Attention Detention Clip

I love coming across clips of my plays on YouTube. I rarely get to see my plays produced, so it gives me a chance to see at least a small glimpse of what's going on around the world. Here's a few minutes from a middle school production of Attention Detention.

Emmy Awards Fail

Well, that was a fiasco. Both the ceremony and my predictions were terrible. I only got 6 out of 22 categories correct. Even "sure thing" Bryan Cranston lost to Brit Damian Lewis, which means Jon Hamm didn't even come in second place. And the Academy seems to have it in for all things Greg Daniels, so it looks like Amy Poehler will suffer the same fate as 7 time loser Steve Carell. As Parks and Recreation heads into its final season, she has one last chance to turn Leslie Knope into a winner, but I'm not placing any bets on it. Unless she changes her name to Betty White or Jon Stewart, that is.

The biggest loser of the night, however, was Jimmy Kimmel. This was his big chance to prove himself in front of his largest audience yet, but his bits fell terribly flat. Actually, that's putting it mildly. He flat-out bombed. He got off to a rocky start with a few sound glitches that made it difficult to hear what he was saying, but sadly things got even worse when they fixed the problem (45 minutes into the show) and we could actually hear him. Dare I say this could go down in history as the worst awards show in history. Which is saying something, considering the lackluster year "in the round" and whatever that was when Jeff Probst and company was involved. Not to mention the Emmytones last year. But give me anything, even a warbling cast of background actors from The Office, instead of what we got tonight.

The only nice surprise was Tom Bergeron taking the prize for Best Reality Show Host. I was pleased that he was finally rewarded for his class, poise, and charm...all happening LIVE in front of an audience of millions. Take notes, Ryan Seacrest.

Emmy Award Predictions 2012

It's hard to believe that it's time for the Emmy Awards, which always coincide with falling leaves and a chill in the air. It seems like just yesterday I was making my predictions for the 2011 ceremony, which I am pleased to report were my most accurate yet. I was 72% correct with those predictions -- a number I hope to best this time around. Although chances of that seem highly unlikely. Last year the awards were a big yawn, with predicted winners collecting their trophies, so it was easy to be on the money. This year, however, looks like it might shape up to be a fun, unexpected evening. There were a lot of (pleasantly) surprising nominees, which will hopefully lead to pleasantly surprising winners. Let's take a look!

DRAMA SERIES

Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Homeland (Showtime)
Mad Men (AMC)

Will Win: Downton Abbey. It's probably silly to go against the grain and bet against 4 time champion Mad Men, but I think the Academy is ready to crown a new winner in this category. You could make a good case for Breaking Bad, but my gut tells me last years' juggernaut in the miniseries category will prevail. Voters love accents and the last time a British import competed in this category (Upstairs Downstairs), it won.

Should Win: Mad Men. It's a shame the best drama on TV might not win five in a row, especially considering season 5 was its best yet, but voter exhaustion will likely prevent a new record for consecutive wins in this category.

Snubbed: The Good Wife. If this show aired in the 90's (before cable shows dominated this category) it would be the undisputed winner every single season. It appears that network TV might be on the way out the door.

COMEDY SERIES

The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Girls (HBO)
Modern Family (ABC)
30 Rock (NBC)
Veep (HBO)

Will Win: Modern Family. Nothing on this list stands a chance. I love the show, don't get me wrong, but the competition could (and should) be closer.

Should Win: Curb Your Enthusiasm. Eight years on and it's still as funny as ever. But voters prefer likeable characters (which is likely why Seinfeld only snagged this award once), so I'm not holding my breath. For the same reason, Veep and Girls are out.

Snubbed: Parks and Recreation. Helllloooooo? Not only is it the funniest show on the air right now, but it's a classic TV sitcom that's happening IN OUR LIFETIME. Why nobody watches is beyond me. And it's nominated for two, count 'em, two writing Emmys (unlike eventual winner MF, which is nominated for zip).

LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Kathy Bates, Harry's Law (NBC)
Glenn Close, Damages (DirecTV)
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife (CBS)
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men (AMC)
Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime)

Will Win: Michelle Dockery. Everyone considers Claire Danes a foregone conclusion here, but if my British Accent Theory is correct, expect an upset.

Should Win: Elisabeth Moss, but who am I kidding? Mad Men can't seem to win an acting award to save its life. I can only imagine that it's because all the actors on that show are so good that it doesn't look like they're acting. You think?

Snubbed: Rose Byrne, Damages. The fact that she's even alive after Glenn Close is finished chewing the scenery deserves a nomination.

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Michael C. Hall, Dexter (Showtime)
Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)
Damian Lewis, Homeland (Showtime)

Will Win: Bryan Cranston. The only exception to my British accent rule is Bryan Cranston. He practically won last year and he wasn't even nominated (because Breaking Bad took a year off). Well, he's baaaaaaack. And he's unstoppable.

Should Win: Jon Hamm. See Elisabeth Moss above. Sigh.

Snubbed: Timothy Olyphant, Justified. But does anyone even watch this show anymore?

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife (CBS)
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife (CBS)
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men (AMC)

Will Win: Maggie Smith. Next.

Should Win: Christina Hendricks. Moving on.

Snubbed: Katey Segal, Sons of Anarchy. She's technically a lead on her show, but so is Maggie Smith on Downton Abbey, so she might have a better chance getting nominated if she'd also drop down to this category.

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Jared Harris, Mad Men (AMC)

Will Win/Should Win: Jared Harris. Now this is an interesting category. You've already heard me say that Mad Men is cursed in the acting award department, which is why nobody (and I mean nobody) thinks Harris is a contender. Yet if anyone from the show is going to win, it will be him. And here's why: he's British. Of course, so are Jim Carter and Brendan Coyle from Downton Abbey, but since there's another Brit is among them, they lose their advantage. Assuming Aaron Paul and (heavy favorite) Giancarlo Esposito cancel each other out, that leaves Jared Harris and Peter Dinklage. And accent trumps little person. Or am I waaaaay overthinking this?

Snubbed: Vincent Kartheiser, Mad Men. He's oh-so-terrific, but his subtle performance sadly gets lost in the shuffle every year.

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)
Don Cheadle, House of Lies (Showtime)
Louis C.K., Louie (FX)
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

Will Win: Jim Parsons. The Emmys like to award the same person over and over (remember the Kelsey Grammer/John Lithgow years?), so I say Parsons will prevail. Many think Louis C.K. is the favorite, but they will likely reward him over in the directing category instead.

Should Win: Alec Baldwin. I know he's old news at this point, but if you watched 30 Rock this year, you know why he deserves it.

Snubbed: Neil Flynn, The Middle. It came to me as quite a surprise, but I recently discovered that The Middle is bloody hilarious. This is a secret that many people across North American are in on (it's one of TV's top rated sitcoms), but it's unfortunately been swallowed up by Modern Family's larger (and more sophisticated) shadow.

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Zooey Deschanel, New Girl (Fox)
Lena Dunham, Girls (HBO)
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly (CBS)
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)

Will Win/Should Win: Amy Poehler. I don't actually have faith that she will finally win for creating what will come to be known as a legendary sitcom character, but I don't want to jinx her by naming anyone else. I love all but one actress on this list, but the only person that matters this time around is Poehler.

Snubbed: Patricia Heaton, The Middle. Her work is every bit as good as it was in Everybody Loves Raymond, only now she's at the center of things.

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Ed O'Neill, Modern Family (ABC)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family (ABC)
Ty Burrell, Modern Family (ABC)
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family (ABC)
Max Greenfield, New Girl (Fox)
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Will Win: Ty Burrell. It's impossible not to love this guy and, therefore, impossible not to vote for him. Any other year and it would go to Hader, but the Modern Family machine is pretty much impossible to conquer.

Should Win: Ed O'Neill. I'd love for all of the Modern Family actors to take turns winning Emmys, but I'm afraid O'Neill and Ferguson won't ever get their rightful turn in the spotlight.

Snubbed: Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation. The fact that he wasn't even nominated is one of the biggest head scratchers of the year. I know it would be rude to leave out someone from Modern Family, but couldn't Stonestreet sit one year out or something?

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Julie Bowen, Modern Family (ABC)
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family (ABC)
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Will Win: Kathryn Joosten. The Emmys are not historically sentimental (I think only 4 or 5 actors have ever won posthumously), but I'd be very surprised if the late Joosten didn't get one last hurrah from the Academy. Not only did she win two guest actress Emmys for this role, but she was a governor of the Academy when she died, for crying out loud. And a much loved one at that.

Should Win: This is easily the most competitive category of them all. Each of these actresses deserve the award, so picking one is almost criminal. But my vote would have to go to Mayim Bialik, based solely on her hilarious submission episode. She goes toe-to-toe with Jim Parsons...and comes out on top.

Snubbed: Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock. She was given a lot of wonderful material this season, but I guess not enough people tuned in to notice.

This is as good a place as any to make a short speech from my digital soapbox: What does the Academy have against younger actors? There's been endless jibber jabber about the entire cast of Modern Family being awarded Emmys, but this conversation always excludes its gifted child actors. Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Rico Rodriguez, and especially Nolan Gould give Emmy worthy performances every week. Not to mention Eden Sher, Charlie McDermott, and Atticus Shaffer over on The Middle. Where are their awards? Rant over.

MINISERIES OR MOVIE

American Horror Story (FX)
Game Change (HBO)
Hatfields & McCoys (History)
Luther (BBC America)
Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (PBS)
Hemingway & Gellhorn (HBO)

Will Win: Sherlock. I'm going against all odds here, but I didn't think Game Change was all that great.

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Connie Britton, American Horror Story (FX)
Ashley Judd, Missing (ABC)
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway & Gellhorn (HBO)
Julianne Moore, Game Change (HBO)
Emma Thompson, The Song of Lunch (PBS)

Will Win: Julianne Moore. While I didn't love Game Change, there's no arguing Julianne Moore was terrific.

ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys (History)
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (PBS)
Idris Elba, Luther (BBC America)
Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn (HBO)
Woody Harrelson, Game Change (HBO)
Bill Paxton, Hatfields & McCoys (History)

Will Win: Benedict Cumberbatch.  Again, a Brit.

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Denis O'Hare, "American Horror Story"
Ed Harris, "Game Change"
Tom Berenger, "Hatfields & McCoys"
David Strathairn, "Hemingway & Gellhorn"
Martin Freeman, "Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia"

Will Win: Martin Freeman.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE

Frances Conroy, "American Horror Story"
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"
Sarah Paulson, "Game Change"
Mare Winningham, "Hatfields & McCoys"
Judy Davis, "Page Eight"

Will Win: Jessica Lange. Scenery chewing of the highest caliber.

REALITY COMPETITION HOST

Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race (CBS)
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol (Fox)
Betty White, Betty White's Off Their Rockers (NBC)

Will Win: Phil Keoghan. Most people think it will be Betty White, but have you seen Off Their Rockers? It's really bad.

REALITY COMPETITION

The Amazing Race (CBS)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Voice (NBC)

Will Win: Top Chef. It's quite simply the best competition show on TV.

VARIETY SERIES

The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Will Win: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. Duh.

DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

Curb Your Enthusiasm, Robert B. Weide for "Palestinian Chicken"

Girls, Lena Dunham for "She Did"

Louie, Louis C.K. for "Duckling"

Modern Family, Steven Levitain for "Baby on Board"

Modern Family, Jason Winer for "Virgin Territory"

New Girl, Jake Kasdan for "Pilot"

Will Win: Louie. Mr. C.K. is adored by everyone in the industry, so if they're going to award him anywhere, this is it.

DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

Boardwalk Empire, Tim Van Patten for "To the Lost"

Breaking Bad: Vince Gilligan for "Face Off"

Downton Abbey: Brian Percival for "Episode Seven"

Homeland: Michael Cuesta for "Pilot"

Mad Men: Phil Abraham for "The Other Woman"

Will Win: Homeland. Pilots historically do really well in this category.

WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

Community, Chris McKenna for "Remedial Chaos Theory"
Girls, Lena Dunham for "Pilot"
Louie, Louis C.K. for "Pregnant"
Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler for "The Debate"
Parks and Recreation, Michael Schur for "Win, Lose, or Draw"

Will Win: Girls. Although there are 3 writer/star nominees, I think Dunham has the edge if the Academy decides to spread the wealth and give Girls something for being the most talked about new show last season. And while Dunham might not be best known for her acting or directing chops, she is definitely known for her writing.

WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes for "Episode Seven"

Homeland, Alex Ganza, Howard Gordon, Gideon Raff for "Pilot"

Mad Men, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton for "Commissions and Fees"

Mad Men, Semi Chellas, Matthew Weiner for "Far Away Places"

Mad Men, Semi Chellas, Matthew Weiner for "The Other Woman"

Will Win: Homeland. Pilots also do well in this category. This, along with the directing Emmy, will be consolation prizes for not winning Best Drama Series.

Scene from Drama Geeks

Drama Geeks has become one of my most popular plays and I'm thrilled every time I hear from directors and actors who had a great time presenting it. In addition to winning several one-act competitions, it's one of my personal favorites, so I'm very grateful for all the support it has received. In celebration of school being back in session, and for all the drama geeks out there taking part in their very first show of the year, I've posted a short scene from the play below. Enjoy!

NARRATOR: (To MEGAN.) You've been awfully quiet back there. Is there something you'd like to say? (MEGAN shrugs.) What's so funny? (MEGAN shrugs as the ACTORS speak.)

ACTORS: Shrug.

NARRATOR: What's your name? (MEGAN shrugs.)

ACTORS: Shrug.

NARRATOR: Are you supposed to be up here? (MEGAN shrugs, as do all the ACTORS.)

ACTORS: Shrug.

NARRATOR: Am I missing something?

RACHEL: That's just Megan. Don't pay any attention to her.

TAVIA: Yeah, nobody else does.

EMILY: Just leave her alone.

NICK: Or you might catch something. (The ACTORS chuckle.)

NARRATOR: I pay attention to everything. That's why I'm here. (She walks up to MEGAN.) What's on your mind?

MEGAN: Shrug.

NARRATOR: You can tell me.

MEGAN: Why? Nobody cares what I have to say.

NARRATOR: I do.

MEGAN: You sound just like my guidance counselor.

NARRATOR: But I do.

MEGAN: Yeah right.

NARRATOR: Why are you in drama, then? If nobody wants to hear you, I mean.

MEGAN: I dunno. ‘Cause I have to.

NARRATOR: Who made you?

MEGAN: My parents.

NARRATOR: They're interested in the arts?

MEGAN: No. It's just no fun being at home. So I have to go somewhere. My counselor said I should try drama because I'm “artsy.”

NARRATOR: Maybe you are.

MEGAN: Nice try, but I'm not stupid. Everyone knows “artsy” is code for “weird.”

NARRATOR: Then maybe drama isn't your thing. There's got to be something you're good at.

MEGAN: I've tried everything. Debate, mathletes, chemistry, yearbook and just about every sport under the sun. All failures. Drama was my final resort.

Check out the entire play at Heuer Publishing!

Free Monologue

I Don't Want to Talk About It is now available from Playscripts, Inc. (Click here to order a copy!) This play includes over a dozen monologues, ranging from comedy to drama, which makes it great for competitions, auditions, and classroom study.

To celebrate the play's release, here's one of many monologues from the play. Enjoy!

CAMERON: My hair started falling out when I was fifteen. At first it was just a few strands on my comb. Then a few more in the sink. Then a clump on my pillow. Now there’s a huge bald spot on the top of my head. And when I say huge, I mean huge. You could land a helicopter up there. It’s not like I didn’t expect it to happen. My dad is bald. My uncles are bald. My grandma is bald. But I kind of expected it to happen later. Like, way later. I’m the only kid in the yearbook who looks like an insurance salesman. So I started wearing hats. Skater hats, baseball caps, berets, fedoras. If you ever see a guy wearing a hat, trust me, he’s bald. The only problem is they don’t allow hats in school. What kind of stupid rule is that? I have a theory that if all teenagers wore hats, our brains would retain a lot more information. Unfortunately the principal didn't buy that, so I had no choice but to grow my hair long in the back and brush it forward. That worked okay for a while, until my chemistry teacher pointed at me in middle of class one day and said, “I’ll have to try that.” I shaved my head once, but that was even worse. All anyone wanted to do was rub my scalp and call me Mr. Clean. So I guess that means I just have to live with it, which would be a lot easier if I didn’t have to walk up and down the halls at school. Sometimes it feels like I’m running the gauntlet. My goal is to get from one classroom to another before anyone makes fun of me. They say to keep your head down when running through a gauntlet, but I hardly think that applies when your head is what everyone is talking about.

Stay tuned for more free scenes and monologues from all my plays!

I Don't Want to Talk About It

I'm very excited to tell you all about my latest play, but before I extend my hand and make the proper introductions, there's a story to tell.

I've often compared writing a play to childbirth. It's clear from my anatomy that I will never have a baby, and I'm well aware that I have no idea what it's like go through labor (nor will I ever), but the process of writing this particular play, from conception to completion, was about as painful as I imagine childbirth to be. Perhaps even more so.

I normally write a play from start to finish in a couple of days, make a few adjustments, have it staged, make a few additional changes, and send it on its merry way. The process is generally quick, painless, and fun. Writing this play, however, was not quick (it took 10 months), not painless (there were at least a dozen completely different drafts), and certainly not fun (I wanted to burn it on more than one occasion).

Yet no matter how much I wanted to rip out what little hair I have left or throw the pages into Lake Ontario, I kept going back to it because I knew I had something important that I wanted to say. It was just a matter of figuring out how.

The first draft was overly theatrical. I had actors appearing all over the theatre. An ensemble that stomped and stared and yelled. Childhood photos of the actors projected on set pieces. This version had everything but the kitchen sink...and it was brilliant. I found a wonderful group of actors willing to workshop the play. I handed over my masterpiece to them. They brought it to life. And...it didn't work. Didn't Work At All. As it turns out, when you have everything but the kitchen sink, you need the kitchen sink. So I went looking for it.

Draft #2 was bigger and bolder. I put the proverbial kitchen sink center stage. There was not a single word from the original draft in this new version, so it had to be good, right? Workshop again. And guess what? That's right, it was worse. Way worse. For the first time I had actors coming up to me with perplexed looks on their faces. "Mr. Hayward, what does this mean?" Or worse yet: "Do I have to say this?"

Stupid me forged ahead, certain that I could turn "the best idea I've ever had" into something great. Draft 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... None of them improved upon the one that came before it. If anything, I was getting further away from my original idea.

Why was I putting myself through this particular brand of torture? I could never seem to come up with an acceptable answer, so I would put the script away for a while and work on something new. But there was always this voice in the back of my head, an annoying one that sounded a little like Fran Drescher, that kept ordering me to try again. So I kept trying again, then hiding it again. Trying, hiding, trying, hiding. It was awful.

I am grateful to have some wonderful and talented playwright friends; however, I regret to say that I put a few of them in awkward situations by asking them to read these clunky drafts and share their professional opinions. Looking back, I see that what I was really doing was shoving ugly babies into their hands and asking them to tell me how cute they were. For this I am both deeply embarrassed and incredibly sorry.

To be fair, there was one workshop that went over quite well. The students involved managed to mold my baby into something that made sense. The actors thought it was good. The director was very helpful. I thought I finally had it nailed. For one day I was so proud that I could have burst. But then I woke up the next day and did not have the same enthusiasm for it at all. I didn't want anyone to read it because I felt like a fraud. I felt like I had simply willed this half baked play into being. It was the first time I had zero, and I mean ZERO, confidence in what I had written. This play, I Don't Want to Talk About It, was done talking.

Or so I thought.

One morning, completely out of nowhere, a little light bulb went on over my head. I don't know who turned it on, but suddenly I could see what was wrong. I was writing a play called I Don't Want to Talk About It, yet all of the characters seemed to have no trouble talking about it. As a matter of fact, they never shut the hell up. I had to take away their voices. But how?

Give them each a script.

Make them read the words.

But not their own words.

Someone else's words.

Let them talk, but not for themselves.

Let them talk for one another.

And that's how it happened. I stripped away all of the theatrics and turned the play into reader's theatre. The actors sit on stools and read from three ring binders.

Whose words are they reading? His? Hers? Yours?

All of the above.

I started writing and finally, once and for all, it was quick, painless, and fun. This baby had been kicking and screaming inside of me for months, but it wasn't going to come out until it was good and ready.

I gathered a new group of students around a table. They read. When it was all over, silence. Then suddenly they reached out to one another and held hands. It was such an overwhelming moment that I wanted to jump out of my chair and shout for all the world to hear: "It's a boy! It's a girl!"

It's a play.

I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT

Genre: Dramedy
Cast: 5-32 actors, gender neutral
Length: 30-35 minutes
Set: Bare stage

Synopsis: This unique play features an ensemble of teenage characters in a series of funny scenes and touching monologues — all about the hopes and fears they can’t, won’t, and don’t want to talk about. Requiring very little staging, settings, and memorization, it’s a terrific piece for tours, competitions, and actors looking to sink their teeth into a variety of complex roles.

To read a free preview, click here.

Loons

Tonight my play Loons has its world premiere at Lakeshore Players in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The play is part of the 8th Annual 10 Minute Play Festival, which has become one of the most highly regarded festivals of its kind. This year over 350 entries were received and 10 winners were selected for production. I am honored to have been included in this wonderful event, especially given the terrific company of playwrights, actors, and directors that complete the bill.

Loons is a dramatic play about an elderly couple who waits at the end of a long wooden dock for the loons to greet them for another summer at the lake. It's a very special play to me because the characters of George and Edna were fashioned on two people who had an enormous influence on my life.

Linda Wolf (as Edna) and Jim Westcott (as George). Directed by Doug Dally.

I wish that I was able to be there for this production, especially since I've heard from a reliable source that the director and cast have done such a beautiful job bringing the material to life. Unfortunately I was unable to make the trip, but I will certainly be there in spirit. And knowing that the two people who inspired the play will be introduced to an audience of strangers is just about the greatest gift I've been given all year.

Published: Lip Service

I'm very happy to report that my one-act comedy Lip Service has been accepted for publication by Playscripts, Inc! This script has been produced at the middle school, high school, university, and community theatre level, so I'm very excited that it will be represented by one of the top play publishing companies in the world.

I expect it to be released this summer, so check back for updates and I will let you know when scripts and production rights can be ordered!

"Nobody says what they mean to get what they want. Especially when it comes to love." - Laura

Troubleshooting

I just added a brand new play to my website! This comedy features a flexible cast, short scenes for easy rehearsal, and terrific character opportunities for strong actors.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Genre: Comedy

Cast: Gender flexible cast of 6-20
Running Time: 25-35 minutes
Setting: Area staging

Synopsis: What's the best way to get out of trouble? Motivational speakers Ken and Barbie have just the answer in their latest lecture series, "Troubleshooting for Teens." What starts out as a few harmless tips for teenagers in trouble, including tap dancing as a way to avoid detention, quickly turns dangerous when Ken's advice grows increasingly delusional as the evening wears on. Barbie's own troubleshooting skills are put to the test when Ken loses his mind and starts encouraging the audience to take the law into their own hands. Barbie soon discovers that trying to get out of trouble might be more trouble than it's worth!

Please visit www.bradleyhayward.com and follow the links to read a preview!

SDA Provincial Festival: Awards & My Picks

I wasn't going to write about what my personal award selections would have been this year because that's not what drama festivals are really about anyway. They are a celebration of each others' work and an opportunity to learn from theatre professionals. I know for a fact that all of the students learned a great deal from the two fantastic adjudicators, Patrick French and William Hales. I spoke with many actors and crew members who said that they are leaving the festival with a great deal of knowledge that they will use to improve their productions in the future. That's definitely what I like to hear!

That said, I've received several emails and a surprising number of web hits in the last hour requesting that I share my personal choices. I certainly don't want to disappoint my readers, so I'm happy to oblige. But before I do, congratulations to everyone at the festival for a job well done, and extra kudos to all those who were awarded with certificates, medals, and trophies. Here goes (and remember, these are my opinions only)...

MY PICK FOR BEST OVERALL PRODUCTION: Down Came the Rain
MY RUNNER UP: The Regina Monologues

AWARDED BEST OVERALL PRODUCTION: The Most Massive Woman Wins
AWARDED RUNNER-UP: Power Play

MY PICK FOR BEST VISUAL PRODUCTION: Schoolyard Games
MY RUNNER-UP: Lost Connection

AWARDED BEST VISUAL PRODUCTION: The Most Massive Woman Wins
AWARDED RUNNER-UP: Schoolyard Games

MY PICK FOR THE CHALLENGE CUP: Power Play
AWARDED THE CHALLENGE CUP: Power Play

MY PICKS FOR ACTING MEDALS (4):
Kris Dreger, The Regina Monologues
Evan Moyer, Down Came the Rain
Adam Tweidt, Down Came the Rain
Angeline Stankewich, Schoolyard Games

AWARDED ACTING MEDALS (4):
Bailey Lemcke, Schoolyard Games
Evan Moyer, Down Came the Rain
Darnell Kwiatkowski, Power Play
Megan Brooks, The Most Massive Woman Wins

I always find it interesting how two people can have such vastly different opinions. This proves how every single production at this festival should feel proud for having made it this far, regardless of the outcome.

I would also like to take a moment to point out a few more actors that really stuck out in my mind...

OUTSTANDING ACTING: Jean van der Merwe (Lost Connection), Trevor Poole (With Regard to Cooper Clawson's Conscience), Hilary Glasser (With Regard to Cooper Clawson's Conscience), Justin Bradley (With Regard to Cooper Clawson's Conscience), Jordan Bradley (With Regard to Cooper Clawson's Conscience), Emily Hammer (The Most Massive Woman Wins), Megan Brooks (The Most Massive Woman Wins), Michelle Hettrick (Hairball), Chantal Normand (Hairball), Bryce Rode (Competition Piece), Kirk Johnson (Competition Piece), Conor Lazarou (The Regina Monologues), Holden Greggains (The Regina Monologues), Annie Trussler (The Regina Monologues), Bailey Lemcke (Schoolyard Games), Danielle Hansen (Schoolyard Games), Amy Lynn Philpott (A Little Something for the Ducks), Greg Kraska (A Little Something for the Ducks), Dakota Laliberte (Robbing Hood), Darnell Kwiatkowski (Power Play)

I could go on and on and on and on. So to all the students at the festival, thank you for the great weekend of theatre and congratulations on a job well done. I can't wait to do it all again next year!

SDA Provincial Festival: Day 3

Just as quickly as it sneaked up, the 2012 SDA Provincial Festival has drawn to a close. The last two plays could not have been more different, which was a nice way to close out the festival.

ROBBING HOOD by Tim Kelly - Presented by Rossignol High School - The cast of this show could not have had more energy if they tried. Sometimes that energy made it difficult to understand what they were saying, but it was so infectious that the audience stayed with them right up to the end. For a first time director, it was a very strong showing and I hope they continue to develop the drama program in Ile a la Crosse so that they can come back even stronger in the future.

POWER PLAY by Lindsay Price - Presented by Porcupine Plain Comprehensive School - This play about teen violence is a tricky one to pull off. The five actors in this show were very committed to the material they were given and gave it 120% from lights up to lights down. I appreciated the use of tableaux throughout the production and the sound design was also very well done. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew for tackling the raw subject matter with maturity.

The awards ceremony is at 6pm and I'm sure there are several hundred students on the edge of their seats waiting to find out the winner. Drum roll please...

SDA Provincial Festival: Day 2

Today began with a collective creation workshop that went extremely well. The students from McNaughton and Cornerstone had a lot of creative ideas and the short scenes they came up with in just an hour were really quite good. It's always a pleasure to work with talented students and this group of 40 had talent to spare. Their energy started the day off on a good note and I used that adrenaline to keep me going throughout the day. There were five plays today and they were a nice variety of comedy and drama.

DOWN CAME THE RAIN by Burgess Clark - Presented by Clavet Composite School - I had the great fortune of seeing this play a month and a half ago at the Region 11 festival. It's always nice to see a play twice, especially after some time has passed, because you get to see how it continues to develop with each performance. The two actors in the play, Evan Moyer and Adam Tweidt, rendered me completely speechless today. Their mature and thoughtful performances seemed to flow so naturally out of them that I never once caught them "acting." Pair those performances with some truly superlative direction and inspired technical choices, and it's no surprise that there was not a dry eye in the audience when the lights faded to black. Beautifully executed theatre.

COMPETITION PIECE by John S. Wells - Presented by James Hamblin School - This is probably the twentieth time that I've seen this play (at least), in addition to having acted in it when I was in high school. I pretty much know this play inside and out, so the fact that this production managed to come up with a few ways to make the play surprising is a huge accomplishment right there. Rather than having the actors who play the one-act play festival judges appear live, they were pre-taped and projected on a giant scrim. It was a very neat idea and I would like to speak with the director to find out how she thought of it.

THE REGINA MONOLOGUES by Michel Chammartin - Presented by Campbell Collegiate - This original script by the director was very funny and definitely a crowd pleaser. The material was all centered around what it's like to live in Regina, which is where this festival is taking place. Of course a play that hits so close to home is bound to be a big hit with the audience. I loved the brisk pace of the production, with spot lights flashing on and off at a break neck pace to illuminate the ensemble as they rushed on and off to present their monologues. The ensemble worked really well together and avoided all of the pitfalls that often trip up actors when it comes to performing monologues. It was lively, fun, and polished.

SCHOOLYARD GAMES by John Lazarus - Presented by Sacred Heart High School - One of the very first plays that I tried to write when I was 13 or 14 was a complete rip-off of this impeccable script. I loved the play then and I still love it now. While times have changed and 8, 10, and 12 year olds definitely don't act like they do in this play anymore, the basic theme of the play is timeless. The three actresses in the play were very strong and kept the material light without neglecting the darkness that lurks underneath the surface. In addition, the set was definitely something to behold. The action took place on an intricate jungle gym, complete with monkey bars and a slide. When the curtain opened up, there was an audible "wow" from pretty much everyone in the auditorium...and for good reason. It looked really nice and the director (who always does a nice job) took full advantage of its many levels.

A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE DUCKS by Jean Lenox Toddie - Presented by Vanier Collegiate - This script is probably on my list of top 10 favorite one-acts. Something about the interplay between its two characters (an elderly man and woman) speaks to me and tugs at my heart strings. I also love that Ms. Toddie's play focuses entirely on its characters, allowing actors to really sink their teeth into the material. The two actors in this production did a nice job embodying what it's like to be elderly (although when this was written, 70 was clearly a lot older than it is today). In keeping with their simple production values, there was obviously a deliberate choice to rely on movement rather than make-up to convey the age of the characters. There was some controversy around where I was sitting about the lack of old age make-up and gray hair, but I rather liked the decision. Unless it's done perfectly, painted on wrinkles and baby powdered hair can become distracting. For the most part, the two actors were able to use their movements to convey what make-up would have done more easily. It was a nice challenge for two performers who were definitely up to it.

SDA Provincial Festival: Day 1

The 2012 SDA Provincial Festival is officially off to the races after four productions this evening. All of the plays seemed to go on without a hitch, so let's jump right in...

LOST CONNECTION by Kay-Lynne Collier - Presented by North Battleford Comprehensive High School - This was an original play, written by a student who also happened to be the stage manager. Any time there's an original script in a festival, I have to hand it to the playwright for having the guts to put their own work on display in a competitive setting. Kudos to the director for all of the theatricality in the staging. An ensemble of actors portrayed the inner reason and fear of the main character, and their choreography definitely made a strong impact on the audience. I also appreciated the visual design of the show; it was simple, but effective. I especially loved the bright white table on stage, which they used in a number of interesting ways.

WITH REGARD TO COOPER CLAWSON'S CONSCIENCE by Bryan Starchman - Presented by McNaughton High School - By far, this was the most technically challenging show of the evening. They had a tremendous number of lighting and sound cues, in addition to a set that transformed into a surprising number of different locations, and everything ran smoothly from one cue to the next. A special mention to Trevor Poole for his humorous portrayal of C.C. and Justin and Jordan Bradley as the two nerds. They really had the audience in the palm of their hands from start to finish. And you have to appreciate a show with not one, but two hysterical dance breaks.

THE MOST MASSIVE WOMAN WINS by Madeleine George - Presented by Swift Current Comprehensive High School - This is a very mature play that was appropriately handled by its four young actresses (who were also the co-directors, by the way). While not specifically a monologue play, there are a lot of monologues in the piece, which poses quite a huge challenge for actors of any age. The fact that high school actresses bravely tackled a play with extremely emotional monologues is reason enough to be impressed. My favorite moment of the play came when the characters changed clothes behind four mobile screens; I wish there had been more variations in the setting like that one because it was very unexpected and you could feel the audience react positively to the variety.

HAIRBALL by Lindsay Price - Presented by Rosetown Central High School - This is a deceptively simple vignette play, until you look at all the technical requirements. Or rather, costume requirements. Or even more specifically, wig requirements. Holy wigs! Wigs, wigs, wigs, wigs, and more wigs. The director must have looted every Merle Norman in Canada to outfit her large cast with all the wigs that are required to pull off this show. I also have to point out the lovely painted backdrop of a forest. Clearly a lot of work went into this scenic element, so I was pleased to see it used several times throughout the play. My favorite scene in the play is a monologue by a crazed hairdresser named Gladys and Michelle Hettrick had the audience in stitches with her strong comedic timing.

SDA Middle Years Festival: Day 3

Well, that's curtains for the Middle Years Festival...until next year. I can't believe that it's over already. I guess the old saying is true: "time flies when you're having fun." This morning I had the great pleasure of holding workshops with the students from Pilot Butte, Vibank, and Canora. What an amazing group of talented people. They were all excited to be there, ready to learn, and eager to participate. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Then the final session of plays took place in the afternoon...and they certainly didn't disappoint.

BAD AUDITIONS BY BAD ACTORS is a tremendously funny comedy written by Ian McWethy. I was totally blown away by the energy and polish of Turtleford Community School's production. The script allows for many actors to shine...and shine they did. So brightly at times that I felt like I needed sunglasses. What impressed me even more was discovering that this play was directed by a student, Kennedy Lundberg. I remember seeing Ms. Lundberg on stage at provincials a couple of years ago and thinking she was super talented as an actor. It's wonderful to see that her talent has grown to include directing. It was the sort of production that made me a little bit jealous that they had not chosen one of my plays. I know they would knock my words right out of the park.

The second play was one that I had been looking forward to seeing all week. ONE WEIRD DAY by Tanisha Bear, presented by Hector Thiboutot Community School, was written by one of the students in the cast. It's always exciting to see anyone take a risk and write their own play, but when the playwright is in middle school it's even more exciting. I hope Ms. Bear will continue to write plays because I had the chance to speak with her for a while and it sounds like she has many interesting stories to tell. Being her very first play, she certainly did an admirable job.

The final play of the festival was another student directed piece, NOT-SO-GRIMM TALES by Kevin Bean. As presented by Vibank Regional School, the show had a very nice flow from start to finish. The play is made up of short vignettes, which can sometimes be jolting if there are blackouts between scenes. However, the director kept the pace moving along nicely by wisely avoiding blackouts (thank you!) and each scene transitioned very smoothly to the next. I also have to point out the awesome costumes. This was probably the most elaborate of all the shows this week and all of the elements were clearly thought out.

I think it was very fitting to end the festival with three shows that were heavily influenced by students. The fact that there were two student directors and a student playwright at a Middle Years festival is pretty amazing. I hope the teachers in Saskatchewan will continue to encourage their students to take more control of their productions. I think a person learns far more by doing than watching, so why not get them while they are young and see what choices they come up with on their own, with a little guidance.

Thank you to all the schools who participated for your awesome productions. It was great to get the chance to meet all of you and I hope that I will see you onstage again in the future. I'm sure I will. And a special thanks to everyone with the Saskatchewan Drama Association for having me out to do workshops. It was great fun.

Now it's time to see how the big boys and gals do it. Provincial Festival starts tomorrow and I've seen the line-up...it looks like an entertaining few days are ahead!

SDA Middle Years Festival: Day 2

Day two of the Middle Years Festival started with two extremely energetic improv workshops (reminding me that I'm definitely not a kid anymore) and ended with three more entertaining productions...

SALLY AND SAM by Jack Frakes was very nicely presented by Canora Composite High School. Not only did all of the actors have a lot of energy, but their set and technical elements were seamlessly integrated into the show. I particularly enjoyed their opening montage of slides that was set to music. It really set the scene very well and invited the audience into the play. Also worth noting was a truly hysterical group of cross-dressing cheerleaders. Boys in make-up with big bassooms (and they were HUGE) is a guaranteed showstopper!

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO FIFTH PERIOD by Jason Pizzarello, as presented by Pilot Butte High School, was a hoot and a half from start to finish. For starters, the script is so funny that it would be pretty much impossible to mess it up. Add to that some really great acting and directing, and the results are 30 minutes of pure hilarity. I was especially impressed by the comic timing of the cast - the two leading players in particular. The characters of Tommy and Bugs really played well off one another. One of the main challenges of this play is all the action that happens in the background and everyone did a great job of staying in character without pulling too much focus. Nice job!

THE FRIED KOBASSA by J. Robert Wilkins, presented by Montmartre School, is the second mystery of the festival (and it also happens to take place in a restaurant/cafeteria). It's easy to see why mystery/comedies appeal to younger actors and this play is no exception. All of the characters are very well defined so it allows the entire cast to bring to life a variety of different personalities. There's the cook, the waitress, the nurse, the cheerleaders, the inspector, etc, and everyone clearly had a blast with their roles. What really struck me about this production was all the bold color choices in both the set and costumes. The chairs and tablecloths were bright red (extremely bright), which really popped nicely against the black backdrop.

Once again, backstage clinician Cheryl Scherle had some wonderful advice to share with each group after the performances. I really hope they listen to her words of wisdom because, by golly, she knows what she's talking about! And the students are so very fortunate to have the expertise of the front of house clinician, June Mayhew. I consider myself fairly well versed in educational theater, but I know that even I learned a lot by listening to her comments...so I can only imagine how much information the students absorbed. I'm still trying to figure out if and/or how I know Ms. Mayhew. Her warm voice and encouraging demeanor is oddly familiar, so I'm wondering if I may have been adjudicated by her as a teenager (or taken part in one of her workshops, perhaps?). So far nobody has been able to confirm or deny this, but I really look forward to meeting her in person. The SDA has a history of hiring intelligent, thoughtful, and encouraging mentors - and the combination of Mr. Scherle and Ms. Mayhew is definitely an awesome double whammy!

SDA Middle Years Festival: Day 1

The Saskatchewan Drama Association Middle Years festival got off to a terrific start today with an energetic workshop in the morning and three entertaining plays in the afternoon.

Dr. George Ferguson School in Regina got things started with a production of one of my plays, SPLIT. I've seen this play several times now, but always with an older high school cast. It was very interesting for me to see the material tackled by junior actors (and 30 of them, no less!) because their young age changed the context of many of the scenes. It almost felt like an entirely different play, which was very exciting for me to see. There are a lot of serious issues that are dealt with in the play, but the cast wisely chose to focus on the comedy and they had the attention of the audience from the very first line to the last. The ensemble worked really well together and I loved what the directors did with just a few black blocks. This is a play that can be done very simply or with epic production values, and I thought it was a very successful and appropriate choice for this group to take a minimalistic approach. All in all, I was very happy with their production and proud of the actors for their mature portrayals of each character.

The second play was WAIT WAIT BO BAIT by Lindsay Price, presented by Balgonie Elementary School. The first word that came to mind when I saw this show was energy! It's a fantastic script for younger actors because the situations are hilarious and offer every single character a moment to shine. This production also featured a huge cast and they worked so, so, so, so well together. Often times young actors pick up on each other's rhythms until everyone is performing at the same pace and energy level. No so with this group. There was a constant variety of emotions and physical business that kept the play moving along at a very quick pace. I have to point out that I was reminded of my own days in drama because the cast was made up of 22 girls and 1 boy. I know exactly what's it like to be the only boy amidst a sea of girls (not easy!), so he deserves mad props for holding his own. Great script, great cast, great staging!

CAFE MURDER by Nathan Hartswick, presented by Stoughton Central School, ended the afternoon on a great note. This murder-mystery spoof was a very good choice for this group. It was the most realistic play of the day, with the action happening at one time and in one location. I have to say that the actors really did a nice job bringing their characters to life. The cast of 10 was onstage together for almost the entire show, which is sometimes tough to keep interesting; however, the director came up with some really clever ways to vary the action and kept things moving along nicely. I also thought their setting was very well thought out and attractive.

It's so much fun to be a part of this festival and watch young actors just starting to learn their craft. It's also wonderful to see so many students involved! Casts of 30+ actors are pretty much unheard of these days, but looking at the program for the week ahead, it looks like all of the plays have large casts. That's very encouraging and I hope they all stick with it. Like I said, I saw a ton of natural talent on the stage today and I can't wait to see what's in store tomorrow afternoon!

SDA Middle Years Festival

It's hard to believe that it's been a whole year since I was in Regina for the 2011 Saskatchewan Drama Association Provincial Festival, yet here I am again! I look forward to the provincial festival every year, but this year is extra exciting because I've come back a few days early for the SDA Middle Years Festival (May 7-9).

This non-competitive festival is a wonderful opportunity for younger actors to appear onstage in front of other students their age and learn from watching their peers. In addition to production workshops with an adjudicator, the students are invited to participate in a variety of acting workshops. The Middle Years Festival a terrific showcase for young talent and I was thrilled when I was invited to take part.

Not only will I be facilitating workshops and seeing many awesome plays, but one of the productions this year happens to be a play of mine, Split. After I wrote the play last year, Dr. George Ferguson School in Regina was one of the first schools to get in touch with me about a production. When I licensed their production many months ago, I had no idea that the play (now available from Theatrefolk) would go on to be produced many times around North America, nor did I know that I would be able to actually see their production (Monday @ 1pm). Needless to say, I'm very excited to see their interpretation of the material!

I'll be blogging about all the plays, both at the Middle Years and Provincial Festivals, but if you're on Twitter and would like to keep up with the events as they happen (assuming I can log onto the wifi at the theatre), be sure to follow me @haywardplays and use the hashtag #sdafest. Please feel free to join in the conversation!

@haywardplays

After resisting for a couple of years, I finally signed up for my very own Twitter account. Much like I never start watching a TV series until it's been on the air for a couple of seasons (and I'm confident it won't get canceled the very second I fall in love with it), I wait out social networking sites until I'm pretty sure they won't be yet another flash in the pan.

Sorry, Pinterest, but I have enough websites to keep track of...

When I heard that Twitter survived the loss of one of its most prolific tweeters, Ashton Kutcher, I decided it was time to hop aboard the bandwagon. For the past two months I've been sitting on the sidelines, reading tweets from friends, playwrights, publishers, comedians, and Jay Leno. Learning the ropes, you might say.

I was pleased to see several of my play publishers tweet with surprising regularity (@playscripts, @theatrefolk, @MrSamuelFrench, @youthplays), connecting customers with playwrights and creating a virtual community of artists. This engagement of the theatre community is ultimately what convinced me to take the leap and post my very first 140 characters. I still haven't quite mastered hashtags, retweets, followers, etc, but I'm sure I'll figure it out in no time.

And what better way to jump in than head first? Which is why I've decided to LIVE TWEET the Saskatchewan Drama Association Middle Years (May 7-9) and Provincial (May 10-12) Festivals taking place next week at the University of Regina. I will dedicate a blog with all the specifics shortly, but in a nutshell I hope to start a Twitter revolution at the festivals this year and I invite you to become part of the conversation.

I will be seeing upwards of 20 plays next week and will be posting my positive reactions, comments, and inspirations LIVE as the week progresses. I know several of the playwrights who have plays in the festivals, so I will keep them updated after each performance. Publishing companies like to know when their plays are being produced, so I will alert them as well. And all of the students involved deserve to be celebrated.

I hope YOU will also join in the fun! If you're going to be at the festivals, feel free to contribute your positive reactions and congratulations to those involved in the productions. If you're not going to be there, but wish you could be, follow along and take part in the fun!

Simply follow me at:

@haywardplays

Then search for (and use in all your posts) the hashtag:

#sdafest

I look forward to seeing just how many playwrights, students, directors, parents, and audience members we can include in the conversation. Stay tuned for the specifics about both festivals and all the rules/guidelines for taking part!

Apostrophe's Clip

The video quality isn't the greatest, but here's a fun clip from a production of Apostrophe's. I love the sound of laughter when a joke lands and this audience is red hot. (Note: I wish I could credit the school/actors, but I'm not sure where or when this particular production took place.)

Drama Geeks - Highlight Reel

At long last I've uploaded a highlight reel from the world premiere production of Drama Geeks.  Directed by the amazing Dean Armstrong and starring the incredible students from Carrot River Jr./Sr. High School, enjoy!

Region 1 Drama Festival

Last weekend I had the great honor of attending the Region 1 Saskatchewan Drama Association One Act Play Festival in my hometown of Oxbow, Saskatchewan.  As I mentioned before, there were 7 plays in competition and 4 of them were written by yours truly.  (I also contributed an alternate ending to one of the other plays, with the blessing of the original playwright of course.)

I cannot begin to describe how moving it is to watch students bring my words to life.  I compare it to the way a skydiver must feel as they leap out of an airplane and fall toward the ground.  The adrenaline rush is so overwhelming that I lose all track of time and place.  Then when the play is over, I find myself exhausted and out of breath.  Perhaps this sounds a tad melodramatic, but that's exactly the way I feel when the lights come up after one of my shows.  So to have had the chance to see 4 of them within a 24 hour period is a once-in-a-lifetime event that I will treasure always.

A little bit about all of the plays...

NOTE TO SELF - Presented by Arcola High School - I've actually seen this play of mine produced a few times, but the students in Arcola attacked each of the vignettes with more confidence and enthusiasm than I have ever seen.  All of the actors were terrific, but I have to send a special shout out to Miranda Greening, Juliana Schlenker, Riley James, and Savanna Bryce for really going 100% with the various characters they played.  Thank you to directors Graham James and Whitney Paul for keeping the play moving at a brisk pace.  Amazing!

The cast and crew of "Note to Self" from Arcola

THE AUDITION - Presented by Lampman High School - This comedy/drama by Don Zolidis is one of the most produced one-act plays of the past couple years and it's easy to see why.  It involves a large cast, with roles large and small to accommodate actors of various experience levels.  I was particularly blown away by the visual presentation, from the lighting design to the phenomenal costumes, which was all seamlessly assembled by director Christine Branyik-Thornton.  Special mention to Maya Branyik-Thornton for her gutsy portrayal of Yuma, Morgan Jones for her beautiful singing voice, and Samantha Paxman for breaking my heart into a million pieces during her moving dramatic turn.

GARGANTUA - Presented by Oxbow Prairie Horizons School - This comedy by Carl Grose is the one that I provided a new ending to (the original was rather bleak for high school) and I applaud directors Mike Jozsa and Tamara Risto for their bravery in choosing such an ambitious script.  This bizarre story about a 600 pound baby that takes over the world was a lot for this junior group to handle, but they really grasped the weird British humor (it was very Monty Python-esque) and went all the way with it.  Young Dylan Scheerschmidt really knocked my socks off and it was clear the rest of the cast also had a lot of fun with this strange and theatrical tale.

WITH REGARD TO COOPER CLAWSON'S CONSCIENCE - Presented by McNaughton High School - Directors Sherrie Meredith and Nancy McLeod certainly held nothing back when it came to the production value of this over-the-top comedy.  There was a lot of flash in the technical elements, including some creative set pieces and glitzy effects.  Trevor Poole as Cooper's conscience really had a handle on the audience and made a very fitting narrator to the wild and crazy events happening around him.

SPLIT - Presented by Gordon F. Kells High School - Split is one of the plays I've written that I'm most proud of and I cannot begin to express how proud I am of the students in Carlyle for bringing it to life better than I ever imagined in my wildest dreams.  The pace, presentation, and polish of their production was on a level that I rarely see in high school theater.  The cast worked so well as an ensemble that I can hardly pick out one or two for special mention, so I'd like to recognize all of them here: Rachel Corrigan, Santana Pylatuik, Emily Klatt, Nick Schmidt, Brittany Vogel, Brook Zacharias, Cody Slykhuis, Kady Reaves, Tavia Williams, Austyn Steffenson, Desiray Weber, Mariah Blohm, and Marijke Meyer.  A special thanks to directors Darcy Howe and Kevin Dyck for their encouragement and support.

The cast and crew of "Split" from Carlyle

SPLIT - Presented by Redvers High School - Not only is it extremely rare to see one of my plays produced, but to see two productions of the same play in as many days is something I will likely never experience again.  In my personal opinion, Redvers' presentation was hands down the best visual production of the entire festival.  There is a particular challenge at the end of this play - building an entire house from the ground up - that can be interpreted an endless number of creative ways.  Directors Maureen Boutin and Heather Sanborn came up with a structure that took my breath away.  Utilizing plywood and string, they created a house that required the entire cast of characters to work together in order to construct it.  The entire cast was also very strong, especially Alaina Hoff as Hype and Steve Boutin as Strange.  I also liked the ensemble of performers they employed to play the many secondary roles.

LIP SERVICE - Presented by Gordon F. Kells High School - This play came as the biggest surprise of the festival.  I had intended this play to be strictly for adults, so when I heard that this junior group had chosen it, I was surprised to say the least.  Well, I shouldn't have been!  The young cast absolutely nailed the comedic timing that a farce requires and added a ton of physical business that had me on the floor laughing.  My family members commented that this was their favorite play of the festival, which made me quite happy, given that I really wanted this fast paced comedy to be a crowd-pleaser.  The two leads, Nathen Schmidt and Megan McAuley, as well as directors Dean Zacharias and Justine Stephanson, even came up with a few hysterical ideas that I have since incorporated into the script!  Like a refreshing after-dinner mint, Lip Service was a wonderful way to end the festival.

The cast and crew of "Lip Service" from Carlyle

I have to thank everyone in Oxbow for welcoming me back home with such open arms.  It was great to catch up with the many people who always supported me when I was in high school.  Also, a number of my family members that I have not seen in years turned out for the plays, which meant more to me than they will ever know.  It wasn't an official family reunion, but it sure was close!

My wonderful family in attendance

In the end, none of my plays ended up advancing to the provincial festival in May, but that's not what it's all about anyway.  Although for those interested, Carlyle's production of Split was awarded runner-up to Best Overall Production and Best Overall Production was awarded to McNaughton's production of With Regard to Cooper Clawson's Conscience.  A number of actors and tech personnel also went home with various certificates of merit and a few awards.  Congratulations to them all!

It was a very special weekend that I will never forget.  Perhaps next year I'll be back again, cheering on the new play I started on the airplane back home - one that was inspired by the many students who made this years' festival such a smashing success!

SDA Festival - Region 11

I just spent the past couple of days adjudicating the Saskatchewan Drama Association Region 11 One Act Play Festival at Walter Murray Collegiate in Saskatoon and I am still reeling from the entire experience. I've been to many drama festivals over the years, but this one had a very special energy that I can only describe as magical. It was an exceptionally positive weekend -- overflowing with talented students, entertaining productions, and inspiring moments that I will cherish always.

Theatre is all about people getting together to create a work of art that brings other people together. I have never in my entire life been to a competitive festival where ALL of the participants (and that is no exaggeration) were more interested in celebrating each others' work than they were winning awards. Talk about together. And holy cow, was there plenty to celebrate about! The caliber of the productions was utterly astounding. Normally there are one or two productions that stand out from the pack, but this year there were a handful plays that could have advanced to the Provincial Festival in May and represented Region 11 extremely well. This, of course, made my job very difficult.

Hands down, the hardest part of being an adjudicator for me is deciding who wins what awards. While I do enjoy recognizing those students whose energy and creativity contribute a little something extra special to their production, it breaks my heart to think that anyone might go home feeling anything but proud of their accomplishment simply because they did not leave with any hardware. What made this weekend special was that everyone was so incredibly supportive and respectful of one another that the awards felt secondary to the celebration that was taking place all around me. After the awards banquet, I was overwhelmed by the number of students and teachers who came up to me to let me know what a terrific experience the festival had been. Win or lose, they still had huge smiles on their faces, which is exactly what the arts are all about. (And I don't think I've ever received so many hugs or posed for so many photos in my life!)

I met a huge number of students this weekend and although our encounters were brief, it was my honour to get to know each and every one of them. I sincerely hope they were able to learn something from our time together, but what I really hope is that they know just how much I learned from them. The courage, confidence, and creativity I saw up there on that stage is what gives me the courage, confidence, and creativity to keep doing what I love to do.

Congratulations to everyone involved this year, and a special thank you to backstage adjudicator Cheryl Scherle for her technical expertise and infectious enthusiasm, as well as Jeff Soucy and everyone else at Walter Murray Collegiate for making everyone feel so welcome and appreciated!

Catching Unicorns

About a year ago I wrote a piece about "catching a unicorn" -- meaning that while my plays are produced all over the world, I rarely ever get the chance to see any of these productions, so catching one is about as rare as seeing a unicorn. Well, I'm pleased to report that on March 30th and 31st I will be attending the Saskatchewan Drama Association Region 1 Drama Festival where there will be four -- count them, FOUR! -- unicorns within reach.

There are seven plays vying for the opportunity to represent Region 1 at the Provincial Festival in May and four of them were written by yours truly. I still cannot believe my good fortune! To make matters even sweeter, the festival this year is being held in my hometown of Oxbow, Saskatchewan. I would have been crazy to miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I booked my plane tickets home faster than you can say "curtain!" Not only will I get to see several of my own plays in one weekend, but I will be able to share the experience with my wonderful friends, mentors, and family members who have always supported my artistic endeavors.

It seems like just yesterday that I participated in my very first drama festival. I was in the eighth grade and somehow ended up getting plucked from obscurity to play the husband of a girl that was in the twelfth grade. Needless to say, I was horrified! The rest of the cast was entirely made up of girls -- all much older than I was -- and they made my life a living hell every chance they got. They smeared the darkest red lipstick they could find onto their lips and plastered my face with kisses. They took turns announcing I was their boyfriend to strangers. They sneaked pictures from Playboy magazine into my script. And you know what? I loved every minute of it. From that play on, I was hooked on the theatre. (Playboy not so much...)

In the years that followed, I either wrote, directed, or acted in nearly every production we took to these festivals. Some were good and some were terrible. Once we even managed to win, for a production of The Flattering Word by George Kelly. At the time, losing was a complete heartbreak that took weeks to get over and winning was just about the greatest thing that could ever happen. Of course now it doesn't matter whether we won or lost -- it's the amazing memories that count and those memories have left a far greater footprint on my life than any number of medals or trophies ever could.

Whenever I sit down to write a new play, I think about the way I felt as a teenager when I opened my script at the first rehearsal. I think about the smell of dollar store make-up as it melted down my face under the spotlight. And I think about the confidence I felt every time I stood in front of an audience and took my bow. These are the moments that made me who I am today, and the idea that the plays I write now might allow a new generation of teenagers to experience magical moments of their own is all the inspiration I need.

So to everyone that will be in Oxbow during the festival, I hope to see you at the performances. All seven productions are sure to be fantastic and I think it's vital that we keep the arts alive by supporting the many students, teachers, and parents who have worked so hard to create this exciting weekend of entertainment.


The following is a schedule of events, which all take place in the brand new facilities at Oxbow Prairie Horizons School. Admission is $5 per session.

Friday - March 30th - 1:00 PM

Arcola: NOTE TO SELF by Bradley Hayward
Lampman: THE AUDITION by Don Zolidis

Friday - March 30th - 7:00 PM

Oxbow: GARGANTUA by Carl Grose
Moosomin: WITH REGARD TO COOPER CLAWSON'S CONSCIENCE by Bryan Starchman
Carlyle: SPLIT by Bradley Hayward

Saturday - March 31st - 1:00 PM

Redvers: SPLIT by Bradley Hayward
Carlyle: LIP SERVICE by Bradley Hayward

Reading Room: Magic Fairy in the Microwave

This week I had the great pleasure of reading what is likely the most bizarre, strange, weird, quirky, and hilarious play I've ever read. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. It's violent and bloody, which is something you rarely ever see on the high school stage, but so gleefully funny (in a dark and twisted way) that it totally gets away with it. I am 100% certain that high school students will love its many physical challenges and teachers will appreciate its message.

The play is called Magic Fairy in the Microwave, written by Dara Murphy. It's published by Theatrefolk and I highly recommend that you check it out by clicking here. It's all about a young girl named Sarah who lets her imagination get the best of her. With the aid of a cunning narrator, Sarah reinvents herself, along her friends and family. Feeling trapped in her life, she creates an entirely new reality for herself that involves serial killer parents, talking kittens, and magic fairies. As a result, she soon loses track of what's real and what's fiction. By the time the play is over, practically everyone is dead.

This description doesn't sound particularly funny, but trust me...it is. I wish I could do the play the justice it deserves, but you will just have to read it for yourself to understand what I cannot put into words. Truly, it's a play you need to see in order to believe. It actually reminds me a lot of one of my plays, Laughing Stock. In that play, a narrator takes control of the leading lady and encourages her to invent a far more interesting life for herself than the one she already has. Only I never would have had the courage to take it as far as Murphy does in her script. She has a knack for black comedy and is definitely not afraid to venture into the darkest corners. It's the sort of play I wish I had written, but know that I just don't have the guts. Thankfully Murphy does, as does Theatrefolk for making it available to those willing to take a risk on something grisly, funny, and thoughtful -- three words you never see together...and probably never will again.

New Releases

Brooklyn Publishers has just released three of my brand new comedies. Click the pictures below to check them out!

Drama Geeks Clip

Here's a fun clip from Nashoba High School's production of Drama Geeks in Stow, MA.

Epic Fail

Here are some fun photos from a production of Epic Fail, presented by Holdingford High School in Minnesota.

(I love how they spelled "EPIC" backwards on the blocks. Nice touch!)