Let’s just start with the fact that I’m a theater geek. I was active in the drama club in both junior high and high school (no I never had the leading role in a play) and I go to the theater often. I see Broadway and Off-Broadway, musicals, comedies, dramas —everything. Early in 2014 I finally got a theater-related freelance project. I did social media for an Off-Broadway musical. I wish I could say it was a huge hit, but… That’s showbiz.
Since the show closed I’ve exchanged periodic emails with the show’s creators so when I received an email from one of them it was the content that surprised me. She’d stumbled on a MONSTER opportunity —an anthology and production of monologues and short plays on the subject of monsters, associated with the theater department at Transylvania University. (Who knew that Transylvania University is a liberal arts school in Lexington, KY?)
I thanked her for the heads-up and pondered. Could I do this? Well, I got the email on May 7 so there was no possibility I could write a play and submit it by June 1. Even given endless amounts of time, I’ve never gotten further than initial baby steps in that arena, BUT… what about a monologue?
I let that notion roll around in my head for a few days and then BOOM. I reformulated an idea I’d already planned as a story into the monologue in the voice of monstrous man. Is it good enough to win a coveted spot in the anthology or even get produced? I doubt it. It’s not that I don’t think I did a good job, it’s more that I’m new to this idea of being a playwright while NOT new to open submissions. Does my monologue have snowball’s chance in hell? Maybe a little bit better than that. How about the chance of Dr. Frankenstein escaping the villagers with torches? The more important question is —will I try to write a play for real?
Why ever not. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
It’s funny, I have a friend , also a writer, who’s done a few off Broadway plays including I think a musical last time. I wonder if you’ve ever seen one of his. It really would make it a small world. Gary Morganstein is his name.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
I’ve heard his name related to The Anthem or was it just Anthem? After about 20 years, I discovered that one of my nicer neighbors (elevators chats, etc.) is a Broadway producer! LOL… the world really is very small.
An actor friend liked the first draft so I think I’m heading in the right direction. We’ll see. I just know that open submissions is a great deal like gambling. You are playing LONG odds. That doesn’t mean you don’t try. It also means that any inclination to actually gamble is gone. Why go to a casino when being a fiction writer is a big gamble every day?
Wow…fingers and toes crossed, Candy. I could so see you as a playwright! Go girl 😀
Woo Hoo!
Um, I mean bravo!
I will submit my monstrous monologue and then let it go. If I get into the anthology/show fantastic; if not, I’ll run it as a short story on Candy’s Monsters blog.
You should do it. Spend some time outside your normal and see what you can create. I love attempting stuff like that even when it’s horrible. I even wrote a horrible tragic comedy for my creative writing class not too long ago.
Well… I wrote it and will submit it tomorrow. The deadline is June 2 so I’m getting it off my desk and out into the world now. An actor friend may do a video of it. We’ll see… Now THAT would be fun to share here on Candy’s Monsters blog!