weekend
Dreamwell - What do you fear to talk about? This was the charge to Iowa Playwrights - answer that question in the form of an original play. Many playwrights answered the call and three were chosen as the winners of Dreamwell Theatre's first Writers Joust competition.
The festival will open this weekend with readings of the two runners up and conclude with two performances of our winning play next weekend.
On November 12 there will be a reading of Divergence by Janet Schlapkohl, a play about a farm family affected by a horrible tragedy. Schlapkohl founded Combined Efforts Theatre, a group that offers opportunities for actors with and without special needs. Her monologues have been included in Riverside Theatre’s Walking the Wire productions.
"Divergence is about family secrets and the impact they can have," said Dreamwell founder Matt Falduto. "And who doesn't have a family secret or two?"
The Night I Kissed Osama Bin Laden - A Post-9/11 Comedy by Joe Jennison will be read on November 13. Jennison is a nine-time produced playwright whose plays have been staged at theaters in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. His play A Beautiful Man won “Best of Fringe” and “Best Comedy” at the San Francisco Fringe Festival in 2003. More recently, his play A New Normal was presented as part of the TCR Underground Festival.
"I've been fortunate enough to see this show since its first drafts as part of the Black Doggers play writing group," said Falduto. "It's a slapsticky farce with an important message that is really at its heart very American."
On November 19th and 20th we will present the world premiere of the winning play Innocence by Tom Deiker. Based on real life events, Innocence tells the story of Pedro Lopez, a mass murderer known as The Monster of the Andes. The play explores the choices made by individuals who encountered Lopez, and how those choices may have lead to more murders. Deiker is a published writer who has had his work placed in several dozen publications, including Cimarron Review, Fugue, Galaxy, Newsweek, and Plain Dealer Magazine. He also recently formed a Des Moines community theatre company, Lucubrations.
All shows begin at 7:30 at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City.
Tickets for the readings: $5
Tickets for Innocence performance: $12 Adults, $10 Seniors, $8 students.
Buy a FESTIVAL PASS and see all three for only $18. Passes available at the door or in advance at White Rabbit (109 S. Linn Street in Iowa City).
Reserve seats at any of our shows at www.dreamwell.com
The festival will open this weekend with readings of the two runners up and conclude with two performances of our winning play next weekend.
On November 12 there will be a reading of Divergence by Janet Schlapkohl, a play about a farm family affected by a horrible tragedy. Schlapkohl founded Combined Efforts Theatre, a group that offers opportunities for actors with and without special needs. Her monologues have been included in Riverside Theatre’s Walking the Wire productions.
"Divergence is about family secrets and the impact they can have," said Dreamwell founder Matt Falduto. "And who doesn't have a family secret or two?"
The Night I Kissed Osama Bin Laden - A Post-9/11 Comedy by Joe Jennison will be read on November 13. Jennison is a nine-time produced playwright whose plays have been staged at theaters in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. His play A Beautiful Man won “Best of Fringe” and “Best Comedy” at the San Francisco Fringe Festival in 2003. More recently, his play A New Normal was presented as part of the TCR Underground Festival.
"I've been fortunate enough to see this show since its first drafts as part of the Black Doggers play writing group," said Falduto. "It's a slapsticky farce with an important message that is really at its heart very American."
On November 19th and 20th we will present the world premiere of the winning play Innocence by Tom Deiker. Based on real life events, Innocence tells the story of Pedro Lopez, a mass murderer known as The Monster of the Andes. The play explores the choices made by individuals who encountered Lopez, and how those choices may have lead to more murders. Deiker is a published writer who has had his work placed in several dozen publications, including Cimarron Review, Fugue, Galaxy, Newsweek, and Plain Dealer Magazine. He also recently formed a Des Moines community theatre company, Lucubrations.
All shows begin at 7:30 at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City.
Tickets for the readings: $5
Tickets for Innocence performance: $12 Adults, $10 Seniors, $8 students.
Buy a FESTIVAL PASS and see all three for only $18. Passes available at the door or in advance at White Rabbit (109 S. Linn Street in Iowa City).
Reserve seats at any of our shows at www.dreamwell.com
Friday, June 18, 2010
Dreamwell Announces Writers Joust winners
Dreamwell - Dreamwell Theatre has selected the winners of its first ever Writers Joust: A Fear Festival. Innocence by Tom Deiker of Clive, Iowa was chosen as the winner. The two runners up are The Night I Kissed Osama Bin Laden: A 9/11 Comedy by Joe Jennison of Mount Vernon, Iowa and Divergence by Janet Schlapkohl of Iowa City, Iowa. Innocence will open November 19th. The runners up will receive staged readings the weekend of November 12th.
In order to fit in with the theme of the 2010 season, “Taboo Bijou,” the submitted plays had to reflect the following theme: subjects we fear to talk about. Jennison's play addresses our national tragedy with humor while Schlapkohl's tackles the subject of family secrets. Jennison is a nine-time produced playwright whose plays have been staged at theaters in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. His play A Beautiful Man won “Best of Fringe” and “Best Comedy” at the San Francisco Fringe Festival in 2003. Janet Schlapkohl founded the “Combined Efforts Community Drama,” a group that offers opportunities for actors with and without special needs. Her monologues have been included in Riverside Theatre's Walking the Wire productions.
The winning play, Innocence, tells the story of Pedro Lopez, "Monster of the Andes," who raped and murdered over 300 young girls. Deiker's play explores the choices made by individuals who encountered Lopez, and how those choices may have lead to more murders. Deiker is a published writer who has had his work placed in several dozen publications, including Cimarron Review, Fugue, Galaxy, Newsweek, and Plain Dealer Magazine. He also recently formed a Des Moines community theatre company, Lucubrations.
Dreamwell received many entries to the Writers Joust from writers all over Iowa. "We had so many great plays to choose from," said Matt Falduto, Dreamwell founder. "We felt these three plays best expressed our theme."
Dreamwell has produced original plays in the past, but this is the first time they have ever had a competition. “We wanted to try something new to encourage Iowa playwrights,” said co-Artistic Director Chuck Dufano. “We're thrilled with the number of choices we had and excited beyond belief at the shows we're going to present to the community.”
Dreamwell Theatre is an award-winning non-profit volunteer theatre company dedicated to creating professional-quality productions. In their 13 years of existence, they have produced over 50 plays in various locations around Iowa City. Their mission is to create challenging, innovative and inclusive theatrical experiences as a theatre of exploration.
In order to fit in with the theme of the 2010 season, “Taboo Bijou,” the submitted plays had to reflect the following theme: subjects we fear to talk about. Jennison's play addresses our national tragedy with humor while Schlapkohl's tackles the subject of family secrets. Jennison is a nine-time produced playwright whose plays have been staged at theaters in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. His play A Beautiful Man won “Best of Fringe” and “Best Comedy” at the San Francisco Fringe Festival in 2003. Janet Schlapkohl founded the “Combined Efforts Community Drama,” a group that offers opportunities for actors with and without special needs. Her monologues have been included in Riverside Theatre's Walking the Wire productions.
The winning play, Innocence, tells the story of Pedro Lopez, "Monster of the Andes," who raped and murdered over 300 young girls. Deiker's play explores the choices made by individuals who encountered Lopez, and how those choices may have lead to more murders. Deiker is a published writer who has had his work placed in several dozen publications, including Cimarron Review, Fugue, Galaxy, Newsweek, and Plain Dealer Magazine. He also recently formed a Des Moines community theatre company, Lucubrations.
Dreamwell received many entries to the Writers Joust from writers all over Iowa. "We had so many great plays to choose from," said Matt Falduto, Dreamwell founder. "We felt these three plays best expressed our theme."
Dreamwell has produced original plays in the past, but this is the first time they have ever had a competition. “We wanted to try something new to encourage Iowa playwrights,” said co-Artistic Director Chuck Dufano. “We're thrilled with the number of choices we had and excited beyond belief at the shows we're going to present to the community.”
Dreamwell Theatre is an award-winning non-profit volunteer theatre company dedicated to creating professional-quality productions. In their 13 years of existence, they have produced over 50 plays in various locations around Iowa City. Their mission is to create challenging, innovative and inclusive theatrical experiences as a theatre of exploration.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Dreamwell announces 2010 season
Dreamwell - Dreamwell Theatre again offers a season centered around a particular theme. Its 13th season - "Taboo Bijou" - features works intended to raise questions about topics considered "taboo" and why. From language to terrorism to various expressions of sexuality, the plays push boundaries and limits by confronting subjects that are often difficult or inappropriate to discuss. Dreamwell adds that the purpose of "taboo bijou" is not mere shock value, but rather the examination of personal fears and desires in the context of social perception and stigma.
Poona the F**kdog (and other plays for children)
by Jeff Goode
February 19, 20, 26, 27 2010
The perfect naughty fairy tale to open a "taboo" season, this show skewers society's views on everything from sex to terrorism to language. (Despite the title, this play is not suitable for children).
Blackbird
by David Harrower
March 19, 20, 26, 27 2010
An intense play about a sexual relationship that transformed, crippled and paralyzed an adult man and a 12-year-old girl.
9 Parts of Desire* by Heather Raffo
August 2010
A play about the women of Iraq, showcasing their humanity.
A View from the Bridge*by Arthur Miller
October 8, 9, 15, 16 2010
The classic play of a man who betrays his family’s trust and suffers the consequences.
The first Dreamwell Writer’s Joust: A Fear Festival
December 2010
Dreamwell is currently soliciting from Iowa playwrights full length plays about something people are afraid to talk about. Deadline for submissions is March 1, 2010. Winning playwright will be awarded $100 and a full production. Two runners up will have staged readings during the festival.
And coming up on February 14th, "Down With Love: An Anti-Valentines Day Valentines Day Cabaret." Dreamwell's first Valentines Day cabaret is a perfect date night for Valentines Day fans and hard core cynics alike. Members of Dreamwell and other area theatres will share songs from various eras, covering topics about lovers scorned, loves unrequited and what a completely annoying little jerk the devilish Cupid can be.
For more information, go here.
*pending rights
Poona the F**kdog (and other plays for children)
by Jeff Goode
February 19, 20, 26, 27 2010
The perfect naughty fairy tale to open a "taboo" season, this show skewers society's views on everything from sex to terrorism to language. (Despite the title, this play is not suitable for children).
Blackbird
by David Harrower
March 19, 20, 26, 27 2010
An intense play about a sexual relationship that transformed, crippled and paralyzed an adult man and a 12-year-old girl.
9 Parts of Desire* by Heather Raffo
August 2010
A play about the women of Iraq, showcasing their humanity.
A View from the Bridge*by Arthur Miller
October 8, 9, 15, 16 2010
The classic play of a man who betrays his family’s trust and suffers the consequences.
The first Dreamwell Writer’s Joust: A Fear Festival
December 2010
Dreamwell is currently soliciting from Iowa playwrights full length plays about something people are afraid to talk about. Deadline for submissions is March 1, 2010. Winning playwright will be awarded $100 and a full production. Two runners up will have staged readings during the festival.
And coming up on February 14th, "Down With Love: An Anti-Valentines Day Valentines Day Cabaret." Dreamwell's first Valentines Day cabaret is a perfect date night for Valentines Day fans and hard core cynics alike. Members of Dreamwell and other area theatres will share songs from various eras, covering topics about lovers scorned, loves unrequited and what a completely annoying little jerk the devilish Cupid can be.
For more information, go here.
*pending rights
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Dreamwell's Writer Joust accepting plays
Dreamwell - Dreamwell Theatre of Iowa City is accepting submissions for their first ever playwriting competition. The Dreamwell Writers Joust: A Fear Festival will feature a full production of the winning play in December 2010 as well as staged readings of two or three runners-up. The winner will also receive a $100 cash prize. In order to fit in with the theme of the 2010 season, "Taboo Bijou," the submitted plays should reflect the following theme: subjects we fear to talk about. "There are lots of subjects people are sometimes afraid to talk about," said Dreamwell founder Matt Falduto. "Death, racism, sex... but don't think we just want serious plays. Comedies that tackle taboo subjects are more than welcome, too!"
Dreamwell has produced original plays in the past, but this is the first time they have ever had a competition. "We wanted to try something new to encourage Iowa playwrights," said co-Artistic Director Chuck Dufano. "We've always been committed to producing original work. Hopefully, this festival will be a good vehicle to make that happen." Plays should be emailed to joust@dreamwell.com by March 1, 2010. The specifics are listed below.
Email questions to joust AT dreamwell.com
Dreamwell has produced original plays in the past, but this is the first time they have ever had a competition. "We wanted to try something new to encourage Iowa playwrights," said co-Artistic Director Chuck Dufano. "We've always been committed to producing original work. Hopefully, this festival will be a good vehicle to make that happen." Plays should be emailed to joust@dreamwell.com by March 1, 2010. The specifics are listed below.
- Playwright must either currently live in Iowa, or have significant ties to the state
- Must be a full length play - 2 hour running time at most
- Please keep the set simple
- Please provide a cover sheet with the following information: Name, Email, Phone number, Title of play, How the play fits the theme, Character list
- Must have never been performed before, not including staged readings
- Send as Word document or .pdf
Email questions to joust AT dreamwell.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)