|
Official Selection At Prestigious Theatre Festival For Emerging Aussie Playwright
Confirmed as an official selection 'The Pickup' - Sean McIntyre's stunning script for the stage - will debut during the inaugural Melbourne leg of the Short and Sweet Festival to be held November to December 2005.
(PRWEB) October 27, 2005 -- Sean McIntyre's stunning debut script for stage is confirmed as one of a select group of entries granted official selection for Australia's premier theatre festival of its type - Short and Sweet - to be held in Melbourne from 23rd November to 10th December 2005.
To be directed by Caroline Stacey, 'The Pickup' is the first script McIntyre has submitted to Short and Sweet. It will be presented in five performances during week 2 of the festival from 30th November to 3rd December.
Chosen from a record number of nearly 1000 entries worldwide, 'The Pickup' is one of only 30 scripts to secure a much sought after opportunity to be performed at the prestigious Melbourne Arts Centre.
The festival is offering cash prizes of up to $20 000 in various categories.
Mr McIntyre said that he strived to imbue 'The Pickup' with a resonance that would stimulate the actors, director and audience.
"My aim was to present an entertaining story with characters people could relate to," said Mr McIntyre.
"Short and Sweet has created a niche that offers a very unique opportunity to writers to have their work seen", he said. "The chance to be stretched creatively in a challenging new way was too good to miss, so it's a huge achievement".
Each script had to pass through four rigorous rounds of assessment: Story, Theatricality, Maintaining Interest, Character and Dialogue. Readers were experienced theatre professionals in Melbourne and Sydney drawn from every discipline: writers, actors, directors and dramaturges.
Short & Sweet Artistic Co-ordinator Mr Alex Broun said that not only did the number of entries outstrip previous levels, but the quality of entries was a quantum leap on previous years of Short & Sweet.
"By the final assessment stage, plays that averaged seven or over out of ten were then placed on our shortlist", said Mr Broun. "Congratulations to those who made final selection".
Arts Centre Program Manager (Theatre), Ms Carla Hartog, said the final selection of plays were read by Arts Centre staff from a shortlist of 113 entries.
Each play is no longer than 10 minutes and there will be anything from melodrama, romantic comedy and avant-garde to political theatre, gross out comedies and thrillers.
Over the three week festival, ten plays will be staged weekly five times each.
Audiences can experience new works by budding and established writers, and see them performed by emerging and seasoned directors and actors. They will be able to vote on their favourite play after each performance.
All plays entered are still in the running for Short & Sweet Sydney, 2006.
About 'The Pickup'
Energetic, pacy and insightful, 'The Pickup' follows two friends on one last adventure as they hitchhike from Dublin to Belfast. It's a journey that will change their friendship forever.
Exploring the universal theme's of loss, friendship, change and the lonliness of being alone - 'The Pickup' will make you look at life in ways you never thought possible.
'The Pickup' - Written by Sean McIntyre, Directed by Caroline Stacey will be performed in
SHORT & SWEET: TOP 30
Week 2: 30 November - 3 December
http://www.theartscentre.net.au/whats-on_detail.aspx?view=164
the Arts Centre, BlackBox
100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Wednesday - Friday 8pm
Saturday 3pm & 8pm
Tickets: $18 - $24
Book now! Ticketmaster.com.au, 1300 136 166 or outlets
For further information about Short & Sweet and for details of other performances visit,
www.theartscentre.net.au/short&sweet
About Sean McIntyre
Based in Melbourne, Australia Sean McIntyre has been an active participant in Melbourne's thriving arts scene since 1998.
As well as acting, performing and singing in theatre, Sean has produced and written original songs, short stories, screenplays and pieces for the theatre.
Published in a variety of magazines and online environments both in Australia and overseas, Sean continues to write opinion editorials, essays and articles on industries such as the arts, banking & finance and tourism.
Regularly attending www.screenplaymelbourne.com.au, Sean is also a member of the Victorian Writers Centre and www.alliance.org.au.
Sean has also collaborated on and edited screenplays for both short and feature films; most notably for Australia's most exciting up and coming independant director / writer / producer: Matt Norman of The Actors Cafe (www.theactorscafe.com).
As script editor and 1st assistant director on Norman's debut short 'All The Kings Horses', Sean was part of a dedicated and hard working team that brought Norman his breakthrough international award.
Shown at the St Kilda Film Festival, 'All The Kings Horses' won Best Short Film at the 2004 Downunder festival. The team repeated this effort with Normans next short film 'Shank' which made selection in 2004 for 'The Best of the Rest' Tropfest tour (Australia's premier short film festival).
Sean also worked with Norman on his debut feature 'Shackle' as an uncredited script editor. Starring Kym Gyngell and Bert Newton, production commences in January 2006 in Ararat, Victoria.
About Short & Sweet
www.shortandsweet.org
Described by The Sydney Morning Herald as 'the Tropfest of Theatre', Short & Sweet is the biggest ten minute play theatre festival in the world and has helped launched the career of countless theatre professionals.
It is an annual competition where 10 minute plays are submitted from writers around Australia and the world, staged by some of Australia's top directors, actors and technical professionals.
Short & Sweet festivals will be held in Melbourne at the Arts Centre (Nov - Dec 2005) and in Sydney at the Seymour Centre and Newtown Theatre (Feb - March 2006).
Each culminates in a gala finals performance where the 'top ten' plays will vie for awards including Best Overall Production, Best Drama / Comedy / Actor / Actress / Director, People's Choice Award and more.
Prizes include $20 000 in cash prizes and industry related opportunities.
Short & Sweet was conceived by Newtown Theatre (Sydney, Australia) in 2001.
the Arts Centre presents
SHORT & SWEET
The biggest 10 minute play festival in the world!
23 November - 11 December 2005
http://www.theartscentre.net.au/whats-on_detail.aspx?view=67
Event Information:
SHORT & SWEET: TOP 30 23 November - 10 December
SHORT & SWEET: WILD CARDS 26 November, 3 & 10 December
SWEET & SWEET: GALA & AWARDS 11 December, 7.30pm
Pricing
$10 - $35
Venue
BlackBox Theatre, Melbourne Arts Centre
Book now! Ticketmaster.com.au, 1300 136 166 or outlets
For further information about Short & Sweet and for details of other performances visit, www.theartscentre.net.au/short&sweet
For More Information Contact:
Sean McIntyre
Wise Words Media
ABN 60 363 406 503
M: 0011 61 0413 397 441
e: sean.mcintyre AT wisewords.com.au
Alex Broun
Artistic Co-ordinator
Short & Sweet
www.shortandsweet.org
Meredith King
Publicity (Arts Centre, Melbourne) - media releases, media liaison
King & Associates
Tel: 03 9804 7335
E: meredith AT king-hit.com
###
|
