New Scripts Garage, June 2023

Every other month, the New Scripts Garage provides three scripts with considered dramaturgical support in the form of either a facilitated Script Circle or One-on-One Dramaturgy Sessions with our Writer in Residence. This short-form residency is ideal for playwrights who have a script that they want to take forward to the next draft in the development process.

Playwrights who submitted their script(s) for this cycle are listed below. 

The six eligible scripts for this cycle and the support they have received are: 

1) A & I by Lim Jun De (Jayden)
Selected for Script Circle

2) I Am Seaweed by Cheryl Ho
Receive 1-on-1 Consultation with Writer-In-Residence

3) The Play of Failure by Huang Suhuai
Receive 1-on-1 Consultation with Writer-In-Residence

4) A Better Life by Titus Hutch Jr Yim Yi Zheng
Receive Written Feedback

5) Disturbed by Dameris Khoo
Receive Written Feedback

6) TTTLWMTAM by Bryan Donovan Sng
Receive Written Feedback

A & I received a script circle for this cycle of the New Scripts Garage.

Before the session, facilitator Lucas Ho, playwright, met with playwright Jayden to lay out the scope of discussion for the script circle. Discussion questions were sent to attendees ahead of the reading, to inform them of what to look out for. 

The script was read in full, by Thomas Lim, Grace Kalaiselvi, Fezhah Maznan, Jo Tan and Neo Hai Bin, with Nabilah Said reading stage directions. Observers at the table were Zulfadli Rashid, Writer-In-Residence and Cherilyn Woo, Director, along with C42 staff. 

After the reading of the script, Lucas facilitated the discussion with the group, with Jayden sharing his process of crafting the script and some of the thoughts he had about the next direction of the script.

After a fruitful discussion, with suggestions for future directions that the script could take, and areas to polish for a next draft, the session concluded with a group photo, commemorating Jayden's first full-length script reading! 

Script Circle Group (From L-R, clockwise): Jo Tan, Thomas Lim, Nabilah Said, Zulfadli Rashid (Big), Ma Yanling, Fezhah Maznan, Neo Hai Bin, Cherilyn Woo, Jadyen Lim Jun De, Lucas Ho and Grace Kalaiselvi.

Because of our current reading capacity, we will only consider the first six eligible scripts that come into our inbox at closing time. These six scripts will be handed over to the team of readers, made up of directors, playwrights, and dramaturgs, who will consider the submissions. Based on the quality of the script, its stage of development, and the writer's needs as expressed in the application form, they will then recommend either a Script Circle or one-on-one dramaturgy sessions with our Writer in Residence. 

The Script Circle will be organised by Centre 42, who will invite actors, writers, directors, and dramaturgs from a pool of artists we have been working closely with on this programme. The scripts receiving one-on-one dramaturgy will be scheduled directly with our Writer in Residence, who will read the scripts and provide detailed feedback in discussion with the writer. Scripts that were not shortlisted will receive written feedback from the reading team and writers are welcome to submit subsequent drafts for future iterations.

This programme prioritises writer development over polish, and aims to get the writer excited to work on the next draft of their script, with a clearer sense of where to go.

Script Eligibility:

• We accept completed drafts of full length plays (at least ~ 60 minutes) in English, or in other languages with translations provided in English. Future editions of the New Scripts Garage may specifically call for scripts in Malay, Tamil, or Chinese.
• We are not accepting straight adaptations of other work (e.g. novels, films), but will accept adaptations with a clear creative, re-inventive, and/or radical approach. 
• At this time, we are not accepting books for musicals, screenplays, or libretti. 

15 May (12pm) - 22 May 2023 (12pm):

• Submission Box is open!  If you have a script you’d like to receive feedback on, complete this form and submit your script during this period.
• Note that scripts are received on a first-come-first-served basis. The Submission Box will close after receiving the first 6 scripts.
   

22 May - 4 June 2023:

• Selection and shortlisting process by reading team.
   

8 June 2023:

• Applicants will be notified of results and/or feedback on scripts.
• Playwrights whose scripts are selected for the Script Circle and 1-on-1 dramaturgical sessions will be contacted to prepare for their respective sessions.
   

26 June 2023:

• Closed-door Script Circle will be conducted for the selected script in this New Scripts Garage cycle.

• To help us understand how best to create a supportive environment for your work in this New Script Garage structure, we will require you to respond to these questions in an application form:

1. Tell us something about the impulse for writing this play.
2. If this play has undergone an earlier development process, please tell us a little bit about it.
3. How do you feel about this draft as it currently stands?
4. What are some questions about the draft (e.g. aspects of craft, theme, story etc) you would like our reading panel to focus on while reading? 
5. What future work do you plan to do on this draft?

• Complete this online application form between 15 - 22 May 2023. Do note that this will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.
• We will only consider and accept one play per writer each cycle. If you had submitted multiple plays in this cycle, only the 1st submission will be considered as eligible.

The reading and selection of scripts will be conducted by a team of dramaturgs, directors and playwrights whom have been intently involved in the development of Centre 42's New Writing Development Programmes and are actively engaged in their practices with new writing development. 

Names of the team for the June 2023 cycle comprises: