Fire Exit Theatre runs a play competition called Scripts on Fire. I received a delightful email from Val Lieske (Founder and Artistic Director of Fire Exit) just after Christmas informing me that my play WAVES won their 9th Annual Scripts on Fire New Play Competition. You can read all about their annocement on Fire Exit’s INSTAGRAM POST.
Fire Exit Theatre’s Founder/Artistic Director Val Lieske
This was a nice surprise and a great way to start the new year. Fire Exit Theatre is a company that operates out of Calgary. Val Lieske started the company back in 2002. Read about Val and her team on Fire Exit Theatre’s website HERE.
Over the past year, I’ve received many rejections from various companies and competitions regarding WAVES. Once I receive a rejection, I shrug my shoulders, grumble a whole lot, spiral into a mini-depression until I snap out of it and say “Oh, well – NEXT!”
Well today is NOT one of those days. Today is a day of rejoicing. It’s an opportunity for WAVES to get more attention – more eyes on the script – and hopefully for an audience to one day see it on the stage.
Prize money comes with this win, but more importantly an opportunity for this script to get some dramaturgy, a worshop and eventually I’ll be going to Calgary for a staged reading of WAVES. This is why it is important (and necessary) to keep working on your writing, keep sending it out to competitions and companies, keep testing it out on directors/actors and keep having readings. A BIG THANK YOU to all the actors involved in the readings I had of WAVES last year. And to Liz Best who facilitated these readings. I can’t stress how vital it was to hear the dialogue read aloud. The exercise of listening is underrated. The conversations I had about the strengths and weaknesses of the script after these readings helped me in the editing of WAVES – in making it a better play.
One of the many things that Fire Exit Theatre promotes is theatre that is “open to transformation and the hope of 
redemption”. As I have said many times in my blogs, “Speranza” is the Italian word for HOPE. My plays, my film scripts, will always be about characters who struggle, who fight to find the light and ultimately a hope that often must be fought for.
Much of WAVES is about hope and yes, sadness, because as hopeful as I am, I realize we live in a broken world. I leave you with this, on Fire Exit’s website, a word about hope and art which resonates with me and my writing:
Art, at its foundation, should provide hope. Art can and should reflect the darkness of the world, but we refuse to live in that darkness.
Way to go, Rome! That’s exciting! Congrats on the win!
Congratulations Romeo! You are a true artists , always trudging forward with you talent and passion!
Congratulations, Romeo! What wonderful news! Hope you celebrated! Wishing you continued success and happiness.
Congratulations 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 You didn’t give up on yourself. One day soon, we will be able to go see it. Can’t wait. Meanwhile keep writing.
Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Romeo! Winning Fire Exit Theatre’s Scripts on Fire competition is a fantastic achievement, and it’s inspiring to see your perseverance with WAVES pay off in such a meaningful way. All the best!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your hard work, dedication and diligence has paid off in spades. So happy for you.
Oh Romeo I am so happy for you!! Well Done!😊
CONGRATULATIONS! Much deserved with much patience and perseverance. Enjoy this moment. Huge hugs in celebration with you.
Well deserved Romeo! Congratulations on first place. Consistent excellence, growing recognition, and bigger things ahead!!
Congratulations Romeo! Fantastic news for you – keep us informed of the play’s progress!
Wonderful Romeo! Happy for you! Would love to read the script or see the play if it’s ever available in the GTA.
Congratulations Romeo, so happy for you, that’s amazing news.
Great news! Congratulations- looking forward to seeing wherever WAVES may go!
Congratulations Romeo! I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Be well!
This is such good news, Romeo! A wonderful way to start the year, and some events to look forward to regarding Waves down the road. All the best!
ENORMOUS CONGRATULATIONS, ROME!!! It is much deserved esp. after all your hard work on making the script even better!
Great news!! Congrats, Rome!
A big congratulations Romeo. An honour well deserved. As an artist I too face myriads of challenges, obstacles and rejections, but one must soldier on. Take care.