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.)