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Wednesday, January 4, 2017

On the Air Radio Players seeks radio plays

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On the Air Radio Players (“OTARP”) is excited to announce our seventh annual contest for original radio plays. We are looking for writers who love the world of radio drama as much as we do, and we want your best original work to perform onstage as one of our live radio shows!

Every year, OTARP stages recreations of classic shows from the Golden Age of Radio – shows like Fibber McGee & Molly and The Lone Ranger – but we also love to produce original scripts written in the style of those wonderful shows from the 30s, 40s, and 50s!

For our contest this year, we’re looking for comedies, dramas, mysteries, westerns, sci-fi…any story you want to submit. But whatever your script entails, it needs to have a scene where one character turns to another and says:

“We’re almost out of gas.”

What happens next is up to you. Maybe comedy ensues! It could be the start of an exciting adventure or the end of a hair-raising nightmare. Just make sure it’s appropriate for a family audience (think PG-13 and below), has a good mix of male and female characters, and has plenty of sound effects for our Foley artists to create! And don’t forget about commercials – we love to see fictional products advertised in that great old time radio style!

Scripts must be submitted by February 1, 2017.

Winners will be notified no later than April 1. Winning scripts will be performed by On the Air Radio Players at our June show (June 6th and 7th, 2017).

Contest Rules
  • If your script is selected, we reserve the right to edit for time and format.
  • The script should be between 15 minutes and 25 minutes in length.
  • It must be an original script, unpublished, unproduced and free of royalty and copyright restrictions. Adaptations of short stories, novels, radio plays, films, or any other published work will not be considered. Scripts containing licensed characters will not be considered.
  • It must be appropriate in language and themes for a family audience (think PG-13 or lower). Scripts containing profanity, ethnic slurs, and/or sexual content will not be considered.
  • There are no limits on sound effects or settings, but keep in mind that your script should be able to be performed with an ensemble of 6 to 12 people, and the sound will be created by a table full of gadgets, gizmos and the vocal talent of our sound effects wizards. We use an electronic keyboard for musical intros and outros, but we do not use pre-recorded sound effects in general or licensed musical recordings in our shows.
  • Up to three scripts may be submitted by one author.
  • All scripts must be postmarked by or before February 1, 2017 or send by email by or before that date. Winners will be notified by April 1, 2017.
  • Scripts will be judged anonymously by the Board of Directors of the On the Air Radio Players.

How to Submit a Script

OTARP accepts electronic and hard copy submissions. All scripts should be typed using a standard radio script formatting (see next page for example) and numbered. The author’s name should not appear anywhere in the manuscript except the first title page.

Please include TWO title pages: the first one will include the title, your name, address, phone number, and email address. The second title page will have the title only.

Scripts will not be returned, so save a copy for yourself!

Send scripts by mail to: County of Henrico Division of Recreation and Parks

Attn: OTARP Radio Scriptwriting Contest
P.O. Box 907755
Henrico, VA 23273

You may also send by e-mail to per22@co.henrico.va.us with the subject line OTARP Scriptwriting Contest.

Judges’ decisions are final. Judges reserve the right not to award all prizes if no suitable script is chosen. The County of Henrico does not assume responsibility for loss, damage or return of scripts.

Only scripts submitted through the appropriate mail or e-mail channels will be accepted.

Questions? Email us at info@OTARP.com.

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