No 2009 Scribe Playwrighting Competition

Brief release:

Due to current obligations, Croyle Entertainment is not holding a Scribe Playwrighting Competition this year. The competition will most likely be reinstated in 2010.

Croyle Entertainment’s web site is also currently being redesigned for a better user experience.

One Night. One Hope. Exclusive Teaser Trailer.

In the wake of the 2008 Presidential election, I’ve quickly cut together a short teaser for my upcoming election night documentary ‘One Night. One Hope.’ due for realease in 2009.

The Ignorance Of The American Bible Belt

It is quite mind-boggling that America has come so far and made leaps and bounds into a new millenium, yet still there are some folks who think and feel like those Southern Americans of two-hunderd years ago. I’m talking about the bible-belters. That’s right, you bible-belters out there. Now, I can’t specifically point a finger at all of them, but the majority of them as a whole — sure can.

While the rest of the United States has successfully grown and advanced as a human race, along with the rest of the world, these folks in the rural areas of middle America have cut themselves off from other cultures, races, ways of thinking, and have lived in a stagnant state for the past two-hundred years. And the crazy thing is, they’re content with that. They’re happy to segregate themselves from the rest of humanity and the world.

Click the following link for the most horrible example of what I’m talking about:

Redneck Woman Rails on Obama

So, to the rest of the world, I say this: This is not who America is. The majority of us live in or around large cities, not in the recesses of wide open land. The majority of us understand and accept differences in other cultures and appreciate people for who they are, and we are EMBARRASSED that people like this live in our counrty.

With this in mind, watch the following video. This is who Barack Obama is really up against in the 2008 Election: Those uninformed bible-belters…

Another example:

Thwart McReedy’s Hockey Show

We here at Croyle Entertainment are huge hockey fans. So, in celebration of the 2008-2009 season, we’ve decided to run a small web series called “Thwart McReedy’s Hockey Show.” Now, this small web series is being produced on a whim, for no money, and just for the love of hockey. Heck, we’re even using an old-school web cam that really sucks to look at. But, because we love hockey so much, we’re bringing you a bit of entertainment to go along with a fantastic season.

Croyle Entertainment’s owner/director, Matt Croyle, portrays Thwart McReedy: a mellow hockey freak from a vague ‘Ontario, Canada.’

“I love Thwart,” says Croyle. Who came up with the character on a whim. “He’s a man holding back emotion. One of these days he’s gonna blow up!”

So, all-in-all “Thwart McReedy’s Hockey Show” is all fun and games — until someone gets a puck in the eye. The first episode is below. Enjoy.

The Promise Of America

Tonight in Denver, Colorado, Barack Obama accepted his Party’s nomination for President of The United States Of America. In front of a crowd pushing more than eighty-thousand supporters Obama’s personal story was at the heart of his speech, intertwining with those American lives who watched — either live, on television, radio, or online. I’ll reproduce his views in paraphrase here with some of my own. I was blown away by his speech tonight, and realize why I’ve been behind him for two years now.

The promise of America, from those who have been here for generations to those who are new to this country, even those who plan on becoming a citizen, you are all promised one thing from this great country of ours: Each one of us can make what we want of our lives. And that’s what Obama’s major theme was tonight in Denver.

He notes that “it will be hard.” And, I agree. Hard work is what started our counrty, developed our country, and what drives our counrty to this day. And by discovering our own stories we will understand more of what America’s story truly represents. Obama seems to understand that while we can do what we want with our own lives, it’s important that we realize we are individuals and we are a nation all-in-one. That it’s imperative we have a bond with others to inspire, and help them achieve what they want in their own lives, as well as our own. We grow individually and together at the same time — building a stronger self, family, and nation. Not only is this concept American, but vital to the human condition of people around the globe.

Barack Obama, like many of us, states that he understands that the United States is a better country than we have been, and shown, for the past eight years. And I, personally, agree. We know that our government must work for us and not against us, and Obama shared that view with us tonight. He feels that the prolonged war in Iraq distracts us from the real problems we are facing at home in our own country: homelessness, inadequate pay, job loss, health care, education, and the list goes on. I feel that instead of pouring endless dollars into a war we shouldn’t be involved in, we could use that money for these issues we face on our own soil. Barack agrees. He promises us that he will, also, never hesitate to defend us. He will never hesitate to defend our country, but he’ll only send troops into harms way with a ‘clear’ mission. Barack says we need a President who will face the threats of the future, and not keep grasping the ideas of the past. Wouldn’t one think that the less money we pour into a war, the more money we’d have here at home? Or is that a stupid question?

Barack Obama says that this is no time for small plans, that eight years of them have been enough. It’s time for America to meet its moral obligations. Most importantly with ourselves, but also with other nations. And in the words of Dr. King, forty-five years after he had a dream, Barack echoed his words for the world and all of us to hear: “We can’t turn back!” We know this election is our chance to keep the promise of America alive — the promise we make to our kids everyday: that, because you are an American, you can make what you want of your life. Barack says, “We can’t meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century beauracracy. That each one of us has andividual and moral responsibility to do our part with hard work and provide for each other and push change in Washington.”

Tonight he stated that John McCain should have our respect and admiration for serving his country, but more years of what our country has endured over the past eight should not be tolerated. He noted that he’s willing to debate John McCain on any issue, and in regarding who is best suited for the White House. He, however, doesn’t want any such debate to be about attacking the other person, as most debates are about. Barack Obama wants John McCain to argue the issues at hand and not revert to the norm of personally attacking the other person, or Obama’s patriotism. Barack knows that patriotism “…has no party or individual counrty. That all Americans are patriots. We all put our counrty first.”

Barack knows that many bridges divide us as Americans, and that we see differently on many issues. However he believes as most hope to believe: That we can find ways around these differences and unite. One of America’s best qualities, I feel, is the fact we are all so different. We come from different nations, speak different languages, pray to different gods, and so forth. But the best thing about it is we have not only a shared understanding of the human condition, we’ve all been promised the same thing. Freedom. Barack Obama wants to reinvigorate and reteach a nation that America can be “…that last best home for those who hear the call of freedom” — and to know that we are, freely, American.

From his early days in Chicago’s South Side, until now, Barack Obama has given so much hope to communities and people in our great nation. He had a calling to public service right out of Harvard when most of his classmates took jobs at huge fims for large sums of money and material possessions.

Barack knows he’s qualified to lead this nation into a great change to come. However, he also knows there are some who do not believe as I do. “This election has never been about me,” he said tonight, “it’s about you.”

This is a man who believes that “change doesn’t come ‘from’ Washington, change comes ‘to’ Washington.

And, to Sen. Obama I say: I’m behind you all the way.

Below is what we saw and heard tonight. Enjoy.

Avril Lavigne Dream

So, I figured I’d write this down as I wake up, that way it’s still in my memory. I hate when you’re having a pretty cool dream, then just as it gets to the climax or top of the story, you wake up. And you’re pissed because you know you’re dreaming and want ot fall asleep again, but can’t. Well, I’ve always had this stupid ol’ man-crush on Avril Lavigne, and last night was my Avril Lavigne dream. **Note: Gaps in the narrative are due to me waking, then falling back asleep.

Avril was scheduled to play the Arlington Hotel here in Oil City. That’s right, I said the Arlington Hotel. Those of you not familiar with the Arlington Hotel, it’s like five motels stacked on top of each other over a bar and restaraunt. Normally, when I think of a hotel, it consists of corridors and inside-inside access to rooms — however, the Arlington has five floors with outside-inside access. Apparently, the Arlington had installed or added a large performance venue in this dream of mine, as well. So, to think that Avril would actually play there, let alone in this city, is laughable. However, I’m dreaming here.

So, for one reason or another, through a friend, I’m able to meet Avril — at my house — no less, along with my friend. She’s nice. I play it cool. She knows we’re coming to the show later that night, and proceeds to let us know that we can stop by anytime during the day to hang out, as she’s rented out the entire third floor of the Arlington. She lets us know what room is her’s. She’s extremely cool and exits with a hug.

It’s a bit rainy as my friend and I make it to the Arlington, apparently pre-security time, and proceed to the third floor, where the only lights on are the ones from Avril’s room (noticeable, as we, again, only have outside-inside access.) She greets us at her door and we go inside.

At this point, Avril is very flirty and friendly with me. She even touches my hand from time to time. I’m obviously thrilled by this. I take off my coat, and the three of us chill out for a while. I, apparently, learn that they are doing some filming of a video that night during the show, as I somehow just simply knew this was occurring. I don’t think she even mentioned it. So, after hanging out for a while, she holds my hand as she leads us back down to the ground floor. By this point there are security guards at all of the ground exits. She stops at the security guard who holds a clip board. “This is Matt Croyle,” she says to the guard. “He can come and go anytime he wants to.” The guard nods at her and eyes me over. She hugs me.

In the hotel, which by now is hustling and bustling with people, I learn that those folks who are included in the video shoot will be the ones to be placed around the stage — with the best seats for the show. So, I make my way early to the large venue doors, open them, and go inside. Immediately, others who are entering with me notice that I don’t have an access sticker to the shoot that they are all wearing. We get to a security check, for those involved with the shoot, and I get stopped. The guard reminds me that the majority of the audience for the shoot will be in the 18 to 25 age bracket. Which, immediately makes me feel old. I tell him I’m just a local guy and that I’m a fan. I ask him if it’s alright if I go in to be involved. At this point, I’m thinking Avril will see me if I’m that close. Maybe she’ll pull me up on stage or something. Anyway, the security guard says it’s cool. So, after waiting, they start letting people in, but as I get closer to being let in, they cut off those entering as the amount needed is full.

Remembering Avril’s fondness of me, I quickly realize that I have all-access to her via the third floor. So, I embark on going to see her. Then I wake up and can’t fall back asleep.

What a crazy dream. Rather cinematic, as it’s broken up into scenes, but nonetheless crazy. It’s kind of like my life in a lot of ways for a lot of situations. Just as I figure out a way to solve a problem, for some reason I’m unable to do it. In this case I can get to see her, but I can’t fall back asleep.

Personal Stuff

So, I’ve noticed I don’t usually write anything too personal on my myspace blog, which is understandable because I’m usually quite a private person online. Just figured I’d talk about some stuff tonight.

Had my son this past weekend, as his mom picked him up today. He’s three. He’s amazingly coherent and breathtakingly graceful for three years old. I hope he inherits my coordination — as it’s looking that way. His mom is sorta clutzy, in that cute ‘do that again’ way. But he’s definately a trooper at the playground. The thing about my son is the quickness he displays in understanding or using that understanding to ‘do it himself’ in a variety of situations. Myself? Takes me a bit to get something down, but Dec is hitting things after one demo. Hope that continues to carry over to when he starts school and gets lessons explained to him.  Would make reiteration at home for his mom and I both — a piece of cake. When he has to keep trying because he can’t do something, he tends to get a bit frustrated, which I don’t know if that is good or bad, but I always try to remind him that’s it’s okay that he can’t do something. That it takes practice and he shouldn’t get mad at himself.

He’s an absolute amazing kid and my favorite person ever. I’m so proud to be his daddy.

Some folks have asked me if it’s hard being a single dad. And, I guess the only thing I can say in response to that is that — it is what it is. Nobody plans on being a single dad, and if they did I would probably shoot them in the schnutz. However, it’s not ideal, a lot of people have it way worse then being a single dad. Yet, in saying that, I realize that a lot of people have it way better.

Examples. Well, let’s see. The best example I can think of is a hypothetical of what worse could have consisted of on a personal note. A lot of people don’t know that I was married and divorced by the time I was twenty-five. A college sweetheart, if you will. If I would have had children with her it would have been a lot worse in present circumstances because she would either have been in Charlotte, NC (where we lived) or presently in Denver, CO where she lives now. (happily married with a child of her own — God bless her.) However, if we would have had any children, the situation, geographically, would have been way more difficult that the sixty miles I have to drive to pick up Declan. Which is an inch to me.

On the flip side, a two residence household is not the ideal household for children to grow up in. Although, I do try to tell Declan that he’s cooler than other kids because he has two houses and they only have one. Two bedrooms, he’s got three dogs (two here and one there). I know it’s going to a bit weird for him as he gets a little older. He was only one when his mom and I split, so he’s never really known us together as a whole unit. He’s gonna start asking why mommy and daddy don’t live together, or even in the same city for that matter, and why they don’t both take him out to dinner or to the movies and everything else. So, I guess, the old-fashioned family model would be a more ideal setting, a better setting for him. And for that, I’ll feel partially responible for not giving him as a child. Although, it wasn’t my choice, it was partially my doing. It does take two to tango.

All of this raises a perfectly honest question to myself that I’ve been posing lately: Why aren’t the relationships in my life working out? Not just relationships, but the important ones.

Looking back on the past seven years of my life, as I’ve really only had two serious relationships in that time — a marriage, and someone whom I thought I would marry — it’s a simple equation now.

I was married out of college before I was doing what I wanted to do. Wasn’t miserable in the marriage, but for the fact I wasn’t where I wanted to be — thus making me unhappy, which, in turn, made my new wife unhappy, thus making us miserable. Needless to say, she filed for divorce. Pretty much, the timing of the marriage was all wrong. At the time we split, neither one of us looked at it that way, but now we do. We’ve discussed it. We also realize now that there is more than one person out there that has what you need from someone, as she is wonderfully, happily married with a new baby and I was also able to find someone I thought I would spend the rest of my life with — again.

At the time Dec’s mom and I split, it kind of mirrored my place with my marriage. Not happy doing what I was doing — it made me miserable — and so forth. And the fact is, when we first started dating I was still at the uneducated position of hating, I mean HATING, my ex-wife. Therefore, all relationships at that time were compared to the most horrible one ever — the one I just came out of. Obviously, the new relationship never stood a chance from the get go. Instead of figuring out what I needed to do to love her, I subconsciously figured out what I needed to do to push her away as much as possible. For years. Even after Dec was born, I didn’t know how to love her. Ultimately, that story ends with her decision to leave.

However, the main story itself, will never end. That’s the upside of everything. Dec will have kids, well, unless he’s gay, and the Croyle name will be carried on. And on the most rudimentary view of our species, I’ll have served my purpose in this life. Wow, that’s depressing — I digress.

I guess what’s important in my little rant, that I’ve thrown together here, is the fact that I love my son unconditionally — no matter what he does or will do in the future. And that’s a very fine thing considering what people tolerate in relationships. Also, when you are in a relationship with someone — if they are unhappy with themselves — do everything you can to make that person happy just for being themself — for their own benefit. A healthy self is a healthy relationship. It will benefit your relationship with them so much more than trying to assimilate yourself into their persona. However, because of my son being in my life, and knowing the unconditional love we show each other on a daily basis, it gives me hope that there is still someone out there that will fit my hand like a glove (if you’ll pardon the term.) Someone that wants to believe in love as much as I want to – again. It took losing the two most important women, sans mom, ever in my life to remember what love is truly about — and I can see it in the eyes of my child. Circumstances suck. Nobody goes into a relationship wanting it to fail, and you can never hold that against anyone. Yet, the benefits of even doomed relationships are, especially on my part, rewarding.

2008 Scribe Playwrighting Competition Updates

Well, fellow writers, there is only one week of submission time left in my compay’s first annual SCRIBE PLAYWRIGHTING COMPETITION! If you haven’t submitted your play yet, now is the time to do it. Deadline is July 4, 2008.

And, while we eagerly await to read your pieces, I must say to those who have submitted thus far, that we’re enjoying reading your submissions very much! Some amazing quality of writing going on. And that’s what we like! I’m truly impressed with what has been showing up in our mailbox. Determining a winner for each category will be a daunting task, but that’s what you all are supposed to do for us — make it difficult. If it was easy, everyone would be a writer.

So, with those thoughts in mind, keep up the great work — and those who haven’t submitted yet, we can’t wait to see what you add to the fire. This competition is taking off better than we anticipated, as we’re receiving plays from all over the globe. We’ve already begun planning for next year!

For more info on submitting go to: The Scribe Playwrighting Competition.

MC

‘Jerry’s Pub’ Production Updates

Just finished printing up some production paperwork this afternoon for ‘Jerry’s Pub.’ You know, some of the fun stuff like contracts, releases, location stuff. Pretty time consuming but we need to cover all bases, right? And our asses, of course.

Adapting this little piece of mine to the screen is gonna take some tweaking and imagination, but I’m sure those involved with the project will be balls-out ready to give it their all. Granted, this flick is an ultra-low budget indy, but we’re looking at utilizing what resources we have available to make it good enough (if not better) to make some festivals next year. I really believe in the story itself working as a short flick, and I’m sure that the final product will be something we’re all proud of.

We licensed a track by Moby for the opening credits, and I’m going to be working on maybe getting another track or two of his into the movie. I love Moby and am glad that an artist of his caliber, whose music is renowned worldwide, is a part of our little flick. I’d love to have some local Pennsylvania acts feature some music in the flick too.

This being our first flick I’m a bit set against an open casting call for the remainder of the open roles, mainly because I know what I want in those characters but also because we simply don’t have the draw for quality actors from other regions to come here and work for peanuts. However, I do have a handful of local individuals that I’m considering to read for the open roles.

Location scouting is currently in progress, and I’m sure things will easily work out the way I want them to in that department. I have some things going on in my head that I know we’ll be able to find in this area. Of couse, the flick will have a couple more locations than the original stage version of the play, which only has one.

That’s about where we are at this point. I’ll keep you guys updated as we move forward.

Matt

2008 SCRIBE PLAYWRIGHTING COMPETITION

Now Accepting Submissions For The 2008 Competition!

Deadline: July 4, 2008

Winners announced: September 4, 2008

Welcome to the Scribe Playwrighting Competition. Founded by Croyle Entertainment, the competition is designed to bridge an international gap between established and emerging writers around the world. That is why the competition is open to all writers, everywhere, regardless of subject matter.The competition has two categories for sumbission. Full length plays and one act plays. Each category has its own prize for the selected winners. Full length plays: All plays 75+ pages are considered to be full length. One act plays: All plays up to 74 pages in length are considered one act plays. The Scribe Playwrighting Competition offers the following to the winners of each category: $200 Cash Prize Certificate of Merit A filmed reading of their work for developmental purposes on DVD. Consideration for full production by Croyle Entertainment. Written response to your work.

SUBMIT YOUR PLAY.Plays must be submitted as follows: Script must be in proper play formatting. Script must have a cover page that includes the title of the play, writer’s name and address. Plays must be registered with a protective agency (i.e. WGA, Copyright Office.) Pages must be clearly numbered. Only hardcopies are accepted at this point, please use three-hole puched paper bound by brads. On the outside of your submission envelope, please specify either ‘One Act’ or ‘Full Length.’ Include a check with your submission: $15.00 (US) for one acts, $25.00 (US) for full length plays. Please make your checks payable to CROYLE ENTERTAINMENT. Send your submissions to: Scribe Playwrighting Competition C/O Croyle Entertainment 509 Hiland Avenue Oil City, PA 16301 USA