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WODL MINIFEST WORKSHOP 2010

MINIFEST WORKSHOP

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.
What makes Minifest so different, challenging and FUN 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.
The host group provides the set, basic furniture, lights, sound equipment, a Minifest Stage Manager and technical people. Each 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.
First come, first in, except that 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. Call Dee Dee Ingram at 519-686-7688 for further details. Deadline for entries is May 1, 2010, and the 6 selected groups will be announced on May 2 and you will be sent a copy of the script. Unsuccessful groups will have their entry returned.
All budding or established playwrights are invited to submit scripts of original works for consideration in 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. 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 Dee Dee Ingram at the address below or by e-mail, please include your address, phone number and e-mail address.
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.
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.
Whenever possible, Minifest Workshops use original One Act plays specially written for Minifest, and usually the playwright is present to take part in the discussions. This year, the selected play is “Outer Space” by Dan Ebbs, a London playwright and a Reading of his script will take place during Festival in Owen Sound March 15-19.
Minifest 2010 will be in Ingersoll at the Ingersoll Theatre of Performing Arts (ITOPA) July 23 & 24 and the Workshop Leader will be John P. Kelly.
Group entry fee is $100, and should be sent to the
WODL Minifest Workshop Chairman
Dee Dee Ingram
595 Chiddington Place
London, ON N6C 2X3
519-686-7688 - ddingram@rogers.com
(SEE LINK: MINIFEST 2010 - ENTRY FORM)