About 711

The 3rd Annual 711 Theatre Project is the cooperative effort of Grand View University Theatre Department and Theatre Iowa, Inc, parent organization of Theater … for a CHANGE (CHANGE), which will be produced for performances June 5 & 6, 2009 at Grand View University Viking Theatre, 2811 E 14th St, Des Moines, IA.

A little background

The 711 Theatre Project was created a board member of Theatre Iowa, Inc stated she would like to see a one-act or 10-minute play festival in Des Moines. After some thought and discussion, it was decided to add some caffeine into the mix and create a festival where 10-minute plays should be delivered on a deadline (7 days).

There are a lot of short play festivals around the globe - ones where the playwrights submit their plays months in advance. They are perused, judged, critiqued and then only a handful selected for performance. Then starts the rehearsal and production process - lining up directors, auditioning actors, costuming, set-light-sound design, prop wrangling, etc. Finally, after almost a year has gone by from the day the playwrights put the stamp on their submission envelope, the short plays are produced.

The twist

Those other festivals are your “father’s” festival (to steal from an old Oldsmobile ad) … today’s society is rich and vibrant and likes fast things: fast cars, fast food, and fast access to entertainment. And so, the 711 Theatre Project was born.

To our knowledge, this is the only non-juried deadline-driven short play festival in the country. So, hopefully, when you see copy-cat festivals down the line - you will know where it started.

How does it work?

It’s quite simple.

The 711 Theatre Project provides:

• The venue
• The set and basic props
• The lighting plot with one special
• The sound system
• The genre
• The other required elements

Then up to 20 performance troupes will have 7 days to:

• write the script
• design lights, sound, costumes
• rehearse

an 11-minute play that they will perform on one of the days of the 711 Theatre Project. No performance troupe will know they set and lighting plot prior to 7 days before the performance weekend. No script can be written before then, no costumes designed … nada. Only one activity can be done prior to 7 days out - and that is talent recruitment. The performance troupes are able to gather up their playwright, their director, their designer(s), and their actors. Then 7 days prior to the performance all troupes will be introduced to the set and given the lighting plot from which they can create their lighting design.

The 711 Theatre Project is not just a festival - but it is also a competition. Since theatrical mettle will be tested, prizes will be awarded for

Each performance day:

• Audience Choice
• Judges’ Choice
• Best Playwriting (Judges’ decision)
• Best Ensemble Performance (Judges’ decision)
• Best Individual Performance (Judges’ decision)
• Best Direction (Judges’ decision)
• Rising Star(s) (Judges’ decision)
• … and more …

Best of Show

• Best 11-minute play of the competition from whom the Judges choose between all of the above winners.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic new entertainment event in Des Moines. We look forward to seeing you there!