10 Minutes to Tell a Story

Lee Vogt and Diane DeBorde in ‘Happy Anniversary’. Photo courtesy Oregon Contemporary Theatre.

It’s a rapid-fire lineup of plays — eight of them, to be exact, and all of them just 10 minutes long — full of whimsical moments and laughs with touches of anger and sweet poignancy thrown in for good measure. It’s Northwest 10: The 17th Annual Festival of New 10 Minute Plays, which begins its seven-performance run April 3 at Oregon Contemporary Theatre. Martin Fogarty, a producer for NW 10, and Amy Weinkauf, NW 10’s playwright lead, say that NW 10 received 71 submissions for this year’s production, which were whittled down to 18. Those 18 plays were sent to New York City playwright Clarence Coo, who judged the scripts without knowing the names of the authors, getting down to the final eight. Both Fogarty (Frank’s First Dance Recital) and Weiunkauf (Stay) have plays in this year’s lineup. Other plays include The Ghostbot of Veronica Croft by Isaac Paris, Spread The Compost On The Weeds by Rose Heising, The Fabulists by Paul Lewis and The Whimsical Heartstrings of a Child’s Play Thing by Dale Light as well as fiercely engaging Silver Sixpense by Jessi Pitts, a raw look at two young adult sisters, one straight and it’s her wedding day at a Catholic church, and the other a lesbian who wishes to be anywhere but a Catholic church wearing a dress and heels, even for an hour. The most endearing play might be Happy Anniversary by Rich Rubin and directed by Marla Norton, a tender look at a couple — Colin (Lee Vogt) and Dorothy (Dianne Deborde) — who are celebrating the 50-year anniversary of their first kiss, on the very same park bench where they sealed their love. She now has dementia, and he gently tries to prod her memory of the occasion. It is a sweet, lovely play.

Northwest 10: The 17th Annual Festival of New 10 Minute Plays is April 3 through 13 at Oregon Contemporary Theatre, 194 West Broadway. Evening performances are 7:30 pm April 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12. The lone Sunday performance is 2 pm April 13. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students.

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