TOWNSVILLE - OCTOBER 2023
PLAYGROUND
THEATREiNQ WRITERS FESTIVAL
A playwright spends hours and hours working in seclusion, developing characters, evolving plot lines and shaping a storyline. Alone they make edits, endless rewrites and revisions. Then comes the moment to share your work with others but how do you do it? Who can actually give the final constructive touches to your work? The answer is Actors!
As Actors, we understand the hard work that a writer has put into a script because our job is to uncover the beating heart of the work and to bring the playwright’s words to life with truth and passion. TheatreiNQ’s experienced team are frank, constructive and nurturing; providing recommendations that will help transform your play from the page to the stage.
Working alongside professional actors and directors from TheatreiNQ, the chosen writers will see their play come to life through a series of creative development workshops throughout October 2023, culminating in a concert-style play-reading over one invigorating weekend.
PLAYGROUND 2022 FESTIVAL WEEKEND
SATURDAY 25TH JUNE
SESSION 1
3pm - BIRDWATCHING TANGO / FLAMINGO TWIST by Teri Galea-Thorne (Act One Read Only)
4.30pm - Approx. Finish
SESSION 2
6pm - FOR THE TIME BEING by Lachlan Stevenson
7pm - Short Interval
7.30pm - FRACTURE by Shannon Jensen (Full Length Play)
9.30pm - Approx. Finish
SUNDAY 26TH JUNE
SESSION 3
3pm - SECOND BEST BED by Byron MacKenzie-Ross
3.45pm - THE MOON'S AWAKE by Catherine McKernan Doris (Act One Read Only)
5pm - Approx. Finish
SESSION 4
6pm - BUSH PARTY by Julie & Riley Johnston
6.30pm - Interval
7.00pm - ECHOES by Michael Sams (Act Two Read Only)
8.30pm - Approx. Finish
FESTIVAL PASS $30 / DAY PASS $20
VENUE: TheatreiNQ ClubHouse, 22 Cottell Street, Hyde Park
Drinks and Snacks are available at venue.
Submit your Script
Your script will be read by our Artistic Director, Terri Brabon along with the PlayGround
Co-ordinator and actors of the Company to determine the shortlist of plays chosen to move into the
Creative Development stage.
The length of each script may vary and all types of plays will be considered including but not restricted to: ten minute plays, one-act plays and full-length plays.
An individual writer may submit any number of scripts.
The application fee of $35 applies to each script submission and must be paid before the script will be considered.
Closing Date for Submissions
11th September 2023
PLEASE NOTE
Playwrights must be based in North Queensland or demonstrate significant ties to the region eg. born in NQ but no longer reside here.
Be Selected
A collection of plays will be selected for inclusion in the PlayGround Festival.
Each chosen script will be offered 3 Creative Development Workshops over 3 weekends in June for an additional fee of $50.
The timeframe allows for any revisions to be made by the playwright from one workshop to the next. The Creative Development workshops will be facilitated by Terri Brabon and feature a skilled team of TheatreiNQ’s professional actors.
The length of each Workshop slot will be determined by the length of each script and the schedule will be co-ordinated with each individual writer.
Creative Development Workshops
The Creative Development Process will take place over the following weekends in 2023:
7 - 8 October
14 - 15 October
21 - 22 October
Each session will run for 3-4 hours depending on the length of the script. All chosen writers should make themselves available for these sessions
(If required – these sessions can take place over zoom but it would be advantageous for at least the first weekend to be in person)
Actors will be engaged specifically for each of the chosen plays requirements.
PlayGround Festival Weekend
28 - 29 October 2023
Over one exhilarating weekend,
TheatreiNQ's ClubHouse will showcase all of the chosen plays in a public concert-style rehearsed reading.
Tickets will be available for purchase and all unsuccessful applications will receive a complimentary ticket to a session of their choice.
OBJECTIVE
TheatreiNQ plans to develop PlayGround to nurture, embolden and advance theatrical playwriting
from North Queensland in a supportive and professional environment.
SELECTION PROCESS CRITERIA
DIALOGUE
Economy of Language
Relevance to plot & characters
Dialogue flow
Creativity
CHARACTERISATION
Development
Creativity
PLOT
Structure
Creativity
Originality
THEATRICALITY
Stage Craft Concepts
Performance Ideas
Audience Appeal
RULES AND CONDITIONS
SCRIPTS
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Must be original, new works of the playwright and not adaptations of published plays.
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Must have not been published or publicly available for purchase or performance.
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Must not have a public performance or play reading for a paying audience.
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Once notified of inclusion, must not be work-shopped or performed before the public play-reading at PlayGround.
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While there are no restrictions on subject matter, theme or style, it must be remembered that we are interested in theatre scripts only, not films, TV shows or radio plays.
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Scripts must be submitted by the due date to be considered.
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Scripts remain the property of you, the writer, and will not be shared with any third party companies without your permission.
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By submitting your script to us you confirm that the work is entirely your own.
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There is no maximum or minimum word count and all lengths of scripts will be considered.
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The submitted work does not have to be completed and can be a work in progress. However, enough detail must be provided to maximise the creative development process.
PLAYWRIGHTS
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To enter the playwrights must be currently based in North Queensland or demonstrate significant ties to this region.
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If chosen, the playwrights will need to make themselves available for the Creative Development Workshops weekends.
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Creative Development Workshops will be conducted during 3 to 4 hour sessions over the following weekends (time dependant on length of script)
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If required – the Creative Development Sessions can take place over Zoom but it would be advantageous for at least the final weekend to be in person.
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The public playreading of the playwright’s work will take place over the PlayGround Festival Weekend
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The Creative Development and PlayGround Festival Weekend will take place at the TheatreiNQ ClubHouse, 22 Cottell Street, Hyde Park, Townsville.
FEES
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An application fee of $35 is payable upon receipt of the submitted script.
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In the event that multiple plays are submitted by the same playwright, the fee is charged to EACH play submitted.
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Complete the application form through the button below.
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Email your script as a pdf to theatreinqplayground@gmail.com
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Each play chosen to be involved in the Creative Development Stage of the Festival will attract an additional $50 Fee for the Workshops.
OTHER
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All decisions are final, and no communication or correspondence will be entered into regarding the selection of plays.
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Only plays invited to participate in the Creative Development stage will receive comments and feedback.
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There is no limit on the number of entries per writer, but each one must be sent separately and the fee is payable for each script.
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The chosen playwrights will be required to supply a headshot and personal biography for publicity purposes.
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The chosen playwrights may also be requested to attend other publicity calls for various media and should reasonably make themselves available to assist in promoting the Festival.
0408 067 9040408 067 904
2022
PLAYGROUND PLAYWRIGHTS
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Teri Galea-Thorne
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Shannon Jenson
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Riley & Julie Johnston
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Byron MacKenzie Ross
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Catherine McKernan Doris
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Michael Sams
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Lachlan Stevenson