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Scripteasers -The Full Story

History

The Scripteasers

          The Scripteasers was formed on May 5, 1948, as The Dramatists Workshop to give writer members and guests the opportunity to hear their works read aloud by local actors. Within a few months some members of the group complained that the name was too stodgy and it was changed to The Scripteasers. At the group’s Silver Anniversary celebration in 1973, Hazel Burrows, the founding president, recalled how the name change occurred during “an interminable meeting” where such appellations as The Dramatists Guild were bandied about.

 

“Finally Aubrey Rankin, half in jest, threw out The Scripteasers,” Burrows recalled. “It caught everyone’s fancy and when the vote was taken there was only one vote against it, Aubrey Rankin’s.”

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          For the past six decades the group has been meeting on alternate Friday evenings in members’ homes to give mostly unrehearsed “cold” readings of new works followed by a period of constructive discussion led by a moderator to aid the writers in developing their craft, with the evenings topped off with light refreshments. In the early days of the 1940s the emphasis was on radio plays, but today most scripts are crafted for the stage and occasionally for film or television. It is estimated that the group has read and critiqued more than 1,500 scripts in the past 66 years.

 

          Many of the writers whose works were first read by The Scripteasers have gone on to win local, state, national and international contests. Many scripts have been produced throughout the world,  on radio and television and in films as well as on Broadway and by regional theaters such as San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre. Some scripts have been published in “best play” anthologies and included in major play company catalogs such as Baker, Clark and Samuel French. Many actor members have won Old Globe Theatre Atlas Awards, Associated Community Theatre Aubrey Awards and other honors. Many have appeared in local, regional and national theaters, on television shows and commercials and in motion pictures.

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          During the past four decades the group has from time to time presented rehearsed readings as part of a series of The Scripteasers Showcases. The group has presented more than 30 showcases over the years. The 60th Anniversary Showcase, for example, highlighted eight scripts which spanned much of the six decades the organization had been in existence.  And the 70th Anniversary Showcase featured current one-acts by local playwrights, including Dea Hurston's work.

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          Due to Co-vid all meetings are done via Zoom.

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          For information about what's next, please click on the page at the top -

Upcoming Readings -for the next plays coming up soon.  Hope to see you there!

          

Members
 

To see more about Scripteaser members, please click on the page Members above

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Please note - this page (and the whole website) is constantly under construction. 

If you have information about members, present or past, please contact thescripteasers2022@gmail.com

The 75th Anniversary of the founding of Scripteasers will be in 2023. 

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