Published: Selfie

Great news! I'm proud to report that my one-act dramedy Selfie has been accepted for publication by Playscripts, Inc. This play is particularly close to my heart and I'm thrilled to partner with Playscripts to bring it to the world. Scripts and production rights should be available for purchase shortly. Check back here for updates about its release!

New Play: SELFIE

I am proud to announce the arrival of a brand new play! Selfie tells the story of 8 teenagers who are all searching for ways to be noticed in a world that has grown increasingly self obsessed. As one of the characters says: "The word selfie is only two letters away from selfish." Told in a series of selfies that are projected onstage, the characters' stories weave together in a way that I hope is funny, startling, and ultimately, powerful.


As I wrote Selfie, I found myself becoming so close to each of the characters that I wanted to protect them from the challenges of the outside world. As a dramatist, however, I know that shielding characters from danger is not very interesting for an audience, so I clenched my teeth as I plunged them each into situations way over their heads. But then, then I was able to cheer for each and every one of them as they bravely, and sometimes not so bravely, faced those struggles head-on. All of their experiences are close to my heart for a variety of different personal reasons, but now those stories no longer belong to me. It is my honor to share these characters with the world and allow them to tell their stories.

SELFIE

A dramedy in one act

by

Bradley Hayward

Synopsis: It's senior year and problems are mounting for a group of high school students as they prepare for the future. Facing bullies, parents, pressure, sickness, and their own self-judgment, the characters search for ways to stand out. As they document their year, one click at a time, they come to realize life is not about what other people see -- it's about the pictures they have of themselves.

Cast: 3 females, 1 males, 4 either. Easily expandable.

Set: Bare stage, with a large screen, upon which photographs are projected.

Running Time: 30 – 35 minutes.

To read a free preview of the play, or to request a complete script, click HERE.

2013 Emmy Award Predictions

It's time for the Emmy Awards! I've stopped watching all of the other award shows (yes, including the Oscars), but I will always keep my eye on the Emmys because not only do I get to see most of the nominees from the comfort of my own living room, but I always dreamed of picking up one of the golden statuettes when I was kid and I'm still holding out for one. So here are my predictions for 2013...

BEST DRAMA SERIES
"Breaking Bad"
"Downton Abbey"
"Game of Thrones"
"Homeland"
"House of Cards"
"Mad Men"

Will Win: Six years into its run, Breaking Bad will win it's first drama series award. It has all the buzz right now and at this point I don't think it can possibly lose.

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Jeff Daniels, "The Newsroom"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Damian Lewis, "Homeland"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"

Will Win: Bryan Cranston will definitely win Emmy #4 for Breaking Bad. Damian Lewis is lucky Cranston had last year off, which allowed him to win in 2012. The only chance I see for a spoiler is Jeff Daniels, who gets to deliver an endless number of Aaron Sorkin's "Give Me an Emmy" speeches on The Newsroom.

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Connie Britton, "Nashville"
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Michelle Dockery, "Downton Abbey"
Vera Farmiga, "Bates Motel"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Kerry Washington, "Scandal"
Robin Wright, "House of Cards"

Will Win: This is the only category I'm really going out on a limb on, and I predict Vera Farmiga will win for Bates Motel. I know, I know, that means I'm betting against Claire Danes, who seems to accumulate Emmys at the drop of a hat, but Farmiga has the most interesting role among these nominees and I think a shockeroo is in order.

BEST DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jonathan Banks, "Breaking Bad"
Bobby Cannavale, "Boardwalk Empire"
Jim Carter, "Downton Abbey"
Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Mandy Patinkin, "Homeland"
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"

Will Win: So long as the two guys from Breaking Bad don't split the vote, this one goes to Jonathan Banks. There's an outside chance Mandy Patinkin could win, but he wasn't even nominated last year, so I'm not counting on it.

BEST DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Morena Baccarin, "Homeland"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
Emilia Clarke, "Game of Thrones"
Anna Gunn, "Breaking Bad"
Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"

Will Win: Another win for Breaking Bad, this one goes to Anna Gunn.

BEST COMEDY SERIES
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Girls"
"Louis"
"Modern Family"
"30 Rock"
"Veep"

Will Win: My vote would be for Veep (the funniest show on TV!), but that's just not going to happen, so I predict Modern Family will make it four in a row. It's possible Louis could win, especially given the high number of nominations it received, but that show is just a little too weird for the Academy, which tends to vote on the safe side.

BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Jason Bateman, "Arrested Development"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Louis C.K., "Louie"
Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"

Will win: Same scenario as Comedy Series, Louis C.K. could very well win, but I predict a very safe win for Alec Baldwin. Now that 30 Rock is off the air, I think it's very possible they will send him off with a farewell hug.

BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Laura Dern, "Enlightened"
Lena Dunham, "Girls"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"

Will win: For years I've been wanting Amy Poehler to take this award. Her character from Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope, is the funniest creation to hit the tube in a decade or more. However, this year I'm betting on, and cheering for, Julia Louis-Dreyfus to win for Veep. I know she won last year, but she deserves two for making me laugh harder than anyone on TV all year. Her reaction to walking through a plate glass window last season made me laugh so hard that I pulled a muscle.

BEST COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Adam Driver, "Girls"
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family"
Bill Hader, "Saturday Night Live"
Tony Hale, "Veep"
Ed O'Neill, "Modern Family"

Will Win: I'd love to see Tony Hale win for his off-beat performance on Veep, or Ed O'Neill for being the rock of the Modern Family ensemble, or Jesse Tyler Ferguson for being the most undervalued player of the Modern Family ensemble, but this one is going to the loveable Ty Burrell. And quite deservedly so, even if it would be nice if they spread the love around to his other cast mates.

BEST COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Mayim Bialik, "The Big Bang Theory"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Anna Chlumsky, "Veep"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Merritt Wever, "Nurse Jackie"

Will win: In a just world, Jane Krakowski would finally get the recognition she deserves for all of her seven brilliant seasons on 30 Rock, but the problem is that her role is much smaller than her fellow nominees, so I doubt she will be able to compete with the Modern Family machine. Which means Julie Bowen will take home Emmy #3.

BEST TV MOVIE/MINISERIES
"American Horror Story: Asylum"
"Behind the Candelabra"
"The Bible"
"Phil Spector"
"Political Animals"
"Top of the Lake"

Will Win: Expect that whatever category Behind the Candelabra is nominated in, it will win.

BEST TV MOVIE/MINISERIES ACTOR
Benedict Cumberbatch, "Parade's End"
Matt Damon, "Behind the Candelabra"
Michael Douglas, "Behind the Candelabra"
Toby Jones, "The Girl"
Al Pacino, "Phil Spector"

Will Win: Michael Douglas will for sure win, and he was very good indeed, but I think the best performance in that movie was Matt Damon's.

BEST TV MOVIE/MINISERIES ACTRESS
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
Laura Linney, "The Big C: Hereafter"
Helen Mirren, "Phil Spector"
Elisabeth Moss, "Top of the Lake"
Sigourney Weaver, "Political Animals"

Will Win: I'd love to see the brilliant Elisabeth Moss finally win an Emmy for something, but Jessica Lange is another one of those actresses who wins awards that she's not even nominated for, so when she's nominated, don't even cross your fingers for anyone else.

BEST TV MOVIE/MINISERIES SUPPORTING ACTOR
Scott Bakula, "Behind the Candelabra"
James Cromwell, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
John Benjamin Hickey, "The Big C: Hereafter"
Peter Mullan, "Top of the Lake"
Zachary Quinto, "American Horror Story: Asylum"

Will Win: Peter Mullan will very likely be the only representative from Top of the Lake to win tonight.

BEST TV MOVIE/MINISERIES SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Ellen Burstyn, "Political Animals"
Sarah Paulson, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
Charlotte Rampling, "Restless"
Imelda Staunton, "The Girl"
Alfre Woodard, "Steel Magnolias"

Will Win: Normally I'd always bet the farm of Alfre Woodard, another oft-awarded actress, but Steel Magnolias is pretty lightweight stuff, so Sarah Paulson will win for American Horror Story.

BEST REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
"The Amazing Race"
"Dancing with the Stars"
"Project Runway"
"So You Think You Can Dance"
"Top Chef"
"The Voice"

Will Win: The Amazing Race. Like, duh.

BEST VARIETY SERIES
"The Colbert Report"
"The Daily Show"
"Jimmy Kimmel Live"
"Late Night With Jimmy Fallon"
"Real Time with Bill Maher"
"Saturday Night Live"

Will Win: The Daily Show wins every year, it always wins, it always has won, hell will have frozen over if it doesn't win. But call me crazy, I think this is the year hell will turn to ice, and I'm thinking Jimmy Kimmel Live is capable of an upset. I'll be the first to laugh at myself if/when this does not happen.

Pay Phone Video

Of all the plays I've written, I receive more emails about Pay Phone than any other. What begins as an absurd comedy about the effect divorce has on teenagers slowly unravels into a tragedy, and it has really struck a nerve with students and parents alike. Here is a terrific production of the play by Unity Composite High School in Saskatchewan. The young man playing James really gets to the heart of the scene and the results are at once hilarious and gut-wrenching.



To order a complete copy of the script, or to apply for production rights, please visit Theatrefolk.

Now Available: Troubleshooting

My latest one-act comedy is now available from Brooklyn Publishers!

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!

To read a free preview and order scripts, please visit Brooklyn Publishers!

SDA Provincial Festival: Day 3

The 2013 Saskatchewan Drama Association Provincial festival came to a close today with 3 entertaining and very diverse productions.

SAYING GOODBYE by Ken Reimer - Presented by Charlebois Community School - This original drama, written by the director, was very nicely executed by the students from Cumberland House. It's been a pleasure to watch talent level from the Northern Region grow tremendously since its inception 5 years ago. Each year the plays from up north have become increasingly stronger and this was far and away their best showing to date. The small cast of 3 were clearly passionate about their play, and their focus was a clear indication of their commitment to the material. Drew Thommes was especially strong, bringing a touching honesty to his performance.

WHAT CAME FIRST? - Written and Presented by North Battleford Comprehensive High School - This ambitious collective got off to a tremendous start by virtue of its stunning (and large) set. The entire design of the show -- from the set to the props to the costumes -- was a strange and effective amalgam of past, present, and future. The complicated lighting plot also added to the surreal atmosphere, and we as an audience were never quite sure what was coming next. After the show, I thought to myself that the title could have been The Kitchen Sink because so many creative ideas were piled into 60 minutes. A very special mention to Allysha Dyck for the stunning puppets she designed for the production. In particular, a chicken (which, FYI, came after the egg in this story) that was not only beautiful to look at, but had such a strong character unto itself that it barely needed a puppeteer to bring it to life.

ADMISSIONS by Colleen Neuman - Presented by Cornerstone Christian School - This moving drama had a very clear message about Heaven and God that left the audience with a very warm feeling inside long after the lights came down. All told, it was the perfect way to end the festival. Very simply staged, the focus was on the acting, and all 3 actresses in the play were exceptional. I remembered one of the actors, Chantal Morin, from her performance 4 years ago at Provincials in the play A Thousand Cranes. Here she took on 4 separate roles, but it wasn't until after the play and I had looked in the program that I realized they had all been played by the same person. The simplicity of the production added immeasurably to the overall impact it had on the audience. The last line of the play takes a moment to sink in, and I know there were many teary eyes in the house when the lights came up for the curtain call.

After the performances came the final adjudications, immediately followed by the awards ceremony. Congratulations to Cornerstone Christian School for taking home Best Overall Production for Admissions and Lampman School for snagging runner-up for Boy Meets Girl: A Young Love Story.

I'd like to send a special congratulations to the extraordinary cast and crew of Vamp Ire from Carrot River Junior/Senior High School; Philip Wiens, Kristy Skalicky, and Josie Dean all came home with very well deserved accolades for their enormous contributions to the play. Their production, and the overwhelmingly positive response it garnered from the audience, was easily the most fulfilling experience of my entire career. I know that it will be remembered by many for years to come and I am incredibly grateful to have shared that experience with an audience of hundreds, all blown away by what they created.

To Emmett Shortt, Samantha Baraniski, Taryn Freemantle, Kristy Skalicky, Philip Wiens, Samantha Fast, Kyle Morris, Cassidy Miller, Tristan Holmen, Rashelle Parcher, Lydia Sauder, Jory Chometsky, Josie Dean, Jessi Gaja, Dana Palmer, Maddy Hiebert, Robyn Holdstock, Erica Weighill, Kristian Skalicky, Weston Dyck, Clayton Dyck, Rhett Stevenson, Clayton Collison, Ashley Lewis, Corbett Merrett, Asia Temple, Tracey Morris, Serena Palmer, and the one and only Dean Armstrong: thank you for bringing my words to life better than I ever thought possible. I am truly humbled by your talent and proud beyond measure to know you all. You are truly amazing and I will never forget everything that you've done for me.

And that's a wrap, folks! So until next year...

Blackout.

SDA Provincial Festival: Day 2

What another awesome day of workshops, adjudications, and of course, performances. Let's not waste any time getting to them!

IN THE GARDEN OF THE SELFISH GIANT by Sandra Fenichel Asher - Presented by Sacred Heart High School - I knew I was going to love this play before it even started. The stunning, albeit simple, set immediately drew me into the play. When the lights came up I was already invested in the lives of the characters because I wanted to know how the setting played a role in the story. The acting was top notch all around, with a special shout out to Corrigan Fafard as Brianna. I was shocked to find out that she is 17 years old in real life because she brought to life a very believable 9 year old girl -- so much so that I assumed she had to be in junior high. She's a natural.

JUST A TEENAGE WASTELAND by Leanne Griffin - Presented by Hanley Composite School - This was an original play, written by the director (with input from the cast), and I enjoyed it quite a lot. Weaving contemporary songs with stories of teenage angst was a great device, especially because it helped feature a very strong cast of actors in their vignettes. All 7 actors had very strong characterization skills and remained true to those characters throughout. As "New Kid," Morgan Lester really went the extra mile in bringing an energy to the show that kept us all entertained. I also thought the visual design of the show was incredible! The set was simple, but effective, and the costumes really popped against the black curtain. These types of plays are my bread and butter as a high school playwright, so it was awesome to see one done from a whole other point of view.

CUT by Ed Monk - Presented by Campbell Collegiate - Campbell always does a great job with their plays (I think this is the 12 consecutive year they've been to provincials) and Cut was no exception. The ensemble of actors worked beautifully together and the pacing of the entire show was spot on. This is one of those shows that I've seen performed a ton of times, but it's one that never seems to get old. There are so many opportunities for physical comedy that I'm aways interested to see how each director decides to stage it. This production went with a more dry humour approach, which I think worked quite nicely. I still think the scene with the 2 techies is one of the best ever written, and Conor MacNeil and Kris Dreger killed it!

BOY MEETS GIRL: A YOUNG LOVE STORY by Sam Wolfson - Presented by Lampman School - I saw this production a few weeks back at the Region 1 festival and it was cool to see how much it had grown in that short amount of time. As two youngsters in love, Maya Branyik-Thornton and Sam Paxman had incredibly chemistry and had the audience in the palm of their hands from the word go. What I loved most about this production is that it never slammed the audience in the head with the idea of "young love through the eyes of kids...haha." No, it treated their love as real and that really came across, which was actually quite moving. Toward the end of the play there was an unfortunate technical glitch, but stuff like that just happens in live theatre, which is part of the reason I love it so much. Anything can happen, and Maya and Sam absolutely rolled with the punches and kept on moving forward. Terrific job!

VAMP IRE by Bradley Hayward - Presented by Carrot River Jr/Sr High School - Once in a lifetime...maybe twice if you're lucky...an actor, director, playwright will be a part of a production that magically creates electricity in the air and vibrations in the rafters. For me, this was that production. Carrot River took my words from here on earth and carried them into a completely new galaxy that I didn't even know existed. Directors Dean Armstrong and Serena Palmer saw something in my script that I did not know it had, and completely knocked it out of the park, as well as the park after that, and the one after that. I have never, ever, in my entire career been with an audience that was literally buzzing with excitement. In fact, the audience eventually became part of the play itself, which kept the energy building more and more, allowing the actors to use that momentum to bring the whole thing home. When the play was over, the feeling was incredible -- like I had just ran a marathon! I was so proud of the cast when they received a standing ovation. Then in the lobby after the show a stranger came to congratulate me for writing the play and told me that she could not help but leap out of her seat after it was all over. I asked why and she said that she felt drawn toward the stage somehow, and that she had never felt anything like it. Needless to say, it took a long time for me to come down to earth from a high like that. At this point, winning or losing the festival doesn't matter one tiny bit. What matters is that the students from Carrot River, those in the audience last night, and myself, were all part of a special, once-in-a-lifetime experience...together.

Congratulations to all of the schools who presented plays today! It truly was a phenomenal day of theatre and I look forward to seeing what tomorrow has in store. I'm sure it will be amazing!

SDA Provincial Festival: Day 1

At long last, at least for a few hundred students and their teacher/directors, the Saskatchewan Drama Association Provincial Festival is underway! Students from all over the province have gathered to present their already award winning one-act plays, participate in workshops and adjudications, and have a whole lot of fun!

Day 1 certainly got off to a great start. I facilitated a Collective Creation workshop with the terrific students from Swift Current Comprehensive, who all clearly know a thing or two about improvisation. They came up with so many creative and funny ideas, so it was great having the chance to work with them for an hour and a half. I wish I could have been with them longer (say, a week or two) because I know they are more than capable of writing a fantastically theatrical play, all on their own. They were awesome!

After a light supper, the evening session began with the first 3 shows of the festival. And it certainly was an interesting night because the plays could not have been more different from one another; we had a parody, a fantasy, and a heavy drama. Talk about variety.

GREEN MAN by Don Nigro - Presented by Carlton Comprehensive School - Festival 2013 got off to a very serious start (no beating around the bush, that's for sure) with this heavy period drama. I saw this production a few weeks ago in Saskatoon, so I knew that the audience was in for some very mature content. I must say that the actors, despite the racy subject matter, really respected the message, the tone, and the language of the play. It could not have been easy to stand up in front of an audience made up of young people and commit so thoroughly to such a serious play. It's this respect that kept the attention of every single person in the audience from start to finish. The ending was particularly well staged, coming to an extremely dramatic conclusion after the long, slow burn that came before it. A special mention to Lukas McConechy for having such a strong stage presence and scaring the hell out of me at times.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR... by Patrick Rainville Dorn - Presented by Robert Southey School - The cast of this play ranged from juniors to seniors, so the selection of this comedy/fantasy was an appropriate one. It gave several of the older actors a chance to take on the larger roles, with the younger ones offering support in a variety of theatrical ways: as wind, thunder, lightning, etc. The ensemble worked very well together, recreating a variety of fables in ridiculous ways. My favourite idea they came up with was having a live guitarist onstage, who provided music between scenes as well as all of the necessary sound effects. It was a great idea and I know the audience really appreciated his contributions to the script.

HAMLETTE by Allison Williams - Presented by Maple Creek Composite School - What a fantastic way to end the evening! Hamlette is a terrific take-off on Hamlet, with a young lady taking on the title role. Anything goes with this script and the students from Maple Creek sure went for it. The fourth wall be damned, as the actors did everything in their power to include the audience in on every plot twist, physical gag, and dance number. Oh, and did I mention that there was a puppet? Oh yes! And Samantha Tindall, who played both the queen (herself) and the king (the puppet), was a real standout. I know from experience that puppetry is not easy and she nailed her performance. The best part of this production, for me, was that it was clear to see that everyone up on that stage was having a blast. That sort of energy and commitment is infectious, and it certainly had everyone leaving the theatre on a comedy high.

And that was it for the evening! Tomorrow, another workshop in the morning, followed by 2 productions in the afternoon and 3 more in the evening. One of the evening performances is Carrot River Junior/Senior High School's production of my play, Vamp Ire. I am extremely excited to see what they have in store and experience the play with an audience for the very first time! More tomorrow night...

SDA Middle Years Festival: Day 3

Today was the last day of the Middle Years Festival, which I can hardly believe because it feels like it just got started. The day began with playwriting workshops with students from Turtleford, Regina, White City, and Southwest Homeschoolers. The ideas came fast and furious, and I heard several students tell their teachers they wanted to write their own play next year, which is exactly what I wanted to hear!

Following the workshops were the final 3 performances of the festival.

THE DISCOVERY TRUNK by Betty Jane Wylie - Presented by Southwest Homeschoolers - This was a terrific play choice for this group of students, as it allowed them many opportunities for ensemble work. The set was very simple, but the actors created a wide variety of visual images using nothing more than their bodies. Having had the chance to work with these students at my workshop, it became obvious why they were so skilled at tableau creation. At one point in the play the entire cast had to lift an imaginary rock together and they did a lovely job conveying that image to the audience.

THE EXTRA BUTTON - Written and Presented by Ecole White City - This was the third student written collective of the festival, which was so nice to see. I have to admit that I wasn't always 100% sure what was happening during this play, but a lot of that probably had to do with the fact that I was too old to get some of the contemporary pop culture references. The students watching sure enjoyed every second of it, laughing uproariously throughout. One scene in particular had me in stitches: a TV test pattern entered, played by several actors wearing different coloured paper vests. It was a wonderful idea and one that I will remember for a long time to come.

EPIC FAIL by Bradley Hayward - Presented by Turtleford Community School - I saved this one for last, not just because it's one of my plays, but also because I have so much to say about Turtleford's impeccable production. The story begins last year, after I had the great pleasure of watching their phenomenal production of Bad Auditions by Bad Actors at this very festival. I wrote on this blog that I would be thrilled (not to mention fortunate) to have Turtleford select one of my plays some time in the future. Cut to a year later and that's exactly what happened. (Maybe there really is something to The Secret -- I put my wish into the universe and it came true!) Well, let me start by saying their production exceeded all of my expectations. Directed by Grade 12 student Kennedy Lundberg, the scenes flowed seamlessly from one to the next, with comedic invention at every turn. I was especially delighted by the fantastic use of stage pictures to tell the story; as the front of house clinician noted, there were many times during the play that one could have snapped a photo and had a lovely image. What was also wonderful to see was the infectious energy coming from each and every actor on that stage. No matter who was speaking, you could literally feel their energy as it spilled over the footlights and into the audience. For being such a young group (ranging from Grade 4 to Grade 9), their professionalism and creativity was truly a joy to behold. And after having spent some time with the cast and crew, it's clear that a huge amount of that professionalism is the result of Kennedy's tremendous leadership. I've been working with students for a long time and believe me when I say that it is incredibly rare to come across someone so young with so much talent, maturity, and passion. What's more, it was abundantly clear that her confidence rubbed off on her young cast and crew, assuring that the tradition of great theatre from Turtleford Community School will continue for years to come.

The best part of the entire festival for me, hands down, was getting the chance to meet the entire Turtleford crew. After the performances were over, I spent an hour with them all, playing theatre games, taking pictures, and answering questions. I also signed autographs galore, which for 10 minutes made me feel like a celebrity. But what they should know is that they are the rock stars! I don't get to meet the people who bring my plays to life very often, so having the opportunity to meet the truly awesome, totally amazing Turtleford cast and crew is something I will hold dear to my heart for years to come. They should be so proud of their accomplishments, both onstage and off...because I am certainly proud of them.

SDA Middle Years Festival: Day 2

Day 2 at the Middle Years Festival was a huge success! I had workshops in the morning with students from Turtleford, Fort Qu'Appelle, and Vibank. I am always amazed, yet never surprised by what young creative minds are capable of coming up with. For instance, it never occurred to me that when The Hulk rips off his shirt and becomes a monster could be considered a "spaz attack."

After the workshops, there were more performances: a comedy, an original work, a fantasy.

TWICE UPON A TIME by Colleen Neuman - Presented by Pilot Butte School - After having worked with the Pilot Butte students, it was no surprise at all that they were excellent! All of the actors in this fractured fairy tale had scads of energy, annunciated every word, and kept the show running at a lively pace. I was particularly blown away by three young men who played witches around a burbling cauldron. So often in a mini-ensemble like this, all of the actors pick up the same rhythm, but not so with these talented young men. Each had their own personality, which was great to see. The rest of the cast was terrific as well, and so many ages, which means the Pilot Butte drama program will continue to grow.

LIFE AS A STATUE - Written and Presented by Dr. George Ferguson School - I'm never sure what to expect when I see an original play, and this is especially the case when it's written by middle school students. Well, I was totally impressed with Life as a Statue; it had a clear beginning, humorous middle, and poignant end. I was very moved by the message, that art has a very important purpose in this world. Of course I agree, otherwise I wouldn't be here. Front of house clinician Cheryl Scherle made a terrific suggestion that I hope the actors and directors listened to; she encouraged them to keep the script alive, keep reworking it, keep performing it. And I whole heartedly agree. I believe with a little bit of work, they would really turn the play into something people would want to, and should, see.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND by William Simms - Presented by Vibank Regional School - Everyone knows the story of Alice in Wonderland, but this script posed a little bit more of a challenge because it incorporated audience participation into the mix. I liked how confident the actors were, particularly the narrator, as they faced the audience and spoke their lines. Looking into the void and speaking with confidence is not an easy task for an actor of any age, so great job to them for that! I also like that they experimented with different lighting cues. They used specials to focus our attention to select parts of the stage. With time and practice, techniques such as this will definitely come in handy when telling a story.

That's all for Day 2! Stay tuned tomorrow for 3 more plays, including Epic Fail, written by yours truly. I met with the Turtleford students and they are amazing, so I can't wait to see what they have in store!

SDA Middle Years Festival: Day 1

So here I am, back once again in Regina (sunny and warm Regina this time) for the Saskatchewan Drama Association Middle Years Festival. I absolutely love this festival because it gives elementary age students a chance to travel to the big city and perform on the large, professional stage at the University of Regina. Some of the kids here are very small, so I can imagine it's quite overwhelming to set foot on that stage, with catwalks and a fly loft way overhead. Heck, it still overwhelms me at times and I've been doing this for years.

The day started with the first of 6 playwriting workshops I'm running while here. I have long worked with high school students on playwriting, but in the past year I have spent more time focusing on younger students who might need a little nudge when it comes to putting their ideas down on paper. The students from Balgonie and Pilot Butte did not disappoint! They came up with stories, one after another, and acted them out for the entire group. And even though we only had an hour together, they were even able to get some of these scenes down on paper. I was very impressed with both groups.

Now on to the performances. The best part of the festival is that not only do the students get to perform their plays for an audience of their peers, but they get to watch what the other schools are doing as well. There were three shows presented this afternoon and I know that each group learned a lot from watching the ideas the other schools had. And, boy, there certainly were a lot of ideas up on that stage today!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR A GOOD DAY by Daniel Odendaal - Presented by Mortlach School - This was an original play, which used poetic monologues to string together a series of contemporary pop songs in order to tell a narrative. I was immediately impressed by the strength of the singing voices of all 10 actors in the ensemble. Because the play was so simple, the director had to rely movement/choreography to tell the bulk of the story. I enjoyed the variety of visual images they created with nothing more than their bodies. At one point a character stood up on a block, which was especially strong, and I think it would have been terrific had they used the blocks in more ways to establish even more powerful stage pictures.

BIG BAD by Alex Strum - Presented by Balgonie Elementary School - I have adjudicated this play on many occasions, so I was familiar with the script. It's so cool to see the same play produced by many different groups because it goes to show you just how many ways a play can be interpreted. In fact, I would love to see a festival sometime where all of the groups produce the same play. I think a lot could be learned from seeing different actors portraying your same role. Anyway, Balgonie did a very nice job, particularly with the costumes. Each of the fairy tale characters looked exactly as they were supposed to look. I thought the Three Little Pigs were particularly funny.

SHOWDOWN AT SAND VALLEY by Ken Mitchell - Presented by Fort Qu'Appelle Elementary School - If there is such a thing as a classic Saskatchewan play, this is it. Performed all over Canada for many years, this over-the-top satire of life in Saskatchewan in 1909 is a show-stopper. I was extremely, extremely blown away by the students from Fort Qu'Appelle, who took on the challenging play and made it non-stop fun from start to finish. The actors portrayed everything, from cowboys to saloon doors to a sewing machine. There was so much creativity on display and their theatrical approach to the material is exactly why I prefer the stage to the movies. Why play a sound effect when you have 10 actors who are perfectly capable of creating the sound of a horse galloping away? Tremendous job, Fort Qu'Appelle!

And that was a wrap for Monday at the SDA Middle Years Festival, but there's still plenty more to come. Three more plays tomorrow and three on Wednesday. But before I close for today, I'd like to send a special shout out to the front of house and backstage clinicians, Cheryl Scherle and Chip McDaniel. Cheryl was my partner in crime when we adjudicated together in Saskatoon last year, so I know just what a talented and enthusiastic person she is. The students are so lucky to have her expertise to draw from, and her encouraging words will surely inspire many kids to stick with the theatre for years to come. And while I have not met Chip, apart from a handshake at least, he is equally encouraging and helpful with his technical advice. The students hang on his every word, which is so fantastic, especially considering how spot-on his suggestions are.

Okay, time to pack it in for the night and get some rest for another big day tomorrow...

Split Awards: Rosetown

Congratulations to Rosetown Central High School for their exceptional performance of Split at the Saskatchewan Drama Association Region 6 Festival! They should be proud of all they accomplished, including returning from festival with the following awards:

• Spirit of the Festival: Jasmine Hanson
• Technical Certificate of Merit: Tyson Walker for lights
• Technical Award of Merit: Jasmine Hanson for set/props
• Acting Award of Merit: Liza Prudy for the role of Strange
• Best Stage Manager (Runner Up): McKenzie Forsyth
• Best Technical Crew (Runner Up)
• Best Overall Production (Runner Up)

Special thank you to director Camille Hounjet for her creativity and leadership. Way to go, Rosetown!

Vamp Ire Awards: Carrot River

Holy cow! Congratulations to Carrot River Jr/Sr High School for their exceptional performance of Vamp Ire at the Saskatchewan Drama Association Region 7 Festival. They came home with quite a haul, as follows:

• Certificates of Merit for Acting Excellence: Kristy Skalicky for the role of Debra and Samantha Baraniski for the role of Kaitlyn
• Certificate of Merit for Technical Excellence: Josie Dean for hair and make-up
• Performance Medal for Acting Excellence: Philip Wiens for the role of Mike
• Technical Medal for Technical Excellence: Lydia Sauder for lights
• Cheer Award for Outstanding Spirit: Taryn Freemantle
• Best Technical Production
• Bob Hinitt Award for Technical Excellence: Jory Chometsky for sound
• Mary Ellen Burgess Award (Best Actor or Actress) Runner Up: Taryn Freemantle for the role of Tina
• Mary Ellen Burgess Award Winner: Emmett Shortt for the role of Eddie
• Best Overall Production

Great job, everyone! I'll see you at Provincials in a couple weeks. Can't wait!

SDA Region 7: Carrot River

Congratulations to Carrot River Junior/Senior High School! Their production of
Vamp Ire won the Saskatchewan Drama Association Region 7 festival and has advanced to provincials in Regina, May 9-11.

SDA Region 1: Awards

Congratulations to Lampman High School for winning Best Overall Production for BOY MEETS GIRL: A YOUNG LOVE STORY. Runner-up to Best Overall Production went to THE PITCH from McNaughton High School.

I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT brought home acting certificates of merit for Nick Schmidt (Kyle) and Brook Zacharias (various roles), as well as technical certificates of merit for Megan Shirley (stage management) and Mariah Blohm (lights).

OUTSIDE THE BOX also acquired some hardware. Jillian Hietanen (Heart) won 1 of 4 acting medals, Marissa Owens (Brain) won a certificate of merit for acting, and Jordan Patriquin (prompting) and Brook Zacharias (kite flying) were awarded technical certificates of merit.

Congratulations to all of the participants at the festival for jobs well done. Next year in Carlyle!

SDA Region 1: Day 2

Three plays this afternoon, all comedies. Let's go through them together...

OUTSIDE THE BOX by Bradley Hayward - The Carlyle junior drama group really did a fantastic job, especially considering how many of the actors had never appeared on stage before, let alone a festival stage. I was especially impressed how focused the actors remained throughout, which was put to the test by having the entire cast on stage for the entire duration of the play. Directors Dean Zacharias and Justine Stephanson kept the movement interesting throughout and added to that bright, colourful costumes and simple, effective props. Dean and Justine are also incredible at building a strong team spirit among the actors, which is the most important thing because that is what will encourage these talented youngsters to stick with drama next year.

MAGIC FAIRY IN THE MICROWAVE by Dara Murphy - This was definitely one of my favorite plays presented all weekend. The production had extremely strong energy, ingenuity, creativity and gore. Yes, you read that correctly: gore. For those unfamiliar with this play, it's a bloody, violent, bizarre black comedy that I have been fond of ever since I read the script last year. I honestly thought I would never see a production, so I was thrilled to see it on the schedule here. I could fill a book with all of the inventive staging that was on display, and actors Carly Greening and Morgan Jones were especially memorable.

THE PITCH by Bryan Starchman - This comedy hit close to home because I have been in many offices of many film producers, trying to "pitch" my ideas as possible movies. This is easily the worst part of being a Hollywood screenwriter, and the main reason why I turned my attention to playwrighting. Well, this production brought back all of those horrible memories, which I guess means the play was successful. Will McGongal played the producer perfectly. So perfectly, in fact, that I wonder how he got it so right. In addition to a student, perhaps he moonlights as a mogul? Whatever his motivation, he nailed the slimy role.

Banquet and awards coming soon. Who will win? You never know. Believe me...you never know! More shortly...

SDA Region 1: Day 1

I planned to be more active on the blog this week, but I've spent a majority of it in a rental car, traveling from one side of the province to the other! Earlier this week I spent an entire day with the awesome, amazing, ENERGETIC students from Carrot River Junior/Senior High School. They are performing one of my plays, Vamp Ire, this weekend at the Region 7 SDA Festival and I was invited to lend a hand in the final days of rehearsal, and I also got to see their 2 other entries, Family Secrets and Check Please: Take 3. As always, Carrot River did an amazing job with all 3. I look forward to hearing how it all turns out this weekend. If only I could be 2 places at once! (Actually 6 places, since Unity, Rosetown, Glaslyn, Preeceville, Carrot River, Carlyle are all presenting plays of mine this weekend.)

Which leads me to the Region 1 SDA Festival, held in Lampman, which is where I am now. The first 5 plays today were all well received by the audience, and I will get to that more in a moment. But first of all, I have to congratulate the staff and students at Lampman High School for putting on such a terrific festival, jam packed with fun activities and creative spirit! It's so nice to see the participants from all of the schools interacting with one another and having such a great time. Also, the theatre facility at Lampman School is a wonderful place to watch plays. Having been to many less-than-stellar venues around the province, it's something I do not take for granted.

Now on to the plays I saw today...

THIS IS A TEST by Stephen Gregg - It had been a while since I had seen this old high school standby, and it was actually a nice treat to see it again after a few years without it. For a play that was written some time ago, it really does stand the test of time. Which is quite a feat, considering how teenagers lives are so different now than they were 20 years ago. Directed by a student, McKenzie Warriner, I think this was a perfect play selection for a first timer. It was so much fun to watch the Oxbow group in action. They have a lot of talent in the acting department, so their production was very funny from start to finish.

FAIRY TALES GO TO COURT by Steve and Laura Dingledine - Twisted fairy tales are not generally my favorite plays to watch, yet I have to say I was really entertained by this one. Again, Oxbow had a lot of young talent on the stage (I think this was a junior group?) and many of the actors played several roles, yet I was never quite sure who played what because they did such a good job discriminating between characters. I was particularly impressed by Rory Burnett as Father Time, as well as Rhys Jones and Eryn Stewart as Hansel and Gretel. They also had a lot of colourful costumes, and if anyone knows me well, they know how much I like colour on stage.

IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME by Don Zolidis - This is a tremendously funny vignette play, which was a phenomenal choice for this Arcola group because they have so many talented comedians and it gave them all the opportunity to play a variety of hysterical situations. Many of these students were in a play of mine last year (Note to Self) so it was great to see them stretch their wings and tackle such a deceptively complicated comedy. While there was not a single weak link among them, I thought Savanna Bryce and Riley James were real standouts. Great job!

I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT by Bradley Hayward - Gordon F. Kells High School in Carlyle has been a supporter of my work for many years, producing several of my plays at this very festival. They are always able to take my words and interpret them in ways I never imagined. Well, this year was no different. Yet there was something extra special about their production this year. It wasn't the set (which was fantastic), it wasn't the staging (which was incredible), and it wasn't the acting (which was phenomenal). What set this year's production apart is the emotional connection between all of the actors. Whether they knew it or not, they took on a huge responsibility when they decided to tackle this serious play about suicide, and they all rose to the occasion. They way the actors supported one another, encouraged one another, inspired one another is something I will learn from and take forward with me in the real world. Words cannot fully express how much the Carlyle drama students mean to me, as well as their directors, but I think they know. They know...

BOY MEETS GIRL: A YOUNG LOVE STORY by Sam Wolfson - Talk about shifting gears! From a drama about suicide to a comedy about puppy love. This clever, clever comedy tells of a romantic relationship, from start to finish, at the tender age of 5. It's sweet, it's funny, it's risqué. It was also fantastic! Maya Branyik-Thornton and Sam Paxman handily carried the entire play from lights up to lights down. Maya has so much energy it boggles my mind, and she is able to turn a single laugh into 3 or 4, simply with the turn of the head or flick of the wrist. Her comic timing is stellar. Then there was Sam, who had the difficult task of playing a boy convincingly. Wow, did she ever knock my socks off! It could not have been easy maintaining her own subdued rhythm next to Maya's vivacious one, not to mention carrying herself exactly like a young boy would. Two very impressive performances.

What made today extra special is that so many of my family members traveled many miles to share this experience with me. A huge thank you to Auntie Bev, Uncle Gordy, Auntie Joan, Laura, Patrick, Melissa, Colby, Auntie Barb, Vicki, Tarra, Kathaleen, Colton, Ethan, Amanda, Rikki, Ray and Heather for coming out to watch my play. It means more to me than you will ever know!

Well, that was it for today! There are 3 more plays tomorrow afternoon, and I will be sure to fill you in on those as well. Congratulations to everyone today for doing such an amazing job! There's a reason I come back to Region 1 whenever I can...

Clavet High Cast Photo

With the cast, crew, and directors of I Don't Want to Talk About It. They are amazing, each and every one of them. Congratulations!

SDA Region 11: Awards

It's hard to believe the SDA Region 11 Festival has drawn to a close. The awards have been handed out and bus loads of students are riding home as I type this, certainly with plenty to talk about on the way.

Best Overall Production went to Carlton Comprehensive for their production of Green Man. Runner-Up to Best Overall Production went to Walter Murray Collegiate for Cut. Both of these productions were terrific, so I'm not at all surprised by this outcome. Congratulations to both schools for a job well done!

Green Man arrived with a huge trailer for their enormous set, but will have to rent second one to transport home all of the other hardware they won in the technical categories. Holy cow, I don't think I've ever seen a production take home so many awards, in every category. Well done...and certainly well earned!

Clavet High School also came home with a number of awards for their production of I Don't Want to Talk About It. The Runner-Up to the Mary Ellen Burgess Award (for best actor or actress) went to Bailey Royer, Maia Stempien won 1 of 4 acting medals, Adam Tweidt and Tyson Brown won technical certificates of merit, and Brayden Bentley took home the Spirit of Festival Award (and after hearing his infectious laughter, it's easy to see why!). Congratulations to everyone from Clavet for doing my work justice and having such a huge impact on the audience. I know I heard many people say just how much their production moved them.

Well, that's it folks! Until next year, the curtain is closed...

SDA Region 11: Day 2

That's a wrap! The curtain has fallen on the final performance at this year's SDA Region 11 Festival. Here's a recap of the 2 plays from this afternoon.

TRIFLES by Susan Glaspell - I vaguely remember this play from a feminist theater course I took back in university, but I had never seen it, so it was nice to finally see it in action. Walter Murray's visual production of this play was particularly strong. I have a fondness for prairie settings, and this play is set in a small farmhouse, so I appreciated the attention to detail in every aspect of the set/costumes/props. They also used levels, as well as angles, very well. The performances were very subtle, which worked nicely in a poetic play such as this. In this case, less was more.

GLORIA MUNDI by Patricia Brow - This asylum drama was oddly similar to the first play of the afternoon, at least in theme, and also in pacing. This one was all about the performances, as the settings were kept to a very bare minimum. The actors made a lot of creative choices, leaving the audience guessing as to which (if any) of the characters have retained their sanity. I wish I was the adjudicator, if only to ask why one of the actors wore color, while the others were dressed in black and white. It was a subtle choice, but definitely a choice, and I would love to have known the thought process behind it. Whatever the reason, it was oddly effective, even if I can't quite put my finger on why. Or maybe it was a happy accident...perhaps I'll never know. What I do know is that the play started a lively dialogue among the students around me, which is exactly what theater is supposed to do.

Now the adjudicator has the tough job of narrowing the cast and crew lists down to a select few that will receive awards. When I'm adjudicating, I love the process of workshopping the plays with each group, but I do not envy the responsibility of assigning numerical value to each performance. Adjudicator Russ Ramsden certainly has many tough decisions to make, but whatever the outcome, his real contribution has been sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with each company, and from my discussions with a number of the groups, he has done just that...and more.

Just about an hour until the banquet ends and the awards ceremony begins. I know there are a lot of nervous students roaming the halls around me, so I'm sure they're excited to get to it. More on that this evening...

Clavet High Autographs

I asked the amazing students at Clavet High School to sign my program. For me, writing plays is not about awards, not about acclaim, not about money. Hearing from students who have been in my plays, knowing I have made a difference, is why I do what I do.

SDA Region 11: Day 1

Well, day 1 of the Region 11 SaskDrama Festival has come and gone and, boy, what a heavy day of theatre it was. When I was in high school, drama festivals usually consisted of more dramas than comedies; however, in the last few years of adjudicating I have noticed a growing trend toward comedy. I can't tell you how many festivals I've attended where all the productions were laffers. So it's quite a change of pace to see so many dramas, and I have to say that I enjoyed the change tremendously (despite being a playwright of primarily comedies). So here's a rundown of what struck me as particularly strong in the 5 plays I saw today.

I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT by Bradley Hayward (me!) - Clavet High School did a tremendous job bringing my words to life. Of all the plays I've written, this one is easily the most challenging, and Clavet handled its challenges extremely well. When I wrote the script, I deliberately left out any stage directions that were not absolutely necessary, so I had no idea what to expect when the lights came up. I was immediately thrilled by their choice to have the entire cast of 15 remain onstage for the entire play. This created a strong community among the characters and gave a powerful punch to the final moments of the play. I know my heart was thumping in my chest, wondering what was going to happen, and I wrote the darn thing! There were too many wonderful performances to single out any of them here, but I had the opportunity to sit down and have supper with the cast after the show, which was worth the trip from Toronto all by itself. I am honored to have had so many thoughtful, intelligent, and creative students work so hard to make a play of mine the very best it could be. I'm so proud of them all.

TRIGGERS by Riley McLellan - I always get excited when I attend a high school festival and see a play written (and in this case, also directed) by a student. I think it's important to give students as much creative freedom as they feel they are capable of, which is something Evan Hardy is known for. Not only are all of their entries student directed, but to have one that is also student written is a testement to a terrific drama department. Evan Hardy certainly has that, so I couldn't wait to see what this original play was going to be all about. The story was a serious one, about a troubled teenager and his fractured family. Many of the scenes were very raw; so much so that I have my fingers crossed they weren't autobiographical. But McLellan certainly got across the stark reality of what it's like to grow up in a family that's anything but functional. Oh, and did I mention that one of the actors was a dog? Yes, that's right...a real dog! I don't know who trained this beautiful Boxer, but Teal'c was the best behaved stage dog I've ever scene. She hit her marks and stayed quiet, which is often hard to achieve with human actors.

CUT by Ed Monk - I've seen this play many times, and even judged it on one occassion. For a few years it was one of the most popular one acts out there, but I had not seen it for some time, so it was great to revisit a play that's been lodged in the back of my brain for a few years. Walter Murray definitely knows how to produce a great comedy (their production of The Least Offensive Play in the Whole Darn World remains one of the best productions I've ever seen), so I was not at all surprised to see them knock this one out of the park. Also, it was a nice relief to have a full out comedy amidst the serious plays before and after it. I was really struck by the chemistry among all of the actors. They had terrific comedy timing throughout, which if you know the play is difficult to pull off because the play itself stops and starts more than a dozen times over. I remembered a lot of the actors from last year, so it played a little bit like an "all-star" cast in ensemble roles. There was also a scene between 2 techies that comes out of nowhere and stops the show cold. I've seen this scene score and I've seen it fail. Well, it certainly scored this evening. Big laughs and applause on their exit. I just wish the playwright would have brought those 2 characters back at the end because they certainly deserve a big finish.

SGANARELLE by Moliere - This is one of those old chestnuts; a play that turns up on occassion, and has ever since it was written...which was decades and decades ago. Moliere was the master of farce, so I was expecting nothing but laughs, but Evan Hardy managed to sneak in some drama as well. The actor playing Sganarelle had an extremely strong stage presence, which could not have been easy considering he wore a mask throughout. Speaking of masks, several of the actors wore beautiful ones and I would love to speak with the director to see if they made them themselves. They really added a bizarre (and effective) atmosphere to the entire piece.

GREEN MAN by Don Nigro - Carlton Comprehensive is known for its huge production values and serious period dramas. This year was no different and, as always, the students rose to the occasion. It's not always easy to be the big production when many adjudicators promote a "less is more" agenda, but sometimes more is more and I love Carlton's commitment to pulling out all the stops. Oftentimes, however, the acting gets neglected in favor of stagecraft, but not so in this production. The small cast of 5 (compared to their crew of hundreds) worked as a very tight unit, starting small and building to a gripping climax. This play is definitely a slow burn, and one that requires patience, but the payoff is huge for those willing to go along for the ride. I was particularly impressed by the actor playing the father; a raging drunk with a hot temper. Probably the hardest thing for any high school actor is playing middle aged, but the actor playing the role pulled this off beautifully. Not only did he look an appropriate age, but he carried himself in such a manner that made him appear well beyond his years. He also had a nice variety of vocal expression, although that was also true of the rest of the cast.

I can't believe the festival is half over already! There are only 2 plays tomorrow, followed by the awards ceremony. Check back tomorrow for updates on those plays, as well as how it all shakes down.

Saskatoon: Region 11 Festival

Well, I'm back in my old stomping grounds for a couple of weeks! Growing up in Saskatchewan had its perks and its downfalls, but far and away the best thing for me (a drama geek then and still) was the annual Saskatchewan Drama Association one-act play festival. I would look forward to it all year long, and now here I am, back again for another year. Sometimes I'm just a spectator, other times an adjudicator, but this year I'm here as a playwright. Several schools in the province have so graciously chosen my plays to enter in their regional competitions, all hoping to advance to the provincial festival in May.

This weekend I'm in not-so-sunny Saskatoon for the Region 11 festival at Evan Hardy Collegiate. It's still really, really wintery up in these parts, which I must say was not a surprise when I got off the airplane. (I've been hearing about the waist high snowbanks on Facebook for weeks!) But what was a surprise was getting soaked from head to toe by a passing truck on my way to pick up a few groceries. Oh well, it's an interesting way to start what's certain to be an interesting weekend.

The festival kicks off Friday at 2pm with my play I Don't Want to Talk About It, presented by Clavet High School. I'm very excited to see what Clavet has in store for the audience. This play is open to interpretation, so anything is possible. And they kept all of their choices a secret, so I will be just as surprised as the rest of the audience. But what won't come as a surprise (again with the surprises!) is that I know it will be awesome. The students and directors at Clavet are hugely talented and I am ticked right down to my socks that I will have the opportunity to see them bring my words to life.

So long as I can snag internet access throughout the weekend, I'll be live tweeting the festival. So be sure to follow me at @haywardplays. I hope you'll get in on the action by using #sdafest in any of your tweets. I'll also be posting updates here on the blog, so be sure to check back. (A few of my playwright friends also have plays in the festival, so I'll be sending shout outs their way as well.)

Okay, time to pack it in for the night and get well rested for the busy weekend. Let the drama begin...

Epic Fail Photos

Here are a few fun photos from a production of Epic Fail by Mead High School in Mead, Nebraska.

Drama Festival Season

It's drama festival season in Saskatchewan again! Each year around this time the Saskatchewan Drama Association hosts 11 regional festivals around the province, with dozens of high schools competing for the opportunity to perform at the Provincial festival in May. This year I have several one-act plays being presented in various regions and I will be fortunate enough to be in attendance for a few of them.

On April 12th and 13th I'll be at the Region 11 Festival at Evan Hardy Collegiate in Saskatoon to cheer on I Don't Want to Talk About It, being presented Clavet High School. This is the festival I adjudicated last year and let me tell you that the quality of productions in this region is incredible. This year, students from Clavet, Evan Hardy, and Walter Murray will be vying for a slot at Provincials. I hope to see a few familiar faces onstage and will be cheering them all on!

The weekend following, April 19th and 20th, I'll be at the Region 1 Festival at Lampman High School. This is my home festival -- the region I competed in as a teenager -- and I know from experience how tough the competition is. Plays from Lampman, Caryle, Arcola, Oxbow, and Moosomin will be in contention and all of them present extraordinary plays from year to year, so any one of them could take home the top prize. Gordon F. Kells High School in Carlyle will be presenting two of my plays this year; the seniors I Don't Want to Talk About It and the juniors Outside the Box. Carlyle has been extremely supportive of my work over the years (these are the 7th and 8th plays of mine they've produced), so I can't wait to see what they've come up with this year!

I'll be live tweeting both festivals, so be sure to follow me @haywardplays. And whether you're a student, parent, teacher, spectator, or actor, director, crew, friend, I'd love to see you join in on the fun! #sdafest

Also, if anyone reading this will be in Saskatoon or Lampman on the dates listed above, please let me know. I'd love to see you there, and I'm sure the students would appreciate as many people in attendance as possible to see all their hard work in action. This is my favorite time of year and I'd be thrilled to spend it with others who enjoy theater as much as I do!

New Glasgow Youth Theatre Company

A brand new youth theatre company in Nova Scotia opens its very first show tonight, which just happens to be I Don't Want to Talk About It. I'm honored that they have chosen my play to start this new venture and I can't wait to hear how the production is received. Judging from the commitment and creativity of its director and cast, I'm sure it will be a huge success. Below is a copy of their press release. Break a leg!

YOUTH TROUPE TO PRESENT PRODUCTION
I Don’t Want To Talk About It
At GLASGOW SQUARE THEATRE

NEW GLASGOW, NS, February 28, 2013…….There’s a new theatre troupe in town, a group of teen actors who have been busy rehearsing a play they don’t seem to want to talk about.  Well, that’s not entirely true.  It’s their characters who would rather not talk…at least, not at first.  The play is called, I Don’t Want to Talk About It, and is the first production of the New Glasgow Youth Theatre Company, recently formed under the direction of Amanda Jefferson-Gillis, an accomplished local actor.

“Glasgow Square is very excited to have the play I Don’t Want to Talk About It presented at our theatre,” says New Glasgow’s Program and Events Manager and Manager of the Square Carlton Munroe.  “We were very proud of the presentations by Amanda Jefferson-Gillis in our Summer Curtain Call series last year with playwright Gary Blackwood and are thrilled Amanda is back with this incredible youth troupe. The emerging talent in our region is just as strong in theatre as it is in the musical field. This promises to be a great production and we hope the community will come out and support these talented young actors.”

Jefferson-Gillis describes the “dramedy” as a series of monologues and duologues that provides a glimpse into the lives of teenagers who are trying to cope with various issues such as sibling rivalry, relationships with parents, school, peer pressure, and death.  One by one the characters begin to talk and each shares a personal experience - ranging from the humorous to the extreme tragic.  And with each vignette, a story unfolds - Kyle’s story.  Kyle, played by Joel MacNeil, faces the challenge of understanding life, particularly his life and centred among his peers, he struggles with disconnection and isolation.  His story strikes a chord with the current ‘bullying’ issue.

The one-act play, written by Toronto playwright, Bradley Hayward, will be presented at Glasgow Square Theatre on Thursday, March 14 at 7pm.  Admission is $5 and tickets are available at the door.  Doors open at 6:30pm.

The group will also present the play in Theatre Antigonish’s One-Act Play Fest which runs March 14 to March 17.  For more information, contact Glasgow Square Theatre at 752-4800 or send an email to agillis38@yahoo.ca.

2013 Academy Award Predictions

The Academy Awards are on Sunday and at this point I doubt I'll be watching. Going over the list of this year's nominees is like reading a list of movies that would not have made the cut in other, stronger years. I haven't seen all of the nominated films, but I've seen enough of them to know this is the weakest year for movies in recent memory.

Stacked with winners from previous years, it almost feels like the Academy has decided to take a year off by rewarding great actors, directors, and writers for their second best films. In some cases, their third or fourth best. I mean, honestly, in 10 years are we really going to put Lincoln on the same shelf as Schindler's List? Regard Life of Pi as highly as Brokeback Mountain? Pick Django Unchained over Pulp Fiction? Les Miserables over The King's Speech? Hell, Silver Linings Playbook over Flirting With Disaster? I don't think so.

There are a few worthy nominees in the mix, although the best films I saw in 2012 were mostly ignored. Skyfall, for instance, is a terrific film that knows exactly what it wants to achieve and exceeds those goals. It may not be a serious film, or a moving film, but it's certainly an entertaining film. I'm not even a James Bond fan and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Same goes for Perks of Being a Wallflower. Sure, it's a film for teenagers, but it's also the best film for teenagers. Shouldn't that count for something, especially when David O. Russell's film isn't even the best David O. Russell film?

I don't know, maybe I'm just being a grump because last year was such a great one for the Oscars. There were so many films I enjoyed that I could cheer for all the winners. This year I can barely think of a possible winner that I'd be excited about. I suppose I can get behind Argo. It's a slick Hollywood movie that stirs up the audience. Helen Hunt was great in The Sessions. Nominating Beast of the Southern Wild and Amour shows that the Academy wants to shake things up. Still, I plan to take the year off to regroup. (Not to mention, avoid Seth MacFarlane.)

So here are my predictions. Please let me know how I do, and if anything exciting happens on the broadcast, send me the link on YouTube.

BEST PICTURE

Nominees: Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty

Will Win: Argo. Oddly enough, Ben Affleck's snub in the Best Director category seems to have worked in Argo's favor by creating a need to right that wrong.

Should Win: Amour. It's the best of the bunch, but only a handful of foreign language films have ever competed in this category. And if Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon couldn't win it, Cries and Whispers couldn't win it, Life is Beautiful couldn't win it, chances are slim Amour can win it. In which case, Argo would be a very worthy winner.

BEST ACTOR

Nominees: Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook), Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln), Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables), Joaquin Phoenix (The Master), Denzel Washington (Flight)

Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln. If anyone else wins, I will eat my hat.

Should Win: John Hawkes, The Sessions. Oh wait, he wasn't even nominated? How is this possible? Boo, Academy! Boooooo!

BEST ACTRESS

Nominees: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Emmanuelle Riva (Amour), Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Naomi Watts (The Impossible)

Will Win: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook. In its long history, the Academy has always favored the babe in this category. There are a few notable exceptions (I'm sure someone thought Jessica Tandy was hot), but more often than not Best Actress goes to the biggest boobs and smallest waistline. Such a shame, too, considering Lawerence's role in Silver Linings Playbook was nothing more than every man's fantasy of how a woman should behave. I think she's a wonderful actress -- I would have voted for her 2 years ago for Winter's Bone -- but to put her name in the books for such a weak female character when there are surely going to be stronger ones in her future is a shame.

Should Win: Emmanuelle Riva, Amour. If Riva really wanted to win this award, which she so desperately deserves, she would include a press kit of photos of herself from the 1960's, when her stunning beauty would have put Jennifer Lawrence to shame. I still think she's as beautiful as ever, and her performance is more than enough to warrant the Oscar, but it couldn't hurt.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Nominees: Alan Arkin (Argo), Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook), Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master), Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln), Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)

Will Win: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained. This prediction might lose me the Oscar pool, but I have a hunch that Waltz will take it. But this is nobody's to lose and everyone's to win.

Should Win: Um...nobody? Could we just take a year off from this category? All of the nominees have won before and they're all nominated for playing characters they have played countless times before. Zzzzzzzzz.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Nominees: Amy Adams (The Master), Sally Field (Lincoln), Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables), Helen Hunt (The Sessions), Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook)

Will Win: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables. If anyone else wins, I will eat your hat.

Should Win: Helen Hunt, The Sessions. After disappearing into second rate roles in second rate films, Helen Hunt returned to form in The Sessions, giving her best performance to date. Although she'll have to settle for just being nominated, which is a feat unto itself given the subtlety of her role.

BEST DIRECTOR

Nominees: Amour (Michael Haneke), Beasts of the Southern Wild (Benh Zeitlin), Life of Pi (Ang Lee), Silver Linings Playbook (David O. Russell), Lincoln (Steven Spielberg)

Will Win: The smart money seems to be on Steven Spielberg, although Ang Lee could certainly snag a win. Actually, this race is surprisingly wide open. For the first time in a long time, Best Director is the category where any of the nominees have a decent shot at winning.

Should Win: Ben Affleck, Argo. I don't know when the Academy will forgive Ben Affleck for being Ben Affleck. He proved himself a terrific screenwriter more than 15 years ago with Good Will Hunting, but then he burned that good will by making a string of terrible movies and relationship decisions. Still, he more than made up for Daredevil with Gone Baby Gone, Surviving Christmas with The Town, and by now all traces of Gigli have been erased by his masterful work on Argo. While I'm pleased Benh Zeitlin made it into the Best Director mix, that it came at Ben Affleck's expense is a travesty. Actually, if anyone should have been swapped with Affleck, it's David O. Russell.

BEST ANIMATED PICTURE

Nominees: Brave, Frankenweenie, ParaNorman, The Pirates! Band Of Misfits, Wreck-It Ralph

Will Win: Wreck-It-Ralph. I really enjoyed this movie. It was fun, inventive, and gorgeous to look at. Although I will say that it had the same effect as a sugar rush -- tasty going down and exhausting afterward.  Still, I'm cool with it winning.

Should Win: Brave. As much as I liked Wreck-It-Ralph, it lacked the emotional impact of Pixar's latest.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Nominees: Amour (Michael Haneke), Django Unchained (Quentin Tarantino), Flight (John Gatins), Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola), Zero Dark Thirty (Mark Boal)

Will Win: Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained. He came close to winning for Inglorious Bastards 2 years ago, so I think they'll award him for both this year.

Should Win: Michael Haneke, Amour. If Amour is going to win anything in addition to Best Foreign Language Film (where it's a lock), this is it.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Nominees: Argo (Chris Terrio), Beasts of the Southern Wild (Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin), Life of Pi (David Magee), Lincoln (Tony Kushner), Silver Linings Playbook (David O. Russell)

Will Win: Chris Terrio, Argo. It won the WGA award, which usually overlaps at the Oscars since the voting pool is the same. Tony Kushner had it in the bag until just recently, when all the Lincoln love seemed to wane.

Should Win: David Magee, Life of Pi. If you've read the book, you know how impossible a screen adaptation seemed. That they managed to make a coherent film from a novel that's more philosophy than fiction is an enormous feat that should be rewarded.

Loons

I am pleased to announce that Loons is now available for purchase from Heuer Publishing. Click here to read a free preview and order scripts. I am very proud of this little play and hope you enjoy it.

Loons was selected as one of the winners of the Lakeshore Players 8th Annual 10 Minute Play Festival. Directed by Doug Dally, and starring Linda Wolf and Jim Westcott, I received many kind emails that told me what a lovely production it was. Below are some photos from that production.

Question and...Answer?

One of my favorite things about being a playwright is receiving emails from students, teachers, and parents who have played a role in bringing my words to life. My goal is to bring people together through the arts, so whenever I'm included in that process, I'm overjoyed. Over the years, many actors, directors, stage managers, crew members, and even audience members have been in touch with me to ask questions and make comments about my work. I'm always more than happy to answer questions and I have also made a point to respond to any comments, whether they be positive or negative. While most of the emails I receive are easy enough to reply to, there are times when I've been faced with a question or comment that I had absolutely no idea how to answer. Here are a few of the funniest, most absurd, and perplexing examples.

- My son is in your play and he doesn't have enough lines. Here are some funny ones that we would like you to add. He will also be wearing brown pants and not jeans.

- Why do you write with so many spaces?

- Did you mean for Freddie not to be as funny as the other people?

- On page 12 should I be sitting down?

- Could you please tell my teacher that I deserve a lead role? I've been in the drama club longer than Keisha but she gets the bigger parts and I don't think that's fair. Thanks bunches.

- I don't understand the title. Explain.

- I don't play football so I want to turn the quarterback into a tennis player because that would be more real because I play tennis and not football.

- What is the last line of scene 1? The photocopy was crooked and it got cut off.

- I would like a dvd of Attention Detention sent to me asap.

- How much do you charge to write a play for us? 20 page max and no swearing.

- Thank you for coming to see our play!!! It was an honor to meet you!!!! (Very sweet, except that I was not at this particular production, which happened more than 1000 miles away. Yikes.)

Vamp Ire Photo

Thank you to Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA, for sending a photo from their production of Vamp Ire.

"He's a vampire and all you can say is, big whoop?"

Vamp Ire is now available from Brooklyn Publishers. Click here to read a free preview and order scripts!