Thursday, September 18, 2008

Puppet Playwriting Contest Guidelines

Tell us a story and we'll turn it into a puppet show!
The deadline for the 4th Annual Puppet Playwriting Contest is Feb. 28, 2009.
Whew! That's a long way off, but not too soon to start thinking about it.

The Rules

  • Students in 3rd through 6th grades in the Tri-state area are eligible
  • One author per story
  • Title page -- include your name, age, address, phone number, email address
  • Put your name on each page
  • Make up your own characters and stories -- no Sponge Bobs or Disney!
  • Write neatly or use a computer printer
  • Draw pictures, if you like, of the characters and settings (you don't have to)
  • Deadline: Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009
  • Submitted plays become the property of the Fever River Puppeteers Inc.
  • Winners will be asked to submit a photo to be sent to local newspapers
  • Send stories to:
Puppet Playwriting Contest
c/o 362 E. Main St.
Benton, WI 53803

Here are some helpful hints:

  • Characters: Your story needs a hero or a heroine (the good guys) and it needs a villain or two (the bad guys)
  • Setting: Where are they? What time or year is it? A tropical island? A space ship heading for Mars? An ice cave under the North Pole? A castle in ancient Scotland?
  • Plot: Suddenly, something happens! What will your hero do? What does the villain do? Don't just make them talk. Make them do stuff.
  • Ending: How does it all turn out?
  • Drawing pictures even before you write is a good way to figure out a story.
Sometimes we have a couple of winners and we'll put 2 or more stories together. One year, "the Story of Bossy the Cow" was the only story we used. 
We have lots of marionettes that we can use to create the show, even if we make some new costumes. The first year, we liked a story about a kangaroo that got loose in a store overnight, so we had to make a kangaroo. Last year, we were intrigued about a volcano.
We will have workshops this winter at the Hazel Green Opera House to get you started writing stories.
If you have any questions, send us an email.

Have fun!





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