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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/

    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/

    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/

    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. Kerry
    One of three judges; the oldest. She is the tiebreaker.
    Character Age
    The oldest character
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Leigh Anna Harrington
    One of two finalists. Delighted.
    Character Age
    8 or 9
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Emily Smith
    One of two finalists. Overjoyed.
    Character Age
    8 or 9
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Mrs. Notting
    One of three judges. She prefers Leigh Anna Harrington's drawing.
    Character Age
    40s or 50s
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Mrs. Crull
    One of three judges. She prefers Emily Smith's drawing.
    Character Age
    40s or 50s
    Character Gender Identity
    Female

Production History

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