10-Minute Playwrighting Contest
Finalists

Lakeshore's 6th Annual contest began last summer when the contest rules were posted on our website. The plays began flooding in from around the world, but most from within the USA. By the November 11 deadline we had received 220 plays. To keep the judge's decisions impartial, the plays were read "blind" (without knowing anything about the playwright) by our committee of seven readers. The committee came together on Saturday, January 16, 2010 to discuss each play and recommended 43 plays as semi-finalists. Each of these was re-read and 20 were chosen for "Read Aloud" day on March 20th. Finally, the best 10 plays were chosen for performance at our Festival in June (see schedule at right).

Thank you to all the playwrights for submitting your work, and congratulations, Finalists!

"Bottom of the Ninth"

by Rand Higbee, Red Wing, MN

 Directed by Sara Kessler

"Decoration Day"

by Roger Barr, St. Paul, MN

 Directed by Doug Dally

"Jury Duty"

by Janet Barnes, Edina, MN

 Directed by Jan Arford

"Killing Time"

by Joe Hendren, Spring Lake Park, MN

 Directed by Joe Hendren

"The Lady and 'The Tyger'"

by Trace Crawford, Hilliard, OH

Directed by Brian Sherman

"Mute"

by Connie Schindewolf, Bradenton, FL

 Directed by Franklin Heller

"Schedule-Meisters"

by Patrick Gabridge, Brookline, MA

 Directed by Claudia Haas

"Splendid, Just Splendid"

by Michael Callahan, Lompoc, CA

Directed by D.W. Surine

"Something Old… Something New"

by Ray Battocchio, Los Angeles, CA

Directed by Dennis D. Joslyn

"Text Misdirected"

by Nina Mansfield, Greenwich, CT
Directed by Caroline DeCoster

6th Annual
10-Minute Play Festival
JUNE 3-6, 2010

A ten-minute play is a streak of theatrical lightning. It doesn’t last long, but its power can stand your hair on end.
— Eric Lane, author of Take Ten

Playwrights from around the world enter Lakeshore's annual 10-minute playwrighting contest every year. The criteria? All submitted plays must be new (never before published or produced at time of submission), no longer than 10 minutes, with no more than five actors and minimal props. Our play reading committee spends months reading and evaluating each play (without knowing the author's identity). The votes are tallied and the field is narrowed to the best 40, then the best 20. We read those final 20 aloud and select ten of the best comedies and dramas to premiere at Lakeshore's Festival. See what all the fun is about at our 6th Annual Festival as directors from across the Twin Cities debut new works on the Lakeshore stage. (Content varies. Some plays may not be suitable for younger audiences.)

Tickets: $12 Regular, $10 Senior/Student

Performances

June 3, Thurs (8 pm)
>Post-show reception

June 4, Fri (8 pm)

June 5, Sat (2 pm)
>Post-show artist discussion

June 5, Sat (8 pm)

June 6, Sun (2 pm)

June 6, Sun (5 pm)
>General admission, pay-what-you-can tickets available at the door