Hi Sitcom Trials fans,

If you weren't there, here's #sitcomtrials Semi final No 1 video diary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfe-ZrbfeEc including interview with producer
James Parker + clips of all sitcoms and the winners.

The previous shows are all here;

Heat 1 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aubpflpa_Wg

Heat 2 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu9uhwzn9as

Heat 3 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHHKnFr1L40

Heat 4 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90LC0iyYe2w

Tickets for next week's second semi final, and the Grand Final are on sale now
at: http://bit.ly/3yxhj4

#sitcomtrials video diary from this week's show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90LC0iyYe2w

Inc clips of all sitcoms and chats with judges

And if you've not been following #sitcomtrials on Twitter you missed:

AA's Gills - Alexander Armstrong has posse of girlfriends, all called Gill.
Pronounced with a hard G. #sitcomtrials Pitchfest

Major star spot: Freema Agyeman, Shaftesbury Ave. #sitcomtrials #drwho

Double star spot: Toby Young on bike & Daniel Mays on foot #sitcomtrials

#sitcomtrials winner part one: Baby Its Cold Outside

#sitcomtrials winner part 2 Future Proof

Bugger! I've left my brand new overcoat backstage at #sitcomtrials. Who can get
it for me? I'm on the train home

"Breaking Into Sitcom Writing," a new course about writing for television, it
will be taught by a Hollywood industry pro. The course will enable anyone who's
ever watching a sitcom and thought, "I can write that," to do just that, and you
can learn it from the convenience of your own home, on your own schedule.

The six-week, online course will teach sitcom structure, dialogue, character and
scene development, as well as how to get an agent, an assignment, and a job.

Learn what it's like inside a Sitcom Writers' Room and begin your journey to a
lucrative and fun new career! For more information, the course description can
be found at:

http://www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/oic3/newcrsdes.cgi?name=cessdsu&course=bsw&title=Br\
eaking%20Into%20Sitcom%20Writing&path=1

If you have created a spec sitcom script, you will only have one chance to make
a great first impression. I also do script consulting, and can make your script
better, and look truly professional. Email me for details.

By process of elimination I can work out that the sitcoms in the final Heat of
The Sitcom Trials must be:

"Baby, it's cold outside" by Peter Higgins
"Bumboy" by Andy Crick
"Don't Murder the Messenger" by Allan Payne
"Future Proof" by Elise Bramich
and "PR a History" by Graeme and Nicky Knowles

While you're waiting for James's official announcement of the runners and
riders, here's a special extra video with bonus clips from this week's three
winners:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EweHWJsujE

There is now a video diary from Heat 3 of The Sitcom Trials online. Go to
sitcomtrials.co.uk or click below. It includes interviews with Trials judges
Iain (Inbetweeners) Morris and Nev (Dead Ringers) Fountain, as well as clips
from all of the sitcoms in contention, from what was definitely our strongest
line-up yet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHHKnFr1L40

Thanks to everyone who made it along to Monday's Sitcom Trials. Two sold out
shows, 6pm and 8.30, and a fantastic response to some excellent sitcoms. If this
standard of writing, directing and performing is maintained through the series
it will be easily the best yet.

There is a video diary report at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aubpflpa_Wg 
which includes clips from all 5 sitcoms, a brief interview with judge David
Quantick, and the all-important results.

The next two weeks line-ups are below, and tickets will definitely need booking
in advance (we know because, very sadly, we were turning people away on Monday
including forthcoming directors and writers who we just couldn't squeeze in).
Tickets at: http://bit.ly/1MLzMt

The next two Sitcom Trials line-ups:

Heat 2: Monday 26th October

     * Assemblage of Evil
       by Joe Deacon
       Directed by Charlie Henniker
     * Weathermen
       by Kenneth Cheng
       Directed by Ariella Eshed
     * The Bar Boys
       by Ben Glassman
       Directed Katherine Hayes
     * Therapy
       by Tom Carter
       Directed by Gavin McAlinden
     * My Sister
       by Robin Bailes
       Directed by Matt Holt

Judges: Robert Llewellyn, Bill Dare, Tim Arthur and Michelle Farr


Heat 3: Monday 2nd November

     * The Spy Who Wrapped Up Warm
       by Jim Speirs & Simon Bristoll
       Directed by Kym Suttle
     * End to End
       by Matt Holt, Steve McNeil, and Sam Pamphilon
       Directed by Matt Holt
     * The Johns
       by Hugh Travers
       Directed by Sarit Wilson Chen
     * The Second Best Job in the World
       by Chris Gilgallon
       Directed by Francesca Broadfoot
     * Lovely Rocks
       by John Seymour
       Directed by Paul Gannon

Hi, All,

My six-week, online sitcom writing class begins this week.  If you want more
information you can find it at:

http://www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/ed2go/newcrsdes.cgi?course=bsw&title=Breaking^Into^\
Sitcom^Writing^&departmentnum=PW

Hope to see some of you there!

CALLING ALL COMEDY WRITERS AND COMEDIANS!!!
Are you a comedy writer or comedian looking for new contacts and opportunities?
The British Society of Comedy Writers is holding its Autumn Conference at The
Green Man, Euston Road, London, on Saturday 7th November 2009.
Come along and meet industry representatives, like-minded delegates, make new
contacts or try out new material.
For further details of this event and booking form please contact:
ken@...

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Learn sitcom writing from someone with actual credits without spending a
fortune!


The six-week online course will enable students to interact with an industry
pro, and will teach fundamentals and flourishes of creating a great sitcom
script, how to write great jokes and create comic characters, get an agent, and
sell your material.

Register at:

http://www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/ed2go/newcrsdes.cgi?course=bsw&title=Breaking^Into^\
Sitcom^Writing^&departmentnum=PW

Here is a description:

Breaking Into Sitcom Writing

Learn from a veteran TV comedy writer how to write professional sitcom scripts
and how to break into show business. In this six-week online course, you'll
discover the artistic and technical considerations that go into making a great
sitcom script. You'll master the art of creating concise, sparkling dialogue and
telling your story completely through jokes. You'll get easy-to-follow
instructions for using sitcom characters to their fullest, creating powerful
storylines, and selling your ideas to existing shows.

You'll pick up tricks of the trade and learn to avoid mistakes that mark you as
an amateur. And you'll come to understand what happens to your script once you
sell it, what happens in a sitcom writers' room, and what happens during the
rewrite and punch-up process. Discover from an insider what it takes to get a
job in this expanding and lucrative field!



Syllabus:

Week One Wednesday - Lesson 01 In this first lesson, you'll learn to decipher
the credits on a "crawl" and see just who the writers are in a sitcom. (Just a
hint: There are more writers involved than meet the eye!) You'll also discover
what makes up a sitcom--all sitcoms share certain important characteristics, and
if you use these principles as a guiding framework, you'll have a much easier
time keeping your story on the right track. You'll also get some practice
sharpening your funny bone and enhancing the creative process. So please join us
on this first step to breaking into sitcom writing!

Friday - Lesson 02 The difference between sitting in front of your television
saying, "I could write that," and actually doing it is knowing how. Today we're
going to tackle the most basic and most important elements of creating a sitcom:
story, theme, and structure. In this lesson, I'll show you how and why sitcom
stories work and how they fit into the broader context of who we, as
storytelling people, have always been.

Week Two Wednesday - Lesson 03 In sitcoms, all the comedy--in fact, every story
idea--has its basis in character. In this lesson, you'll get a solid
understanding of character and learn how to layer this all-important variable on
story, theme, and structure. By mixing them together, you'll see just how sitcom
stories are created. Is it complicated? It can be. But I'll give you a tool that
will make the hardest part of sitcom writing simple.

Friday - Lesson 04 Today we're going to look at the engines that run your story:
action and jeopardy. You'll discover how to create action in scenes, how scenes
build to acts, and how acts build to full stories. You'll add conflict and
tension to your repertoire of sitcom writing tools to create well-paced stories
that keep the audience rooting for your hero. And since sitcoms often involve a
handful of characters, we'll talk about subplots, which will help keep all your
characters involved when the story may not be about them.

Week Three Wednesday - Lesson 05 Dialogue makes up the bulk of any teleplay--yet
it differs in every way possible from conversation, which is what it's supposed
to sound like. Today we're going to take a look at what dialogue really is and
what it must accomplish for the writer, while seeming to sound perfectly natural
and funny. It's a lot to ask for, but you'll learn how to look at dialogue
differently and use it to best effect.

Friday - Lesson 06 Often, the TV audience will need certain story
information--say, about the past or something going on in another location--that
you can't show directly. This information is called "exposition," and it's the
hardest kind of material to get across in a way that doesn't sound clunky,
forced, or amateurish. So today we'll explore ways to include this kind of
information that are simple, elegant, and will give your scripts a professional
air.

Week Four Wednesday - Lesson 07 As a television writer, you're not alone in your
task of delivering a funny, intriguing, and watchable story. You have partners:
the actors. In this lesson, we'll delve into that creative partnership and see
how to best serve the actors who will be reading your words. You'll learn how to
enrich the dialogue and its performance, make the most of text and subtext, and
get your story to come across the way you envision it.

Friday - Lesson 08 The one thing you knew about sitcoms before you began this
class was that they make people laugh. Just as an opera tells a story in song,
so a sitcom tells a story in jokes. Today we're going to take an in-depth look
at the art of joke-writing. You'll see how jokes work, learn how to make them
funnier still, and discover a range of possibilities you might not have
considered to expand your humor repertoire.

Week Five Wednesday - Lesson 09 The collaboration you enter into as a sitcom
writer will involve everyone who works on your show. Each script you write needs
to tell all the technical people who make the show possible just how it should
look, feel, and sound. In today's lesson, you'll learn to professionally format
a sitcom script so that just what you want to express will be clear to everyone.

Friday - Lesson 10 How do you go from wanting to be a sitcom writer to watching
the first sitcom you've written air on network TV? Today you'll find out! You'll
learn how to successfully negotiate all the steps that will get you there:
writing a great spec script, negotiating your pitch meeting by creating a
winning three-minute pitch, writing an outline that's just what the show is
looking for, and creating two great drafts of your script.

Week Six Wednesday - Lesson 11 The journey from page to stage can be a
surprising one, so it's best to be prepared. Today you'll see what happens to
your finished script once you turn it in and collect your paycheck. We'll start
by going inside the Writers' Room and taking a look at the rewrite and punch-up
process. Next, we'll walk over to the rehearsal stage to learn about the
rehearsal process and what the writer's job is in it. And last, we'll go to the
final filming of the show, where sitcom writers polish until the very last
moment.

Friday - Lesson 12 In our final lesson, we'll explore the steps you'll take to
safeguard your work against plagiarism, including registering it with the
Writers Guild. You'll also learn how to get an agent--or at least get your work
into the hands of someone who can actually give you an assignment. Then you'll
see what's involved in trying to get a job. And we'll wrap everything up by
looking at the kinds of personal attributes it takes to be a successful sitcom
writer.

To register, please go to :

http://www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/ed2go/newcrsdes.cgi?course=bsw&title=Breaking^Into^\
Sitcom^Writing^&departmentnum=PW

Student Reviews:

"Identifying the different types of jokes...really helps build a sort of comic
palette - different things to try and blend until you've got something great."

"I did learn plenty of things about the very special process of creating sitcom
scripts that I am confident will help me in future writing."

"I found it enjoyable, and informative. I think I got a lot from it, which will
help me as a writer."

"I have learned a lot. You really helped me visualize being in a sitcom writer's
shoes."

"I loved the course and especially Mindy's complete coverage of the television
writing industry, with anecdotes. I received a lot of helpful information,
especially for an introductory course."

"Interesting and valuable information. Whether or not I ever write a sitcom it
can only enhance my other freelance writing projects. Mindy is a wonderful
instructor."

" I think out of all the online classes, this has been the most challenging, but
it has been fun as well."

"I thought that the class was very informative. Mindy was prompt in answering
any questions that we had and in offering suggestions to improve our scripts."

"I want to thank you for your help, guidance and inspiration. You have a great
attitude and it shows in how much you love the world of sitcom."

"Loved Chapter 3. The way good character structure can take you by the hand and
lead you right to a story is fascinating. It's like working a jigsaw puzzle.
These valuable building tools are priceless. Woohoo~"

"Thank you for putting this course together. It has been very helpful and I've
learned so very much. While it won't be an easy road, I know I'll make it! "

"Your personal anecdotes shared with us added to the credibility you brought to
this online classroom. Your detailed critiques of our writing attempts were
well-analyzed and delivered promptly,"

"I loved the course and especially Mindy's complete coverage of the television
writing industry, with anecdotes. I received a lot of helpful information,
especially for an introductory course."

"Interesting and valuable information. Whether or not I ever write a sitcom it
can only enhance my other freelance writing projects. Mindy is a wonderful
instructor."

"I found it enjoyable, and informative. I think I got a lot from it, which will
help me as a writer."

"Great class! I learned so much. I feel I am much more prepared to put out a
sitcom script and be taken seriously than I was before. Thanks."

"I would like to say thank yo for giving such great lessons and tips on creating
a solid sitcom script. I will take what I learned here and hopefully create a
great spec script."

For complete information, and to register, check the course description at:


http://www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/ed2go/newcrsdes.cgi?course=bsw&title=Breaking^Into^\
Sitcom^Writing^&departmentnum=PW

The line up of sitcoms has been announced for the first night of the 10th
Anniversary Sitcom Trials season on Monday 19th October at the Leicester Square
Theatre:

* Life as a Foreign Language
by John Barron and Olly Allsopp
Directed by Kym Suttle

* Long Term Sick
by Mark Brotherhood
Directed by Lydia Parker

* Prodigies
by Alex Kirk and Simon Messingham
Directed by Chris Lince

* The Not Gots
by Malcolm Duffy
Directed by Nick Ewans

* Alan Pob - Writing Wrongs
by Saul Wordsworth
Directed by Chris Fitchew

The judges for this first night are David (I'm Alan Partridge) Schneider, David
(TV Burp) Quantick, Katie (Now Show) Tyrell and Steve (Eastenders) Keyworth. The
audience vote decides which sitcom's ending is seen in each heat, and combines
with the judges vote to select the semi-finalists.

Shows are at 6pm and 8.30pm at the Leicester Square Theatre every Monday till
Nov 23rd, tickets are now available for the whole run from TicketWeb:
http://bit.ly/4aldSO

More news on the Sitcom Trials judging panels. I can confirm that the first
night, Oct 19, will be judged by Katie Tyrell (BBC producer of shows from Clare
In The Community to the Now Show), David Quantick (Blaggers Guide, TV Burp) and
David Schneider (I'm Alan Partridge, The Day Today).

Judges for other nights include Bill Dare (producer from Mary Whitehouse
Experience to I've Never Seen Star Wars), Robert Llewellyn (Red Dwarf), Iain
Morris (Inbetweeners), Tom Price (comedian and you'll know him from Torchwood),
John Finnemore (Cabin Pressure), Suzanne Gilfillan (prod Mock The Week), Kenton
Allen (prod from Royle Family to Ideal), with more coming on board daily.

James looks likely to be able to tell you the line ups imminently. He's doing a
cracking job against a very tight deadline, getting the directors wrangled and
the casting together for 5 sitcoms a night starting in two Mondays time, so I
hope we'll all be turning out to see the fruits of his endeavours.

Tickets: http://bit.ly/1MLzMt
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI2vAg-MZr0

See you there

Kev F Sutherland
Executive Producer
THE SITCOM TRIALS
http://sitcomtrials.co.uk

Sitcom Trials 10th Anniversary Season at the Leicester Square Theatre weekly
from Mon Oct 19th 09. Grand Final Tues Dec 1st 2009

Brand new #sitcomtrials trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI2vAg-MZr0
(and did we mention tickets on sale now? http://bit.ly/1MLzMt

Hi Sitcom Trials fans, (and by the way, you should join the Facebook group or
read BSG forums for more reliable updates, this site is on its last legs)

A quick note to remind you that the Sitcom Trials begins its run at the
Leicester Square Theatre on Monday Oct 19th, with shows every Monday night at
6pm (£5) and 8.30 (£10) leading to the grand final in December.

Judges lined up for the first few shows include I'm Alan Partridge star and
comedy writer David Schneider, Red Dwarf star and author Robert Llewellyn,
Inbetweeners writer Iain Morris, and Brass Eye & TV Burp writer David Quantick,
with more cracking names being lined up as  type.

James Parker, the season's producer, will be announcing the line up of sitcoms
very shortly. In the meantime tickets are now available online at
http://bit.ly/1MLzMt (that's Ticketweb.co.uk if the link doesn't work directly)
and have already started selling nicely.

News and updates will appear here and at sitcomtrials.co.uk, we all look forward
to seeing you at the shows. Have fun.

Kev F Sutherland
Executive Producer
The Sitcom Trials
http://sitcomtrials.co.uk

PS: Totally by the by, James has compiled this graph, repesenting the most used
swear words in all the 380 script entries in this year's Sitcom Trials. Enjoy:
http://i34.tinypic.com/zlbmb.png

Sly Crooner of Swanktown, the most honest liar you ever met, tells
astonishing tales of triumph, sorrow, passion and martinis in the
mythological land of Swanktown.

"Where the women are exotic, the men are well-behaved at times and
money is no object . . . because we have no money.  Where the streets
are paved with diamonds and gems and there's a full moon every night
so all the cats and kittens look real good because the light is just
exactly right."

Come mix and mingle with the bon vivant and terminally stylish habitues
of the Royal Palm Court Lounge; The mayor Mr. Lucky, the florist
laureate Cosmo D. Gigolo, the very melancholy Dr. Peculiar, the ever
ravishing fortune teller Slow Kitty and of course, the Sly Crooner
himself who's motto is "victus swank est optimus ultionis" -
"living swank is the best revenge".

On Wednesday 9/30/09 Sly will tell the story and sing the songs of
Dorothy Doro, a bag lady who is full of surprises, at the Gardenia in
West Hollywood (7066 Santa Monica Blvd.)  Showtime is 9:00 PM with
dinner served from 7:00 PM (get the chicken).  Cost is $10 plus a 2
drink minimum.  Call 323-467-7444 for reservations.  Also on the bill is
the deeply moving and hypnotically talented singer-songwriter Randy
Reeman.

The podcast Sly Crooner of Swanktown is also available on iTunes and
other aggregators for free and the show airs weekly on SiriusXM.  For
more information please visit:

http://www.slycrooner.com/jazzdiaries/htm
<http://www.slycrooner.com/jazzdiaries/htm>

There you can also listen to other recent stories such as Haunted Hotel
in which Dr. Peculiar gets a heart warming visit from a strange and very
stylish ghost - Lorenzo Falloujia.

The Cats Come To Town when Sly hangs with his musical heroes Billie
Holiday, Duke Ellington, Igor Stravinsky, Ray Charles, Warren Zevon,
Hank Williams and Nat King Cole.  Really.

Bullfighting and Motherhood when a late night chat with a hotel guest
uncovers her startling and bizarre past.

The Cat Who Saw and Heard introduces us to a unique individual who
learns how to make martinis when all life offers him is lemons.

Crashing Into ShowBiz where we learn of Sly's big lucky break and
see the Slow Kitty in action in all her finest regalia.

Slow Kitty's Red Hot Love Affair where Sly is instrumental in
keeping Slow from the grips of a ruthless cad.  Hah!

Blue Rondo in which Sly slithers out of very hot water by nothing more
than sheer pluck, dumb luck and a jigger of swank.

Pretty Girls Charming Girls with a moral so obvious you never see it
coming.

Dancing Dan's Christmas  - A Damon Runyon story that will make you
laugh, touch your heart and demonstrate the true power of swank.  Oh
yeah . . . and it's a Christmas story too with all that holiday
jazz.

And the list goes on.  Currently there are over 50 episodes for you to
enjoy and more being produced all the time.

There is nothing else like it our there.  I know.  I've looked.

Why not give another episode a spin and see for yourself or come to the
Gardenia next Wednesday and hear Dorothy Doro live as it was intended.

This is the last chance you'll get to witness the swank live this
year.

You'll thank yourself and Sly will too!

See you on the swank side,

Adios mah bujjobies,

Sly


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The 20 finalists of The Sitcom Trials 10th Anniverary Season have been
announced.

380 budding sitcom writers entered sitcom scripts, hoping to be chosen to head
to head in competition in the Sitcom Trials shows which begin at the Leicester
Square Theatre on October 19th, 20 have made the cut.

I'd like to congratulate James and his readers on their script selection. I
didn't read any of them until James emailed me the finalists yesterday, and I
spent last night reading them all while the entrants were on tenterhooks waiting
for the results. There are some very good scripts in there and I look forward to
some entertaining shows with some very tight voting decisions to be made.

One thing you might have noticed, and I'm not sure James has mentioned, is that
there are 20 finalists, not the 16 you were expecting. Because the Sitcom Trials
format has been adhered to closely by the writers we've got entries short enough
that we can fit five scripts into every 90 minute show, and we've moved the
start times to 6pm and 8.30 to give us extra time if necessary. So that'll be 4
heats showcasing 20 sitcoms, 10 scripts should then go through to the semi
finals, and 5 should appear in the final (this is again subject to James leaping
in and shouting "No you've got it wrong again you idiot, do you never listen?").

Of course this is scant consolation for the 360 out of 380 entrants whose
scripts didn't make the cut, but the good news there is that Sitcom Saturday
takes place on a regular basis in London, and Declan & Simon (producers of the
last 2 Sitcom Trials competitions) will be looking for entries for their new
Sitcommission project very very soon.

Tickets for the Sitcom Trials 10th Anniversary season, beginning October 19th,
are now on sale at:
http://www.leicestersquaretheatre.com/events.asp?eventid=220&categoryid=3

The BSG Forum or sitcomtrials.co.uk will be the places to catch the running
order every week, and the results, which will be announced at the end of the
second performance of the show every week (as part of the show), and be
Twittered afterwards.

Those 20 finalists scripts are, in alphabetical order:

     * "Alan Pob - Writing Wrongs" by Saul Wordsworth
     * "Assemblage of Evil" by Joe Deacon
     * "Baby, it's cold outside" by Peter Higgins
     * "Bumboy" by Andy Crick
     * "Don't Murder the Messenger" by Allan Payne
     * "End to End" by Matt Holt, Steve McNeil and Sam Pamphilon
     * "Future Proof" by Elise Bramich
     * "Life as a foreign language" by John Barron and Olly Allsopp
     * "Long Term Sick" by Mark Brotherhood
     * "Lovely Rocks" by John Seymour
     * "My Sister" by Robin Bailes
     * "PR a History" by Graeme and Nicky Knowles
     * "Prodigies" by Alex Kirk and Simon Messingham
     * "The Bar Boys" by Ben Glassman
     * "The Johns" by Hugh Travers
     * "The Not Gots" by Malcolm Duffy
     * "Therapy" by Tom Carter
     * "The Second Best Job in the World" by Chris Gilgallon
     * "The Spy who Wrapped up Warm" by Jim Speirs & Simon Bristoll
     * "Weathermen" by Ken Cheng

Just wanted to say hi, and let you know I used to write sitcoms and have now
taught sitcom writing for about 20 years.  I teach online, through about 1500
colleges and universities, and have a unique system for creating story, and for
pitching, that many have found incredibly helpful.  The classes are also pretty
reasonable for the kind of material you walk away with.  The class lasts six
weeks.  If you are interested I can post a link to the class, the syllabus, and
some student reviews.

This Sitcom Trials "SitsVac" egroup has become moribund. IF you want the up to
date news and discussion on The Sitcom Trials 2009, I recommend moving to BSG
Forums at: http://board.sitcom.co.uk/forum/14

Cheers

Kev F
Boss
Sitcom Trials
http://sitcomtrials.co.uk

Hi all (if anyone is still on this old group),

The deadline for getting scripts into the 10th Anniversary Sitcom Trials has
passed. Re Sitcom Trials 10th Anniversary Season shows, I've uploaded the dates
and details to the Facebook Fan Club
<http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=5951180247&ref=ts>

Put these in your diary:
Heats Mondays Oct 19, 26, Nov 2, 9
Semi Finals Monday Nov 16, 23
Grand Final Tuesday Dec 1st

The heats and semis have two shows per night, at 6pm (£5) and 8.30pm (£10) and
take place in the Leicester Square Theatre's Basement (which means they fill up
quick, so you'll need to get booking fast).

The final is one performance only in the Main House of the Leicester Square,
doors 7.30pm (£10)

James (Parker) is in charge of the scripts, the directors et al (the directors
will then be doing the casting, but James is the person to go to get on a list
of actors), and we'll let you know between us which industry names will be
judging.

More news when we have it. Ee, exciting ain't it?

Kev F Sutherland
Executive Producer
The Sitcom Trials
http://sitcomtrials.co.uk

Fellow Swankophiles,

It is with false modesty and some internal snickering that I announce
that due to overwhelming popular demand the SlyLuckyKeri Show at the
Gardenia has been extended one week!

Yes, it's true!

So now you have 2 more chances to experience this astonishing event:
tonight 8/19 and next Wed. 8/26.

Featuring the generous wit, bubbling bonhommie, and randy raconteurism
of Geoffrey Leigh Tozer, David Lucky and Keri Kelsey.

Dog days of summer?  I think not!  But don't take my word for it.  Read
the glowing words of that formidable publication CABARET SCENES who
reviewed our opening night;

http://cabaretscenes.org/cabaret_reviews/2009/aug09/tozer_kelsey_lucky_8\
-09.html
<http://cabaretscenes.org/cabaret_reviews/2009/aug09/tozer_kelsey_lucky_\
8-09.html>

It neatly captures the essence of the evening and uses words like
"wonderful", "imaginative", "hip", "clever", "dagger", "the", "blonde",
"fedora", "delightful" and many more!

The Gardenia, 7066 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, California, Earth
9:00 showtime, dinner from 7:00 (get the chicken)
Great drinks, so so parking
$10 cover charge plus 2 drink minimum

For more info please call 323-962-5060

Geoffrey-David-Keri


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

CALLING ALL COMEDY WRITERS AND COMEDIANS!!!
Are you a comedy writer or comedian looking for new contacts and opportunities?
The British Society of Comedy Writers is holding a special one day networking
event in Manchester on Sunday 13th September 2009.
Come along and meet industry representatives, like-minded delegates, make new
contacts or try out new material.
For further details of this unique event and booking form please contact:
ken@...



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Can someone please stop these idiotic commercials?

Cheer Chas

>
> Hi,
>  
> In today scenario, everyone point others  etc

Hi,
 
In today scenario, everyone point others for mistakes like if petrol price rise
then government is responsible or if someone takes bribe then he's wrong, etc.
 
But......
 
Have anyone noticed that whenever we point someone than 1 finger is towards him
but the remaining 3 fingers are toward us, I mean instead of pointing someone
else a person should think how to avoid our mistakes so that those 3 fingers are
also toward others & if a person start thinking in this way then all the 4
fingers are toward others & whenever you point all 4 fingers to others then you
are asking for shaking hands with him & want a new healthy relationship from him
& in this way we can really improve the problems we are facing in today’s
world.
 
So by keeping this thing in my mind I’ve started my approach,
http://improvenation.blogspot.com/
                     &
http://friendly-relationship.blogspot.com/
 
I hope you all will make a huge contribution to my approach & one day we all can
make a really friendly environment around us.
 
Thanks in advance for your great support.





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The 'Charcoal Hut' Electronic Playhouse; last post june 15th 2009
"Nightpeople" - a play; "Nightpeople 2" -  an unfinished play
http://thecharcoalhutplayhouse.blogspot.com

The 'Charcoal Hut' Electronic Playhouse; last post june 15th 2009
"Nightpeople" an unfinished play,
sketches, some finished, some ongoing.
http://thecharcoalhutplayhouse.blogspot.com

CALLING ALL SCOTTISH BASED COMEDY WRITERS AND COMEDIANS
Are you a comedy writer or comedian looking for new contacts and opportunities?
The British Society of Comedy Writers is holding a special one day networking
event in Glasgow on Sunday 28th June.
Come along and meet industry representatives, like-minded delegates, make new
contacts or try out new material.
For details of this unique event contact: ken@...
 

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Yes  agree with Chas, we do need you Kev. I an sure ethere are quite a lot of
members who, like myself, are waiting to read the shortlist of scripts.
_________________________________________________________________
Share your photos with Windows Live Photos – Free.
http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/134665338/direct/01/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

We need you Kev please try to keep up the trials idea. 

--- On Thu, 28/5/09, kevfsutherland <kevf@...> wrote:


From: kevfsutherland <kevf@...>
Subject: [SitsVac] RE: New Polls in Sits Vac
To: SitsVac@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, 28 May, 2009, 11:01 PM








Hi faithful readers (and I wonder if there still are any of those?)

You'll have just had two postings announcing Polls. Ignore them. (Actually you
could vote in them, though they're totally hypothetical, just to see if they
work and whether anyone's alive on this egroup any more).

I'm testing out whether online voting here on SitsVac will work as a method of
selecting scripts for the Autumn Sitcom Trials season. Does anyone have any
opinions on the matter?

The idea would be that every script entered goes into the Files here, then a
Poll is created for every single script. The reviews are posted here (with the
condition that you are allowed to keep your opinions private but you may be
asked to show your review confidentially to an adjudicator to prove that you did
read the script upon which you've voted), and the Poll results totted up at the
end. That would give us a shortlist of scripts which will then be read by our
team of experts (drawn from previous Sitcom Trials finals writers, directors and
performers, and professionals from the industry).

Now Declan and Simon received 500 scripts for their last season of Trials and
that might prove unmanageable using this system. But that is what we are
probably about to find out.

I hasten to add this is just one of a number of avenues I am investigating to
enable online script selection to take place. If anyone is capable of producing
a more Web 2.0 shiny glossy means of running this process, with the minimum of
hands-on intervention by me and the new production team, please let us know.

Kev F Sutherland
Executive Producer
The Sitcom Trials
http://sitcomtrials .co.uk
















[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi faithful readers (and I wonder if there still are any of those?)

You'll have just had two postings announcing Polls. Ignore them. (Actually you
could vote in them, though they're totally hypothetical, just to see if they
work and whether anyone's alive on this egroup any more).

I'm testing out whether online voting here on SitsVac will work as a method of
selecting scripts for the Autumn Sitcom Trials season. Does anyone have any
opinions on the matter?

The idea would be that every script entered goes into the Files here, then a
Poll is created for every single script. The reviews are posted here (with the
condition that you are allowed to keep your opinions private but you may be
asked to show your review confidentially to an adjudicator to prove that you did
read the script upon which you've voted), and the Poll results totted up at the
end. That would give us a shortlist of scripts which will then be read by our
team of experts (drawn from previous Sitcom Trials finals writers, directors and
performers, and professionals from the industry).

Now Declan and Simon received 500 scripts for their last season of Trials and
that might prove unmanageable using this system. But that is what we are
probably about to find out.

I hasten to add this is just one of a number of avenues I am investigating to
enable online script selection to take place. If anyone is capable of producing
a more Web 2.0 shiny glossy means of running this process, with the minimum of
hands-on intervention by me and the new production team, please let us know.

Kev F Sutherland
Executive Producer
The Sitcom Trials
http://sitcomtrials.co.uk

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
SitsVac group:

Script 2 / THE FOLKS IN THE FLAT by SQUID DIDDLY & EZRA KILO. In files at
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SitsVac/files
VOTE: Should this script be shortlisted for inclusion in The Sitcom Trials?
Deadline for voting (tba) Terms and conditions in Files.

   o YES - It should definitely go through
   o MAYBE - Possibly, depends on quality of other scripts
   o NO - Should definitely not go any further


To vote, please visit the following web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SitsVac/surveys?id=2865212

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
SitsVac group:

Script No 2009.XXX
Name - THE FOLKS IN THE FLAT
Author - SQUID DIDDLY & EZRA KILO
Script to be found in files at http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SitsVac/files

Read, review and vote on this script. Please post reviews to egroup main
messageboard. Only vote on scripts that you have read. If you wish your reviews
to remain private then you may do so, but in adjudication you may be asked in
confidence to show your reviews to prove you have actually read the scripts in
contention.

YOUR VERDICT: Should this script be shortlisted for inclusion in The Sitcom
Trials?
Deadline for voting (tba)

   o YES - It should definitely go through
   o MAYBE - Possibly, depends on quality of other scripts
   o NO - Should definitely not go any further


To vote, please visit the following web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SitsVac/surveys?id=2865211

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!