Scripts Play Writing Festival

As a theatre graduate I love nothing more than getting involved in any form of theatre I can. So when I found out that my local theatre in Birr would be holding a play writing festival I was uber excited. However I'm missing out on it this year as I'll be in France. First world problems huh? Well since I can't take part myself I got the opportunity to conduct a little interview to help promote this festival and see it grow so that next year I can hopefully take part. Read on below for the interview and for a full programme detail. So tell me about Scripts. How did this festival come into being? Scripts is a collaboration between Birr Theatre & Arts Centre and Jasango Theatre. We have a particular interest in new writing at Jasango and having worked with Emma Nee Haslam at Birr Theatre on a few other projects, we discovered we had a shared interest in the idea of hosting a writing festival. We first talked about it almost three years ago. Then in 2011 we co-produced with Selkie Theatre USA an Irish version of Selkie Theatre's festival of new plays on enviromental themes-"Electric Cow" which appeared in Birr as "Bo Leictreach" It really highlighted the interest there was in new writing. Having conducted audience surveys, the overwhelming result was that there was a growing interest amongst audience and artists for a dedicated playwriting festival which would have changing themes. In January 2013, we began putting together ideas and a committee was formed to work on the festival. A production meeting with committee members, Arts Officer Sinead O' Reilly and Playwright Eugene O' Brien took place and roles were established for all those involved in the festival. Eugene has had a crucial role to play in the development of the festival, advising on the nature of the development process for playwrights and heading the reading/selection panel, acting as a mentor, where he will guide the four selected playwrights through a workshopping process and acting as a judge at the headline event. Similarily so, the festival would never have taken off without the support of Arts Officer, Sinead O' Reilly and Offaly Local Development Company. - What is the ultimate goal of Scripts? The goal of Scripts is to provide a dedicated forum or avenue for new writing for the stage; a festival where new works can be explored and the craft of playwriting can be promoted, celebrated and enjoyed. Scripts provides opportunites for all makers of theatre to come together and take new works on a journey. This journey, on Scripts' first outing has brought over 40 artists together to create; playwrights, actors, directors, facilitators, producers all working towards the goal of creating 7 new plays in 7 fun-filled days! - Where would you like to see this festival go in the next few years? We aim to provide a further path for the development of new theatre works. We are delighted to be collaborating with Listowel Writer's Week in 2014 and we look forward to exploring how Scripts can link up with other literary/theatre festivals. We will endeavor to provide further opportunities for playwrights by providing opportunities to meet and engage with production and dramaturgy departments of professional theatre companies.

We hope to further explore our international links and look at how the festival can have an international presence. We see this festival going from strength to strength over the next 5-10 years . We look forward to expanding our programme, offering more opportunities for production, more workshops, further opportunities for involvement of children and young people, discussions, events and performances as per audience demand. - Any advice for the budding playwrights out there? See as much live theatre as possible and know what works and what does not from that perspective. Give yourself space and time to explore your writing. Keep at it! Keep writing about the things that excite, terrify or amuse you-if the subject makes your blood pump, chances are better that it will be interesting to the reader. Challenge yourself to write x amount a day/week/year-give yourself targets! Get out and about-meeting with other writers and creatives. Join a writing group, attend as many workshops as possible and establish support networks. Research writing competitions, festivals, theatre companies looking for new works-try to find places where you can send your work to. Writing is very solitary and yet theatre is all about collaboration and the melting pot of so many ideas. It can be why actors or directors can make good playwrights- they have an instinct for what works on stage. Learn to take rejections on the chin- it is never personal, grow a thick skin and take all constructive criticism with an open mind. Enjoy it - there is no greater feeling than finishing a play, whether it be 5 minutes or 105 minutes in length. Remember that feeling and let it spur you on! - Do you see the festival growing to showcase full length plays? New musicals? etc We are open to seeing the festival growing and responding to the interests/needs presented by the committee, audience, artists and the general public. We will always aim to find ways in which we can provide the best avenue for the development of new playwriting.

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