Archived entries for The Blank Theatre Company

NEWS RELEASE — THE BLANK THEATRE’S 24th ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS

SUBMISSIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED
THE BLANK THEATRE’S
24th ANNUAL NATIONWIDE
YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

The Blank Theatre - Young Playwrights Festival LogoThe Blank Theatre’s 24th Annual Young Playwrights Festival is now seeking submissions nationwide from playwrights 19 years of age and younger. The submission deadline is March 15, 2016. Winning plays will be presented by professional actors and directors from June 2—26, 2016 at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, CA.

The Blank Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival is a nationwide competition that produces the work of 12 young writers each year. Since 1993, the festival has produced 272 plays by playwrights 19 and younger from 27 states.

Each winning play will have four performances in a weekend run. The productions are made possible in part by grants from The Plum Foundation, The Rosenthal Family Foundation, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Hollywood Fringe Festival, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, and City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

The rules for the festival competition are as follows: playwrights must be 19 years of age or younger on March 15, 2016; original plays and musicals can be any length, on any subject. Scripts must be legible and pages must be numbered and unbound. Submissions may be made online at theblank.submittable.com or hard copies mailed to YPF, c/o The Blank Theatre, PO Box 1094, Los Angeles, CA, 90078 (and must be postmarked or emailed by March 15, 2016). There is a limit of three (3) plays per playwright. All plays must include a cover sheet with the play’s title, playwright’s name, date of birth, school (if any), mailing address, contact phone number, e-mail address and the play’s production history (if any).

Each playwright whose work is accepted will be assigned a mentor: professionals who will help the youngsters hone their work for performance. Past mentors have included Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally, Tony Award-nominated composer Michael John LaChiusa, writer Jeff Greenstein (Will & Grace), producer Todd Milliner (Hot in Cleveland, Grimm), writer Irene Mecchi (The Lion King, Brave), Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), television and film director Garry Marshall, and many others. The playwrights then experience the thrill of seeing their plays performed by industry professionals in fully staged productions.

Said Noah Wyle (star of television’s ER and Falling Skies), Artistic Producer at The Blank, “Each Spring for the past 23 years, The Blank has found the freshest, most original voices in the American theatre, invited them to Los Angeles, and promoted their work during a month-long festival in June. This thought provoking work, performed and directed by seasoned professionals, has entertained thousands of audience members over the years. While these authors are often as different as the states from which they come and the subjects with which they deal, they share something truly improbable. They’re teenagers.” Wyle continued, “These are not only the voices of today’s theatre — they are the voices of tomorrow’s as well.”

For more information, visit the Festival’s website at www.ypf.theblank.com or The Blank Theatre’s website at www.TheBlank.com.

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01-11-16

NEWS RELEASE — THE BLANK THEATRE PRESENTS “SOMETHING TRULY MONSTROUS” — WORLD PREMIERE PLAY OPENS SAT 10/3

CAST & DESIGNERS SET
FOR THE BLANK THEATRE’S
WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION OF
SOMETHING TRULY MONSTROUS
BY JEFF TABNICK
DIRECTED BY DANIEL HENNING

PERFORMANCES BEGIN SEPTEMBER 26
AT THE BLANK’S 2nd STAGE THEATRE

Something MonstrousThe cast and designers have been set for The Blank Theatre’s world premiere production of Something Truly Monstrous by Jeff Tabnick, directed by Daniel Henning. Preview performances begin September 26 with opening night set for Saturday, October 3, and the engagement will run through November 8.

The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Jason Paul Field, Amir Levi, and Jilon VanOver. Set design is by Chad Dellinger, lighting design is by Jeremy Pivnick, costume design is by Allison Dillard, and sound design is by Warren Davis. The stage manager is Samantha Else, and Something Truly Monstrous is produced for The Blank Theatre by Daniel Henning, Noah Wyle, and Sarah A. Bauer.

Something Truly Monstrous is based on the Hollywood rumor that on the night John Barrymore died, Peter Lorre and Humphrey Bogart stole his body and went joy riding. On the day Hollywood finally killed John Barrymore, Jack Warner offers a studio contract to Peter Lorre, who is currently shooting Casablanca. Saddled with expensive tastes and a nasty drug habit, Lorre is tempted to sign. However, Humphrey Bogart explains the contract will force Lorre to play monsters in the B-unit forever. To ensure that Lorre will never give into this temptation, he decides to do something truly monstrous. Something Truly Monstrous was presented in The Blank’s Living Room Reading Series in 2013.

During the run of Something Truly Monstrous The Blank Theatre will be partnering with the George Hurrell Estate. Hurrell was a photographer who made a significant contribution to the image of glamour presented by Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s. Special activities will include a lobby display, discounts on purchases from the Hurrell Estate website, and a raffle for one of Hurrell’s famed photos.

Preview performances begin on Saturday, September 26 at 8pm and continue on Sunday, September 27 at 2pm, and Tuesday through Friday, September 29—October 2 at 8pm. Opening is set for Saturday, October 3 at 8pm. The regular performance schedule will be Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm through November 8. Tickets are $25 for previews and $30 for regular performances and may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com or via phone at (323) 661-9827.

The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre is located at 6500 Santa Monica Boulevard (at Wilcox), in Hollywood.

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08-19-15

NEWS RELEASE — SUBMISSIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE BLANK THEATRE’S 23rd ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

SUBMISSIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED
THE BLANK THEATRE’S
23RD ANNUAL NATIONWIDE
YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

Blank Theatre Young Playwrights Festival-23 yearsThe Blank Theatre’s 23rd Annual Young Playwrights Festival is now seeking submissions nationwide from playwrights 19 years of age and younger. The submission deadline is March 16, 2015. Winning plays will be presented by professional actors and directors from June 4—28, 2015 at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, CA.

The Blank Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival is a nationwide competition that produces the work of 12 young writers each year. Since 1993, the festival has produced 260 plays by playwrights 19 and younger from 27 states.

Each winning play will have four performances in a weekend run. The productions are made possible in part by grants from The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, The Plum Foundation, The Rosenthal Family Foundation, The Walt Disney Company, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, and City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

The rules for the festival competition are as follows: playwrights must be 19 years of age or younger on March 16, 2015; original plays and musicals can be any length, on any subject. Scripts must be legible and pages must be numbered and unbound. Submissions may be emailed to ypfsubmissions@theblank.com or hard copies mailed to YPF, c/o The Blank Theatre, PO Box 1094, Los Angeles, CA, 90078 (and must be postmarked or emailed by March 16, 2015). There is a limit of three (3) plays per playwright. All plays must include a cover sheet with the play’s title, playwright’s name, date of birth, school (if any), mailing address, contact phone number, e-mail address and the play’s production history (if any).

Each playwright whose work is accepted will be assigned a mentor: professionals who will help the youngsters hone their work for performance. Past mentors have included Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally, Tony Award-nominated composer Michael John LaChiusa, writer Jeff Greenstein (Will & Grace), producer Todd Milliner (Hot in Cleveland, Grimm), writer Irene Mecchi (The Lion King, Brave), Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), television and film director Garry Marshall, among many others. The playwrights then experience the thrill of seeing their plays performed by industry professionals in fully staged productions.

Said Noah Wyle (star of television’s ER and Falling Skies), Artistic Producer at The Blank, “Each Spring for the past 23 years, The Blank has found the freshest, most original voices in the American theatre, invited them to Los Angeles, and promoted their work during a month-long festival in June. This thought provoking work, performed and directed by seasoned professionals, has entertained thousands of audience members over the years. While these authors are often as different as the states from which they come and the subjects with which they deal, they share something truly improbable. They’re teenagers.” Wyle continued, “These are not only the voices of today’s theatre — they are the voices of tomorrow’s as well.”

For more information, visit the festival’s website at www.YoungPlaywrights.com or The Blank Theatre’s website at www.TheBlank.com.

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01-13-15

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