Let's Write! 2020 - Playwriting contest

Registration opens 15th September. Please sign up to receive Let's Write! - playwriting contest updates.

Let’s Write! is a creative writing contest for children, open to all school children in the Czech Republic. Our goal is to encourage young writers to explore their creative writing skills in the English language. Our goal is to encourage young writers to explore their creative writing skills in the English language.

For the 5th year, Class Acts is running its popular writing contest: and this year we are pleased to announce a  playwriting contest! The winning plays in each category will be PERFORMED by Story Theatre. The shows will be rehearsed during a 3-day weekend workshop in March.  At the end of the weekend, all participants will be invited to an awards ceremony where we will announce all winners AND present the world premieres of the  first prize shows.  Authors of the winning plays will be invited to participate in the weekend workshop in March.  

Themes: 

please choose one of the below topics:

• On a bus: Several characters meet; a problem arises….  
• Fairy tale from another point of view OR another location, for example: Scene told from inside the wolf’s stomachMice footmen on the way to pick up Cinderella (or after they drop her off), ...
• My neighborhood: Something happens in a place you know well in your neighborhood.  What?  Someone falls in love, someone stood up for someone else, someone fell apart. 

How to and rules: 

• Age Categories (age as of January 15th 2020):

1. 8-9yo;
2. 10-11yo;
3. 12-13yo;
4. 14+ 

• Maximum No. of authors on one play: 3
• Must be original work by the authors
• Length: Shows must be a maximum of ten minutes: 1000-2000 words of dialogue (if you are not sure, read it aloud and time it)
• Characters: Minimum of 2, Maximum of 7 speaking characters (can be crowds)
• Setting: Play must take place in one place 
• Genre: can be any genre (comedy, drama, musical, puppetry, etc)

Important dates: 

• September 15th 2019: registration opens 
• November 10th 2019; 15:00-18:00: playwriting workshops; location TBC (Prague 6 or Prague 1) 
• January 15th 2020: Play submission date
• February 15th 2020: Winning plays / shows announcement
• March 22nd; 4pm: Award Ceremony: Afternoon of 10-minute shows:

When writing a play, you need to think about:

• Having a beginning, middle and end
• Create a conflict 
• Characters who we get to know
• Surprise the audience! Don’t give the audience all the answers right away
• Be creative!  Feel free to add songs, craziness.. 
• Don’t try to do too much - it’s most important to keep the main story throughout the play 

All entries must be uploaded onto the website www.LetsWrite.cz by 23:59 January 15th 2020. 

For more information, themes and "how to's", please visit www.LetsWrite.cz. Event is free of charge.

Important dates: 

Story submission date: all entries must be uploaded onto the website www.LetsWrite.cz by 23:59 January 15th 2020.

Winning plays will be selected by: February 15th 2020

Award ceremony and performance of winning shows: March 22nd 2020