Photos of “The Picture Window” in San Diego
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Photos, Productions on March 1, 2017
My 10-minute play THE PICTURE WINDOW was produced Sept. 30, Oct. 1-2, 2016 in the North Park Playwrights Festival in San Diego. Here are three photos:
The ghost of Bert looks on as his widow, Sally, interacts with a visiting nurse.
Those are Bert’s ashes scattered on the floor. The urn containing them was knocked to the floor by a baseball that came crashing through the window.
Bert left instructions that whoever was the first to knock a baseball through the picture window would win a scholarship to his alma mater.
Q&A for my show at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Uncategorized on January 26, 2017
My ten-minute play THE PICTURE WINDOW is included in this year’s new works festival at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre in Lewisburg, West Virginia Feb. 2-4.
Here’s a Q&A with me and some of the other playwrights.
Fan mail from New Jersey
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Reviews, Uncategorized on January 24, 2017
Today, I got this fan mail from an actress in New Jersey who recently appeared in one of my plays:
“I am playing Lois in “Catch of the Day” at Old Library Theatre in Fair Lawn, NJ and it has been such a great experience. So many of the things in this are really wonderful (I especially enjoy doing the telephone scene and the part where Edwin and I are nose to nose arguing over the poison fish) and the audience is laughing (of course not always in the same places). This afternoon is our last performance but I just wanted to let you know that I am so happy you wrote such a fun, relatable piece to perform.”
More feedback here.
Photos from “The Cactus Rustlers”
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Photos, Productions, Uncategorized on January 19, 2017
Kelli Hobson (left) and Emma Sala (right) are the titular cactus rustlers.
I held a staged reading of my new comedy, THE CACTUS RUSTLERS, at Showtimers in Roanoke, Virginia on January 14, 2017.
Here’s some of the feedback I got:
“This thing is a hoot!”
— Brian L.
“This play was great fun! It reminded me of the wonderful Greater Tuna plays about West Texas, only with more actors. We definitely left smiling.”
— Diana C.
“Hilarious story.”
— Rebecca G.
THE CACTUS RUSTLERS
Two young women are bored with their lives and wish they were living in the Old West. They read a newspaper story about how there’s a lucrative black market for cacti, and so set off to become cactus rustlers. Adventure ensues, which includes a space alien. Cast: 12 – 7 female, 5 male.
Here’s what it looked like: Read the rest of this entry »
Poster for South Walton One-Act Festival
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in Photos, Productions, Uncategorized on January 18, 2017
Here’s the post for the festival of student-directed one-acts at South Walton High School in Florida, which includes two of my scripts: FOLLOW THE MONEY and CINDY RELLA.
Video of “The Recruiter” in Houston
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Uncategorized, Video on January 17, 2017
My five-minute piece THE RECRUITER was produced in Houston Nov. 9-19, 2016 as part of the 2016 Five Minute Mile Play Festival by Cone Man Running Productions at the Obsidian Theatre. Here’s the video. Earlier I posted some rehearsal photos.
THE RECRUITER
A scene about gender discrimination in college sports. A college recruiter shows up at a rural school asking about a particular football player; oblivious to the softball player banging home runs in batting practice. Cast: Two adult males, one teenage girl.
This is a stand-alone piece, but it’s also part of a collection of short pieces about baseball that make up my full-length play PLAY BALL! Some other individual pieces of that have been produced, as well — “Sunset in North Dakota” and “Deep Into October.”
Video: “Catch of the Day” at Michigan State
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Video on January 13, 2017
Here’s video of my one-act CATCH OF THE DAY at Michigan State University in November 2016.
Earlier I posted photos from the production. Also rehearsal photos and a promo video.
Photos from “Joy To Other Worlds” in Utah
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Photos, Productions, Uncategorized on December 23, 2016
EskDale High School in Millard County, Utah produced by one-act JOY TO OTHER WORLDS in early December 2016. Director Lois Farber shares these amazing photos. You can find them all here.
Man tries to create the biggest display of Christmas lights in the neighborhood. It’s, um, very bright.
How bright? Well, the aliens out in deep space take notice of the unusual light coming from an otherwise obscure planet. Naturally, they decide to investigate.
By investigate, we mean land on planet Earth. Is that not the most awesome alien landing ship ever?
By investigate, we mean the aliens come armed.
Naturally, things go very wrong. She mistakes this alien for a contest judge and offers some fruitcake. You know all about fruitcake.
The aliens try to figure out what fruitcake is and how dangerous it might be.
Curtain call.
Photo from “Svetlana’s First Christmas Away From Home”
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Photos, Productions, Uncategorized on December 7, 2016
The cast of SVETLANA’S FIRST CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM HOME.
Back in the summer, I was corresponding with a direction at Victorian Players in Youngstown, Ohio. He was looking for a Christmas script, with some very specific needs. He needed a cast of about 20, with mostly kids. I didn’t have anything like that, so I told him if he gave me a few weeks, I’d write one. So I did. The result was SVETLANA’S FIRST CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM HOME. Here’s a photo from its premiere.
It looks like it’s going to be popular because it’s already been booked at a theatre in Texas for next Christmas.
SVETLANA’S FIRST CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM HOME
A last-minute substitute attempts to preside over a Christmas pageant, which has devolved into chaos – unruly kids, a pushy parent, a church busybody, a kitchen on fire. And then there’s the foreign exchange student, who’s supposed to be the angel, who is in the restroom in tears because it’s her first Christmas away from home. Then something unexpected happens. Cast: 21 – 6 adults (four female, one male, one non-gender), 7 teenagers (five female, two male), 8 early teens or pre-teens (one female, seven non-gender.)
* Produced by Victorian Players, Youngstown, Ohio, December 2016.
* Scheduled to be produced by Red River Revue, Clarksville, Texas, December 2017.
What people say about my work
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Reviews, Uncategorized on December 7, 2016
Here’s an updated list of some of the critical feedback I’ve gotten about my work — from critics, directors, and audience members on three different continents.
“I laughed so much I was sore the next day.” That’s what one patron in New Jersey had to say.
“One of the most hilarious shows we’ve done.” That’s from the director at a theatre in Ohio that produced one of my scripts.
“All-around brilliance . . . Dwayne Yancey wrote a genuinely witty and sharp script.” That’s what a theatre critic in Great Britain had to say about one of my shows.
“Blood-curdlingly amazing.” That’s what one critic in Australia had to say of a show I had there.
“Beautifully structured, fascinating, and vaguely dangerous.” That’s how one New York actor described my work.
“To be honest, each time I’d open up a play and see your name attached to it, I’d get excited. You are quite a talent.” That’s what the director of a play festival in Michigan had to say.
“Zombie Christmas was an audience favorite! Your sense of humor is deadly (if I may), and people were laughing out loud at all the right spots.” That’s what the director of a play festival in Illinois had to say about my short Christmas play “A Zombie Christmas.”
“It was heartbreaking . . . I was crying through most of the show. It absolutely is a compliment that I found it heartbreaking . . . People must be carefully guided to open their hearts to new ideas. And I think your scripts do that.” That’s what an audience member in Ohio had to say about one of my dramas.
“So many of the things in this are really wonderful . . . and the audience is laughing . . . This afternoon is our last performance but I just wanted to let you know that I am so happy you wrote such a fun, relatable piece to perform.” That’s what an actress in New Jersey had to say about “Catch of the Day.”
“Loved ‘The Recruiter.’ It was a very thoughtful piece and I’m glad we were able to include it.” That’s what a producer in Houston had to say about one of my short pieces.
“It’s a brilliant script.” That’s what a director in the United Kingdom had to say.
“Your play was my favorite.” That’s what an audience member who saw my work in a 10-minute play festival posted.
“Your piece is stunning.” — producer of “The Cellphones of the Dead” In Washington
“I had multiple people approach me after and say how moved they were by your play.” — producer of “The Cellphones of the Dead” In Washington
“It’s one of the more moving pieces for me”— actor in producer of “The Cellphones of the Dead” In Washington
“The script is funny and endearing and the kids loved it.” — Lauren Hous, director of world premiere of RHONDA’S HIGH-CLASS ROADKILL CHILI in Illinois.
“I heard so many compliments on “Let there be Lights” The audience ate it up! One more weekend of shows to go. Friday and Saturday this week we still have seats but Sunday is filling up again and will most likely sell out again! Thank you for writing such an amazing piece! It has been a blast to direct!” — Director Jeannie Lorimor, Mills Masquers Theatre in Glenwood, Iowa
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