I’m thrilled to say that my Gothic play “A Flower of the Field” has been recognized as one of the top scripts submitted for the 2023 Austin Film Festival Playwriting Competition!

While the “film” title may lead you to think otherwise, the Austin Film Festival accepts all types of scripts, including stage plays that may work well as a film.

“A Flower of the Field” was among the top 20% of scripts submitted this year (and I’m happy to say was also recognized similarly in last year’s festival, as well).

One of the many great things the Austin Film Festival does is provide readers’ comments for your script, which I’m happy to include below and which include many kind nods to my writing:

Plot:

In 1349 Kilkenny, Ireland, a Franciscan friar willingly houses and treats those afflicted with the Black Death in the Nave of St. Francis’s Abbey until a witch, disguised as a healthy woman, exposes his dark secret. The conflict with every character and relationship is exposed with a moral dilemma ultimately well resolved in the end.

Concept:

A FLOWER OF THE FIELD is an original story taking place in 1349 Ireland during the Black Death, with the small cast of men and women questioning and experiencing the conflict between God’s will and witchcraft. The writer crafts a very compelling story with both potential and authenticity in the subject matter.

Overall:

A FLOWER OF THE FIELD is a unique and compelling story that begins with a mysterious slow build of tension that comes together for a satisfying resolution for the audience. The writer handles the material with ease and includes vivid stage directions. The cast size is reasonable, cast list is clear and precise, no intermission, simple location and set design all work well for the production. The writer shines with character development and surprising plot twists. The reader is invested in John Clyn’s journey and the multitude of sub-stories supporting the overall narrative arc. John Clyn’s story is complete, and the story concludes with a satisfying ending. The writer’s note on the stage directions is very helpful and makes clear the purpose is for dramatic cadence and visual poignancies. The lengthy directions do not detract from the story nor necessarily indicate the run time of the show.

Dialogue:

The dialogue works well for the created world taking place within the period 1349 Ireland. Though the speech isn’t written with an obvious Irish dialect, it’s presumed the appropriate characters will adapt appropriately. If the writer so chose, including specific dialect or Irish words might help craft more authenticity to the characters.

Structure:

The 90-page one act script can reasonably be performed in less time since much of the pages are filled with stage directions. The story is well-paced appropriately from slow build to dramatic climax with scenes that move the story forward in a consistent tone.

Characters:

The cast of five characters are interesting, compelling, distinct, and developed through backstory and action. The reader is invested in the characters and their journeys. The characters could have more Irish tone brought into the writing, but overall, all of the characters fit their words well.