Dylan Days seeks poems, stories, one-act plays for 2010 contest

HIBBING, Minn. ─ Over four decades, B.J. Rolfzen taught high school and community college English in Hibbing, Minnesota. Hundreds of students from all social classes and national origins drew equal and insistent inspiration in Rolfzen’s Iron Range classrooms, but perhaps many have only heard of one student: Bob Dylan. In memory of Rolfzen, who passed in 2009, and his passion for poetry and writing, the Dylan Days Creative Writing contest is calling for short stories, poems and one-act plays from students and emerging writers for 2010.
 
The competition will henceforth be known as the “B.J. Rolfzen Creative Writing Contest” and each year’s winners will be commemorated on a plaque in Bob Dylan’s hometown.

The deadline for all entries is March 15, 2010. Poems of less than 1,000 words and short fiction of 1,000 to 4,000 words will be accepted through an online entry system at www.dylandays.com (scroll down for entry links). One act plays will be accepted by mail only (address below). The contest is changing this year. More entries will be considered for publication in the Dylan Days program and literary journal “Talkin’ Blues” and the categories are being renamed and realigned.

Grand prizes will be awarded to writers in poetry and short fiction categories. In poetry, a separate division for student poets will be held open to high school and undergraduate college students. First Prize in each division wins $100. Semi-finalists will also be named. All winning and semi-finalist entries will appear in the Dylan Days literary journal, “Talkin’ Blues,” providing many first-time publication credits for emerging writers and poets.

In the one act playwright competition, one winner will be named along with semi-finalists. The top work will be produced and performed on the Hibbing Community College stage during Dylan Days as the featured entertainment for our annual Literary Showcase. The grand prize winner will receive a trip to Hibbing to participate in the staging of their play during Dylan Days 2010. The play will be cast with experienced actors and directed by Michael Ricci, an award-winning Minnesota theatre director, formerly of Hibbing.

For more information, e-mail Dylan Days co-chair Aaron Brown at aaronbrown@hibbing.edu or call him at 218-969-9663.

Original one-act play competition
(open to all playwrights)

All submissions should be plays that have not been produced in any other theatres.  They can be of any genre except musicals, or puppet theatre. 
Scripts should be between 30 and 60 minutes in length, and contain 3-6 characters. Settings should be fairly modest, staying away from extravagant set pieces and special effects.  Content and subject matter are completely open, but should reflect what Bob Dylan came to be known for - an original voice who embraced a new direction, a unique vision with the power to move people.  All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges, and the winning entry will be given a fully mounted production on stage in Hibbing. All entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2010.

Entrants in the playwright contest only should submit via mail only:

Dylan Days One Act Playwright Contest
C/O Mike Ricci, Director
North Hennepin Community College Theatre
7411 85th Ave. N.
Brooklyn Park, MN  55445

(All entries for fiction and poetry must be electronically submitted. No entries in fiction or poetry categories will be considered unless they are submitted following the electronic submission guidelines listed in each category's rules listed below).

For more information on the one-act competition, contact Mike Ricci at 763-493-0543. (Starting in 2010, Mike Ricci will manage the one act judging from North Hennepin Community College and then stage the production in Hibbing).

Open Division Poetry
The B.J. Rolfzen Student Poetry Division
 Short Fiction
ENTER THE CONTEST

In all divisions, entries need not be about Bob Dylan or use his style of writing; but they should strive for creativity, originality and literary theme.

All prizewinners are invited to take part in a literary reading and reception at Hibbing Community College during Dylan Days 2009. We will also offer a free creative writing workshop (to be announced). This year, the Literary Showcase is one of several Dylan Days activities including the Saturday night "Bob’s Birthday Bash" songwriter’s contest, a visual art contest, weekend bus tours of “Bobby Zimmerman’s Hibbing” live music, Dylan documentaries and displays, and exciting music events.

NOTICE ON RIGHTS AND PRIOR PUBLICATION: We ask that only original, unpublished works be submitted to our contest. Entering the contest grants us one time rights to publish and winning works in the Dylan Days literary journal and program. In the playwright contest, entering grants Dylan Days and its assigns to stage and perform the play once during Dylan Days, but does not include publication. After publication or performance, rights revert to the authors.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR ALL CATEGORIES: 11:59 p.m., March 15, 2010

You will be asked to provide your name, the title of piece, your phone number, address and your e-mail address along with the text of your work. Students will be asked to list the school or college they are enrolled in at the time of entry. Any special formatting (such as italics, bold face) must be done in HTML, otherwise entries should be submitted text only (Please indent paragraphs or separate them with one space). Be sure to select the correct division in the online submission form. You must be a registered high school or college student at the TIME OF ENTRY to be eligible for the student divisions. Previous winners are eligible to enter. We strictly enforce word counts for poetry and short fiction.

See who's in the Dylan Days Creative Writing Contest Hall of Fame, including past winners and honorees since 2003.


Dylan Days is an annual event and an association dedicated to advancing the arts in Bob Dylan's hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota.  All content copyright by Aaron J. Brown.