[NEohioPAL]WRITERS! See your work performed!!

[John Busser]

  Are you a writer? Playwright? Screenwriter? How would you like the 
opportunity to see and hear your work performed in an environment of fellow 
writers and actors who can bring it to life? If this sounds like something 
you would like to participate in, then welcome to the DarkRoom.

  What is the DarkRoom? It's a writers workshop that meets once a month 
(always the first Tuesday of the month.) It is sponsored by the Cleveland 
Theater Collective. Our current home is the Orthodox church next door to 
Cleveland Public Theater. We are presently seeking another space to 
accommodate hopefully larger audiences in a setting geared more for 
performing your work. At present it is free to audience members and 
performers alike. CTC however, asks for any donations you may wish to 
provide.

  Here's how DarkRoom works in its present form.

  The DarkRoom accepts submitted scripts (be they monologues, one act plays, 
scene work, short stories, sketches or material of a similar vein) on a 
current deadline of the 25th of the preceding month (for example, DarkRoom's 
upcoming December event will have a script submission cutoff date of 
November 25th.) Scripts must be submitted electronically in Word format or 
PDF (if done in another format please inform us in your email.) The place to 
send the electronic file is:

darkroomplanning at yahoo.com

  If done in this manner, the author can also print out the multiple copies 
needed for the reading. We would prefer this method as it is less 
problematic and easier to work with than scripts submitted by traditional 
mail. We then read the pieces, determine whether the entire piece or an 
excerpt will be done - this is usually a time issue depending on the amount 
of submitted material we get. Although we have done longer pieces, we are 
looking for material lasting anywhere from a minute to 10-15 minutes in 
length. If DarkRoom receives more material than can be reasonably expected 
to be performed in an evening, we will reschedule the overflow pieces for 
the next. The author will be informed ahead of time.

  Once we have received all the works to be performed that month, we can 
cast the actors needed (whether from the author's recommendations or our own 
whims if the author has no input on the matter,) OR the author can take on 
the task of casting the piece should they desire to.  IF possible, we can 
try to schedule at least one read through ahead of time although this is 
depending on availability of both people and space. If a read through isn't 
feasible, meeting before DarkRoom starts works fine for any last minute 
adjustments the author may wish to make, this being a reading only, it's not 
always necessary to rehearse anything, but this is the author's discretion.

  Sign up for performing starts at 7:15 and the DarkRoom goes up at 8pm. The 
first part of the evening is always the reading of the submitted pieces. 
Then a 15 minute break happens. At this point, ANYONE bringing a piece in 
that day may solicit actors to perform your piece in the second half. It is 
a cold reading but still works well given the lack of any earlier rehearsal. 
You may invite anyone to either participate or merely be an audience member. 
In fact, the larger the audience, the better it is for both the actors to 
feed off of and the authors to gauge the reaction your piece gets.

  Authors may submit multiple pieces and we will work with you to cast your 
pieces, but keep in mind the above restrictions of time. Remember this is a 
workshop designed for you to have your work performed. Pieces submitted do 
not have to be finished, nor do they need to be the final version. We are 
providing you an opportunity to run your pieces so that they can provide you 
with valuable feedback. While we do not have an official feedback session 
with the audience, you may wish to solicit responses before, during the 
break or after DarkRoom with individual audience members and/or performers. 
It's really up to you.

  We hope you are intrigued enough to join us each month in the DarkRoom.

  John Busser/Bob Keefe
  Casting Directors

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