MCC to host 24-hour playwriting competition

McHenry County College will host a 24-hour Playwriting Competition starting from 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 7 through 7 p.m. Saturday, June 8, when performances begin in the Black Box Theatre.

The competition challenges groups of two to seven people who will write, rehearse and perform a play within 24 hours. A cash prize will be awarded for the winning play.

This is the first time MCC is hosting this competition.

"We have not anything like this before, said Jay Geller, MCC theater director. "MCC alumna Kathryn McCord, who works at the Crystal Lake Library and with our theater department, came up with the idea for the event," he said.

The event is ideal for aspiring writers and actors or anyone who likes to be creative.

"If people like to write and create, they should sign up," Geller said. "It is one of the special aspects of theater when you can take the kernel of an idea and then 24 hours later, have a complete production come out of it. It will be an amazing 24 hours of creativity."

Geller advises participants to be prepared to stay all night and through the next day.

Sign up deadline is Saturday, June 1.

Competition will take place in the Black Box Theatre at McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14, Crystal Lake. Park in Parking lot C.

Cost to enter the competition is $25 per group. Food and beverages will be provided.

Groups can sign up atwww.signupgenius.com.

For more information, call Jay Geller at (815) 455-8746 or send him an email to jgeller@mchenry.edu.