Okay, I’m ready to read something that doesn’t have a gay guy in it. Don’t get me wrong, we welcome the work of gay playwrights and are open to all content, but frankly, unless your play brings something new to the table about the gay experience beyond the friend you think is gay but ends up sleeping with your wife or the wife whose husband runs off with his gay lover… you get what I’m saying here, right? …then save yourself the reader’s fee. A good plot or a strong character driven play has to go beyond cliche’s. And is everyone dying of cancer? That seems to be the only way we dispose of ourselves these days. Heartland Plays is dedicated to supporting the work of new and emerging playwrights. If you’re new to this art form, take risks. Root out fresh perspectives and unique twists to the classic, familiar, or even popular issues. Avoid tired story lines that have been beaten to death like an old dog that kills chickens. There is more to be said on the gay front and on the intensity of death and dying and any number of important social concerns, but you might have to dig a really deep hole to strike gold.
