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.