Finalists Announces for Stage Left Theatre's DREKFEST 5

Stage Left Theatre has announced the finalists for their annual, national search for America's worst ten-minute play.

The Finals on 7/19 are:
A Second Chance for Ogden by Beth Kander
Ask and Tell by Jake Lindquist (Grand Loser of Drekfest 4)
Johnny Song Finds His Song by Randall Colburn (Grand Loser of Drekfest 3)
A Fist Before Dying by Jamie Campbell

For clarity's sake, we are not out to make fun of writers or those who love them! What we have done is ask good writers to intentionally write awful plays that make us laugh on the inside (especially if that's noted in the stage directions) - and out loud.

Following staged readings of these four plays, a panel of adjudicators will tear the playwrights apart for having given the world such terrible plays. Our distinguished panel this year is:

Kerry Reid, freelance theater critic with the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Reader.
Nathan Rabin from AV Club and author of The Big Rewind, a memoir, and My Year of Flops, a book of essays about flop movies based on his AVC column.
Jonathan Abarbanel, one of Chicago Public Media's Dueling Critics and theater instructor at UIC as well "an elitist white man" and "misinformed, arrogant critic on his last legs" as recently described by a well-known theater blogger.

One play will be chosen as the Grand Loser by vote of the audience in attendance. Cash prizes will be given to all four Finalists, as well as other highly coveted honors for the truly terrible. In addition to Worst Play, prizes that may be awarded by our panel of adjudicators include those for Worst Title, Worst Opening Line, Worst Stage Direction and Worst Character Name, among others. The Grand Loser will receive a really Big Check. Really big.

The Finals take place at The ComedySportz Theatre, 929 W. Belmont in Chicago at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15.

DrekFest 5 details
Tuesday, July 19 at 7:30pm. Tickets $15

All performances take place at
The ComedySportz Theatre
929 W. Belmont
Chicago, IL 60657
www.comedysportzchicago.com

Tickets available by calling Stage Left at 773-883-8830 or
www.stagelefttheatre.com

ABOUT STAGE LEFT:
Stage Left Theatre is an off-loop Chicago theatre now in its 29th season, with a mission to develop and produce plays that raise debate and challenge perspectives on political and social issues. Stage Left has become a regional center for the development of new plays. The theatre's new-play development arm is Downstage Left, a multi-tiered program giving emerging and established playwrights the tools they need to bring a play from conception to production.

The company consists of an ensemble of directors, playwrights, designers, actors and stage managers who collaborate to mount a yearly subscription season of mainstage shows and our annual new-play festival, LeapFest.

ABOUT THE COMEDYSPORTZ THEATRE:
The ComedySportz Theatre (comedysportzchicago.com) is an improv-comedy entertainment and business services company. We provide smart, fast comedy in our theatre and on the road; and we use the fundamentals of improv to provide creative business solutions. Our theatre products and services include live shows in our theatre, improv training for life and work, and hosting events for small to large groups. Our creative business services include: customized corporate workshops and individual skills training; a traveling ensemble for private and hospitality events; talent/spokespeople for consumer events, trade shows and guerilla/street marketing; and other innovative, improv-based business solutions.

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