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The First 20 Minutes

 

Are you a new writer? Do you want the opportunity to develop a play and your skills? Do you want to show case your talent in front of a supportive and honest audience? The First 20 Minutes makes it possible.

 

The First 20 Minutes takes form in three progressive stages; The First 20 Minutes, The Next Stage and The Final Stage. It allows new writers to show their work at various stages of development and receive feedback from the Literary Department and a paying audience.

  

The first twenty minutes takes place two to three times a year in which plays are performed by professional actors without scripts in front of the paying public and industry. There is use of sound lighting, costume and minimal set and props. After each play is performed the audience provide written feedback . The best plays, as voted by the audeince, are  shortlisted for two further events; The Next Stage and The Final Stage.

Are you a new writer? Does this sound like something you would like to get involved with?

To enter please submit your script to submissions@writersavenue.co.uk by 1st July 2011

  

General Guidelines

 

  • We provide a  12 hours of rehearsal space.
  • We provide actors, a director and a stage manager
  • We do not accept plays that require more than six actors (characters however may be doubled up)
  • We do not accept plays under 60 minutes or over 90 minutes
  • We do not accept film scripts, short plays. physical theatre, absurdist/avante garde plays, musicals, pantomimes, children’s plays, historical plays, play adaptations, historical biographies or classical plays.
  • If your play is shortlisted for The First 20  Minutes we will provide feedback and ask you to send your full script, we may also request a redraft of the first twenty minutes
  • We do not accept plays that have already been produced professionally

   

Submission Guidelines

 

The extract should be the opening twenty minute of your original play. Please send the following as one document and in pdf, if you do not have the software to convert your script into pdf you may send it as a word document:

 

 

 1. On the FIRST page please write and answer the following questions in ONE sentence.
  
a)   a) What is the main story/plot?
 
b)   b) What do you want the play to do? (i.e. how do you want it to affect the audience?)
 
       c)  How is the play relevant to a contemporary audience?
 
d)   d) What genre is it.  (no more than two words please)

 

 

3. On the SECOND page please put the title of your script and your contact details (address, number and email)
 
4.  On the THIRD page please write your character descriptions including gender, age, profession, relation to other characters and if vital to the context race, accent and physical attributes).

 

5. From page 4 onwards should be  your script
 
6. On the LAST page please include a synopsis of the play this can be a summary or scene to scene synopsis.

 

7.  Please ensure the script is professionally formatted; 12 font, page numbered etc
 
8.   Please name your document the title of your play and your name
 
9.  Please write the title of your play in the subject heading of the email

 

The actual script should be no more than  25 pages,  we do not require your full script at this stage.

 

Please allow us up to three months to respond.

 

If your play is shortlisted for The First 20 Minutes we will ask you to submit your full script within a week. You may also be given some feedback and we may ask for a second draft of the first twenty minutes.
 
 
Please fill in the submission form below and email your script straight afterwards.
 
 
Play Title**:
First name**:
Last name**:
Gender**:
Age**:
City**:
Borough**:
Ethnic Origin**:
How did you hear about Writer's Avenue?**:
Have you been to one of our events before?**:
Email**:
What other theatre companies have you sent your play to?**:
Cover letter detailing writing and non writing experience**:
 
(** Required Fields)

 
Dates:
The First 20 Minutes (round 1) 22nd August 2011  Soho Theatre
 
The First 20 Minutes (round 2) 30th August 2011 Soho Theatre
 
We look forward to reading your play! Remember we accept submissions throughout the year but the deadline is 1st July 2011 to take part in the events this year which we are holding at Soho Theatre, send your play to submissions@writersavenue.co.uk 

 

Would you like to perform in our events? To find out about castings click here for more details

 

If you are a director and you would like to direct a play in our events please send your CV to info@writersavenue.co.uk
You must have adequate training and/or experience.
 
We are also accepting CVs from Stage Managers
 

Please note that as we are currently an unfunded and tehrefore all roles are voluntary and unpaid.

 
 
 
 
Copyright ©  2009-2011 Sandra Thompson-Quartey