Offers to Playwrights: Superstition

Once again, I want to congratulate all of the students who applied to write for Superstition.  It was, by far, the most competitive year in the history of the festival with the most thoughtful applications.

For those not selected, I am sorry for the disappointment.  I hope, after you have had time to process, that you will continue to pursue your writing goals.  Your talent is immense, and you should all continue to cultivate your creative gifts.

Offers are extended to these selected writers:

The Ladder Queen

By Olivia Fouser

A Soul in Seven

By Sammy Martin

Knuckle Knock

By Alex Denman-Still

The Purring

By Teis Jayaswal

Macstop!

By Lydia Fecker

The Many Droplets

By Bowen Hampton

The 13^th Floor

By Ben Pagano

The selected writers must email me (matthew.b.zrebski@gmail.com) to confirm that you accept this offer.

Thank you!

NW13 Writer Announcement Delay

Given the volume of applicants and finalists, I need to take a little more time to assess fully and make sure I'm respecting each writer and giving everyone the proper amount of consideration time.  I have also decided to utilize one of the panelists who read the initial proposals to look again at the applications.

The interviews are going splendidly, and I continue to be so impressed with the level of care being given to the process.  

My intention is to announce the selected writers via the blog no later than 12:00p on Wednesday 6/15.  This announcement will also include the play assignments.  Those writers will then have to email me to confirm their participation.  Should any writer not wish to participate, given their play assignment, I will then go to one of the other finalists.

Thank you for your patience.  I hope the summer break has started well for all of you!

NW13 Playwriting Finalists

I wish to thank the 22 students who put so much effort into these applications and writing samples.  It was a truly impressive group.  I hope everyone continues to write!

I am excited to announce that the finalists are (in no particular order):

Alex Denman-Still  

Ben Pagano

Bilal Nasir

Emma Weightman

Jared Knofczynski

Katie Reahl

Lydia Fecker

Olivia Fouser

Rory Hays

Sammy Martin

Teis Jayaswal

Bowen Hampton

These writers will be contacted by email to set up phone interviews to occur prior to 5:00p on June 13.  From these finalists, the seven will be selected.

I know it can be extremely disappointing to not make this initial list. Please do not take this as an indication of your talent.  There was not a single "weak" application in this pool.  Keep going in your pursuits!!!

Decision Process: NW13

Thank you to the 22 writers who applied for next year's festival.  It's a record for applications and illustrates the excitement this festival brings!

The applications have been sent to two colleagues of mine, who along with me, will whittle the list down to roughly 10 finalists.  This is happening over today and tomorrow.  

By late Wednesday 6/8 or early Thursday 6/9, these finalists will be notified and interviews set up.

If you have questions about anything, feel free to email:  matthew.b.zrebski@gmail.com

Very Superstitious....

The Lincoln High School Drama Department presents

The 13th Annual New Works Festival

S U P E R S T I T I O N

directed by Matthew B. Zrebski

opening March 2^nd, 2017

 

ACT ONE

#1

Title:  The Ladder Queen

Genre:  Absurdist Comedy

Casting:  2 teen women, 2 teen men

Length:  10-12 minutes

Set:  2 A-Frame Ladders, 1 Step Ladder

Superstition:  Walking under a ladder is bad luck…

#2

Title:  A Soul in Seven

Genre:  Psychological Thriller

Casting: 2 teen men, 1 teen woman

Length:  10-12 minutes

Set:  An ornate crate.  Inside is a broken, hand held mirror.

Superstition:  Breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck…

#3

Title:  Knuckle Knock

Genre:  Serio-Comic Naturalism

Casting: 1 teen man, 1 teen woman

Length:  10-12 minutes

Set:  A sleeping bag.  A tree stump.

Superstition:  Knocking on wood brings good luck after tempting fate…

#4 

Title:  The Purring

Genre:  Surreal Drama

Casting: 2 teen women, 1 teen tomcat

Length:  10-12 minutes

Set:  2 simple chairs.  A large scratching post.

Superstition:  A black cat crossing one’s path is an evil omen…

#5

Title:  Macstop!

Genre:  Farcical Comedy

Casting:  2 teen men, 3 teen women

Length:  10-12 minutes

Set:  An empty stage with a bloody dagger in the middle.

Superstition:  Saying “Macbeth” in a theater brings disaster and death…

Intermission

ACT TWO

#6

Title:  The Many Droplets

Genre:  Naturalistic Drama

Casting: 3 teen men, 2 teen women

Length:  25 - 30 minutes

Set:  A living room in mid-renovation.  Piles of lumber.  Painting tarps. 

Superstition:  Opening an umbrella indoors is bad luck…

#7

Title:  The 13^th Floor

Genre:  Comedic Satire

Casting: 3 teen women, 2 teen men

Length:  25 - 30 minutes

Set:  A park in the shadow of a building.  A park bench.  A box-shelter.

Superstition:  The number 13 is unlucky, so “remove” the 13^th floor…