Vermont Young Playwrights
Welcome to the Vermont Young Playwrights program work and feedback space. Here you can read, view and/or listen to other students' plays. This space is open to all students in the program regardless of school affiliation. As with all Young Writers Project programs, there is only one rule: Be civil and respectful. Enjoy.
Vermont Young Playwrights Festival -- AUDIO UPLOADED!
Young Writers Project was pleased to partner with the Flynn Center, Vermont Stage Company and a dozen schools and young playwrights in this year's 2012 Vermont Playwrights program which included the Annual Festival at FlynnSpace on May 15. The plays were fantastic. The final selections included pieces that were given cold readings, dramatic readings and then, in the evening, seven were presented by professional actors.
YWP recorded the event and streamed it live. It received 250 views by people who devoted 50 hours combined to watch the plays. YWP also had folks text their reactions to the playwrights.
WE HAVE UPLOADED AUDIO FOR ALL THE PLAYS FEATURED IN THE FESTIVAL! To read and listen, go to Final Selection. To see the texted responses, go to youngwritersproject.org/poll1. Over the next week we will make the video recordings available and will get word, via here and the Flynn, as to how playwrights can view and download the video for free.
7:30 Featured Show selections:
The Consultant by Russell Johnson of U-32
What Went Wrong by Cassie Mayer of Mt. Abraham Union High School
I'm Lost in the Woods by Leo Parini of Middlebury Union High School
The Monster in the Closet by Stephyn O'Leary of Rock Point School
I Absolutely Agree by Allison VanNorden of Peoples Academy High School
Direct Record Instructions
Instructions on using the direct record feature:
When you create a Play content type, you can now directly record a reading to your content. This requires a computer with a microphone and Adobe Flash Player. It's a little tricky the first time, but if you follow these instructions you will not have any problems on that computer in future uses:
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| VYP.pdf | 87.22 KB |
A general overview
NOTE: This is intended as a first of a series of 'help' documents on using this site; instruction on how to fill out the play form, how to include images, audio and video, how to create a podcast, how to comment, etc. Click on Site Instructions for more and details are attached in VYP.pdf.
Young Writers Project is excited to partner with the Vermont Young Playwrights (VYP) program, the Flynn Center for Performing Arts and the Vermont Stage Company in this year's play-writing endeavor. This digital space is an experiment and, as such, is open to changes, suggestions and ideas -- that's what helps make it better.
Our aim is to provide students and instructors a 'private' space where students can share ideas, create drafts and finish crafting their plays, incorporating images, video and sound along the way. The key to this space, though, is students have an audience right away. Students within the group -- regardless of school affiliation -- are encouraged to comment on each other's plays, offer encouragement and supportive feedback. (YWP has only one rule: Be supportive and respectful.) Authors can also add images or audio, as they see fit.
Eventually, the plays can be made public and shared with this site's general population -- thousands of teens across Vermont and part of N.H. -- and the general Web population which stops by to visit and read. (This site gets 750-1500 human visitors a day.)
YWP has found that within this digital space, students gain a great deal from the ideas, critique and observations they get from instructors and students. They also get a sense for what others are doing in a collaborative environment.
Students have two basic content types for this space: A play and a wiki. A play is their own piece and can only be edited by them and by an instructor. A wiki is a shared document that can be edited by anyone in the group. IMPORTANT: Every time a student edits his/her piece or a wiki, a NEW version is created. Students can access the earlier versions of their own work and instructors can access earlier versions of all work. (Students also can create a blog and a newspaper entry -- a blog is for non-VYP material for general public consumption; a newspaper entry is a submission to the YWP's newspaper series; later in the year, plays can be submitted for consideration.)
Instructors have three basic content types: A play, wiki and play resource. The latter is intended to be everything from instructions, to a writing exercise, to resources or links or to general observations or, even, to announcements.
Tags/keywords. A quick word on how this space is organized. All users have access to the general site. Young Playwrights and Instructors also have access, via the 'VYP Group Page' link, to youngwritersproject.org/vyp which is here and is the private group set up for this project. On the right sidebar, you will see a link to 'Members' which is how you can access individual members of this project and read their work (or click their name on their post). The tags -- School, Stage and Instructors' Tags -- are how you can navigate around to more specific areas of content, i.e., by school or by play type, etc. It is important to tag your work. (Play Genre is a link to last year's work)
YWP will be available via email, phone or visit to help in the use of this site or, even, to offer assistance in the writing or editing of these projects. My contact info:
- Geoffrey Gevalt, YWP Director, 20 Winooski Falls Way, Winooski, VT 05404
- ggevalt@youngwritersproject.org
- 802-324-9537
| Attachment | Size |
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| VYP.pdf | 87.22 KB |
The Joys of Writing a Play
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
The Joys of Writing a Play
A ten minute play
by
Cole M
Williston Central School
1
CHARACTERS:
MATHEW: aspiring playwright, 22
DAVE: Mathew’s obnoxious boss, 44
CLINTON: Chef, non-speaking, 62
LORRIE: Actress, non-speaking, 40
SCENE: An office desk littered with crumpled balls of paper and sticky notes.
AT RISE: Mathew is sitting at his desk writing feverishly.
MATHEW
(shouting)
This is completely impossible!
DAVE
(nastily, from offstage)
Mathew, even for someone of your intelligence level it shouldn’t be too hard to empty a trash can.
MATHEW
I did that already Dave, here, you can have it!
(throws trash off stage)
DAVE
OW!
MATHEW
Now, to get back to work.
(From backstage left PROSPECTIVE PLAYERS 1, 2 and 3 come and stand in the back, not yet lit.)
MATHEW
The Importance of Being Ronald
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
The Importance of Being Ronald
By Faith D
St. Johnsbury Academy
Character List
Ronald: late 70's, Father of Marie, has a delusion which causes him to narrate his own life.
Marie: early 40's, Wife of Leo, homemaker
Leo: mid 40's, Husband of Marie, a writer
Deandra: Teen (15-17), daughter of Leo and Marie, runs track
At Rise
In the kitchen, Leo and Deandra are sitting at the kitchen table
Deandra
Dad, can we cancel?
Leo
You know we can’t,
Deandra
Mom might not have picked him up yet! We can call her on her cell before she reaches the nursing home!
Leo
Nope
Deandra
(Whining) Dad!
Espionage Misclassified
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
ESPIONAGE MISCLASSIFIED
A ten-minute play
By
Jordan Q
Spaulding High School
Characters
HAROLD, 22-year-old Army Private-First Class
MICHELLE, 21-year-old Army Private-First Class
LIEUTENANT MYERS, 30-year-old Army Lieutenant
SERGEANT DAVIDSON, 27-year-old Army Sergeant
Setting: A military base in Massachusetts, present day.
At Rise: HAROLD and MICHELLE are casually strolling down an empty hallway in the base, having just returned from lunch. The two are discussing events of the previous evening.
HAROLD
(In a semi-casual tone)
--And then Davidson just screams, “In the name of all that is good, don’t touch my toupee!” It was so funny!
MICHELLE
(Much more seriously)
He really is touchy about that thing, isn’t he?
HAROLD
Oh yeah. And then some Lieutenant just comes in and he is pissed. He’s like, “Why are you making all that noise, Sergeant?” And you know Davidson wasn’t gonna say anything, he just had to say, “Sorry, sir, won’t happen again, sir.” Like anybody’s gonna tolerate some guy whining about his toupee. It’s a private’s complaint, as the officers say.
MICHELLE
And we were privates once. Still are, in fact.
HAROLD
The Monster in the Closet
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
THE MONSTER IN THE CLOSET
A ten-minute play
By
Stephyn O
Rock Point School
CHARACTERS: JIMMY, Eight years old HOWARD and MARTHA’S son.
HOWARD, 30’s, JIMMY’S father
MARTHA, 30’s , JIMMY’S mother
MONSTER IN CLOSET, Never to be seen. The closet should give off a red light from its shudders and cracks when it speaks and be able to open and close.
SCENE: Jimmy’s Room
I Absolutely Agree
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE
A ten-minute play
by
Allison VN
Peoples Academy
characters: Bridget, friend to Cameron and Darin, 16
Cameron, friend to Darin and Bridget, has a
crush on Bridget, 16
Darin, friend to Cameron and Bridget, has a
crush on Bridget, 16
SCENE: A Park
AT RISE: There is a table with three chairs in center stage Bridget is stage left. Cameron is stage right. Darin is sitting at the table in the stage left chair. They each have a book and close them simultaneously. Bridget and Cameron leave their books where they are standing.
Bridget
What an inspirational book!
Cameron
This book sucked.
Darin
I can’t believe that our teacher made us read this! It’s so lame!
Cameron
Shedding Some Lice on the Subject
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
Shedding Some Lice on the Subject
A ten-minute play
by
Hannah F
Mount Abraham Union Middle and High School
CHARACTERS: SISTER HEDWIG, a nun who runs an
orphanage in Accra, Ghana
SVEN LARSON, a health inspector from Sweden
GOODLUCK, 13 year old orphan boy at SISTER
HEDWIG’s orphanage
VALIDIA, 13 year old orphan girl at SISTER
HEDWIG’s orphanage
What Went Wrong
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
What Went Wrong
by Cassie M
Mt Abraham Union High School
Characters:
Will, single and in love with Rose
Rose, a waitress at Joe’s diner
Blake, Will’s best friend
Setting:
Joe’s Diner
At Rise:
WILL and BLAKE are seated at a booth, looking over menus. They are the only customers in the restaurant.
BLAKE
So, dude, are you going to ask her out today?
WILL
Yeah, I guess.
BLAKE
C’mon, man. We come here pretty much every day, and it isn’t because of the food.
WILL
I see nothing wrong with greasy burgers and slightly burnt fries.
BLAKE
My stomach disagrees. Maybe I’ll just go for the grilled cheese today.
WILL
Whatever, I don’t really –
(ROSE enters and stops to wipe down a table before walking towards WILL and BLAKE)
Oh, God, here she comes. How do I look? Do I smell okay? What should I say?
BLAKE
Just relax, man, you’ll be –
WILL
Okay, she’s coming, just BE COOL!
ROSE
Hey, boys, what can I get for you today?
I'm Lost in the Woods
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
I’m Lost in the Woods
A ten-minute play by
Leo P
Middlebury Union High School
CHARACTERS: MIC, a boy scout
Dewey, a bout scout
Speedy Turtle, an old man
SCENE: Out in the woods
AT RISE: Two Boy Scouts are lost in the woods -- as they've wandered away from the rest of the pack on the Long Trail in the Green Mountains of Vermont
MIC
This isn't good, Dewey. This is terrible.
(Dewey looks upset)
I mean you really screwed us over with this one.
The Tree Man
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
The Tree Man
By Cameron S
Lothrop Elementary
Characters:
Filbert: 38 year old guy that lives in his hobo hut in the middle of the woods.
John: 35 year old man that works for a logging company that is now in the process of finding good trees to chop down.
Setting: Filbert’s hobo hut in a Vermont forest, with John spraying paint on trees to indicate the ones to cut down.
Filbert
Whoa! Hey man! What you doin ta mah trees! Man, these trees belong to the forest! Ya can’t just chop em down! They got feelings to yah know.
John
Hey, what are you doing out here! This is restricted area confined to the John Wilem Logging Company, which is owned and named by me, thank you for asking.
Painting for Lives
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
Painting for Lives
A ten-minute play
by
Katherine M
Williston Central School
1
CHARACTERS:
JAQUES: a young artist that is running out of inspiration and creativity, 21
PIERRE ROBERTS: JAQUES agent, demanding and greedy, 42
NORA: A little girl in presence, actually an angel who inspires JAQUES, 9
SCENE: JAQUES studio
AT RISE: JAQUES talking in a stressed out tone to PIERRE over Telephone
JAQUES
I am sorry Mr. Roberts…yes sir I will try my hardest to get a last painting done by tomorrow for the show. There is a problem, I can’… I have run out of Ideas.
PIERRE ROBERTS
(Bursting through the studio Stage Right door, holding his cell phone up to his ear, then which he closes phone and clenches in his fist.)
A Brick Oven
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
A Brick Oven
Jack MC
Vergennes Union High School
CHARACTER LIST: Kevin - 29 Years. Exhausted from working this job. Fed up with mundane everyday things.
George - 31 Years. Puts up with most everything, a bit bigger than Kevin.
AT RISE
KEVIN and GEORGE are working at a probation assigned factory building deconstructing boxes on a conveyer belt. The room is in shambles with racks upon racks of old boxes, books and papers.
___
KEVIN
Hello, George.
GEORGE
Hey Kevin, what’s up?
KEVIN
All the same shit, you?
GEORGE
Ha, you have to ask? Absolutely nothing man.
KEVIN
Guess I shouldn’t expect anything more from the George the great.
GEORGE
This again? Really? Whatever man let’s just get this over with.
(The men begin to work deconstructing boxes)
KEVIN
Why don’t we do more George?
GEORGE
What?
KEVIN
You know- anything else, anything- exciting.
GEORGE
Because it’s not the movies dude
KEVIN
Why can’t it be?
GEORGE
Really? You’re going to have an existential conversation about how our lives suck?
The Consultant
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
The Consultant
A ten-minute play
By
Russell J
U32
CHARACTERS:
ALLEN, 30, who works at a consulting firm
BOB, 50, Allen’s boss at firm
TIM, 28, close friend of Allen who works at McDonald’s
MARGARET “MARGE”, 43, the secretary
SCENE: in grouping of cubicles on the11th floor of the firm’s office building
AT RISE: lights up. Allen is practicing “stop, drop and roll” when BOB comes in with a clipboard looking for him.
BOB
…..Allen…what are you doing?
ALLEN
The Crashing of Lives
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
THE CRASHING OF LIVES
A ten-minute play
By
Grace W
Lamoille Union Middle School
CHARACTERS: CLAIRE: 14 years old, girl, blond hair, pretty, very
serious, wants to become very successful, smart,
parents work in the Twin Towers.
SCOTT: 14 years old, boy, black hair, good at
sports, class clown, funny, doesn’t care about
school, parents work in the Twin Towers
RADIO ANNOUNCER: Voice that gives updates
PHONE VOICE: Claire’s Dad’s voice
INTERCOM ANNOUNCER: Works at school, voice that is heard through intercom
LIBRARIAN: Teacher who is in Library
SCENE: Library at school in NYC September 11, 2001
