Think you’re the next brilliant playwright? Campus constituents with creative writing skills can submit their scripts, on any subject, to the Student’s Stage playwriting competition held this month. Three winners will receive $50,and their work will be featured in the spring show.
All work must be submitted by March 2, and the winners will be announced during finals week, group director Melanie Marshall said.
Student’s Stage is a student run theatre group that produces student written work, started last year to give students more experience in the theatre industry.
“While the (theatre) department here is amazing, it’s not big, and there’s not as many opportunities that we would like,” she said. “So this is for people to get experience in things they wouldn’t normally do in this profession.”
The playwriting class offers a chance for the group to incorporate student’s written work, and turn it into a real production, but there is a need for more applicants, she said.
“Because we only do student-written work, there’s not a plethora of scripts for us, and I would like to see students from other majors get involved,” she said.
The contest allows writers to see their ideas as a live performance, offering writers hands-on experience, she said.
“I directed a play last year that allowed me to work on a piece where the writer had no idea it would turn out the way it did,” she said. “We get to see how different it is to write something the way it sounds in your head, versus on stage.”
The contest showcases student’s contribution to the arts and theatre department, along with enhancing a resumé for those seeking a profession in theatre.
Electrical engineering and theatre senior Jeff Azevedo submitted a script for the contest about a boy asking a girl out, a contemporary college influenced subject. Azevedo enjoys writing comedy and wants his work to reflect the lives of his subject, mostly about college life in general.
“It’s just like any other creative writing, it just depends on how comfortable you are with your idea, and it’s always easier to write what you know,” he said.
Azevedo, a former editor for his high school newspaper, said he has always had a natural talent for writing and interest in theatre. However, college hasn’t allowed much time for any writing at all, but being involved in theatre helps his inner creativity.
“I definitely did more writing in high school, but being an electrical engineering major we really don’t do a whole lot of writing, it’s kind of sad,” he said. “Being a theatre major is my creative outlet.”
The playwriting contest is encouraged for anyone with an eye or pen for creativity; participants benefit from the experience in a realistic way, Azevedo said.
“Being the one writing the script helps me with script analysis, directing and producing, an area I’d like to try some day,” he said.
With such a large campus and so many creative minds, Student’s Stage hopes to find more people who are interested in the art and production of theatre, Marshall said.
“This competition really is designed to help students express their inner creativity and we are always looking for new material besides the competition,” she said.
Anyone interested in submitting a script for the playwriting competition can contact Calvin Legassie or Marshall at (928) 978-0081, or at thtrdance@calpoly.edu.