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Jay Skriletz Playwriting Initiative
In memory of Jay Skriletz, our first Artistic Director
Stage East is excited to announce the Jay Skriletz Playwriting Initiative. The state-wide competition caters to young Mainers in hopes of providing production experience to early-career playwrights. The winning writer will receive a $1,000 prize and a week-long workshop at Stage East culminating in a staged reading. Lodging will be provided and a grocery and travel stipend are also included.
About the competition:
To be eligible, writers must be between the ages of 16-25 and reside in Maine full-time with preference given to Washington County residents. The winner must also be available April 19th-23rd 2022 for the workshop and staged reading. Submissions are open as of October 1st. Interested playwrights should submit a blind copy of their script as a .pdf file to stageeast@gmail.com with their full name, city of residence, and age in the body of the email. The subject line should read, “Jay Skriletz Playwriting Initiative 2022.” For further information contact Stage East’s artistic director, Mark Macey, at mark@eastportartscenter.org
About the man behind the prize:
Jay Skriletz spent over 50 years passionately involved in the theater. His employment took him from Seattle to Eastport including a position as technical director at Penobscot Theater. With a Mater of Arts in Theater, he was a force in all aspects and genres including Shakespeare, farce, musicals, tragedy, drama and outright comedy. He directed, produced, designed, constructed, acted and sang in show after show. As founding director of Stage East, he elevated the quality of every production he undertook and never let difficulties or challenges become an obstacle to success.
Jay was also a prolific playwright, completing 16 plays, 3 of which were performed locally. His plays reflected his belief that live theater could serve as a vehicle for discourse about important social and political issues. He lived his life in the same manner as a soldier for advocacy and community. He especially enjoyed fostering similar interests and passions in young people. The Jay Skriletz Playwriting Initiative creates a legacy for Jay's contribution to community theater and the arts.
Stage East is excited to announce the Jay Skriletz Playwriting Initiative. The state-wide competition caters to young Mainers in hopes of providing production experience to early-career playwrights. The winning writer will receive a $1,000 prize and a week-long workshop at Stage East culminating in a staged reading. Lodging will be provided and a grocery and travel stipend are also included.
About the competition:
To be eligible, writers must be between the ages of 16-25 and reside in Maine full-time with preference given to Washington County residents. The winner must also be available April 19th-23rd 2022 for the workshop and staged reading. Submissions are open as of October 1st. Interested playwrights should submit a blind copy of their script as a .pdf file to stageeast@gmail.com with their full name, city of residence, and age in the body of the email. The subject line should read, “Jay Skriletz Playwriting Initiative 2022.” For further information contact Stage East’s artistic director, Mark Macey, at mark@eastportartscenter.org
About the man behind the prize:
Jay Skriletz spent over 50 years passionately involved in the theater. His employment took him from Seattle to Eastport including a position as technical director at Penobscot Theater. With a Mater of Arts in Theater, he was a force in all aspects and genres including Shakespeare, farce, musicals, tragedy, drama and outright comedy. He directed, produced, designed, constructed, acted and sang in show after show. As founding director of Stage East, he elevated the quality of every production he undertook and never let difficulties or challenges become an obstacle to success.
Jay was also a prolific playwright, completing 16 plays, 3 of which were performed locally. His plays reflected his belief that live theater could serve as a vehicle for discourse about important social and political issues. He lived his life in the same manner as a soldier for advocacy and community. He especially enjoyed fostering similar interests and passions in young people. The Jay Skriletz Playwriting Initiative creates a legacy for Jay's contribution to community theater and the arts.
Submissions guidelines:
- A playwright’s submission must be:
1. An original, full-length or one-act play with no more than 4 characters unless casting is doubled.
2. Primarily in English.
3. A non-musical. However, plays with limited music requirements are acceptable. - There are no restrictions on subject matter or style, but plays dealing with social justice issues will be given preference.
- A playwright may only submit one play a year.
- Plays that have been professionally produced or published are not eligible. Plays that
have received staged readings, workshops, or have been produced by high schools,
universities, or community theaters are still eligible. - A playwright may submit a previously submitted play if there have been substantive
revisions. - Due to our limited staff size only the first 30 plays will be considered.
- Plays must be submitted blind to stageeast@gmail.com by February 16th at 11:59pm.
- The deliberations of the Skriletz Prize committee are confidential; we do not offer oral or written feedback of submitted work.
Stage East Thirtieth Season Announced
Stage East proudly announces its 30th anniversary season, running fall 2021 to summer 2022, with four full-scale productions as well as a staged reading. The fall opens with Too Much Light Make the Baby Go Blind, an hour-long offering of comedic 2-minute plays. The longest running show in Chicago theater history, Too Much Light received critical acclaim for its off-the-wall sensibility, and expanded with runs in New York City, Montreal, and San Francisco.
Almost, Maine, the season’s winter offering, is composed of romantic vignettes from a fictional town in Northern Maine. The play, which originally premiered at Portland Stage Company in 2004, has garnered over 6,000 productions since.
Pool (No Water), a physical theater piece that explores art, envy, and a brand-new pool, fills one of two spring slots to be followed closely afterwards by a workshop and staged reading of an original one-act by a Maine writer.
The season will conclude with a brand new musical celebrating (and gently satirizing) life Down East.
The slate of shows represents the first full season from the company in 7 years and coincides with the hiring of Stage East’s first staff Artistic Director, Mark Macey. “I look forward to celebrating Stage East’s long legacy while collaborating with the board and the many artists whose talents we depend on to shape our future,” Macey said. “Stage East has and will continue to be a ‘community first’ organization, and it’s my top priority to ensure that those community members who generously donate their time walk away from their experience more fulfilled, more skillful, and more human.”
-Lauren Koss
Stage East proudly announces its 30th anniversary season, running fall 2021 to summer 2022, with four full-scale productions as well as a staged reading. The fall opens with Too Much Light Make the Baby Go Blind, an hour-long offering of comedic 2-minute plays. The longest running show in Chicago theater history, Too Much Light received critical acclaim for its off-the-wall sensibility, and expanded with runs in New York City, Montreal, and San Francisco.
Almost, Maine, the season’s winter offering, is composed of romantic vignettes from a fictional town in Northern Maine. The play, which originally premiered at Portland Stage Company in 2004, has garnered over 6,000 productions since.
Pool (No Water), a physical theater piece that explores art, envy, and a brand-new pool, fills one of two spring slots to be followed closely afterwards by a workshop and staged reading of an original one-act by a Maine writer.
The season will conclude with a brand new musical celebrating (and gently satirizing) life Down East.
The slate of shows represents the first full season from the company in 7 years and coincides with the hiring of Stage East’s first staff Artistic Director, Mark Macey. “I look forward to celebrating Stage East’s long legacy while collaborating with the board and the many artists whose talents we depend on to shape our future,” Macey said. “Stage East has and will continue to be a ‘community first’ organization, and it’s my top priority to ensure that those community members who generously donate their time walk away from their experience more fulfilled, more skillful, and more human.”
-Lauren Koss
Be a Part of a Stage East Production
Do you have an idea of a play you would like to see produced by Stage East? Would you like to direct it? Let us know by sending us a note on the contact page.
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There are many jobs that are essential for the production of a play. Almost all of them behind the scenes. You don't have to have any experience: just a willingness to learn and to put in some hours (depending on the job).
Some of the jobs include: publicity distribution of posters deliver/pickup posters, programs at printers stage management obtaining props placing the props on the stage during the play house management bringing food for the reception selling tickets at the front door lighting design lighting techs running the light board sound effect design sound tech running the sound board directing and producing JUST COME, HAVE FUN, LEARN! Questions? Send us an email. |
Our Mission: “Stage East performs stories for and with the community”
Stage East has been producing three to four plays a year in Eastport, Maine, for more than twenty years. It is an all volunteer organization, and anyone is welcomed to join. Membership is $5 a year. We are always looking for individuals who are interested in the stage: either in front or behind the curtain. If you don't want to take responsibility for a specific position in a production, we can always use people who are willing to put up posters (especially in the surrounding areas), paint scenery, and other tasks. Interested? Talk to us: send us an email.
Season tickets are available by calling 207-853-4650.
Stage East is a not-for-profit 501 c (3) organization, and as such, all donations to Stage East is tax deductible.
Season tickets are available by calling 207-853-4650.
Stage East is a not-for-profit 501 c (3) organization, and as such, all donations to Stage East is tax deductible.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Stage East is a not-for-profit, 501c3 organization. As a volunteer organization we depend on the community continuing interest and support. Eastport and all the surrounding communities have been generous in their support. Community businesses buy ad space in our programs, and this is one of our major sources of funds. In addition, we have two season sponsors providing long-standing and on-gong support. We thank all!
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