In 2007, we launched the Kakiscript Playwriting Competition, and were inundated by entries from all over the country. Ten winners were selected, and the prize-winning plays were published in a book, 100 Minutes to Change the World.

We’re ready for more.

The 2^nd Kakiscript Playwriting Competition, the richest playwriting competition in the country, is back and you have 3 months, or 93 days to create a ten minute play. A great ten-minute play, to be precise. 

Read on for more information.

What We Are Looking For

This year, we’re setting a theme : Conflict/Resolution

We are looking for original, sophisticated works, which explore the idea of conflict, or the idea of resolution, or conflict and resolution jointly, or conflict versus resolution. If you have a different interpretation of the theme that we’ve suggested here, go for it!

Just make sure your work is engaging and rooted in the Malaysian experience.

Each play must run for duration of around 10 minutes, plus or minus two minutes. Submissions can be plays written in either English or Malay -- or a combination of both.

Note that we are looking for literature intended for performance; in other words, you should think about your play as theatre on stage as you write.

What We Don’t Want

We’re not looking for didactic or dogmatic plays. You are encouraged to contextualise your play with social and political issues, but don’t assume we want social or political tracts and commentaries. We want quality theatre. If you need to preach, write a sermon -- but don’t send it to us.

Why?

Kakiscript aims to encourage the creation of new, original Malaysian plays. We hope it will be an incentive for existing playwrights to produce work, and also an opportunity to unearth new talent. We also hope to encourage the creative exploration of issues affecting contemporary Malaysia.

We will be publishing the ten winning entries in print, in a single volume; they will also be available for download from Kakiseni.com.

Did We Mention Prizes?

The playwright of the winning entry will receive RM10,000 in cash. Two runners-up will receive RM5,000 each. Seven consolation prize winners will receive RM2,000 each.

How It Works

You have three months from the launch of the competition to work on your play(s). The deadline for submission has now been extended to 30th September 2009, 5pm.

A panel of three judges will read all submissions and score each accordingly. The identity of the plays’ authors will not be disclosed to this panel, in the interest of impartiality.

*The ten top scoring plays will be short-listed, and judges will meet for final deliberations and scoring to decide on which play wins the Grand Prize and which get the remaining nine prizes.

*Winners of the competition will be privately informed in early December 2009. Winners will be publicly disclosed in December 2009, in conjunction with the launching of the print volume.

*if there are any changes to this timeline due to unforeseen circumstances, we’ll inform all the applicants.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

Rules On Format and Submission

1. The competition is open to all Malaysians (resident and abroad) and all residents of Malaysia (this means foreigners living in Malaysia may participate) -- with the exception of Kakiseni.com staff, members of the judging panel, and their immediate family members.

2. Your play should last around 10 minutes, plus or minus two minutes. Time your play before sending it to us! As a rule of thumb, it should take approximately between 45 seconds to a minute to read one page; as such, your play should NOT exceed 20 pages.

3. Your play should be written in the following format:

- Printed one-sided on white A4 paper.

- Times New Roman, Size 12, Double line spacing.

- The header of each page should have the title of the play; the foot of each page should be numbered. The cover of the play should be page 1.

- The format for the cover of the play should STRICTLY follow this sample (to download, right-click and select "Save Link As ...")

- The look of the script itself should STRICTLY follow this sample (to download, right-click and select "Save Link As ...")

4. Please ensure that the cover of your submission includes the play title, your real name (anonymous entries will not be judged!), date of birth, telephone number, email address (if available), and mailing address.

5. For the purposes of impartiality, do NOT include your name in any other portion of the play script.

6. You should provide four (4) copies of your submission.

7. You may submit up to three different plays for competition.

8. Send your play to:

The 2^nd Kakiscript Playwriting Competition

c/o Kakiseni.com Sdn. Bhd.

AM-2, Mezzanine Floor,

The Istara,

1 Lorong Utara B, Off Jalan Utara,

46200 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor Darul Ehsan.

All entries must reach Kakiseni.com by 5pm, 30th September 2009.

9. Kakiseni.com will not return any plays that have been submitted.

10. If you fail to comply strictly with all the format and submission rules, your play will be automatically rejected from consideration by the judging panel. As such, please read the rules carefully and fully comply with them.

11. Any decision by the panel of judges is final, and will not be subject to any form of appeal.

Rules on Content

12. The play must be written in either Bahasa Malaysia or English, or a combination of both. Incidental use of any other languages must be accompanied by a translation in either English or Malay in the script itself.

13. Your characters must be purely fictional. You are personally responsible for ensuring that your play contains no criminal, libellous / defamatory material. The panel of judges reserves the right (in its sole and complete discretion to form an opinion on) to not consider any plays that may contain criminal, libellous / defamatory material.

14. Your play must contain original, never-seen-before material. The play must not have previously been in the public domain in any form (whether in performance, publication in print or on the Internet, or in any other competitions). It must contain no copyrighted material.

Special Terms and Conditions

15. You will retain all rights to the play you submit.

16. However, by entering this competition, you agree not to publish or have your play produced before 31^st December 2009, unless agreed to in writing by Kakiseni.com.

17. If your play is selected as one of the ten prize-winners:

- You will be required to participate in promotional and publicity work relating to the competition and Kakiseni.com;

- You hereby consent for the publication of your play in the intended print volume, under the banner of the Kakiscript competition. The prize money from the competition shall be deemed sufficient payment and remuneration for the use of your play for that purpose;

- You will be entitled to have 10 copies of the printed Kakiscript volume, free of charge;

- You further agree to allow Kakiseni.com the right to distribute your play on its website in PDF format, free of charge, enabling its registered users to download the same; and

- You shall grant Kakiseni.com and / or the sponsor of the Kakiscript competition the first right of refusal to produce your play in any capacity, for a period ending 31st December 2011, in any media format -- including theatre stagings; readings for radio and podcasts; and film for cinema, television or Internet release. In the event Kakiseni.com and / or the main title sponsor exercises the right to produce your play, you will be entitled to receive payment or commission in accordance with standard practices. The quantum of payment or commission will be arrived at on the basis of mutual consultation and agreement.