Interview with Montserrat “Mozz” Mendez Subject: The 10-minute play Visit Mozz at http://www.myspace.com/mzsquared
edd: It is my pleasure to welcome Montserrat Mendez.
Montserrat Mendez is an actor/ playwright and screenwriter. His screenplay, TRIAL was in the top 30 of the Nicholl Fellowship in 2004 (out of 7,000 plus competitors). As a playwright he has most recently been staged by Madlab Theatre Company in Ohio and the City Theatre of Miami. In 2007 Montserrat served as part of the production team of the EstroGENIUS festival at Manhattan Theatre Source. Gathered from hundreds of plays submitted to EstroGENIUS and his experience as an Associate Producer, Mozz will share with you aspects of the reading and selection process, what it takes for a play to get noticed, what producers are looking for, how to find the right balance in a festival—in short, how you can make your play stand out and get produced.
Mozz, is there anything you'd like to say to get started?
Mozz: Well, first of all. Glad to be here. I'm a little nervous; but I'm sure we'll have a good time.
edd: I received an email from Kris who says: “It's Kris. Sorry I'm unable to attend the chat, but wanted to ask you what might be a dumb question from a relative newcomer to theater. As you know, I was so impressed with (among other things) your use of projected graphics at EstroGENIUS. I was wondering if -- given the usual set limitations for 10-minute plays -- such projections might be used to broaden the possibilities for set design for short plays. Or maybe projections are being used and I'm just not seeing it? Or maybe they've been ruled out for some reasons I don't know about? Maybe they're impractical? It seems to me that projections could at least be used as backdrops to enhance a set. I'd love to get your take on this. Thanks, Mozz!”
Mozz: I have to say, this was our first year using projections, and being all high tech, it was an amazingly transforming experience for us at the source. We had no idea how much space it would free up. And, I think, although it served some plays better than others, it's something we're continuing to explore for next season.
Let me talk a bit about what goes into the festival. First of all; we're going into our 9th year, we're very excited by the growth. We put out a call for scripts for EstroGenius... and we receive scripts from all over the world. Although it's a woman's festival, we do not exclude male writers if they write scripts about a woman's issue, or with an extra-ordinarily strong woman role. Once we received the scripts, they are logged in and a cover sheet is assigned to them. Each script is read by three readers... which answer questions into a computer program, and then give it a score, the computer tabulates the score and gives us the top 10%, which is usually about 130 scripts. From the top ten percent we spend a month deciding on the 25 we're going to do.
edd: Muncy has a question for you, Mozz.
muncy: Hi Mozz. What do you think works best for a festival of 10 minute plays. Assuming that there is no time for the actors to learn their lines, what would you recommend? Reading the script without movement or trying to do the moves with script in hand.
Mozz: Hmm; assuming there is no time to learn lines, it depends on the piece. Comedies tend to work better with some movement... but I like to listen to dramas like a symphony, music stand and words style work best for drama. But it all depends on the piece and a strong director will instinctively know which will serve the play best. I also love smart actors who use the script as an extension of their body.
edd: Mozz, our next question comes from in media res.
in media res: Has there been a common underlying theme or topic that has appeared over the individual years? And if so, what was the theme/topic that stuck out this year or in recent years. And are the bulk of scripts from the USA?
Mozz: Wow, this is a great question.
in media res: I will expect then a great answer!
Mozz: Yes, every year has gotten an underlying theme of scripts, we still receive a lot of WAR SCRIPTS... Iraq scripts, and what I call the George Bush basher scripts. This year we decided to have one war play, I think it's still in people’s minds, and that it is an important topic of discussion. But because we were only picking one, it eliminated about 56 other writers who wrote a war play. I always advise people to send in their best script, do not, do not send a script that you think it's topical... it may work against you. Two years ago, every single play we received seemed to take place in a Starbucks... so now we have the unwritten, no plays in Starbucks rule. I think it serves a writer to send in a play that is good, rather than one they think is hot now, because other writers have that same, it is HOT now idea. It's in interesting thing to see happen.
In terms of what scripts we receive. I would say 80 percent are Americans. 10 percent are from England and then they spread out... India, South Africa, Japan and Ireland were represented this year. Is that a good answer? Geez, I'm more nervous than I thought. I could talk about the theme topic FOREVER! Oh, here's another thing, when writing about a HOT topic, point of view is everything...
in media res: Excellent answer! The War play you chose, where was it set - home or abroad and what was it about briefly? And was the war written about from all those countries?
Mozz: We read a lot of war plays, a lot of soldiers, male soldiers, women soldiers, gay soldiers, at home soldiers, in the battle field soldiers, and it was similar to last year... but out of all of those, only one play dealt with the women who prepare the bodies of soldiers in Iraq. They are called Body Washers, and it was an unexpected point of view to read. Of course that was the play that was picked.
It's like in the movies, your hook sometimes can get you noticed, if you back that up with great writing, you stand a good chance. HOOK, P.O.V. I think they're similar. No, the foreign plays did not cover the war... they were just stories about women; and some of them were stunning.
edd: Muncy has our next question.
Mozz: Great.
muncy: You mentioned answering questions on a computer to pick the top scripts. Are you able to share any of these questions?
Mozz: Hi muncy. Well, the questions we answer are personal... each reader, writes down what they think the play is about? Then we're asked, if we like the play... does it have a strong beginning, and a memorable end. Does it overstay it's welcome? If a play is universally HATED... then the main producers read it again... some of the greatest hits at Estro have been plays readers have hated, because it touched a nerve, and the producers recognize that. It's not uncommon that we answer the question. Does the play have a beginning, middle, end? (not necessarily in that order.) And of course; do we believe the writer has a unique voice which we would like to develop, and present to an audience. WE LOVE finding new writers... it's like discovering a new land mass... we get very excited.
edd: What advice would you give our Forum members on how to write a good and competitive ten-minute play?
Mozz: Ahh, I can go on forever with this one, because every producer is different, we all have what we like and what we don't like, and of course, take the following with a grain of salt. A ten minute play should have one strong idea that's being explored and explored in the most original way possible. It should have great language, compelling characters; and also let us know a little bit about the writer because the play is often times the only way we get to know you. For a ten minute play it's okay to take GREAT RISKS! I feel like i need a follow up question to this, so I can focus it more. Can i use examples?
edd: Of course.
Mozz: You have a play about a couple going through a divorce... now, we saw two plays like that this year... one where the man wanted a divorce and met his wife at a Starbucks...(that did not get considered.) one, where the couples are cat burglars and they're hanging from ropes, when she decides to break it off... the metaphor was rich... and the play was stunning. It also did not get done... but that was because this year was the strongest year we've ever had. But I fought for it... I almost got into a fist fight with another producer over it... :) just kidding. It's the same topic, but you add a twist, and then it gets transformed... I always tell writers... write your play, and then write three versions of it, in different places... see what happens. It's a process of discovery and it should be FUN.
edd: Thank you. If it is not fun, why bother! in media res has our next question.
in media res: Mozz, I must say I like your thinking and approach on EVERYTHING you have said. How many actors get involved? And where do you draw them from? All age ranges, I assume. Also, Fitzgerald said a short story should be written in no longer than three days. I find that is true of ten minute plays for me. I kind of look upon them as sonnets as far as form structures.
Mozz: Ohh, we had about 80 actors this year... all from New York City, we are equity approved, so for the most part we pull from amazing resources. We had a Broadway actress this year who was on break from Chicago. We hold auditions and now by our 8th year, it's just gotten to be a well known entity, everyone sort of knows that Estro kicks off in September, which is a great way to start ‘cause all the actors get back to NYC from summers in regional theatre. All ages, this year we had two twelve year old girls and they gave for my money the best performances of the festival.
I also agree with you on ten minute plays... you get the idea, you explore it and then please BANG IT OUT. ASAP. I don't call it writing, I call it Re-writing, but I like to get it on the page fast.
edd: Mozz, Casey would like to ask you a question.
Mozz: Excellent.
caseyc: Hey Mozz. I think it's beyond wonderful what you have going on. My question hits back to your theme of taking GREAT RISKS. What's your take on use of 'bad' language - any tips to writers on that. Also are there limits you can't cross for your particular audience or is it all taken on a case by case basis?
Mozz: Oh, in new york, I think I've heard it all.
caseyc: Hahaha. (The NY thing answers half of it ;))
Mozz: Bad language should be used like poetry. Don't use it just to have the curse words... it should belong in the play, it should belong to that character, if it feels natural, then we'll do it... but if it feels like a stunt we pick up on that too. Believe you me, the playwrights are discussed at length, and the picking of the plays gets INTENSE. Oh, and no Limits... we don't believe in limits here.
edd: When do you begin accepting plays for your next festival? Will you send me a press release so I can post it for all our members. We're having a 30-day submission spree coming up soon.
Mozz: yes, I know, and your submission spree begins the day we start submissions… much much earlier this year, January 15th... You can visit theatresource.org for a press release, which I think is up right now. But edd, I will definitely send you one. Ohh, and one thing... send EARLY... i never understand why writers wait until the post mark date to send their plays in. Because when you send by postmark dates, we're inundated... totally stressed out and have been drinking a massive amount of cafe. We're reading way too fast, and most of the great plays that are sent late are found about a month after choices have been made... :( because that's when we discuss them...
edd: alo286 has a question, Mozz.
Mozz: Shoot.
alo286: Is there anything that you just get tired of seeing? Any themes or ideas that are just tired?
Mozz: Ohhh, hmmm, i could say YES to that question... but then a writer will find a new way to attack it and it becomes exciting. Like I said earlier, the War plays... The “it takes place in a Starbucks play...” and sometimes I even think if I see another play about Cancer... I'm gonna shoot myself with a staple gun. But if the character is compelling, if it's got beautiful language, and a unique point of view... then I'm all over it. We're trying to start earlier this year, so we don't have the 5 in the morning and we're still arguing about plays, Mozz gets a tuna sandwich tossed at him moments.
edd: Mozz, before we end, do you have any last thoughts that you would like to share with us?
Mozz: Well, I have a lot to share with you guys. First of all, Thank you for having me, and please explore the theatresource.org website and send in plays, tell your fellow writers to send in plays... Write about things that excite you, and if they excite you they will excite us... learn to cut your plays... learn to tell the story and not to over stay your welcome. Oh, and spell check, write a fantastic cover letter. If I find three spelling errors in a page, I start to think that the writer didn't care about his work, it's disheartening. And a cover letter where you tell us about yourself, and what you've been up to, is important. We don't throw those away... sometimes when it's 5am and you're arguing about a play, the cover letter may get you in.
edd: This was a very quick hour and it has been one of the most valuable and informative Salons we have had to date. Thank you, Mozz. I applaud you! You will always be welcomed back! Would everyone please jump in and show Mozz some love.
Mozz: Ahh, thank you...
thain: Many thanks, Mozz.
marys: Hooray for Mozz! You got through it!!
thain: And thank you, edd.
edd: If you would all like to stay around for an un-moderated session, please be my guest.
solarcirclegirl: Thank you :)
marys: And you done good. Thanks, Edd.
Mozz: If you want to continue asking questions... start a forum topic... I can definitely go on for hours, and I'd like to post a sort of blog about how we move on, starting January 15th... Thank you EDD for the invite... you guys are great.
~END~
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