Professional actors and director (Cynthia Uhrich) will help bring the screenwriter’s words to life, which allows us all to learn from a fine piece of work.  Plus, you’ll be entertained at the same time.  It’s edu-tainment!

The Jungle Theater at Lyndale and Lake in Uptown

6:00 – 7:00 pm – social mixer in lobby with cash bar and free appetizers and cake at the break

7:00 – 9:00 pm – staged reading

Tickets $5 to help offset cost of the event.

Metered parking lot right behind the theater.

Presented by Screenwriters’ Workshop. Sponsored by Minnesota Regional Arts Council and Minneapolis Community & Technical College.

7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Call for submissions: short scripts (20 pages or less) OR first 10 pages of a feature script

Please email submissions and questions to Karen Frank at:  frank007 at umn dot edu

Larry says, “I wrote for years in a box, penned in by solitude.  Today, members of a Screenwriters Workshop writing group provide me critical analysis and encouragement.  I write more often and, I hope, with better results because of my relationship with these people.  I will never go back to writing in abject darkness.  But I will most likely continue to mix my metaphors.”

Proof positive that our script groups are doing something right.  Thanks to all our group facilitators and participants as well.  Keep writing!

(Quotes are from our judges – Kathie Fong Yoneda and Pamela Jaye Smith – who were the guest speakers at our workshop on Saturday, April 14th)

Third place goes to BOUNDERS by May Chaplin & John Borowicz

“After reading this script, we had to laugh at the improbability of the characters and plot, but also had to admit that BOUNDERS has the appeal and many of the same elements which made the blockbuster comedy THE HANGOVER such a  huge success. Combining an odd-ball assortment of characters in a survivalist environment while a multi-million dollar business deal and an approaching wedding are at stake is what we call thinking outside of the  box.”

Second place goes to VINDICATION by May Chaplin

“Looking back on one’s life is something we all do – or should do periodically – regardless of how troubling it might be. Henry’s fearful retrospection in VINDICATION recreates two worlds in different times, both of them rich with the strong emotions and deadly conflicts involved on any frontier where different cultures clash. As he tries to make peace with his past, we follow the protagonist’s reverberating reminiscence of pride, love, jealousy, hate, and regret. The writing is sophisticated yet accessible and we think the evocative descriptions would become evocative filmic visuals.”

First Place goes to OLD BONES by Larry Matthews

“Our First Place winner took a risky parallel approach to the storytelling

of this script, giving us two compelling main characters, each facing a

life-or-death situation that ultimately brings them together by story’s end.

We were impressed by the generational appeal of the two protagonists and

the careful layering of the story elements.”

Congratulations to all the winners!  Everyone keep writing and get ready for the 2012 contest.  Remember – all these winners have been long-time writers and members of SWW.  The feedback process really does help so get writing and get to a script group.

Good luck and happy writing!