New: One Act Play Award

Arnie Johnston and Western Michigan University Undergraduate One Act Play Award
The English Department and Creative Writing Program of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan are pleased to announce an award for a new one act play by an undergraduate student currently enrolled in a college or university in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio or Wisconsin.
The winning play will be presented in a public script-in-hand workshop production as part of Western Michigan University’s New Play Project, a summer festival of new student plays co-produced with the University’s Theatre Department (May 4 – June 24, 2009). The winning playwright will work closely with a production team that includes a director, dramaturg, and two Western faculty members to further develop the play. The playwright will be provided with travel to and from Kalamazoo, a three day-two evening stay to attend rehearsals of the play and its production, meals, and a $500.00 honorarium.
Eligible plays have not been produced or published and are between ten (10) and thirty-five (35) pages in standard playscript format. Upon selection, the playwright must be able to verify current enrollment status and be available to attend rehearsals and production of the play at Western Michigan University.
Submissions must be postmarked no later than February 1st, 2009. Submissions will not be returned. Please send submissions to Dr. Steve Feffer, English Department/Creative Writing Program, Sprau #909, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5331.
Undergraduate and graduate playwrights in Western Michigan University’s Creative Writing Program have numerous production opportunities in collaboration with WMU's Theatre Department and vibrant local theatre scene, as well as participation in the internationally renowned Prague Summer Program. Its graduate and undergraduate programs offer B.A., M.F.A., and Ph.D. degrees, with specialization in choice of four genres: playwriting, fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.
For more information on playwriting at Western Michigan University go to www.wmich.edu/english/creativewriting/playwriting.html or www.wmich.edu/english/creativewriting/

The Arnie Johnston One Act Play Award is named in honor of the recent retirement of WMU English Department Chair and distinguished playwright Arnie Johnston, who began teaching graduate playwriting at WMU in 1975. Arnie Johnston’s plays include the recent Chicago hit Lonesome Losers of the Night and Duets, a newly published collection of one acts (written with his wife Deborah Ann Percy).
For more information on the Arnie Johnston Western Michigan University One Act Play Award or B.A., M.F.A or Ph.D. playwriting at Western Michigan University, please contact Dr. Steve Feffer, steve.feffer@wmich.edu.