Scripts Are Posted and Ready for Public Comment
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Montana Actors’ Theater (MAT) received ten script submissions for their First Five Pages Project. Local writers submitted the first five pages of a script they developed. Now, the public is invited to read and comment on them.
According to MAT Executive Director Jay Pyette, readers can let the playwrights know what they’re interested in – what caught their curiosity, as well as help emerging playwrights develop their writing.
MAT asked playwrights who’ve started scripts to submit the first five pages (only) along with a character list and setting description. All ten scripts that MAT received are posted on their website, mtactors.com, for public review.
Each script page has an embedded reader, a download link if individuals prefer to read them as portable data files (pdf), and a short survey for the reader to complete about the script. All scripts and feedback are anonymous. The ten scripts received are listed and annotated below:
• What It Is That We Do: A fetish club and its owner forever change the lives of a young couple, introducing them to the deepest, darkest, sexiest parts of themselves.
• Looking Forward: A man in prison tells his story.
• The Princess of Slapping: A princess, known for her bad temper resulting from the teasing of others who thought her ugly, is kidnapped by a neighboring kingdom. A brave pig boy comes to her rescue, helping her discover her own strength, bravery, and inner light.
• House of the Deaf Man: A fictional story about the life and work of Francisco Goya – a Spanish painter – enthralled with a woman out of his reach and horrified by the world he sees around him.
• The Rankins: Brother and sister, Wellington and Jeannette Rankin move through life as a team, although each has quite different motivations and political views.
• Not Fade Away: A Vietnam vet, haunted by the disappearance of his beloved sister when he was nine years old, meets her 30 years later.
• Coldest Night of the Year: An out-of-work actor learns the value of generosity one cold Christmas in Toronto.
• Little Known Facts About Me: Adult Lee looks back on the fragments of his life that have haunted and shaped him.
• Countdown to Death: Noah wakes up with a strange date on his arm that magically keeps changing. He seeks Madame Roma’s help to find the person who has cursed him.
• Rankin: Rankin follows the story of Jeanette Rankin’s first year in Congress, from voting no to the First World War, fighting for better working conditions, and taking on the copper industry.
After reading the teaser five pages, readers are invited to respond to two questions: Would you like to see more of this script? and Why did you answer the above question that way?
The first question has Likert-type choices, ranging from definitely to definitely not, and the second offers response choices that range from This really grabbed my attention; give me more! to Just didn’t grab me!
Readers are also asked to supply any additional feedback in an open comment box.
The read-and-comment phase will last a couple of weeks, with a tentative deadline set for May 15.
