Writing Portfolio
With their background in playwrighting and script analysis, Kayla is a great asset to any creative writing team. They have experience writing for plays, screenplays, and audio drama, as well as group devised writing, peer editing and consulting on outside projects.
Samples and details about past and ongoing projects can be found below.
Waylen
Part of the Samuel French Collection Thespian Playworks 2017
The play Waylen tells the story of eight young children coming into adulthood in the 1930's, and how their lives are affected by tragedy. This is a show about wanting more out of life. The children of Waylen do the same things every day. They spend all their time focusing on games and dreams, but never actually venture to do what they desire to. Amidst the boredom and consistency of their daily routines, only the small things change. After a disaster occurs, the children are forced to make a choice: Are they really content with their lives, or do they need to make changes?
Waylen has been published by Dramatics Magazine and Samuel French. It has also been performed at International Thespian Festival in Lincoln Nebraska, and in Flower Mound, Texas; Frenchtown, New Jersey; Owensboro, Kentucky; and Kokomo, Indiana.
To Those of You Listening Back Home
A radio play
Best friends Eve and Jade set out on a rite-of-passage camping trip that Eve's old-money family insists on, but neither of them return. What's left are Jade's recordings from the trip and plenty of questions for Eve's father.
"How do narrow-minded parents exert control over their progressive (and occasionally transgressive) children? Get Out meets Blair Witch Project in this meditation on LGBTQ+ rights and parenting. " -WVXU
"To Those of You Listening Back Home" is a WVXU and CCM Radio Theatre Playwright Contest Honorable Mention, and aired on WVXU on May 28th 2022.
The Realist
A two-act comedy
New play The Realist follows the lives of five New Yorkers in their 20's as they balance their careers with relationships, figure out how to be independent, and look for love in all the wrong places.
The Realist has had readings in Cincinnati, Ohio; Fairfield, Ohio; and Flower Mound, Texas.
In Pursuit
a 90-minute drama
In Pursuit is an ambitious play about ambitious women. The play runs in real time, detailing the events at a local broadcast new station on New Years Eve one year, and New Years Eve the next as the world rapidly changes. Tackling concepts like the war on terror, the public's right to information, sexual misconduct, this play was written to make you think about what is and isn't justified in pursuit of what you want.
In Pursuit has had readings in Cincinnati and will be produced in the near future.
Ships Crossing at The End of The World
A 15-minute drama
Ships Crossing at The End of The World follows a post-apocalyptic duo meeting for the first time and making the active decision to communicate, even though it puts them at risk. The two contemplate the things that keep them fighting and accidentally grow close.
Ships Crossing at The End of The World has had readings in Cincinnati, Ohio; and stagings in Fairfield, Ohio.
EERY
Debut Novel
EERY is the upcoming first book in the Temshiv's first adventure series.
High school senior Dani spends her time running track, watching movies, and living in her brother's shadow, until a life-changing catastrophe sends her to Elliout Establishment for Radiated Youth. Now, she has powers, teammates helping her grow, and an opportunity to start over as someone special.
But Dani has seen enough movies to know when something's up and something is certainly amiss at E.E.R.Y.
Short Films
"Ghost Getters" tells the story of the world's worst ghost busters while they attempt to revive their old internet fame. Co-written by Kayla Temshiv, Lucas Prizant, and Donovan Williams, "Ghost Getters" won the award for Outstanding Writing in the 2018 CCM Acting 48 Hour Film Festival, and was nominated fort the award for Outstanding Film. Kayla Temshiv was also nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Featured Actress.
"Rewind & Repeat" explores a variety of genre's as a young couple sneaks away at a party only to find themselves trapped on a journey through television. Co-written by Kayla Temshiv and Donovan Williams, "Rewind & Repeat" was nominated for Outstanding Film and Outstanding Writing in the 2019 CCM Acting 48 Hour Film Festival. Kayla Temshiv was also nominated for Outstanding Performance in a Lead Role.