How Should It Look?
(Basic Format)
The Dead Orange
(A play in 10-Minutes)
by Geoffrey Grape
Cast (List of characters) (Character names in bold and capitals)
MR ORANGE Greengrocer, 40s (short description of character if desired)
MRS ORANGE The Greengrocer's wife, 40s
MARMIE An orange stealer, 20s
Setting (Where the play takes place)
A suburban greengrocer shop.
(KEEP YOUR SETTING SIMPLE - Remember we may do several plays
on the same stage in one night. Keep props and set to an absolute minimum. Only specify props and set if they are absolutely crucial to the action of the play. If not just list where the play is set - as above - and let the director decide what they require to effectively stage the play.)
Time (Past, present, future. Time of day, day of week - if desired)
The Present. Thursday. Lunchtime.
(NO INTRODUCTORY NOTES REQUIRED: We don't require
a synopsis of your play. Let your play speak for itself. If you want to include notes, synopsis or an outline, make sure you keep them very brief.)
The Dead Orange
(Stage Directions in CAPITALS or Italics - you choose)
A RUN DOWN GREENGROCER'S SHOP IN SUBURBAN SYDNEY. (More comprehensive description of setting if desired.)
IT IS LUNCH TIME AND AS USUAL THE SHOP IS EMPTY. MR
GREENGROCER AND MRS GREENGROCER (whenever you refer to the characters in the stage directions it should be in bold) ARE TRYING TO KEEP THEIR FAMILY BUSINESS ALIVE BUT THEY ARE FAILING. (Give us some background on the story if you like but keep it concise and brief.)
(Indent the stage directions to denote when the action of the play begins.)
AS THE LIGHTS COME UP MRS. GREENGROCER IS CHECKING THE
ORANGE STAND. MARMIE, THE ORANGESTEALER, ENTERS. HE IS DRESSED IN A GIANT ORANGE COSTUME AND HAS AN ORANGE GLOW ON HIS FACE. (Give a brief description of the characters costume or appearance if you feel it is vital, but again keep it brief and concise.)
MRS GREENGROCER: (PICKING UP AN ORANGE) Is this the last?
(Stage directions contained in the dialogue should be in parenthesis and either in CAPITALS or Italics.)
THERE IS THE SOUND OF A PLANE PASSING OVER HEAD. (Necessary
sound effects should be clearly noted in the text.)