What is the Minifest Workshop?

     It is a non-competitive workshop weekend, usually held on the last weekend in July every year, in different locations throughout WODL, with the 
WODL General Meeting on the Sunday morning.The aim of the Minifest Workshop Weekend is to give groups a chance to enter a festival without 
the problems of transporting a set, and to let new directors, actors and technicians try their hands at something on a smaller scale than the major competitive festival.

   
   Is that every group does the same one-act play, which is selected by a WODL committee under the leadership of the WODL Minifest Workshop Chairman. 
This committee is also responsible for finding a workshop leader to lead and guide the post play discussions, and also to find a location for Minifest each year. 
Smaller groups are encouraged to try hosting the Minifest Workshop, whereas they may not feel strong enough to host the major WODL Festival.

  
   If there are more than six groups entering, preference will be given to new groups or those who have not recently participated in a Minifest Workshop.  
Because of the two-day format, entries are limited to six groups, with two presenting their productions on the Friday night, and four on the Saturday - 
two in the morning and two in the afternoon after lunch, which is also provided by the host group. Saturday night is wrap-up night, and also includes 
"The Minnies Awards" selected by the festival committee in the spirit of fun. All groups have the opportunity to see all the other productions and to hear 
the workshop leader discuss every production deemed essential to the spirit of the workshop nature of Minifest.

 All budding or established playwrights are invited to submit scripts of original works for consideration in Minifest.
 
  Whenever possible, Minifest Workshops use original One Act plays specially written for Minifest.  The play should have a simple set, one act, run 30 to 40 minutes,  
four to six actors, and present opportunities for varied interpretations or challenges. Usually the Playwright is present to take part in the discussions.
All scripts are welcomed for reading by the Minifest Playreading Committee and you will be notified as to the status of your script once the selection has been made.  
Send manuscripts to Bev Dietrich by e-mail, minifest@wodl.on.ca please include your address, phone number and e-mail address by December 1.

The Host Group provides the set, basic furniture, lights, sound equipment, a Minifest Stage Manager and technical people.

 

Each Theatre Group brings its own props, music and sound effects, costumes and any extra small furniture it wants to use (such as coffee tables, 
magazine racks, plants, etc) and whatever set dressing it feels it can add to the set in the ten or fifteen minutes allowed for set-up.  Time constraints mean that 
basic lighting provided by the host group must be common to all groups, and all groups will use the basic furniture.
It is a wonderful opportunity to see how different directors, casts and crews solve the problems presented by the play chosen, and far from seeing the same 
play six times, you can expect six wildly different productions.

Bev Dietrich 
minifest@wodl.on.ca