When I saw a poster advertising the Ten Minute Play Festival, I was immediately intrigued.

Whether it is listening, watching or telling my own, stories have always been an integral part of my life. Writing a 10-minute play seemed like the perfect platform to play with my voice.

Then I realized the plays were due in two weeks, and I was terrified.

I wondered how I was supposed to come up with a full blown script in just 14 days when I can hardly get my homework in on time, let alone write a play on such a deadline. But I knew it was time to let go of the fear of failure and that I was bound to come up with something.

I was surprised at how quickly the story came together — I had something to say and I had a platform to say it.

A week later, there it was: “A Bedtime Story.” The play stemmed from my appreciation for the dorm room. It was designed to capture the huge breadth of stories and conversations that occur in that small, intimate space.  

I was proud of what I had accomplished and that I had taken a chance without second guessing myself, for the most part. This lasted for about five seconds until I went to the first director’s meeting.

My personal joy quickly turned into sheer panic when I realized everyone in the room had read my play, and after a few too many over-analyzed comments, I felt downright terrible. I remember effusing so many comments along the lines of, “it’s just a dumb thing I wrote,” and “I’m going to change a lot of it anyway.” People probably thought I was planning on setting my play a blaze when I got home.  

But there would be no play bonfires that night. Instead it was reborn as I rewrote the entire thing in a cold sweat. You know, as any self-assured, young lady playwright would.

I felt good coming into the first night of auditions, but then only six people showed up over the course of four hours. Despite the meagre turnout, I felt slightly relieved at the prospect of “A Bedtime Story” staying on my Google Drive, away from public criticism forever.

In the coming days, however, more and more people did turn up to audition. And as I started to piece together my cast, my enthusiasm for the play continued to grow.

Emma Fisher, Janine Puleo, Troy Meikle and Brendan Schlaman fit so perfectly as each of my characters, and I knew I needed to work with them the moment each of them auditioned. 

The other day, I saw a different poster for the festival, with my name and play, and I felt a palpable, genuine excitement for what we directors and actors have all created. The Ten Minute Play Festival taught me to believe in my voice and what I have to say.

The Ten Minute Play Festival will feature 10 plays and take place Feb. 11 to Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gilbert Hemsley Theater.