The National Wool Museum in Partnership with Gpac:ED Are Excited to Invite You to Participate

The National Wool Museum in partnership with gpac:ED are excited to invite you to participate in Haunted! Student One-Act Play Competition open to students 14-16 year old (years 9-10).

A fun way to explore key curriculum themes and skills in English, Drama and the Humanities. Based upon the historic surrounds of the 140 year old Dennys Lascelles Woolstore students are invited to create a “haunting” story of ghostly visitations and unexplained happenings in turn of the century Geelong. Newspaper clippings, photographs and anecdotes can be used for inspiration.

Script must be one act or equal to a 20 minute performance. It must include suitable themes that would appeal to young and old, and language and content suitable for an all-age audience.

Winning entries will be performed in October 2015 as part of a Halloween experience at the National Wool Museum.

What we provide:  Optional Scriptwriting workshops to get you started - contact the National Wool Museum for more information and to book a scriptwriting workshop for your class  Resource package to get you started - available from www.nwm.vic.gov.au

Prize:  Selected playwrights will get a one-on-one scriptwriting workshop with a local writer  Selected scripts will be staged and performed for a series of public performances within the historic surrounds of the National Wool Museum for Halloween 2015.

Key Dates:  Entries open 1 June 2015  Entries close 4 September 2015  Finalists notified 11 September 2015  Performances at National Wool Museum Thurs 29 Oct - Fri 30 Oct

Public Script Writing Workshops:  Wednesday 8 July 2015, 1-3pm  Saturday 22 August 2015, 1-3pm

For more information For more information Kelly Clifford Sara Gillies Youth and Education Education and Public Programs Officer Geelong Performing Arts Centre National Wool Museum PO Box 991 Geelong VIC 3220 PO Box 104 Geelong Vic, 3220 P- 03 5225 1207 F- 03 5225 1229 E- P: 03 5272 4706 E: [email protected] [email protected] Entry Form

First Name: Surname:

School:

Address:

Suburb: State: Postcode:

Phone: (Daytime) (Mobile)

Email:

Title of Play: ______Estimated running time: ______minutes Genre: ______

Brief synopsis of the play No more than 25 words.

List of characters

Setting

How did you hear about this competition?  School  National Wool Museum facebook page  GPAC facebook page  National Wool Museum website  GPAC website  Email  Word of mouth  Other: ______

Checklist:  1 copy of manuscript (with NO reference to author’s name)  Official Entry Form

I have read and agree with the Conditions of Entry. Signed: ______Date: _____/_____/ 2015 Competition rules, terms and conditions 1. The competition is open to students in year 9 and 10. Employees, volunteers and agents of The National Wool Museum (NWM), the Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) and program partners and their immediate family members and persons residing in the same household of such employees, along with any individual involved with the administration or judging of the competition are not eligible to enter or win. 2. Entry into the competition is free. There is a fee to participate in associated workshops. 3. The subject for the competition is “Haunted”. Based upon the historic surrounds of the 140 year old Dennys Lascelles Woolstore students are invited to create a “haunting” story of ghostly visitations and unexplained happenings in turn of the century Geelong. 4. Scripts are to be one-act and must be no longer than 20min in length. Scripts can include stage direction and staging ideas. 5. Plays should be capable of being performed within a simplistic stage as the three finalist plays are performed within the galleries of the NWM. Plays should not involve more than one simple scene change and limited lighting, sound, special effects and prop requirements. 6. Entries must be digital (electronic) and emailed to [email protected] no later than 5pm, Friday 4 September 2015. No other form of submission, printed hardcopy or electronic (such as on CD), will be accepted. Late entries will not be accepted. 7. Each writer may submit one work only. Their name must not appear anywhere on the script. 8. The entries will be presented anonymously and judged purely on merit. The judge’s decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. 9. The NWM and gpac:ED team will select finalists’ works for participation in from the script provided and each finalist shall be notified accordingly. Inclusion of finalists in the performance work shall be at the sole discretion of the NWM and gpac:ED. 10. All entrants, including finalists, will be notified by 11 September 2015. 11. The writer warrants that their entry and any other works and materials submitted are original, are the property of the writer and do not infringe any third-party rights. By entering, the writer further agrees to indemnify and hold the NWM and their respective officers, employees, agents, parents, subsidiaries, successors, and assigns, harmless from any liability or damages of any kind, including legal fees and costs, resulting from any claim of infringement or other proprietary right of any person or entity. 12. Plays must not have previously won a play writing competition or have been previously performed (including workshopping or public readings) 13. Plays must be suitable for submission and performance in a one-act play setting, containing language and material suitable for a general admission audience including children. 14. Ownership of the work, and the Intellectual Property represented by the Work, will vest in the writer. Copyright of the writer’s work including but not limited to the design forming part of the work shall remain the sole property of the writer. 15. The writer will grant the NWM an irrevocable licence (without payment) to retain and exhibit the as part of a performance event at the Museum in October 2015 and any subsequent versions of the event as deemed necessary by the NWM and program partners. 16. The writer will grant the NWM an irrevocable licence (without payment) to reproduce excerpts of the script, in whole or in part, for promotional and educational purposes. The NWM and program partners will acknowledge the writer where possible as the author of the work. 17. The NWM and program partners will not sell, share, or rent the information collected from the entry forms and any other information submitted, except for the sole purpose of advertising or promoting the competition and performance. One Act Play Script Template

Title: [Title]

The Cast [Keywords] [Keywords] [Keywords] [Keywords] [Keywords]

Location: [Comments]

Scene One [Abstract]

[stage directions: description of location, what will audience see? What movement opens scene? Music/sound effects?] [CHARACTER]: [dialogue]

[CHARACTER]: [dialogue]

[stage directions]

[CHARACTER]: [dialogue]

[CHARACTER]: [dialogue] Script Sample

Title Goldilocks and the Three Bears

The Cast Goldilocks (a little girl) Pappa Bear (male, middle aged) Mamma Bear (female, middle aged) Baby Bear (can be male or female)

Location The bear’s house in the woods.

Scene One

Inside a cosy house with a table laid for breakfast, three chairs, and three beds. There is a knock at the door. The door is pushed open, and a little girl’s head peeks in.

GOLDILOCKS: Hello? Is anyone at home?

GOLDILOCKS steps into the empty house and looks around.

GOLDILOCKS: Hello? I’m just out for a walk in the woods, and I saw your little house. (GOLDILOCKS spies three bowls on the table.) Oooh, porridge! I am so hungry.

GOLDILOCKS eats a spoonful from the first bowl.

GOLDILOCKS (spitting out her mouthful): Argh! This is far too hot! Maybe this next bowl will be better.

GOLDILOCKS eats a spoonful from the second bowl.

GOLDILOCKS: Yuck! It’s stone cold! But I’m so hungry… I’ll try this last bowl.

INSPIRATION

A Ghost. Folly, or malice, or both combined, has been busy propagating a silly story which contained the usual elements of an old woman’s tale, about a Ghost, strange noises, locks flying open, bolts and bars shaking, and of course heavy tramping, without anything visible to make the noise. A pair of Wellingtons was seen walking along a passage without any legs in them, the poker and tongs went waltzing together to the tune of “We met,” played by the bellows, which was metamorphosed into a musical snuff box. We mention the case because it is the first of the kind in Geelong. It would be advisable that all such SPIRITS should be kept in BOND. Geelong Advertiser, Monday 5 May 1851, p. 2

Among the Spirits in Geelong. A séance extraordinary. A gentleman long connected with the Press of the colony, who has invariably expressed the utmost contempt in reference to spiritualism, and the claims of those who profess to hold communication with the unseen world, has had his convictions disturbed in a most extraordinary manner. His narrative, which he accompanies with the assurance that there is not the slightest attempt at exaggeration, and that he is willing, if necessary, to make a statutory declaration on the subject, is as follows: -- On Sunday evening his wife’s borther, who had arrived from Melbourne on a visit to his house, was seated in the parlor with several relatives, when the conversation happened to turn upon spiritism. As usual, he professed himself thoroughly sceptical with respect to the powers assumed by the believeres in the new faith. His friend asked him if there was anything he could imagine, which, if performed, would convince him; and he replied that if an inert substance were endowed with intelligence - for isntance, a table made to speak, a reply given to a question that he would mentally proppose, or anything done directly contrary to the laws of gravitation and attraction it would go far to change his opinions. His friend - whose name has been placed at our disposal - but whom we shall style Mr A. - said he would accept these three propositions, and proceed to prove in a way that could scarcely be challenged that there was more in spiritism than some people imagined. A cedar table was placed in the middle of the room, and around this sat A. with Mrs - and her two daughters, all relatives of the family. Their hands had only been placed lightly on the table for about a minute, when, in response to a question put by A. three distinct raps were heard on the table. Placing a sheet of note-paper in front of one of the little girls, and giving her a pencil, A. retired to the corner of the room opposite that where his friend stood eagerly watching all that transpired. The medium, who was only between 12 and 13 years of age, held the pencil in a perpendicular position between her fingers. Mentally our informant observed that he did not believe in spirits, when suddenly her hand began to move from side to side of the paper, and then the words were distinctly written, “Mr. --- does not believe in spirits.” Subsequently, the name of the deceased father of the medium was written, the question was aked - mentally, as before - “Has Captain - behaved properly to your children?” - referring to a promise made by a certain person that he would assist and educate the family of the deceased. The reply was written immediately - “he has not behaved properly; he has done wrong.” A number of other questions were put in a similar manner to deceased relatives, and replies immediately written in a most satisfactory manner. One question was put to a well-known attorney in the town, who died a few years ago. The medium commenced to write very rapidly, and a reply was received - “I am happy; you will yet be prosperous” - in the well-known handwriting of the deceased gentleman. Geelong Advertiser, Tuesday 19 May 1874, p. 2 INSPIRATION

A Ghost Story. (from our Colac correspondent) November 15th Those who have been accustomed to travel from Geelong to Colac during the past fifteen years will well remember an assuming place of rendezvous for travellers about eight miles from Colac kept by an old woman named Nanny Brown and in vulgar phraseology termed a half-way house. After ministering to the wants and humours of travellers for many years, Nanny however, ‘shuffled off this mortal coil’ but since the occurrence she is said to make nightly visits from spirit land to her old place of residence, much to the annoyance of the nervous temperament of those whose nocturnal journeys compel them to pass in close proximity to the haunted spot. The last visit made by Nanny and which furnishes the subject of my present story was on Friday night last. Five young men were returning from Birregurra to Colac in a double seated trap, when in front of Nanny Brown’s residence the horse which was being driven stopped involuntarily, causing those in the vehicle to look for the cause. Suddenly one of the company exclaimed “’Tis that woman in white the horse is afraid of.” “Nanny Brown’s ghost,” exclaimed one of the party, who claims to be of Celtic origin, “Let us sift the matter to the bottom,” said the sceptics present jumping from the trap. As they approached the figure in white it receded from the roadside fence where it was first stationed. One of the party determined not to be out-done, got over the fence to follow this phantom, and immediately came back to this companions in a single bound. The ghost then said in a deep sepulchral tone:-- “Vain mortal approach me not, For thous knowest not immortal power, Last night I from Hamilton came, To-night I am in my own domain, To-morrow ere the rising sun Deadly work will by me be done, Vain is man but he still must own A power superior to his own.” The figure is said to have then immediately vanished. The party returned to the trap and arrived shortly after in Colac and now hold different ideas altogether about ghosts to what they did formerly, I consider myself there is some mystery about the affair that requires unravelling. I have no doubt whatever that something was seen by the young men but they must have been suffering if not from an optical, a mental delusion. One of the party who related the story to me said he was perfectly certain everything described was seen. The only thing he would not vouch for was that the ghost’s oration might not have been given word for word as it was delivered. Geelong Advertiser, Wednesday 17 November 1875, p. 4

The Geelong Ghost. From frightening women and children an individual at Geelong who has lately been playing ‘ghost’ has turned his attention to attacking men. At 11 o’clock on Saturday night a young man named Thomas Baird was proceeding homewards, and when at the corner of Bellarine and Maud streets he was suddenly set upon by the ‘ghost,’ and was nearly throttled. The injured man managed to crawl back to the place he had been visiting, where he still remains in a state of collapse. A young lady named Beamish, who was frightened three nights ago, has been speechless since. A few minutes after Baird was attacked another young man met the ‘spectre,’ whom he described as a tall, powerfully-built man, wearing a white garment under his coat, INSPIRATION which he throws open. This young man had to run in fright, as the ‘ghost’ prepared to attack him. Several young men have formed themselves into a corps for the purpose of capturing the fellow, and the police are making special efforts to stop his procedure. So far he has dodged them successfully, as when watched he hides his ghostly garb under ordinary attire. Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, Friday 31 July 1903, p. 28

A Ghost Scare. For several days past imaginative schoolboys have spent the bulk of their leisure time watching at an unoccupied tenement at South Geelong for the apparition of an old woman’s head at a small window high up on the kitchen wall. The window faces the south, and though there was no blind affixed to it, the boys persisted that each time the apparition appeared, it was visible for a few seconds and then disappeared behind a blind. The earnestness of the youngsters persuaded several adults to watch for the ghost, and at intervals something showed on the surface of the glass which …. [illegible] … imagination could be likened to an uncanny-looking female countenance. Eventually a constable was informed of the phenomenon, and the owner of the premises consented to search for the strange prisoner. A score or more of youngsters assisted in the task, and the fact that nothing was discovered should have the effect of diverting the attention of the curious loiterers from the building. The whole affair seems to have arisen from the occasional passage across the window of a shadow cast by an overhanging tree.

Geelong Advertiser, Friday 7 December 1906, p. 2

Departed “Spirits.” How the Materialised. - Grabbing at a “ghost.” For some time past Mr. Charles Bailey, who holds a great reputation amongst spiritualists, especially in Melbourne, as a “medium,” has been giving séances in Sydney, at Leigh House (says the “Daily Telegraph.”) He is under a salaried engagement to Mr. R. Towns, to give a lecture on Sunday evening, and also two séances each week. One of those séances is termed an “apport séance,” during which Mr. Bailey claims that he has produced live birds from India, a bird’s nest from the same country, and archaeological tablets from Babylon. On another night in the week he gives a “materialised séance,” when he brings before his audience departed people. These materialised spirits appear in the dark in luminous form, and the audience has no difficulty in seeing them. The incidents recorded below are vouched for not only by Mr. Towns, but also by three other men who were present at the séance. Bailey in the cabinet. “Mr. Bailey was under engagement to me,” said Mr. Towns last night, “and by reason of his assurances, combined with those of other people, I at first believed that his ‘apports’ and ‘materialised spirits’ were genuine. Lately I began to suspect fraud, so I determined to investigate the séance this evening by grabbing the form of the departed spirit. If I could pass my hand through the spirit my doubts would be lulled to rest. If my hand could clutch the spirit - well, I would know that there was fraud somewhere. “On this occasion there were 45 people present, who had paid an admission fee of 5s each. When we first entered the room there was plenty of light. There were chairs around the walls of the room, with two rows of chairs in the centre. Bailey took his position in what he called a ‘cabinet.’ This was merely one of the corners of the room INSPIRATION screened off by two red curtains, which could be drawn apart to show the medium. When we first saw Bailey he was sitting on a chair in this so-called ‘cabinet,’ and he addressed the people, explaining what was about to take place. He said to us, ‘I would like you people to understand that it would be dangerous to the health of the medium to produce a light or make any noise while he is in the trance. Any sudden shock would bring death to the medium. He gave us clearly to understand that his life was in our hands. He also explained that the spirits of departed people would appear before them, clothed and visible to the naked eye. He would be in a trance, and during [missing text]… Bailey called out, ‘Don’t touch me, or I will have you up for assault.’ Some of the people said, ‘Give the man a chance to explain.’ I offered to let Bailey go into the corner and make any explanations he desired. But he refused. He threw open the door and ran down the stairs, without his hat. He fled up the street, chased by some of the men, and also by some of the women, and took refuge in a residence in the city.” An attempt was made by a representative of “The Daily Telegraph” to secure an interview with Mr. Bailey, but admission to the house in which he took refuge was refused. The Port Macquarie News and Hastings River Advocate, Saturday 14 March 1914

Geelong’s “Ghost.” More Serious than it Sounded. - Danger Beneath the Floors. A “ghost” hunt by the police has lead to a startling discovery. Weird, rumbling noises, heard often at day time, alarmed people who live in Little Fenwick street, Geelong. The sounds rolled mournfully at intervals, like the moanings of a man, now rising, now falling. The neighbourhood had its teeth on edge. Women who had heard it in daylight fancied that it recurred at night; the same unearthly hollow noise. It had no definite locality, but men who had searched were agreed that it came from an unoccupied house. The place was closely examined, but the noises came again. The police were called in and for a time they, too, were mystified. Then it happened that a man, examining the haunted house, detected cracks in the floor. Peering through, he saw a big dark hole, in which, many feet below, something shimmered. There was a well 16 feet deep and 12 feet in diameter. On the floor, which was rotted in places, 12 children were playing and as they romped over the pit the hole beneath re-echoed their steps with that hollow, ghostly noise which had alarmed the district. The City Clerk has had the well filled in. Camperdown Chronicle, Thursday 10 July 1924, p. 1