Calling All Playwrights: 'Show Us Your Funny' For New Play Contest At Chaffin's Barn

Nashville's Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre "is calling all playwrights to submit your funny!" with the announcement of the Bob Lee Award for Comedy, its first playwriting contest.

According to Martha Wilkinson, artistic director for the historic theatre company now in its 43^rd season, "The late Mr. Lee was a cherished Barn patron, having been a season member since the theatre opened its doors in 1967. Mr. Lee was an avid supporter of all live theatre in the Nashville area, but Chaffin's Barn held a special place in his heart."

Over the years, she explained, Lee never missed a performance and it was not unusual for him to "see shows two, three, even four times."

"In his memory, his support of our theatre, his love of laughter and knowledge of 'what's funny,' we have proudly named our first playwriting contest after him," Wilkinson said.

Lee was well-known as a philanthropist and was involved in the Boys' Clubs of America and was an educator.

"We feel he would be glad to help budding artisans reach recognition," Wilkinson continued.

For more than 20 years, Chaffin's Barn has been producting original scripts and the theatre feels it is most important to develop new playwrights and new works, according to theatre owner John Chaffin. Over the years, Chaffin's has included at least one original script in each season's slate of offerings.

Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theater is now accepting submissions by mail for full length (two- or three-act) comedies (no screenplays, musicals or adaptations).

The first place winning script will receive a $500 cash prize and a full production in the BackStage Theatre. The two remaining finalists (second and third place) will be announced and have the possibility of a staged reading in the BackStage Theatre.

Guidelines for submission are as follows: No screenplays, musicals or adaptations; full-length two- or three-act comedies only; unpublished, original work only. The script may not have been produced and have no rights, royalties or restrictions or received any other playwrighting award in the past two years. The winning playwright may not have been employed by Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in any way in the past five years. Scripts must be rated G to PG-13 and contain no nudity or strong language and be able to be produced on a unit set and have no more than eight characters. There will be a $50 reader/administration fee (you may submit more than one script. However the reader/administration fee is required for each submission).

Please provide two copies of the script. Copies should not be spiral bound or stapled. Submissions should be made in standard manuscript form: this means no discs, no emails. All author information must be on the title page.

Please fill out the entry form located at www.dinnertheatre.com and send it along with your two copies to this address: Bob Lee Prize for Comedy c/o Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre 8204 Hwy 100, Nashville, TN 37221.

Submissions must be postmarked no later than November 15, 2009. Finalist notification will go out in February 2010. First, second and third places will be announced May 1, 2010.

To post a comment, you must register and login.