Since last fall, volunteer readers have been poring over 10-minute plays — over 150 of them. Then, in May, a panel of actors, directors and other theater-lovers held readings of 15 semi-finalists and then chose the eight plays that would be produced and performed at Weathervane’s Second Annual 8x10 TheatreFest (which took place from July 13 to 15, 2012).
Over the course of this three-performance weekend, Weathervane presented those eight finalist plays to the delight of nearly 400 enthusiastic audience members. And the results are in!
First Place — The Bingo King by James Caputo*
Directed by Jo McGarvey
Featuring Rachel Gehlert and Jo McGarvey
Second Place — Rules of Comedy by Patricia Cotter*
Directed by Jeremy Lewis
Featuring Allison Good and Justin Edenhofer
Fan Favorite (voted by the audience) — How Dick and Jane Fell in Love by Lina Gallegos*
Directed by Eileen Moushey*
Featuring Rachel Gehlert and Gerard Neary
(* Member of The Dramatists Guild of America)
The Runners-Up included:
Duet in Platinum by James Allston*
Directed by Scott K. Davis
Featuring Kaycee Zach and Adam Alderson
A Life-Time Warranty by Maureen Ann Connolly*
Directed by Ron Cuirle
Featuring Tracy Jackson, Sue Jeromson and Scott K. Davis
Waiting For Baby by Christina Blosco
Directed by Greg Bealer
Featuring Kaycee Zach, Julie Schrader and Marci Paolucci
The Silver Bullet by Joe Lauinger*
Directed by Alex Nine and assisted by Chanda Porter
Featuring Adam Alderson, Mike Pitt and Alison Crawford
Goodnight, Sweet Prince by Barbara Bleier
Directed by Gerard Neary
Featuring Kevin Murphy and Olivia Wilde
(* Member of The Dramatists Guild of America)
This year's audience also chose the special prop that must be included in next year's 10-minute plays — a tennis racquet!
Compared to last year’s first-ever 8x10 TheatreFest, this year’s 8x10 TheatreFest enjoyed an 11 percent increase in overall attendance. This second-time outing also saw a 19.9 percent increase in single-ticket sales.
Aspiring playwrights can visit the Weathervane Playhouse Web site October 2012 for complete information and play-submission guidelines for the 2013 8x10 TheatreFest.
“Many thanks to all entrants, the volunteer actor/directors and the Playhouse staff for their hard work in making this a wonderful event,” said Eileen Moushey, Weathervane Playhouse’s coordinator of the 8x10 TheatreFest.