24 HOUR PLAYWRITING COMPETITION RESULTS

Twenty contestants wrote throughout the night in the Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre 13th Annual 24 Hour Playwriting Competition.  The event was held in an Arts and Science Computer Lab on the University of Saskatchewan campus, Saskatoon from 4:00pm Friday, April 30th until 4:00pm Saturday, May 1st, 2010.

An esteemed panel of judges (Heather Inglis, Johnna Wright, Kristen Holfeuer, Joshua Beaudry, Pamela Haig Bartley and Tom Bentley Fisher) read and completed their assessment of the scripts, all of which were written within the 24-hour time constraint.  At the Awards Brunch, held on Sunday, May 2nd at Alexander’s Restaurant, four professional actors (Leon Willey, Matthew Burgess, Clare Middleton and Angela Christie) gave script-in-hand readings of excerpts from the prize-winning plays in each category.

The first prize in both categories (Open and Student) was $500.  There were also second and third place prizes, as well as an Honourable Mention in both categories.  The winners are:

Open Category

1st Prize   Secular by Neil Oliver (Lloydminster)

2nd Prize  Life Owes You Nothing by Dave W. Ouellette (Saskatoon)

3rd Prize   The Prodigal Son by Ken Wilson (Regina)

Honourable Mention       

Xmas Lights by Stephen Sutherland (Saskatoon)

Student Category

1st Prize  Saving Eva Braun by Anthony MacMahon (S'toon)              

2nd Prize The Eternity Project by Shawn Erker (Saskatoon)

3rd Prize  In the Public Eye by Charlie Peters (Saskatoon)

Honourable Mention

Three Short Plays About Death by Jared Berry (Saskatoon)

Major sponsors of the 24 Hour Competition were the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Lotteries, University of Saskatchewan, SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Arts Board and the Canada Council for the Arts.  Local businesses that supported the event include Playwrights Canada Press, Thistledown Press, J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing, 25th Street Theatre/Saskatoon Fringe Festival, Persephone Theatre, Saskatoon Symphony, Live Five Theatre, Nino’s Restaurant, Alexander’s Restaurant, Saskatoon Jazz Festival, McNalley Robinson Bookstore, Grain Magazine, Blackflash Magazine, Broadway Theatre, Top Drawer Dramatics, La Troupe du Jour, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival, CBC Saskatchewan, Tourism Saskatchewan, Sage Hill Writing Experience, Delta Bessborough Hotel, Saskatoon Co-operative Association, Culligan Water Matters, Saskatoon Children’s Festival and the University of Saskatchewan Drama Department.

Rules and Regulations

• Open to all professional and non-professional playwrights.

• Scripts must be written on the premises.  New material only.

• Only one page of notes is permitted on the premises at the start of the competition.

• Entrants are accepted on a first come/first serve basis.

• An entry fee of $30.00 must accompany each application. Entry fees are non-refundable

Registration Forms

Registration forms are available from the Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre, Room 700, Bessborough Hotel, Box 3092, Saskatoon, SK S7K 3S9

Click here 24 Hour Registration Form to print. Mail your registration form or drop it off at room 700, Bessborough Hotel, Saskatoon.

Contact: Sheila Angelstad, SPC Administrator

phone (306) 665-7707
fax (306) 244 0255
email sk.playwrights@sasktel.net