RealDeal Theatre calls for submissions of 15-minute sitcom scripts

Posted by Judy Darley

February 3, 2010

Rehearsal © Hazel Dunlop

RealDeal Theatre is looking for six 15-minute sitcoms for Sitcom Saturday, a professionally directed and acted script-in-hand rehearsed reading, open to the public.

A director is allocated to each of the selected scripts and the directors then liaise with the writer or writers before a casting session, rehearsal and the performance on Saturday June 12th 2010.

The window for submissions is during the month of March 2010, so entries should be emailed to scripts@realdealtheatre.org.uk between Monday March 1st and Wednesday March 31st 2010 only. No entries will be accepted outside these dates.

Entries are welcome from anywhere as long as the writers can liaise with the directors beforehand. Writers must also attend the June public rehearsed reading in London. Writers must be 16 years or older. There is no upper age limit, and no fees for any writer taking part.

The idea for Sitcom Saturday came from playwright and gag-writer Alice Josephs. She says: “Having had two plays put on, I’m keen to introduce other writers with promising scripts to the production process as well as giving them an opportunity to see their sitcoms in performance.”

Sitcom Saturday provides a truly interactive as well as collaborative experience, offering a taster of the production process and what it’s really like working with a director. Following the public rehearsed readings, there’ll be the opportunity for the audience to give feedback, enabling the participating writers to improve their work further.

Writers who have benefitted from the scheme previously include Michael Brandon, whose sitcom script Surveillance was performed by actors Alistair Findlay, Vanessa Curtis and Hannah Crighton, directed by Dan Chasemore.

Alice says: “Previous writers also have the opportunity to submit a second episode and, if we think it is of a standard, we put it on, although we keep the majority as sitcom scripts and writers new to the event.”

The script-in-hand rehearsed readings will take place at Westminster Reference Library, 35 St. Martin’s Street, London WC2H 7HP, just off Leicester Square.

For further information, please visit http://realdealtheatre.webs.com/events.htm