Question about play for a competition

[The_Ink_Goddess]

I'm applying to the competition detailed here - http://www.youngplaywrights.com/.

However, I have a general question. I've written a play of about 42 pages, so it's around 45 minutes (some of the writing is quite "dense", if that makes sense.) Is that too short? Because they say there are no rules (read: it can be any length I want), and I read somewhere that a girl won with a "one-act play" one year. I don't know how common this is. I could extend my play a little, but do you think it will be fine at the current length? Will the shortness put me at a disadvantage, as they only produce a few plays and may be looking for more time-filling productions?

There are also only 4 characters. I could pad this out a little more too, but not by much - 6 would probably be the limit. The photographs on their website suggests that they usually look for bigger-cast productions. Do you think this would be a problem?

Also, another question: I'm in the UK. I was going to apply anyway, because it doesn't say that you have to be a US citizen, but do you think this would be a problem? (I was going to throw caution to the wind and do it anyway, because what have I got to lose, but I wondered if anybody had any words of advice...?)

It's okay if you don't know anything about the specific contest -- a general answer would be great :)

[Maryn]

There's nothing wrong with a 45-minute play, whether it's a one-act or not, in a playwright contest with no rules about length. So I would not pad it just to bump it up to full-length.

However, if you are able to expand it in a meaningful way into a full-length three-act by the deadline, that might be to your advantage. I would guess--and it's only a guess--that they'll be receiving far fewer full-length scripts than short plays.

My understanding is that minimal cast requirements are increasingly popular. Actors, especially members of Equity (the stage actors' union) are a big factor in production costs, so if four works, stick with four. Like adding content, don't add characters just to pad. Add them only if they improve the work enough to be worth their cost.

If the contest is open to entries from all over, your living in the UK won't be a problem. Be especially careful to mimic American English if you've set it in the US, of course. The worst-case scenario regarding location might be that you win, they produce it, and you are unable to come to rehearsals, miss opportunities for minor rewrite, and never see it in production.

Maryn, wishing you luck

[The_Ink_Goddess]

Thank you, Maryn :) That was a great help and comfort.

[mscelina]

I've worked several new play festivals and competitions in the past both from the writing aspect and from the theatrical one as actor/director/technical director and in my experience, usually contests like this don't discriminate between one-act plays and full-length behemoths. On top of that, if you only require 4 characters to set the story on the stage then for God's sake don't add more characters to it!!!! One of the biggest reasons plays are discounted from these competitions is because of extra characters that don't forward the action of the plot.

Best of luck to you.

[alleycat]

Maryn is probably right that there are fewer three-acts plays entered, but if I were entering the contest I would do a one-act play. I didn't look, but you might be able to find the previous years winners; that might give you a clue as to what they prefer.

It looks like a fun contest (plus, no entry fees!). I wish I could enter (alas, I'm too old).

Good luck with your entry. If you happen to write short plays, consider entering the National Ten-Minute Play Contest (dateline is usually in October). I have one in this year's contest.