THEATRE BC - Winners of Canadian Nat'l Playwrighting Contest

Theatre BC
Promoting the Development of Theatre in BC since 1932
PO Box 2031, Nanaimo, BC V9R 6X6
Phone: 250-714-0203 Fax: 250-714-0213
www.theatrebc.org e-mail: pwc@theatrebc.org

November 14, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Theatre BC's 18th Annual Canadian National Playwriting Competition
Stage Play Winners, Finalists and Jurors Announced

This year's Jury selected 3 Winners and 6 Finalists from 117 new Canadian Stage Plays in
Theatre BC's 18th Annual Canadian National Playwriting Competition

The identities of the Winning and Finalist Playwrights were revealed on Tuesday, November 13, 2006 at the Theatre BC office in CIBC Nanaimo Arts Centre in downtown Nanaimo, BC, following the Jurors' Meeting to make the final selections. The results were as follows:

Category Winners
Full Length Winner ($1000 Cash Award)
"Homeless Hannah" by Leo Orenstein, Toronto, ON

Synopsis: A love song to women, Homeless Hannah is the story of a street woman who gets a job as a housekeeper to three anxious and needy men.

Jurors' comments included:
"Characters were well-drawn, both believable and likeable, dialogue feels right. Could easily be staged."
"I was deeply compelled by the story. Very interesting questions in readers’ minds throughout. Familiar premise but this piece stands out on its own."
"Characters speak with their own voices, scenes are well-constructed."

One Act Winner ($750 Western Canada Theatre Cash Award)
"The Big Smoke" by Ron Fromstein, Toronto, ON

Synopsis: A man with a secret moves from small town Ontario to the city.

Jurors' comments included:
"It is sparse, not overwritten, this characterization is complete and very believable."
"Fresh, original voice. Beautifully lyrical. Barely a word or line out of place."
"Tommy is so real, so vulnerable, so funny. The other characters also speak with their own voices. Tour de force for the right actor."


Special Merit Winner ($500 City of Kamloops Cash Award)
"The Fetch" by Samantha Wright, Stouffville, ON

Synopsis: When Victor’s wife Lila doesn't return home one night, he’s convinced something terrible has happened to her. In a fit of panic, he invites her twin sister Tess over to help him search for her. As the evening draws on however, he becomes convinced that the woman in his house isn't Tess at all, it’s Lila – and she’s playing some kind of dangerous game – a game Victor is determined to win.

Jurors' comments included:

"Easy to stage, good size cast, playwright has a terrific ear for dialogue…..a bit Pinteresque."
"Well put together, builds the tension well. Stage-able and theatrical."
"Highly entertaining, deliciously nuanced scenes well-measured – great storytelling."

Finalists (alphabetical order by title)

"Care and Control" by Keith Dorland, Kearney, ON

Synopsis: One man and three women with three generations of family baggage struggle to break from the confines of denial and dementia. A tale about spiders, flying fish, cold winters in mid-summer, and how people, madness and nursery rhymes can be true when history and dreams are not.

Jurors' comments included:

"Interesting, intricate and intriguing piece. I like the way it moves around. Characterizations are good, the plot holds up well. Definitely stage-able."
"Difficult and harrowing dramatic exploration. Voices of characters are authentic and brilliantly developed. The playwright’s compassion for each character evident through the disturbing dialogue- bravo."

"Death of a Clown" by Sebastien Archibald, Vancouver, BC

Synopsis: Roy is a clown about to be executed. He recounts his life from his prison cell and takes us through the surreal journey of his past, present and…future?

Jurors' comments included:
"This piece has lots of energy and pizzaz. I liked its breezy style."
"Kafkaesque treatment of the artist (clown) vs. society. The author has a sense of humour and the archetypes of Mom, Dad, etc. are fun."

"The Feel Goods" by Kerri Armstrong, Winnipeg, MB

Synopsis: The play follows three young and idealistic men in their quest for a positive revolution. In an attempt to raise the profile and magnitude of their gang, The Feel Goods, the members plot to find and kidnap the saddest person in Winnipeg. The story climaxes as the members aggravate an already fragile situation and are forced to confront the limitations of their idealism.

Jurors' comments included:
"Definitely original, could work well."
"Laugh out loud funny! Good structure and pace. This play finds balance between authentic quirkiness and broad appeal."

"Mahogany Row" by Stephen Baetz, St.Jacobs, ON

Synopsis: A sensitive, playful love story unfolds when a cleaning lady interrupts an executive contemplating suicide. Love has never been so important.

Jurors' comments included:

"Intelligent, thoughtful, challenging, enigmatic. Original, vivid characters."
"An original idea. I thought it quite funny and worked well."

"Reason Has Nothing To Do With It" by Pauline Carey,Toronto, ON

Synopsis: This two-hander explores the love affair and subsequent marriage of Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin who both wrote vehemently against marriage in 18th-century England.

Jurors' comments included:

"Clever dialogue, interesting characters. Audience members will feel like voyeurs watching very private conversations."
"Observations on marriage are current and refreshing. Wonderful intimacy – like a tug-of-war."
"This is a good piece. Well written, definitely stage-able."

"Spinning Gold" by Sally Stubbs,Vancouver, BC

Synopsis: When the trials and relationships of early adolescence become too cruel, Sarah runs away to Grampa’s isolated cottage on Salt Spring Island. A fierce storm rages on the island; trapped, Sarah and the eccentric old man learn from one another as they bring to life the bizarre and haunting story of gold prospector, John (Cariboo) Cameron, and his beautiful child-bride, Sophia.

Jurors' comments included:

"Interesting story, well told. Original and theatrical. Both characters well drawn."
"Brisk- nice dialogue; excellent transitions and variety – active like an amusement ride."

JURORS

Fran Gebhard of Vancouver, BC
Bio: Fran is an actor, director and dramaturge. Her acting credits include stops with the Blyth Festival, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Theatre Calgary, Northern Lights Theatre, Playwright's Theatre Centre (formerly the New Play Centre), Arts Club Theatre, Playhouse Theatre and both Shakespeare Kelowna and Theatre Kelowna. She still performs the 10th Annual Canadian National Playwriting Competition's One-Act Winner, Looking For Kitty (formerly Dried Flowers) by Maryjane Cruise, and will present Kitty in Saskatchewan this Summer.
Her work in film and television includes a nomination for a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 1998, Fran was awarded The Arts Person of the Year award in Kelowna, BC.
Fran was involved with the Banff Playwrights Colony for many years, including terms as Program Head from 1976 - 1985 and coordinator of the Screenwriters Workshop from 1986 - 1990. She also taught Directing for the theatre program at UVIC during the 2003/04 term. She was on faculty with the Theatre Department of the University of Regina until July 2006. She also adjudicates and gives workshops with Theatre Saskatchewan.
Fran was a juror for both the10th (1998) & 12th (2000) Annual Canadian National Playwriting Competitions and also served as a Round Table dramaturge at Theatre BC's New Play Festival in Victoria in1999 and Kamloops in 2002. She has traveled to most zones as a Regional Instructor in acting/directing, as well as Workshop Play instructor at Mainstage '02 in Nanaimo. Fran served as adjudicator for both the NIZ and CIZ Festivals in 2003.

Burton Lancaster of Nanaimo, BC
Bio: Burton has worked in the professional theatre, in both North America and Europe, for over forty years, mainly as a Producer, Artistic Director and Administrator. He trained at the famed Central School of Speech and Drama and had ten years experience in the British theatre working with such companies as the Old Vic, the Royal Court and the New Shakespeare Company. He came to North America to work with Les Grands Ballet at Expo '67. In Canada, Burton was the founder of six professional theatre companies, including Magnus Theatre (Thunder Bay), Union Theatre Waterloo and the Lakeshore Summer Festival. He has also served as Artistic Director for many companies, incl. the Showboat Festival Theatre (Port Colborne,Ont.)and the Marlowe Theatre (Canterbury, UK). Producing credits include Sheherazade for Canadian Stage (Toronto) and The Witch of Edmonton for Equity Showcase, which the Toronto media voted one of the ten best productions of 1993. He now lives on Vancouver Island where he serves as Artistic Director for Theatre One in Nanaimo.
Burton served as juror for the 16th Annual Canadian National Playwriting Competition.

Nathan Medd of Victoria, BC
Bio: Nathan's professional experience ranges from work as an administrator, dramaturge, director, actor, scene designer and production technician to drama educator. After graduating from the theatre department at the University of Victoria (acting & drama in education) he spent three seasons in administration and front of house at the Belfry Theatre. In 2004 he joined Intrepid Theatre to become their first development coordinator. He currently manages the Metro Studio for Intrepid, a thriving, 200-seat venue he co-founded
in downtown Victoria.
Nathan is a proud member of the production team at Vancouver Island's largest theatre festival - the Victoria Fringe - and is board chair of Bumblebee Theatre Society, a performance collective comprised of UVic alumni. He has served as juror for Intrepid Theatre's Petri Dish New Play Competition, and was a judge at the 2006 Vancouver Island One Act Play Festival.


All Winners and Finalists will be invited to Theatre BC's New Play Festival, April 5-8, 2007 at the Pavilion Theatre in Kamloops, BC, home of our event partner, Western Canada Theatre, the largest professional theatre company in BC's Southern Interior. Details regarding this year's Competition are posted to the Theatre BC website at www.theatrebc.org/playcomp/.

Congratulations to this year's Winners and Finalists. Thank you to all entering playwrights and to the Competition Jurors for their many hours of reading and careful consideration. Any artistic directors wishing to read winning and/or finalist scripts from this year's Competition, please contact Theatre BC.

We invite Canadian resident playwrights to enter their new works in Theatre BC's 19th Annual Canadian National Playwriting Competition. Entries will be accepted between April 15, 2007 and Monday, July 23, 2007. If you would like to be added to our mailing list for a Competition "How To Enter" brochure, please send your contact information to Theatre BC at PO Box 2031, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 6X6 or email us pwc@theatrebc.org.

The Competition Summary will be posted to the Playwriting Competition section of Theatre BC's website. If anyone would like further details, please contact Executive Director, Robb Mowbray, at the Theatre BC office.

Contact:
Robb Mowbray, Executive Director
Theatre BC
Phone: 250-714-0203 Fax: 250-714-0213
Email: robb@theatrebc.org
Web: www.theatrebc.org


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