“Dawn, n.: The time when men of reason go to bed.”
   -- Ambrose Bierce (1911)

Ah! The "all-nighter." It's a Washington College tradition few of us can forget. And on Saturday night of Reunion Weekend we are going to celebrate those memories in a very special show. 

We are currently seeking savvy storytellers to relate true stories about their late night escapades in a live performance program called “Tales Out of School: All-Nighters.” If you have a moving, inspiring, shocking, or hilarious story about your College experience after dark, we want to know about it.  Was your educational experience between dusk and dawn as valuable as your experience between dawn and dusk? Did coffee, snack foods, hormones, or fear fuel your push through ’til dawn? Did you toil through the night to finish a paper, cram for an exam, celebrate a victory, seek love, overcome heartbreak, share secrets, or support friends?

The Washington College Department of Drama Alumni want to hear from all artful alumni storytellers (regardless of your field of study) about your unforgettable experience in sleep deprivation. If you can tell your story in less than 10 minutes, through words or song, dance or movement, mime or sign, and you are planning to come to Reunion Weekend (May 20-22), please tell us about you and your tale.

Following are complete details on how you and your story might have your moment in the spotlight. Please contact us soon—we don’t want to wait up all night!

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: “TALES OUT OF SCHOOL: ALL-NIGHTERS”
All alumni planning to attend Reunion Weekend 2011 in Chestertown are invited to submit a proposal for our “Tales Out of School” program. Please send us a one-page description that includes:

• Some basic information about you: class year; field of study; current vocation (or avocation); performance, public speaking, or storytelling experience, etc.
• A brief description of your true Washington College “all-nighter” story: who, what, where, when, etc., and how you would tell it.
• A brief sales pitch: why do you think your story should be included in the presentation?

Story proposals must be sent via e-mail to reunionstories@washcoll.edu no later than Friday, April 15. Supporting materials (such as headshots or other photos, MP3 video or music clips, etc.) are also welcome.

Storytellers selected for the performance will be notified by a panel of alumni volunteers by May 1.  A mentor/director will be assigned to each storyteller to help prepare for the performance. Storytellers will be expected to arrive on campus the afternoon of Friday, May 20, to meet with the group. Storytellers must also attend a brief technical rehearsal on Saturday, May 21. The performance will take place from 7:30-8:30 pm on Saturday.

NOTA BENE: On the night of the performance, audience members who have an all-nighter story to tell will drop their names into a hat for possible selection during the performance. Alumni storytellers whose submissions are not selected by the committee are encouraged to participate in the drawing on the night of the performance.