Spring Branch playwright wins contest, credits girlfriend for inspiration

Bryan Maynard's "Next!" is one of three plays featured in Boiling Point Players' first cabaret show, "A New You," on Jan. 22. With Maynard, from left, are, the three co-founders of Boiling Point Players: Autumn Clack, Ruth S. McCleskey and Melanie Martin. Maynard lives in Spring Branch. Bryan Maynard's "Next!" is one of three plays featured in Boiling Point Players' first cabaret show, "A New You," on Jan. 22. With Maynard, from left, are, the three co-founders of Boiling Point Players: Autumn Clack, Ruth S. McCleskey and Melanie Martin. Maynard lives in Spring Branch. less Bryan Maynard's "Next!" is one of three plays featured in Boiling Point Players' first cabaret show, "A New You," on Jan. 22. With Maynard, from left, are, the three co-founders of Boiling Point Players: Autumn ... more Photo: Michelle Odgers Photo: Michelle Odgers Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Spring Branch playwright wins contest, credits girlfriend for inspiration 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Imagine their surprise when the women of Boiling Point Players held a playwriting competition and discovered that two of the three winning entries were written by men, including Spring Branch resident Bryan Maynard.

"We were very surprised and thought it was really interesting," said Melanie Martin, who helped found the female-driven theater company last year. She explained, "All of the entries were screened 'blind,' with no identifying information, so we didn't know who wrote them until we had chosen them as our three favorites."

Maynard's play, titled "Next!," and the other two winning pieces will be performed as part of Boiling Point's first cabaret show, "A New You," at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22 at Rudyard's British Pub.

The evening, hosted by comedienne Lori King Brown, will also feature songs and an original performance by improvisation troupe Ophelia's Rope, which is comprised of Boiling Point's other co-founders, Autumn Clack and Ruth S. McCleskey.

Maynard, 42, offered a simple explanation for how he's able to write strong female roles. He said, "I close my mouth and sit and listen to my girlfriend." She's actress Amanda Baird, whom Maynard encourages to "look over my shoulder" when he writes.

He whippd up "Next!" in response to Boiling Point's call last fall for original, female-driven material that creatively addresses the theme of "A New You."

"You could go anywhere with those three words," said Maynard.

More Information Want to go? What: Boiling Point Players cabaret, "A New You" Where: Rudyard's British Pub, 2010 Waugh Drive, Houston When: 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22 Cost: $10 Information: Call 713-521-0521, email boilingpointplayers@gmail.com or visit www.boilingpointplayers.com

He summarized his creation with the synopsis, "All the world's a stage and one woman has decided that it's time to recast her part." He imagined the woman, Daphne, auditioning new versions of herself after a heartbreak that leaves her adrift.

The other winners were "Actual Glass" by Michael Kimball, who teaches scriptwriting and popular fiction in the creative writing program at the University of Southern Maine, and "At What Price" by Cheryl Navo, a Department of the Army civilian who's stationed in Germany.

Maynard works as a materials and logistics supervisor for an oceanography company in the Spring Branch area.

He's a 1991 graduate of Spring Woods High School, where he played the title role in "Dracula" and wrote and produced a play of his own his senior year.

His play "RE: Kill the Messenger" was performed as a winning entry in Theatre Southwest's 2013 Festival of Originals.

Maynard has had other works produced at Country Playhouse and Company OnStage.

"One of the most exciting things, and this seems small but it's not to me, is that a school in Connecticut performed one of my plays," said Maynard. "I got to see a wonderful video of the kids producing the play. Just listening to their enthusiasm was just fantastic and gratifying because I remember what it was like writing in high school and performing with that same bright-eyed enthusiasm."

Maynard is looking forward to seeing "Next!" performed for the first time, as part of Boiling Point's cabaret.

"I will be an audience member like anyone else," he said. "I hope to be pleasantly surprised to see what they come up with."

"Boiling Point Players is committed to bringing authenticity, fun and females to the stage," said Martin.