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Why Submit to Slackline Cyberstories? Five Good Reasons…

Why Submit to Slackline Cyberstories?

The world is in crisis. Everyone seems to be pushing the extremes – either completely melting down or pumping out so much online creative content that you almost wonder if they hadn’t predicted the future several months ago. So why submit to Slackline Cyberstories, an unpaid opportunity, run by a tiny theatre and production company?

We have five good reasons (and could probably come up with many more!) Read on…

1.) Slackline Cyberstories is not just another “put a monologue online” contest

Wait! Before anyone takes that the wrong way… We’re not saying there’s anything wrong with all of the monologues and other creative content that people are putting online at the moment. Actors need to act. Playwrights need to write. And thank you to anyone and everyone who has picked up their guitars and sung us a cracking parody coronavirus song. Our own founder, Kristin, is plank- and squat-challenging daily on Instagram to channel some of the energy she normally spends coaching triathlon in her side job. We get it!

But Slackline wanted something different for Slackline Cyberstories. We’re carefully reading and re-reading (and re-reading!) submissions. Our chosen weekly script is being assigned to (fanatastic) actors and directors, who are rehearsing them and working together to ensure that the script comes together in a way that the playwright can be proud of, virus or no.

2.) Building a community

One of Slackline’s filters when it comes to developing projects is: will it build community? At the moment, despite all of the Zoom calls, it feels like we’ve lost something when it comes to the theatre and film community. We strive for every project to connect theatre makers who might not otherwise connect and Slackline Cyberstories is no exception. We want to meet playwrights who we haven’t met and stay in touch with those we have. And we promise to promote their work like crazy.

3.) Championing female playwrights

Despite promises for gender parity, female playwrights still aren’t being programmed to the degree that their male counterparts are.

Though having a piece on stage or online with Slackline doesn’t quite add up to being staged at the National, we are committed to doing our part to get female playwrights’ work seen. Working with us leads to connections with other strong women in the industry and had led to exciting connections beyond a Slackline production.

4.) Committed to working with female directors and highlighting strong roles for women aged 35+.

Additionally, Slackline is committed to working with fantastic up-and-coming female-identifying directors and actresses aged 35+. These are further areas where we have identified that the balance needs to be redressed.

Women’s stories don’t become less interesting when they become 35, but sometimes it feels like the world thinks they do. Slackline looks for strong roles for women over 35 – roles that are funny or flawed or fierce or all of the above… just like the real women who write, direct and play them.

5.) Slackline will not always be tiny

Slackline may be tiny now, but look out! As our community builds, so do our plans, our stories and so does our reach. When you submit to Slackline Cyberstories, you’re becoming a part of our growing community of female-led theatre and it’s going to be awesome.

Words have power… we’d love to read yours!
#wildwomenunite #femaleledtheatre #redressthebalance

For more about working on a Slackline project, read the brilliant Rebekah King’s blog about being a playwright on our recent Slackline Stories (Part Deux).

To see Slackline Cyberstories in action, visit us on YouTube!

Call for Submissions – Slackline Cyberstories

Slackline Cyberstories- Call for Submissions

Call for submissions! We’re looking for submissions again…  This time, we’re seeking your best monologues or two-handers…

Send us either:

– a short monologue (2-3 minutes), featuring a strong female-identifying character aged 35+

or

– a short two-hander (5 minutes) which will be filmed virtually and embraces that (two actors will not be in the same room, so use that in your storytelling), also featuring a strong female-identifying character aged 35+

We’re looking for:
  • Playwrights who identify as female
  • At least one character aged 35+ who identifies as female
  • Work that sticks to the above time constraints!
  • Great stories- the plays don’t have to be political, nor do they have to be female-only. We love an uplifting story, even if the content is sad/dramatic/difficult. We also love things a bit quirky!

 

What happens next:

If your monologue or play is chosen, we will match it up with an actor to perform it. Slackline will virtually rehearse the work with the actor, record it, then feature it on our YouTube channel.

These plays will be promoted with the same gusto that we promote our live productions- Slackline Productions will do our best to get your name out there and encourage as many people as possible to see your work.

Call for Submissions Deadline:

We will choose one play every Wednesday, starting 25th March to be aired the next Wednesday. Please note that submissions will roll over to the next week, so no need to re-submit!

Our first piece will hit YouTube on 1st April. We plan to air a minimum of six monologues/plays (our typical Slackline Stories programme), but will keep going if amazing work comes our way (especially if we stay stuck inside)!

Send submissions to: submissions@slacklineproductions.co.uk

~~~~~~~~

Slackline Productions is committed to highlighting and celebrating female-identifying playwrights and directors, especially those writing strong roles for women 35+ (and we won’t let coronavirus stop us from doing that!!) We look forward to reading your work!

#wildwomenunite #womensupportingwomen #femaleledtheatre #femaleplaywrights #over35 #spreadlovenotgerms

Playwrights Announced for Slackline Stories (Part Deux)!

We did it! We were finally able to choose the final playwrights for Slackline Stories (Part Deux), though we couldn’t manage to get down to only six…

So without further adieu, here are the six seven playwrights that will be participating in our 24-hour play writing challenge!!

You can find more information and buy tickets here!

~~~~~

Slackline Stories is back… with a twist!

Slackline Stories (Part Deux) will still showcase the best new short plays, written by female playwrights, directed by female directors, and featuring at least one strong female character aged 35+, but this time they will be written, rehearsed and ready to perform in just 24 hours!

Join us for the adventure and see what happens when six new plays come together featuring a group of brilliant playwrights, directors, actors… and very little sleep.

Slackline Stories is being held this year on 8th March, International Women’s Day 2020, to celebrate the amazing women that Slackline has worked with thus far, and to highlight their ongoing quest to redress the gender balance in the theatre.

Slackline Productions is a female-led company, championing the work of female actors, playwrights and directors and interested in work with strong roles for women aged 35+. In their first year as a company, they received an OffFest nomination for Best Short Run for their work at Camden Fringe festival and produced the highly-regarded first edition of Slackline Stories, featuring six female-driven short plays.

#wildwomenunite #EachforEqual #IWD2020

Slackline Stories Call for Submissions

Tickets now available from Southwark Playhouse!

Thank you for your interest in submitting for Slackline Stories (Part Deux). Submission limit has been reached and submissions are now closed.

Slackline Stories is back… with a twist!

Slackline Productions is now accepting submissions for Slackline Stories (Part Deux), a new writing night to be held at the Southwark Playhouse in London on 8th March, 2020 in honour of International Women’s Day. 

For our second new writing night, we’ll still showcase the best new short plays, written by female playwrights, directed by female directors and featuring at least one strong female character aged 35+, but this time, they will be written, rehearsed and ready to perform in 24 hours!

How to submit:

Send us a short play (10-15 minute plays or excerpts of plays), that highlights who you are as a playwright or best showcases your style. Bonus points for stories that feature a strong female-identifying character aged 35+!

From there we will choose six playwrights to join us on the 7th March to start the 24 hours of madness and fun! 

We’re looking for:
  • Playwrights who identify as female
  • 10-15 minute plays or excerpts of plays to show us your writing style
  • Someone who likes to work on the fly and has a sense of adventure!
  • Great stories- the plays don’t have to be political, nor do they have to be female-only. We love an uplifting story, even if the content is sad/dramatic/difficult. We also love things a bit quirky!
IMPORTANT! How the event will work:

We’ll meet up on the night of the 7th March, when playwright/director/actor teams will be assigned. Each playwright will be assigned just two actors, including one who is 35+ and female, so love of writing for a small cast is helpful. 

*PLEASE NOTE: you MUST be available from the evening of 7th March- the evening of 8th March to be eligible.*

After meeting with your team and getting to know each other a bit, you’ll head off to write your short play script overnight, with rehearsals starting in the AM. Actors and directors then have until 7pm to get the show on it’s feet and it will be presented before an audience at 7pm! Woohooo!

Deadline:

We will accept submissions until 8th February or until we have 150 submissions, whichever comes first, so don’t delay! 

What you get:

  • Time in the rehearsal room with actors and a director
  • Your script performed for a friendly audience
  • Written audience feedback to be collected by Slackline on the evening
  • A fun way to further challenge yourself as a writer and work with a director and actors on your script
  • The potential to R&D your script further with Slackline to lead to a longer production run

 

Submissions:

Please send submissions to submissions@slacklineproductions.co.uk. Subject: Slackline Stories Submission with your name, but please leave your name off of the actual script. 

We can’t wait to read your work! 

Slackline Casting Announcement!

Slackline Casting Announcement, The Werewolf of Washington Heights

Slackline Productions is thrilled to announce that we are casting for The Werewolf of Washington Heights at The Cockpit for this year’s Camden Fringe!

The Werewolf of Washington Heights is a New York City-based play, taking place in the not-so-distant future. In turns a family drama, a political statement and a surrealistic movement piece exploring the story of the Wild Woman archetype, ‘Wolf’ tells of a teenager gone missing and a family gone mad.

Slackline Productions brings ‘Wolf’ to London for its international debut, featuring an all-female cast.

Good physicality required for all roles except Imogene, with physical theatre or dance experience preferred for some roles.

Workshop audition by invitation, 6th July in London.
Table read, late July/early August, TBD.
Rehearses days: 5th- 9th August, 12th-17th August, Central London.
Tech 19th August, 12-3pm.
Performances, 19th-23rd August, 9pm at The Cockpit.

Pay: £425 flat fee, all performers except Nasreen (see below).

Please read role descriptions carefully. To apply, email info@slacklineproductions.co.uk, with “Casting, WOLF- character name” in the subject line. We look forward to hearing from you!

Character Breakdowns:

Izzy Tresidder
Mary’s mother, late 30s, Jewish/White.
An earthy, easy presence, but a face fully of worry. An ER nurse and mother of twins, one of whom has gone missing. American accent. (Already cast- breakdown for character reference only) 

Violet Corona
Izzy’s wife, late 30s, Dominican.
Striking with a rock-n-roll vibe. Has a secret that she keeps to protect Izzy, but Izzy’s suspicions threaten to tear their relationship apart. American accent with slight Dominican lilt.

Delia Bumba
TV Reporter 30 – 60, any appearance. Perfectly manicured and in a skirt suit.
Constantly in search of the story that will be her big break. Hopes that the story of the missing Mary will unearth secrets to get her that break. American accent preferred.

Amira Kilo
Camerawoman 25 – 45, Iranian.
She’s sweet-faced with an air of take-no-shit. Delia’s long-suffering cameraperson, she calls Delia out on her BS. Her speech has a slight Iranian accent.

Junie Dorsey
Neighbour, 35 – 55, African-American.
She is a bold, confident presence with a knowing-smile. She’s lived in the building and the neighbourhood forever. Says it like it is and knows more than she lets on. American accent.

Trudy Tresidder
Mary’s aunt, early 40s, Jewish/White.
Attractive, confident, with an inappropriate swagger. Has her own secrets and her own motives. American accent.

Maggie Tresidder
Mary’s sister, 17, Mixed race Caucasian/Jewish-Dominican.
The “bad” twin, and the one left behind to pick up the pieces when her sister goes missing. American accent.

Imogene Tresidder
Mary’s grandmother, 65 – 80, Jewish/White.
“She’s wearing a flowing moo-moo. Her hair is an electric mess. But her eyes, they’re clued in.” Imogene is treated as crazy and shunned by her family, but does she know more than anyone? American accent.

Nasreen Alvi
Attorney, 30 – 40, Pakistani.
She is a calm, controlled presence in the middle of chaos. The eye of the storm. American or Pakistani accent. Supporting role, will be required for less rehearsal time. £250 flat fee.


The Werewolf of Washington Heights was born of the tenets of NYC’s Carnival Girls Productions, which align very closely with presenting company, Slackline Productions:

~ We believe women should be as interesting and diverse on stage as they are in real life.

~ We believe female artists of all disciplines should be encouraged, supported and championed.

~ We believe our audience is smart and hungry…

~ We believe in bearing witness and raising our voices.

~ We believe we are the ones to write the story of our own lives, history and future.

~ We believe in lifting each other up.

~ We believe in sisterhood, motherhood and humanity.

~ We believe the time is now.

#wildwomenunite #thetimeisnow

Slackline Stories- Our Fabulous Directors!

 Introducing the directors of Slackline Stories, six short new-writing plays being performed at Southwark Playhouse on 26th May…

 

Megan Stewart

Megan is directing Vitesse by Laura Jayne Ayres.

Megan is a Scottish director, producer and actor, who has operated across New York and London. Her time in NYC included work with the Kraine Theatre, the Downtown Urban Theatre Festival, and the Scranton Shakespeare Festival. Former productions across the UK include Scrooge; Jesus Christ Superstar; Joseph; and S’Warm. In 2018, she directed Martin McDonaugh’s The Pillowman in London, and wrote and directed black comedy Nine Lives at the Edinburgh Fringe,in association with The Kings Players. Additionally, she is co-founder of These People Make Pictures, most recently producing The Sea starring Anna Friel and Russell Tovey. In 2019 we will see her working as Assistant to the Live Performance Directors, on dotdotdot’s immersive theatrical production of, The War of the Worlds.  

 

Júlia Lévai

Júlia is directing Final Proof by Alina Rios

Júlia is a theatre director from Hungary currently training on the MA Directing course at LAMDA. Julia has recently directed a revival of Chris Thorpe’s There has possibly been an incident which premiered in York and later been invited to be part of a festival at Blue Elephant Theatre in London. She is passionate about finding the possibilities of texts which are complex, confusing, and have the ability to reflect with on the world around us.

Callie Nestleroth

Callie is directing Bats by Rebekah King

Callie is a theatre maker, director, and script  reader from the Washington DC, now based in London. She is Artistic Director of The Heroine Chronicles, where she has directed Social Media Suicide (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2018), Oh Heroine How I Love You! (touring London and NYC Libraries), and currently developing new projects Dreaming Real and Why We Love Dead Women.  She is a member of the 2018/2019 SDCF Observership Class and assisted on Diana, A New Musical directed by Christopher Ashley at La Jolla Playhouse. Training: MFA Royal Central School of Speech and Drama; Advanced Directing at the National Theater Institute.

 

Lou Corben

Lou is directing Edge by Emily Brauer Rogers

Lou studied Drama at the University of Lincoln, graduating in 2010. In 2015 she founded Marvellous Machine Theatre Company, which specialises in inventive, homegrown ensemble-devised theatre. Marvellous Machine’s first production, The Tiger’s Bride was described as “a plush and captivating take on one of Angela Carter’s famously subversive fairy tale retellings [with] luxury enough to sink into” (Daily Info), “atmospheric, beautifully choreographed”, “Magical, amazing, full of joy” and “Gaspingly good. So, so tender” (audience comments). She has recently completed the first run of an adaptation of Orlando by Virginia Woolf alongside a diverse company of LGBTQIA+ performers and creatives. The production included live music and foley, shadow puppetry, dance and movement. The company also hosted discussions with LGBTQIA+ academics from Oxford University and the show also raised over £450 for Say It Loud Club, which supports LGBTQIA+ refugees. As well as producing and directing shows for Marvellous Machine, Louise also creates props, puppets and costumes, and designs graphics for marketing. Audience comments about Orlando include “Witty, inspiring, moving, musically smashing” and “I’m uplifted by the whole experience – buzzing in fact!”. Newbury Weekly News said that ORLANDO “succeeds in teasing out provocations within Woolf’s story… [an] intriguing, thoughtful production.”

 

Ruby Etches

Ruby is directing Not Real Sausages by Hannah Sowerby

Ruby is a Director, Actor and Theatre Maker from Bristol and based in London. She trained as an actor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and since then formed her company; Theatre63. She directed their show Cockroached which toured around several fringe venues across the country and at The Pleasance Courtyard at the fringe. It was nominated for the NSDF Edinburgh Award. Most recently she Assistant Directed at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

 

Franciska Ery

Franciska is directing Chick. by Elle van Lil

Franciska is a Hungarian theatre and opera director and performance maker with a First Class BA in English and Drama from Queen Mary University of London and a Distinction MA in Performance Making from Goldsmiths University of London. Her solo work investigates the connections between accent and national identity, and she often works with surtitling and live captioning. Recently she has worked with the National Opera Studio, Fulham Opera and the Royal Academy of Music. She is looking forward to working with Longborough Festival Opera.

Credits as director include: Chick (Southwark Playhouse), Asking For A Raise (Space Theatre), Reboot: Shorts (Bunker Theatre), Calenture (Above The Arts), Trapped (Cockpit Theatre), SE1 (Young Vic Platform)

Tickets for Slackline Stories are available here. See you there!

Slackline Stories Playwright Bio #6

Slackline Stories Playwright, Laura Jayne Ayres

Last but not least, this is Laura Jayne Ayres!

JLaura is an actor and playwright from Leeds, based in London. Her short plays have been performed at the Southwark Playhouse, The Pleasance and The Lion and Unicorn Theatre. She is currently expanding her short play Consolea into a full-length piece about young widowhood.

We are so ecited to see Laura’s beautiful play, Vitesse, one of six plays chosen from over 140 entries to be performed at Slackline Stories on 26th May at the Southwark Playhouse, London!

Tickets available here: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/events/slackline-stories/

Slackline Stories Playwright Bio #5

Slackline Stories Playwright, Emily Brauer Rogers

 

EMILY BRAUER ROGERS’ credits include two full-length plays that were produced at Hunger Artists Theatre Company as well as two collaborations produced as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Her screenplay, Romeo, Juliet and Rosaline, was optioned by Amazon Studios. She has been published in a Smith and Kraus anthology, 161 Monologues from Literature and in Kids’ Comedic Monologues that are Actually Funny. Emily has had short plays read and produced in Australia, San Diego, New York, Colorado, Missouri, North Dakota, Indiana, Los Angeles and Orange County. She’s currently a member of the Dramatists Guild and Writers Guild of America.

Excited to announce that Emily’s play, Edge, is one of six plays chosen from over 140 entries to be performed at Slackline Stories on 26th May at the Southwark Playhouse, London!

Tickets available here: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/events/slackline-stories/

Slackline Stories Playwright Bio #4

Slackline Stories Playwright Elle van Lil

Elle van Lil is a Belgian/Dutch writer and actor, trained at Mountview and the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp. She’s had work on at Theatre503, Tabard Theatre and The Bunker Theatre, as well as abroad in Belgium, the US and Canada. She created work for the Institute for the Blind in Antwerp, and is currently working on a production for the National Haemophilia Society in Belgium.

What happens when the stage is shared by two slightly deranged women and a raw chicken?

Come see when Elle’s play, Chick., is performed as one of six plays chosen from over 140 entries at Slackline Stories on 26th May at the Southwark Playhouse, London.

Slackline Stories Playwright Bio #3

Slackline Stories Playwright, Alina Rios

Alina Rios spent the first part of her life in St. Petersburg, Russia, and now lives in Seattle.  She is a published author and the Editor-in-Chief of Bracken Magazine.  She discovered playwriting in 2017 and had her first short production in 2018, in London with the Founding Fall Theater. Her short plays have since been produced on both sides of the Atlantic.  She has also studied writing for theater with Simon Stephens. More at alinarios.com.

Come see Alina’s play Final Proof, one of six plays chosen from over 140 entries to be performed at Slackline Stories on 26th May at the Southwark Playhouse, London.

Tickets available here: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/events/slackline-stories/