The selection process this
year was incredibly rigorous. There were 17 applicants. My initial
assessment led me to narrow this to 10 finalists. The proposals and
writing samples from the 10 finalists were sent to two out-of-state colleagues
of mine - two women playwrights / dramaturges who read them "blind",
meaning names were removed from the documents. I held interviews with the
10 finalists and scored the interviews. A conference call was then held
with my two colleagues, and they offered their scores and thoughts. Everything
was averaged. And the results are below!
If you were not selected,
please know that the overwhelming sentiment was that all the finalists possess immense talent.
And I will add, so do all the writers who did not make the finalists
list. I urge every single applicant to keep writing. And I
hope everyone will want to be involved in the festival in some way.
Congrats to everyone for the
hard work and thoughtful applications!!!
The Lincoln High School Drama Department presents
The 14th Annual New Works Festival:
Eye to Eye
directed by Matthew B.
Zrebski
Playwright: Michael Walsh
Genre:
Absurdist Comedy
Casting:
3 teen men, 1 teen woman
Length:
15 - 25 minutes
Issue: The
death penalty
Playwright: Sammy Martin
Genre:
Psychological Thriller
Casting: 2 teen men, 4 teen women
Length:
15 - 25 minutes
Issue: The
American diet and the relating health crisis
Playwright: Tucker Litch
Genre: Surreal
Romantic Drama
Casting: 3 teen men, 3 teen women
Length: 15 - 25 minutes
Issue: LGBTQ
and gender
Playwright: Barrett Kent
Genre:
Farcical / Satirical Comedy
Casting: 4 teen men, 3 teen women
Length:
15 - 25 minutes
Issue: The
impact of media
Playwright: Rory Hays
Genre: Naturalistic
Drama
Casting:
1 teen man, 1 teen woman
Length:
15 - 25 minutes
Issue: The
education system in America
Playwright: Bowen Hampton
Genre:
Devised (tonally varied, pending discovery)
Casting:
3 teen men, 4 teen women
Length:
4, 5-minute segments and 3, 90 second segments
Issue:
Division in America
