Writing Challenge #9 - Site-Specific Theater in Anaconda, Montana (Write Nov. 9)

Hi folks

I know it’s been a bad week for a lot of people, myself included.  

But to find a tiny bright spot on the non-political front, guess what?  

The day this is going out to you, 11/8 - after you’ve turned in your writing for Challenge #7 - you’ve all officially made it through your first week of writing for the the challenge!

The first seven days are complete (though my sorting through all your many submissions as yet is not, but I shall get there with more fun numbers to report in the near future)

Congrats to all who’ve been cranking out the pages and prioritizing your own writing a little bit (or a lot) each day for a whole week.  Well done.

And, as always, if you miss a day, don’t waste any time beating yourself up about it.  Just write again the next day.

On with week two!

Let’s get you that writing prompt…


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Challenge #9 - Site-Specific Theater in Anaconda, Montana

Write Nov. 9th - or earlier if you like
Due: Sunday, November 10th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



The Anaconda Ensemble Theatre in Anaconda, Montana does an annual series of new play readings inspired by businesses around town that have applied to be used as settings for storytelling.  
In fact, I just discovered on the theater’s website that one of the writers participating in the challenge this year had her play read as part of a double bill there just last month (small world).
The theater’s most recent call for scripts explained:

“The shows will be performed in locations where "theatre typically isn't" such as
coffee shops,
hotels,
bed and breakfasts,
bars/breweries,
shops,
restaurants,
cafes, and more!

The plays will hopefully, but don't necessarily have to, fit into our location or categories listed below

Plays must only engage 1 to 4 actors
plus an actor to read stage directors
and be between 20 and 90 minutes in length.

[They also helpfully give potential genres for each location :) ]

Sweet Pea Bridal:
the location is a locally owned Bridal/Wedding Dress shop
Possible themes/types of theatre:
Weddings,
Brides,
Eloping,
Family Ties,
Plays about Dreams,
Plays about the Future,
Plays that take place in retail shops or dress shops.

Gunslinger Gulch
this location is an 1880's Old Western Ghost Town, Gunslinger Gulch Guest Ranch
Possible theme/types of theatre:
Western,
Horror Theatre,
Ghost stories,
Murder mystery,
Montana ranch life,
things that scare us, etc.

Forgotten Times Barbershop
This location is a locally owned Barbershop
Possible theme/types of theatre:
Barbershop,
Haircuts,
Forgotten Times,
Community Spaces,
Looking at the Past, etc.”

More info on the theater's website


In addition, just the town of Anaconda, Montana is kinda fascinating.  It’s not named after a snake (or a certain bawdy popular song, or the horror film series, though both of those would be quite the origin story), but a copper mining company (now shuttered). Back in the early 1900s, they built a copper smelting stack that has the distinction of being one of the tallest free-standing brick structures in the world (585 feet, which is 30 feet taller than the Washington monument in DC) - and now stands in the middle of a tiny state park.

(As a former mining town, there’s a rather colorful history of pollution that needed cleaning up as well.)

All of this could go in any number of directions, so play around with that.

Or ignore me and do your own thing.

Just write something.


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If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can

try 2021’s challenge #9: The Bechdel Test

Or try 2022’s challenge #9: “Whose Meadow Is This?”

Or try 2023’s Challenge #9: Not My Blood

Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)


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And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About FormatDon’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress About November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)


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How to submit your work for Challenge #9

You have options.  They are:

Save your script as a PDF or Word Doc and send as an attachment to an email sent to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com

OR

Copy and paste your script in the body of an email and send it to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com

OR

Post your script online (as a Google doc, or in a blog post, on your own personal website, etc.) - email a link to this script to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com
(If you’re going to Google doc route, just make sure to have the document public, or give permissions to our email address to open it)

When emailing us, make the subject line of your email - Challenge #9
(That just helps us sort through the email more quickly)
(Or, you know, just reply to this email if you want :)

OR

Post the link for the online document option noted above in the comments section below on this very blog post for today's challenge on our writing challenge blog


Again, this is: Due: Sunday, November 10th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)


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And, just to reassure you, no, we are not going to be sticklers about you following these directions down to the minutest detail - the important thing is that you write, and then that you share it with us, so we can keep track of who’s writing every day.

Also, no, there is no penalty for finishing and submitting early - but it also isn’t a race, so give yourself all the time up til 12 noon Central Time on Sunday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

Again, remember, it doesn’t need to be great, it doesn’t even need to be responding to this prompt (the prompt is just there so you’re not staring at a blank screen to start with no idea what to write about :)

Doesn't even need to be complete - you could have the beginning or the middle or the end of an idea, maybe two out of three but not all, that's still fine. This is all about getting things started, you can write more later.

You have 21 more days to build on whatever you come up with today, if you want.

Just get anything on the page, even if won't make sense to anyone else, as long as it make sense to you.

It just needs to be something.


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And that something can be:



Lights up.

A person walks into a ghost town.

A person enters a bridal dress shop.

A person wanders into a barbershop.

Each is overwhelmed by a sense of history and possibility.

Something unexpected happens…

Lights down.

The End




That’s always your escape hatch, every day.

That’s your base line.

Build on it.

Have fun.

Don’t stress.

Make an impulsive decision and run with it.

Breathe.

You’ve got the day.

Just write.

And take good care of yourselves, and each other.