Posts Tagged royalty-free one acts
“The Monkey At The Wedding” garners four prizes in Massachusetts competition
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Reviews on May 4, 2015
The cast of The Monkey At the Wedding. From right to left,
Top row: Father of Bride, Groom, Best man, Minister, Granny, Monkey, Mother of bride.
Bottom row: Pluto, Mother of groom, Zoe, Maid of Honor, Fatima, and the Bride.
My one-act THE MONKEY AT THE WEDDING had its debut on May 1 at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in Acton, Massachusetts.
This was part of a festival and I’m told the production won four prizes. The actress playing Fatima won best actress; the actor playing Bobo the Monkey won best actor, plus there were firsts for best make-up and “best slap.”
Yes, that kind of slap!
Of note: The Fatima character was one I added in a re-write when the director said she had 13 people audition for 12 parts but felt bad about leaving someone out — so that re-write clearly paid off. The actor who won best actor — his part had no lines!
Photos to come.
Here’s a previous post about the show.
So far in 2015:
* Jan. 3: Staged reading of MISS COW PIE BINGO (full-length), Showtimers, Roanoke, Virginia.
* Feb. 6: Production of MACBETH GOES HOLLYWOOD (long one-act), Gull Lake High School, Richland, Michigan
* Feb. 13: Staged reading of 39 HOURS IN THE SOVIET CITY OF ROSES (full-length), Poetic Theater Productions, New York, N.Y.
* Feb. 13: Staged reading of three short pieces: CHERRY POP TARTS, MY CRIMSON LOVE and LUST, at Garfield Center for the Arts, Chestertown, Maryland.
* Feb. 25: Staged reading of THE RING (one-act) and CAT ON TRIAL (five-minute play), The Readers Repertory Theatre of San Pedro, Los Angeles, California.
* March 25: Staged reading of THE BREAK-IN (five-minute play), The Readers Repertory Theatre of San Pedro, Los Angeles, California.
* March 25-27: Production of HAMLET GOES HOLLYWOOD (long one-act), High Meadows School, Roswell, Georgia.
* May 1: Production of THE MONKEY AT THE WEDDING (one-act), Acton-Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, Acton, Massachusetts. (Won four awards in competition, including best actor and best actress.)
* May 1: Short film KISS MY ASHES GOODBYE wins audience prize at Bike Shorts Film Festival, Roanoke, Virginia.
Upcoming:
* Summer: THE ONE-WORD MACBETH, Pop Culture Theatre, Melbourne, Australia.
Two short plays have staged reading in Los Angeles
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Uncategorized on March 19, 2015
Two of my short plays had staged readings in Los Angeles last month, I learned today.
The Readers Repertory Theatre at San Pedro (a neighborhood of LA) featured a reading of the one-act THE RING and the five-minute script CAT ON TRIAL on Feb. 25 at the Croatian Cultural Center of Los Angeles.
Here are synoposes:
THE RING
Sixty years after a close call in a state championship girls basketball game, the star of the losing team still can’t reconcile herself to losing — so she breaks into the home of the star player on the winning team, hoping to steal her championship ring. A poignant story about regrets and sportsmanship. Cast: Two senior females.
• Produced at Haylofters, Burlington, Wisconsin, May 2014. (Placed second in audience vote at festival.)
• Staged reading at Readers Theatre of San Pedro, (Los Angeles), February 2015.
CAT ON TRIAL (The Active Retirement of Irene Anderson)
A retiree puts the neighbor’s cat on trial because it caught a bird. Two versions available. Cast: Two seniors — one male, one female.
• Staged reading at Readers Theatre of San Pedro, (Los Angeles), February 2015
So far in 2015:
* Jan. 3: Staged reading of MISS COW PIE BINGO (full-length), Showtimers, Roanoke, Virginia.
* Feb. 6: Production of MACBETH GOES HOLLYWOOD (long one-act), Gull Lake High School, Richland, Michigan
* Feb. 13: Staged reading of 39 HOURS IN THE SOVIET CITY OF ROSES (full-length), Poetic Theater Productions, New York, N.Y.
* Feb. 13: Staged reading of three short pieces: CHERRY POP TARTS, MY CRIMSON LOVE and LUST, at Garfield Center for the Arts, Chestertown, Maryland.
* Feb. 25: Staged reading of THE RING (one-act) and CAT ON TRIAL (five-minute play), The Readers Repertory Theatre of San Pedro, Los Angeles, California.
Upcoming:
* March 25-27: Production of HAMLET GOES HOLLYWOOD, High Meadows School, Roswell, Georgia.
* May 1: THE MONKEY AT THE WEDDING, Acton-Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, Acton, Massachusetts.
Photo from “The Monkey at the Wedding” in Massachusetts
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Photos, Productions, Uncategorized on March 12, 2015
The cast of The Monkey At the Wedding. From right to left,
Top row: Father of Bride, Groom, Best man, Minister, Granny, Monkey, Mother of bride.
Bottom row: Pluto, Mother of groom, Zoe, Maid of Honor, Fatima, and the Bride.
Here is the cast photo from the first day of rehearsal for my one-act THE MONKEY AT THE WEDDING, which will be produced in May at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in Acton, Massachusetts.
This will be the world premiere.
Now, for an interesting story. I wrote the script several years ago, inspired by a local news story about a man who was trying to find a monkey to be ringbearer at his wedding. Don’t think he ever found one, though.
The director in Acton contacted me out of the blue — thanks, search engine! — and asked for some possible scripts. Eventually, she settled on this one.
Except, after auditions she had a problem. The show had a cast of 12 but she had 13 kids audition and she didn’t have the heart to turn one away. We bounced about some ideas, about splitting some characters in two but eventually settled on just writing in a 13th character. So I did.
I might mention that this “task mistress” of a director is a 9th grader. Bravo!
THE MONKEY AT THE WEDDING
A wedding goes afoul when the ringbearer — a monkey — swallows the ring. Chaos, and comedy, ensues. Features a motorcycle gang, and someone in a monkey suit. Cast: 12 or 13 — 5 male, 5 or 6 female, 2 non-gender. Running time: 30 minutes.
So far in 2015:
* Jan. 3: Staged reading of MISS COW PIE BINGO, Showtimers, Roanoke, Virginia.
* Feb. 6: Production of MACBETH GOES HOLLYWOOD, Gull Lake High School, Richland, Michigan
* Feb. 13: Staged reading of 39 HOURS IN THE SOVIET CITY OF ROSES, Poetic Theater Productions, New York, N.Y.
* Feb. 13: Staged reading of three short pieces: CHERRY POP TARTS, MY CRIMSON LOVE and LUST, at Garfield Center for the Arts, Chestertown, Maryland.
Upcoming:
* March 25-27: Production of HAMLET GOES HOLLYWOOD, High Meadows School, Roswell, Georgia.
* May 1: THE MONKEY AT THE WEDDING, Acton-Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, Acton, Massachusetts.
Photos from “Demoting Pluto” in New Mexico
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Photos, Productions, Uncategorized on January 6, 2015
My one-act DEMOTING PLUTO was produced in November at the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico as part of a festival of short plays about science.
A fast-paced commentary on modern-day attack ads in politics, and the public’s lack of scientific knowledge. A political consultant and an astronomy professor team up to wage a media campaign aimed at reclassifying Pluto from a planet to something less than a planet. A comedy, with a sharp point. Includes
audience participation, and two alternate endings, depending on the outcome.
Cast: Six — 4 males, 2 females. Running time: 30 minutes.
Kristina Caffrey and Victoria Sullivan as newscasters reviewing election returns. Check out the fancy fake knobs on the TV.
JJ Suffron, who played the political consultant, and Neil Fauloconbridge who portrayed Prof. Thompson.
Almost the entire cast.
Victoria Sullivan, Ninette S. Mordaunt, Kris Montoya, and Kristina Caffrey.
“Joy To Other Worlds” produced in Manitoba
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Uncategorized on December 18, 2014
My Christmas one-act JOY TO OTHER WORLDS had its premiere this month in Steinbach, Manitoba this month. It was produced by the Backyard Theatre Company.
Here’s the synopsis:
JOY TO OTHER WORLDS
A man’s display of Christmas lights flashing to the tune of “Joy to The World” attracts the attention of an alien race, which struggles to interpret the transmission. Cast: Nine — Four male, three female, two non-gender or one male, six females, two non-gender.
I’ve now been produced in every Canadian province from Ontario and west; nothing yet from Quebec to the east.
I have three more Christmas one-acts being produced this season:
* December 19-20: LET THERE BE LIGHTS! by Mockingbird Players, Columbia City, Indiana.
* December 19-20: THE ANGEL TREE and A ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS, by CW Actors Group, Collbran, Colorado.
Here’s the complete list of my Christmas plays.
And here’s a partial list of productions this year:
“The Angel Tree” to be produced in Roanoke in December
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Uncategorized on November 20, 2014
My one-act Christmas play, THE ANGEL TREE, is getting a lot of attention this fall.
A community theatre in Collbran, Colorado will produce it in December. So, too, will Showtimers community theatre in Roanoke. The Showtimers shows will be December 5-7, as part of a night of four one-acts about Christmas, the other three by other writers.
THE ANGEL TREE
An angel appears to a single mother at Christmas and helps her find a common bond with her surly teenage daughter. Cast: Three females. Running time: 20 minutes.
Here are the shows I have upcoming:
* November 7, 8, 14, 15, 22, and 23: DEMOTING PLUTO, one-act, Short Science Play Showcase at the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
* November 12: JENNA AND HER PRIZE-WINNING PIG CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY, Lewis and Clark School District, Minot, North Dakota.
* December 2: KLAUS, staged reading in New York, as part of the Gi60 Extended Editions.
* December 6-7: THE BEAUTIFUL OGRE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES, CAN I?, CHEF PIERRE DOES NOT DO SIMPLE, and GOD AND THE DEVIL MEET FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH, by the Jeonju Players, Joenju, South Korea.
* December 16: OLGA, staged reading at IRT Theatre, New York, N.Y.
* December 19-20: LET THERE BE LIGHTS! by Mockingbird Players, Columbia City, Indiana.
* December 19-20: THE ANGEL TREE and A ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS, by CW Actors Group, Collbran, Colorado.
And here’s a partial list of productions this year:
Two Christmas one-acts to be performed in Colorado
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Uncategorized on November 11, 2014
The CW Actors Group in Collbran, Colorado will produce two of my Christmas one-acts on December 19 and 20.
They scripts are THE ANGEL TREE and A ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS. This will be the first production of the latter; there may be a prior production of THE ANGEL TREE at another theatre before then, but I’m still waiting on confirmation on that.
THE ANGEL TREE
An angel appears to a single mother at Christmas and helps her find a common bond with her surly teenage daughter. Cast: Three females. Running time: 20 minutes.
A ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS
A grandfather and grandmother dress up as a zombie and a vampire to try to connect their their teen-age granddaughter. Miscommunication ensues. Cast: Four – one senior male, one senior female, one adult female, one teen female. Running time: Fifteen minutes.
Here’s a full list of my Christmas plays.
Here are the shows I have upcoming:
* November 7, 8, 14, 15, 22, and 23: DEMOTING PLUTO, one-act, Short Science Play Showcase at the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
* November 12: JENNA AND HER PRIZE-WINNING PIG CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY, Lewis and Clark School District, Minot, North Dakota.
* December 2: KLAUS, staged reading in New York, as part of the Gi60 Extended Editions.
* December 6-7: THE BEAUTIFUL OGRE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES, CAN I?, CHEF PIERRE DOES NOT DO SIMPLE, and GOD AND THE DEVIL MEET FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH, by the Jeonju Players, Joenju, South Korea.
* December 16: OLGA, staged reading at IRT Theatre, New York, N.Y.
* December 19-20: LET THERE BE LIGHTS! by Mockingbird Players, Columbia City, Indiana.
And here’s a partial list of productions this year:
“Let There Be Lights!” to be produced in Indiana in December
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Uncategorized on September 22, 2014
Joy to the world! I got word today that the Mockingbird Players in Columbia City, Indiana will produce my Christmas one-act LET THERE BE LIGHTS! on December 19 and 20, 2014.
This will be the first production of that script:
LET THERE BE LIGHTS!
Two neighbors plot to see who can put on the biggest display of Christmas lights, with comical, and catastrophic, results. Cast: Eight — two adult males, two adult females, two teen-age males, two teen-age females. Running time: 30 minutes.
Like all of my unpublished work, it is available royalty-free, for reasons I explain here. I have a list of other Christmas plays here.
And here’s a list of upcoming productions:
* September 18, 19,20, 25, 26, 27: CAN I?, five-minute script in Asphalt Jungle Shorts XI, Kitchener, Ontario.
* September 22-24: SOMETIMES ELEPHANTS DIE STANDING UP, ten-minute play, Ghost Dog Productions, The Horse and Stables, London, UK.
* November 7, 8, 14, 15, 22, and 23: DEMOTING PLUTO, one-act, Short Science Play Showcase at the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
And here’s a partial list of productions this year:
British critic calls my work “absolutely fantastic” and “all-around brilliance”
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Photos, Productions, Reviews, Uncategorized, Video on July 24, 2014
The Congleton Players in Congleton, England produced my short one-act REVENGE IS SWEET WITH A SLIGHT AFTERTASTE OF IRONY on July 18. It was one of five scripts out of 211 submitted to make the cut for the group’s annual festival.
If that’s not honor enough, theatre critic D.C. Wood had exceptionally kind words to say about my work. You can hear them for yourself in this video — they start at the 6:47 mark. You can also see photos from my show, and others.
Among the things the critic had to say:
* “This was all-around brilliance.”
* “Absolutely fantastic.”
* “Dwayne Yancey wrote a genuinely witty and sharp script.”
He ranked my show one of his two favorites — “it was so close, it could have gone either way” — and said he loved it so much “I personally don’t have any criticism of this play.”
In the end, the audience vote for best in show went to yet a different script. (Details on that about the 15-minute mark.)
Here’s the synopsis of the script:
REVENGE IS SWEET WITH A SLIGHT AFTERTASTE OF IRONY
A famous food critic visits a restaurant. The manager wants desperately to please him; the chef wants revenge. Dark comedy and slapstick ensues. Cast: Six — four male, two female. Running time: Fifteen minutes.
Thanks, Congleton!
You can find a more or less complete list of my productions this year here.
Here are the still photos from the show:
A famous food critic shows up at a restaurant, much to the chagrin of the staff.
Comedy ensues.
The end.
Two one-acts to be produced in Albuquerque in November
Posted by Dwayne Yancey in News, Productions, Uncategorized on July 12, 2014
I got word this week that not one but two of my one-acts will be produced this November in Albuquerque.
Now here’s where things get interesting: Both of these are one-acts about science, and they’re being produced as part of the Short Science Play Showcase at the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum.
I’m told there were nearly 200 entries, and two of mine wound up on the list of nine shows being produced. (I’m not sure all nine are one-acts, some might be shorter, unclear on that.)
The two are A MARTIAN WESTERN and DEMOTING PLUTO. This will be the first production for both although DEMOTING PLUTO was a semi-finalist in the Drury University One-Act Play Contest back in 2004 (but semi-finalists weren’t produced.)
A MARTIAN WESTERN deals with climate change — on the Red Planet. DEMOTING PLUTO was written before that icy body got the heave-ho, and envisioned how it could happen. Now it can serve as a behind-the-scenes story of how that might have happened. Political attack ads!
Here are the formal descriptions:
DEMOTING PLUTO
A fast-paced commentary on modern-day attack ads in politics, and the
public’s lack of scientific knowledge. A political consultant and an astronomy
professor team up to wage a media campaign aimed at reclassifying Pluto
from a planet to an asteroid. A comedy, with a sharp point. Includes
audience participation, and two alternate endings, depending on the
outcome. There are two versions, a long version and a short version.
Short version:
Cast: Six — 4 males, 2 females. Running time: 30 minutes.
• Semi-finalist, Drury University One-Act Play Contest, 2004.
A MARTIAN WESTERN
Mars is drying up. A roughneck laborer and a civil engineer building canals find themselves in a Old West-style saloon looking for a drink of water when a rancher and a farmer find themselves in a showdown over who’s responsible for a dried-up well. The overriding theme: Lawlessness.
Cast: 8 — four male, four non-gender.
Production dates are November 7, 8, 14, 15, 22, and 23.
dwayneyancey 