/ärt/

by Steven G. Martin

TEN-MINUTE PLAY. Emotions run high in the judges room during an art competition. Two judges implore the third judge to vote for their favorites, and when the artists are invited for interviews chaos erupts.

TEN-MINUTE PLAY. Emotions run high in the judges room during an art competition. Two judges implore the third judge to vote for their favorites, and when the artists are invited for interviews chaos erupts.

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/ärt/

Recommended by

  • Nanami Hara: /ärt/ by Steven G. Martin
    “

    A delightfully absurd satire that nails pretentious art world gatekeeping through a hilariously inappropriate lens of competitive third-grade crayon drawings. The escalating battle between two egotistical judges builds to a perfectly touching conclusion that celebrates creativity, friendship, and the pure joy of making art free from competitive judgment.

    A delightfully absurd satire that nails pretentious art world gatekeeping through a hilariously inappropriate lens of competitive third-grade crayon drawings. The escalating battle between two egotistical judges builds to a perfectly touching conclusion that celebrates creativity, friendship, and the pure joy of making art free from competitive judgment.

    ”
  • Kyle Phillips: /ärt/ by Steven G. Martin
    “

    Steven G Martin has such a beautiful voice and style for showing how much adults can and should learn from children. I love this show! Packed with humor and great opportunity for over the top but true to life character acting and a chance to win over an audience with kids.

    Steven G Martin has such a beautiful voice and style for showing how much adults can and should learn from children. I love this show! Packed with humor and great opportunity for over the top but true to life character acting and a chance to win over an audience with kids.

    ”
  • Erin Osgood: /ärt/ by Steven G. Martin
    “

    What a delightful show! Steven G. Martin’s /ärt/ hilariously reveals what happens when adults act like children as they judge a children’s art show. Full of fun characters for actors to sink their teeth into. An all female cast, including two young artists who steal the show and leave the audience smiling! This is a wonderful show for any festival.

    What a delightful show! Steven G. Martin’s /ärt/ hilariously reveals what happens when adults act like children as they judge a children’s art show. Full of fun characters for actors to sink their teeth into. An all female cast, including two young artists who steal the show and leave the audience smiling! This is a wonderful show for any festival.

    ”
View all 53 recommendations

Character Information

  • Mrs. Notting
    One of three judges. She prefers Leigh Anna Harrington's drawing.
    40s or 50s
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Mrs. Crull
    One of three judges. She prefers Emily Smith's drawing.
    40s or 50s
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Mrs. Kerry
    One of three judges; the oldest. She is the tiebreaker.
    The oldest character
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Leigh Anna Harrington
    One of two finalists. Delighted.
    8 or 9
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Child,
      Teens
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Emily Smith
    One of two finalists. Overjoyed.
    8 or 9
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Child,
      Teens
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman

Production History

  • High School, Clinton High School, Clinton, Iowa (Iowa High School Speech Association large group competition season), 2026
  • High School, Kent School, Kent, CT , 2026
  • Community Theater, OneAct Festival, The Farmington Players, Farmington Hills, MI, 2025
  • Community Theater, Short+Sweet Theatre Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2024
  • High School, Bigelow Middle School, Newton, MA, 2024
  • High School, Ten-Minute Play Festival, St. Aloysius College, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 2024
  • Community Theater, A Play, A Pint & A Pie, Enter Stage Left Theater, Hopkinton, MA, 2023
  • Community Theater, One Act Play Festival, Pend Oreille Players, Newport, WA, 2023
  • University, Curtain (or Lack Thereof) Call: A Reading of Four Short Plays, Farleigh Dickinson University Players, Teaneck, NJ, 2023
  • High School, Kent School; Kent, CT, 2022
  • High School, Theatre Fall Performance Festival, William B. Travis Middle School, McAllen, TX, 2022
  • High School, School of the Arts at Central Gwinett High School, Lawrenceville, GA, 2021
  • University, One Act Play Festival, Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR, 2021
  • Community Theater, One Act Play Festival, Artists' Exchange, Cranston, RI, 2019
  • Community Theater, Ten-Minute Play Festival, Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette; Lafayette, IN, 2017

Awards

  • Short+Sweet Theatre Dubai, United Arab Emirates
    Short+Sweet
    Finalist
    2024
  • Third Place
    One Act Play Festival, Pend Oreille Players, Newport, WA
    Audience Choice
    2023
  • The Ten Show Season 2: Filmmaker Edition
    The Hive Collaborative, Provo, Utah
    Finalist
    2020
  • Minnesota Shorts Play Festival
    Merely Players Community Theatre, Mankato, MN
    Semi-Finalist
    2020
  • Collection of One Acts
    Eden Prairie Players, Eden Prairie, MN
    Finalist
    2019