Local playwrights wanted at Sudbury Theatre Centre

Local playwrights and writers are once again being sought out for the third annual Sudbury Theatre Centre Playwrights’ Junction.

STC is continuing this initiative to develop local voices in a workshop environment. A committee of theatre professionals, headed by Artistic Director David Savoy, will select a small group of writers, who will meet weekly in the pursuit of creating and developing new work instilled with a distinct Sudbury texture.

The group will come together in an exploration of the play-making process, experimenting with different methods of inspiration and unearthing local stories, STC said in a news release. Each week, the writers will be given the chance to read their work aloud and discuss it in an open forum.

During the 12-week program, writers will be encouraged to develop a one-act play, and will have the opportunity to see this work read in front of an informal audience in February.

The group will also observe the history of Canadian theatre, and the practice of being a professional playwright. Members have access to a lending library of plays, are visited by guest lecturers and also receive special invites to dress rehearsals of STC's productions.

The Playwrights' Junction allows the development of work by Sudbury playwrights for the first time, taking the necessary steps toward locally written scripts that are ready for production on our country's stages.

The long-term goal of the Junction is for Sudbury writers to stake a place in the larger Canadian theatrical canon. Former participants have gone one to have their plays developed and workshopped professionally in front of an audience.

Junction writers rave about the experience:

“Hearing my work read aloud was definitely a revelation.” - Amanda Darling

“The group discussions were most helpful.” - Michael Shepherd

“I really treasured the different voices in the room and on the page.” – Lara Bradley

“I’ve grown as a playwright and also have many resources to contact if I get ‘stuck’ in the writing...This has been an amazing period of growth!” – Paulette Dahl

“My experience with the Junction was thoroughly rewarding, exciting and encouraging - a real confidence booster!” – Lisa Coleman-Brown

“I did grow as a writer, no doubt about it.” – Mike Stinson

The workshop will be led by STC Playwright-in-Residence, Matthew Heiti., who holds a bachelor's of fine arts degree in acting from Ryerson University and a master's in creative writing from the University of New Brunswick.

His plays have been workshopped and produced across the country. A Genie-nominated screenwriter, his first novel, “The City Still Breathing”, will be published by Coach House this fall.

Deadline for submissions is Sept. 16, 2013. Selected playwrights will be contacted by Oct. 1. The workshop will meet Monday evenings beginning Oct. 7, for 12 weeks.

Submissions should include:
- a cover letter with contact information, a short bio, and a statement of what you hope to gain from the Junction experience.
- a maximum of five to 10 pages of written work (preferably material written for the stage, but fiction/non-fiction/poetry/screenplays are also acceptable)

Packages can be emailed to [email protected].