PFP's Great Gay Screenplay Contest Names Semi-Finalists

Twelve entries from Pride Films and Plays' Great Gay Screenplay Contest have been named as semi-finalists and move on to the next round of judging in the contest. The five finalists will be named on September 15, and those five screenplays will be performed as enhanced staged readings (with movement and design elements) by Artistic Ensemble Members of Pride Films and Plays during Gay Film Weekend October 18 to 21 at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago.

We are also excited that the weekend will conclude for the first time with a Queer Shorts Film Program, guest curated by Indie Boots Film Festival, featuring local and international LGBTQ short films.

Full details on Gay Play Weekend, including panel discussions on LGBT filmmaking, will follow when the finalists are announced in September.

Our congratulations go to the screenwriters of the following excellent scripts:

The Bachelors by Rick Kennebrew and Martha Meyer
Barrio Boy by Dennis Shinners
Father Frances by Thomas Ziegler
A Friend of Dorothy's by Jim Piazza
No Simple Highway by Jason Peers
Pete Clancy's Happy Ending by Kevin Sullivan
Radical Morality by Sean Chandler and Gregory Blair
The Ride by The Power Writers
Snowmen by Ethan Steers
Standing Still by Dylan Costello
Upon Broken Wings by Elmer L. Reedy
Visalia by Dennis Nivens
Here are synopses of the screenplays and bios of the screenwriters:

The Bachelors by Rick Kinnebrew and Martha Meyer, Evanston, IL

Based on a true story, The Bachelors introduces us to Bob Neal, a snobby interior decorator who returns to his failing Wisconsin hometown and hires local man Edgar Hellum to help him restore a historic rock cottage. Bob struggles to sustain a business that hides their marriage in plain sight, but the upheaval of World War II and a wealthy rival threaten to separate them forever.

Rick Kinnebrew and Martha Meyer live in Evanston, Illinois and write plays for children as part of their library work. During their honeymoon in Wisconsin, they visited Pendarvis-the inspiration for The Bachelors. Rick's play Rise was read at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago.

Barrio Boy by Dennis Shinners, New York, NY

Barrio Boy is the story of a closeted, sexy, young Latino barber who falls hard for a newly arrived, handsome, and charming Irishman during a scorching summer in a tough Brooklyn hood. These uncontainable desires eventually test the seams of the relationships with his friends, family, and ultimately, the bond between him and the new love in his life.

Dennis Shinners grew up in New Jersey, attended NYU's film school and is a writer, producer, and director of on-air promos who has done award-winning campaigns for Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Spike TV, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, TV Land, and the Oxygen Network. He recently completed two short films, Area X and Go-Go, which have enjoyed both domestic and international festival runs and distribution deals. He wrote Barrio Boy as his feature directorial debut.

Father Frances by Thomas Ziegler, Christianland, Virgin Islands

When a tough Catholic bishop appoints a rookie priest as pastor of a violent, crime-ridden parish, he's sure the young man lacks the cojones to do the job. Turns out he's right. Although unaware of it, his rookie pastor is actually a woman passing as a man. After Father Frances succeeds in turning the parish around, the question remains, did she owe her achievement to being a woman or, as people saw her, a man?

Thomas Ziegler was born, raised, and educated in the Chicago area. He holds a B.A. from Lewis University in Lockport, an M.A. from Northern Illinois, and has had two plays produced off-Broadway, including Grace & Glorie, starring Estelle Parsons and Lucie Arnaz. He later co-authored the HallMark Hall of Fame teleplay of the same title which aired on CBS. Other plays of note include Mrs. Kemble's Tempest, Sundays at Eleven, and Servantissimo. His other screenplays are Say Goodbye to Boris and Subway Series.

A Friend of Dorothy's by Jim Piazza, New York, NY

In the winter of 1967, addled showbiz legend Judy Garland goes missing. Wild
twists and turns have led her to a secret refuge -- the suburban bedroom of a
troubled teenage fan. His family is none the wiser until Judy inevitably misbehaves
and chaos ensues.

Jim Piazza's play collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winner James Kirkwood Jr. launched a writing career that has included best-selling books on film, essays in OUT, The Village Voice, and The New York Times, and a bio of Elvis, "The King."

No Simple Highway by Jason Peers, Los Angeles, CA

When the tragic deaths of Justin's hippy parents leave him an orphan just short of his thirtieth birthday, he and his partner Aaron load up the old family motor home and follow his father's last-planned map on a cross-country adventure exploring the magic of the American highways.

Jason Peers is thrilled that his screenplay has been recognized by Pride Films and Plays. Inspired by the actual cross-country journey he and his partner took in a motor home following the loss of his parents, No Simple Highway was also recently named a semi-finalist for the 2013 Sundance Screenwriting Labs.

Pete Clancy's Happy Ending by Kevin Sullivan, Burbank, CA

Pete is a struggling actor who lands a job on a Saturday morning sitcom for teens, where he falls head-over-heels for his costar, Steve. Before discovering if Steve reciprocates his feelings, Pete must first determine if Steve is even gay. No matter what, Pete's going to get the happy ending Hollywood always promises.

Kevin Sullivan is an Emmy-nominated animation writer who spends his days making dogs, cats, and magical fairies talk for Nickelodeon, and his nights writing screenplays with gay protagonists that seem to flummox his agent. He was born in Stratford, Connecticut and now resides in beautiful downtown Burbank, California.

Radical Morality by Sean Chandler and Gregory Blair, CA

When an openly gay detective is assigned to protect the next potential victim of a serial killer targeting gays, he finds he must battle not only the psychology of the killer, but the defiance of a potential victim as well as his own personal demons. Radical Morality catapults the current destructive themes of homophobia into a suspense-thriller interwoven with a modern love story.

Sean Chandler's past honors for Radical Morality include the Nicholl Fellowship
(Quarter-Finalist), Creative World Awards (Semi-Finalist), and The Square Magazine Screenwriting Contest (Finalist). Other works include Kissing The Frog Prince (Scriptoid Writers Challenge, All Access Screenwriters Competition & The Screenplay Festival Semi-Finalist), and The Pack (Creative World Awards Semi-Finalist). His play At The Flash (co-written with husband David Leeper) won PFP's 2012 Great Gay Play and Musical Contest and is set to have its world premiere in November of 2012. www.seanwchandler.com

Gregory Blair has been active in the arts for many years as an actor, writer, director, and producer. As a writer, Gregory's been represented on stage (Cold Lang Syne, The Last Banana, and Nicholas Nickleby), and in prose offerings such as The Ritual, Little Shivers, and the Stonewall Award-winning Spewing Pulp. His screenplays have garnered lots of attention: currently, Twisted Fortune is in development at 701 Productions, The Gateway is filming in England with Enmar Productions, and Deadly Revisions is filming in the U.S. with PIX/SEE Productions.. http://www.2writers.com/GregoryLinks.htm

The Ride by The Power Writers, Seattle, WA

The Ride is the story of Wyatt, a despondent middle-aged man who moves in with his mother as she "rides" across the country on her stationary bike. Chasing the hope of reuniting with his ex, Wyatt embarks on a real cross-country bike ride. Along the way, he visits zany roadside attractions and meets quirky characters who help him and his mother reconcile and move forward with their lives.

The Ride is written by The Power Writers, a Seattle screenwriter's group that includes the script's four writers, Robin Brooks, Ash Calder, Sue Donaldson, and Bry Troyer.

Snowmen by Ethan Steers, Norwich, NY

Fresh-out-of-high schooler Logan falls in love with a gruff and outdoorsy man several years his senior, causing him to question his dreams and plans for his life.

Ethan Steers hailsfrom the small town of Norwich, NY, and has been writing films for four years. He currently studies film and television at NYU and is enjoying it tremendously. He is extremely interested in the horror genre, but is starting to become increasingly more focused on drama.

Standing Still by Dylan Costello, London, UK

A road movie romance between a pair of gay "living statues" - traumatized ex-soldier Olly and illegal immigrant Hugo - who undertake a journey across the USA together, reluctantly falling in love along the way, despite the deep secrets they hide from each other, secrets that will give them no choice but to stop standing still in their lives.

Native East Londoner Dylan Costello is a screenwriter and playwright - a career path he chose after being inspired by his journals of the madcap 3 years he spent traveling the globe in his youth. His debut screenplay Coronado is currently in pre-production in Hollywood and his first two plays Fresh Meat and Secret Boulevard were produced in London in 2010. His third play, Hello Norma Jeane, most recently was one of five finalists in PFP's 2012 Great Gay Play and Musical Contest.

Upon Broken Wings by Elmer L. Reedy, Cedar Rapids, IA

Upon Broken Wings is a dark, coming-of-age drama centered on three boys-Andrew, dead and in Purgatory; Michael, an angel of God; and Kiernan, who lies in a coma, lost in the wastelands of his own soul. It is a tale of finding courage in whatever form, the possibility of miracles, and an attempt to share three of life's most important lessons-lessons that may help prevent future suicides.

Elmer. L. Reedy shares a home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with David, his partner of 19 years. Elmer works at the Amana Refrigeration Plant in Amana, Iowa. He is an avid D & D player and Democrat-leaning-Independent who also enjoys writing in his spare time.

Visalia by Dennis Nivens, Hermosa Beach, CA

In a 1950s California small town, a high school football coach and a police officer fall in love and face prejudice and harassment. When the coach is falsely accused of being a pedophile, his lover must risk both of their careers and their future together to set the record straight

Dennis Nivens lives in Hermosa Beach, California, where he does boring technical work when the surf isn't pumping. He has freelanced feature articles on outdoor sports and adventure travel to various publications, and was a contributing editor to a surf culture magazine for a period of four years. Visalia is his first attempt at a screenplay.

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