JOINING SWORD & PEN HISTORY

PREVIOUS JS&P WINNERS:

2023-24: Calvaria by Maggie Smith

2020-21: The Gatekeepers produced as The S Paradox by Jillian Leff

2019-20: Plaid As Hell by Catherine McKay

2017-18: The Lady Demands Satisfaction by Arthur M. Jolly

2015-16: The Promise of a Rose Garden by Dustin Spence

2013-14: Witch Slap! by Jeff Goode

2011-12: Trash by Arthur M. Jolly

2009-10: A Gulag Mouse by Arthur M. Jolly

2007-8: Los Desaparecidos (The Vanished) by Barbara Lhota

2005-6: An Affair of Honor, consisting of two one-acts:

  • Mrs. Dire’s House of Crumpets and Solutions by Byron Hatfield
  • Satisfaction by Tony Wolf

Below are the designated images for previous JS&P competitions.

Woman with sword looking out in front of a tree; 2 disguised women hiding behind the same tree, one holding their hand over the other's mouth
Three apprehensive people, each holding a weapon (an axe, a hammer and a bat)
3 ladies seated around a table, one with an axe and another with a raised knife, looking down at a body on the floor in high heels.
Two dark figures in a neon-lit hallway. One figure crouches over, back-facing at the further the end of the hallway with a sword on the ground; the other figure stands with a sword in-hand, facing the crouching figure at the other end of the hallway.
On the left, a femme-identifying person has wandered into a cavern. We see them from the back so cannot discern any other identifying characteristics including age, identity, or ethnicity. The cavern seems to have a crack in the ceiling, letting in golden yellow sunlight. In the far edge of the cavern, coming out of the shadows is a Mysterious Figure. The Figure is wearing a sleeveless white shift-dress. On their head is a cow skull with antlers. The arms of the figure are olive toned and raised above their head to hold the skull by the horns, so the skull is blocking their face. To the left of the Mysterious Figure are 4 long swords, leaning against the wall of the cavern. There are rocks randomly strewn around the floor of the cavern between the mysterious figure and the femme-identifying figure.

JS&P HISTORY:

2005-6:

Print of Emile Bayard’s “An Affair of Honor”

The inaugural theme was proposed by Fight Master David Woolley, inspired by the print of Emile Bayard’s “An Affair of Honor” that hung on his living room wall. Each entry to the contest was required to incorporate the moment depicted in the print: a duel between two women on a secluded country road. The competition netted the Babes over 40 one-act entries, from locales ranging from our native Chicago to South Africa and New Zealand.  The two winning one-acts, Chicagoan Byron Hatfield’s Mrs. Dire’s House of Crumpets and Solutions and New Zealander Tony Wolf’s Satisfaction, were staged at the Viaduct Theater, April 7 – May 14, 2006, under the title An Affair of Honor.  Each playwright received the Ballantyne Award, which carried with it a $500 stipend. (BLOG POST: Mrs. Dire) (BLOG POST: Satisfaction)

2007-8:

José Ribera’s painting Duelo De Mujeres (The Duel of Women) was the focus of the next round of JS&P.  Encouraged by the response to the first round, the Babes decided to request full-length plays rather than one-acts in 2007-8, and received over 20 full-length entries.  The winning play, Chicagoan Barbara Lhota’s Los Desaparecidos (The Vanished), was staged at the Raven Theatre, April 6 – May 11, 2008.   Directed and choreographed by Fight Master David Woolley, Los Desaparecidos (The Vanished) was the first BWBTC production to feature a mixed-gender cast.  Ms. Lhota received the Margaret W. Martin Award, which carried with it a $1000 stipend. (BLOG POST: Los Desaparecidos) (BUY IT!)

José Ribera’s painting Duelo De Mujeres (The Duel of Women)

2009-10:

Kristine Borcz' charcoal sketch, Film Noir

Rather than focusing on an already-created image for their third round, the Babes turned to Chicago artist Kristine Borcz, who provided them with a charcoal sketch entitled Film Noir.  Once again the Babes requested full-lengths, and received 17.  The winning play, Los Angeleno Arthur M. Jolly’s A Gulag Mouse, opened 3/29/10 at the Trap Door Theatre, and ran through 5/1/10.  Mr. Jolly received the Margaret W. Martin Award, which carried with it a $1000 stipend. (BLOG POST: A Gulag Mouse) (BUY IT!)

2011-12:

Our fourth competition brought forth two firsts!  Erinyes, by Victoria Szilagy, won the FIRST Inspiring Sword & Pen art competition. The Babes requested full-length plays based on this artwork, and received 16.  The winner, Trash, made Arthur M. Jolly the FIRST two-time winner of Joining Sword & Pen!  Trash, featuring two rotating casts, opened 4/1&2/12 at The Side Project Theatre and ran through 5/5/12.  Mr. Jolly received the Margaret W. Martin Award, which carried with it a $1000 stipend. (BLOG POST: Trash) (BUY IT!)

Erinyes, by Victoria Szilagy

2013-14:

Gabriella Boros' Medieval 1
Gabriella Boros' Medieval 2

Gabriella Boros was the winner of Inspiring Sword & Pen 2012. We couldn’t chose between her two amazing pieces, Medieval 1 and Medieval 2 so we chose both! These pieces formed the basis of Joining Sword & Pen 2013-14. Jeff Goode won JS&P 2013-14 with his comedic script, Witch Slap!. Witch Slap! opened on 8/16/14 on the West Stage at the Raven Theatre Complex and ran until 9/20/14. Mr. Goode received the Margaret W. Martin Award, which carried with it a $1000 stipend. (BLOG POST: WITCH SLAP!)

2015-16:

Jessie Swiech, a Central Illinois-based actress and an artist in a variety of mediums and styles, won IS&P 2014 with her piece Death and Sleep With The Fallen Warrior. The image inspired 17 scripts during the run of JS&P 2015-16. The winner of the 6th round of BWBTC’s playwriting competition was The Promise of a Rose Garden by Dustin Spence, an exploration of what it means to be a soldier and the far-reaching effects of war. It opened on 8/6/16 on at City Lit Theater and runs until 9/10/16. Mr. Spence received the Margaret W. Martin Award, which carries with it a $1000 stipend. (BLOG POST: PROMISE)

Jessie Swiech's Death and Sleep With the Fallen Warrior

2017-18:

Jessie Swiech's Death and Sleep With the Fallen Warrior

The winner of the 7th round of BWBTC’s playwriting competition was The Lady Demands Satisfaction by Arthur M. Jolly. It opened on 7/28/18 at City Lit Theater and ran until 8/25/18.  Mr. Jolly also won two previous Joining Sword & Pen competitions:

  • 2009-10: BWBTC premiered A GULAG MOUSE at the Trap Door Theatre: it opened 3/29/10 and ran through 5/1/10. It has since been published by Next Stage Press, and produced in Seattle, WA; Anchorage, AK; London, England; and Los Angeles, CA.
  • 2011-12: BWBTC premiered TRASH, featuring two rotating casts, at The Side Project Theatre: it opened 4/1&2/12 and ran through 5/5/12. It has since been published by Next Stage Press, and produced in London, England.

We’re thrilled to welcome Mr. Jolly back to the BWBTC stage and honor him with the Margaret W. Martin Award, which carries with it a $1000 stipend!

2019-20:

Based on images created by the company, the winner of the 8th round of BWBTC’s playwriting competition is Plaid As Hell by Cat McKay (she/her), production dates TBD. This was the first time submissions have been open to only playwrights of underrepresented genders, including cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and those who are otherwise marginalized based on gender, which garnered 13 new plays. We’re thrilled to welcome Ms. McKay to the JS&P club and present her with the Margaret W. Martin Award, which carries with it a $1000 stipend!

Three apprehensive people, each holding a weapon (an axe, a hammer and a bat)
Three apprehensive people, each holding a weapon (an axe, a hammer and a bat)

2020-21:

2020-2021 JS&P Image of Two dark figures in a neon-lit hallway. One figure crouches over, back-facing at the further the end of the hallway with a sword on the ground; the other figure stands with a sword in-hand, facing the crouching figure at the other end of the hallway.

“Neon Gateway”, an illustration created by BWBTC ensemble member Morgan Manasa, inspired 13 new submissions, including our 9th winning script, The GateKeepers by Jillian Leff (she/her), produced as The S Paradox with a run from 4/7/24 through 5/18/24 at The Factory Theater.  Ms. Leff is also an ensemble member of BWBTC and the first to win JS&P while an active member. A number of her original plays have been produced around Chicago including Small World (co-written with Joe Lino), Missed Opportunities and (Non)Fiction. We’re delighted to induct Ms. Leff into the JS&P fold and grant her with the Margaret W. Martin Award, which includes a $1000 stipend!

2023-24:

“Cave Treasure”, an illustration created by BWBTC ensemble member Morgan Manasa,

On the left, a femme-identifying person has wandered into a cavern. We see them from the back so cannot discern any other identifying characteristics including age, identity, or ethnicity. The cavern seems to have a crack in the ceiling, letting in golden yellow sunlight. In the far edge of the cavern, coming out of the shadows is a Mysterious Figure. The Figure is wearing a sleeveless white shift-dress. On their head is a cow skull with antlers. The arms of the figure are olive toned and raised above their head to hold the skull by the horns, so the skull is blocking their face. To the left of the Mysterious Figure are 4 long swords, leaning against the wall of the cavern. There are rocks randomly strewn around the floor of the cavern between the mysterious figure and the femme-identifying figure.