Friday, February 28, 2014

Now Published: SELFIE

Earlier this year, The Oxford Dictionary named "selfie" as Word of the Year.

selfie

Pronunciation: /ˈsɛlfi 
(also selfy)

noun (plural selfies)

informal A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website: occasional selfies are acceptable, but posting a new picture of yourself every day isn’t necessary

Spending so much time working on plays with teenagers, I could not help but notice how they would whip out their cameras and phones whenever they had the opportunity to snap a picture to document their day. This inspired me to write the play Selfie, which is now published by Playscripts, Inc.


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. 
I could not have written this play without the support, inspiration, and encouragement of the students and teachers from Gordon F. Kells High School in Carlyle, Saskatchewan. Directors Darcy Howe and Kevin Dyck have produced 7 of my plays in as many years and they always add to my work far more than I ever could have accomplished without them. The same is true of Selfie and I am so proud, not to mention honored, to have developed such a strong partnership over the years. It is truly a match made in heaven -- they take my words and elevate them, every time -- and one that I hope continues for a long time to come. Their talent and creativity means more to me than they know.

World Premiere Cast of "Selfie" / Gordon F. Kells High School

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