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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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Recommended by

  • Jaime Alberts: /ärt/ by Steven G. Martin
    “

    Our audiences and middle school cast loved this show! Great roles for girls, filled with humor and passionate characters that were relatable and joyous to watch. Highly recommend!

    Our audiences and middle school cast loved this show! Great roles for girls, filled with humor and passionate characters that were relatable and joyous to watch. Highly recommend!

    ”
  • Greg Vovos: /ärt/ by Steven G. Martin
    “

    I absolutely love this play. So much joy, humor, and passion that speaks to the frustrations of the creative life in a brilliant format – judging the art of 3rd graders!! Brilliant. I would both love to direct and see this play. Great, well-drawn roles for actors to run wild with in a play with lots of escalating fun and humor. The ending, which I didn’t see coming, is the perfect cure to what ails artists of any discipline. Heartwarming perfection.

    I absolutely love this play. So much joy, humor, and passion that speaks to the frustrations of the creative life in a brilliant format – judging the art of 3rd graders!! Brilliant. I would both love to direct and see this play. Great, well-drawn roles for actors to run wild with in a play with lots of escalating fun and humor. The ending, which I didn’t see coming, is the perfect cure to what ails artists of any discipline. Heartwarming perfection.

    ”
  • Jennifer O'Grady: /ärt/ by Steven G. Martin
    “

    Martin's ten-minute play hilariously (and so aptly!) skewers the evaluation of art by those who believe they know what's "good" and what isn't. With fun roles for female actors and great for all ages, this would be a hit in any short-play festival.

    Martin's ten-minute play hilariously (and so aptly!) skewers the evaluation of art by those who believe they know what's "good" and what isn't. With fun roles for female actors and great for all ages, this would be a hit in any short-play festival.

    ”
View all 58 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
      Female
  • 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
      Female
  • 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
      Female
  • Leigh Anna Harrington
    One of two finalists. Delighted.
    8 or 9
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Child,
      Teens
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Emily Smith
    One of two finalists. Overjoyed.
    8 or 9
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Child,
      Teens
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female

Production History

  • 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