Playwriting Playwrights Conference

Catalog description

This course will offer additional support and mentorship to playwrights who are participating in the theatre department's "First Look Reading Series, New Works" and actively participating in independent companies during the semester. Students with an interest in presenting their plays outside of the course, such as in other courses or venues, are welcome to join this course with a focus on revision and application for future semesters. The course will be a combination of weekly full-group meetings and individual one-on-one conferences with the instructor, focusing on the student’s process as a playwright in production. The instructor will observe rehearsals for individual playwrights, which will serve as the basis for one-on-one meetings. As a group, we will read and discuss selected plays, focusing on revision and refinement toward a final production draft. Students will identify goals for themselves for both writing and in their collaborations. We will delve into the nitty-gritty of the production process, covering topics such as the playwright-director relationship, how to articulate your vision to the creative team, and how to let go and leave space for others' ideas in the process. Each playwright will also have a chance to unpack their project with the group within a post-mortem structure, identifying areas of growth and success, as well as next steps for their plays. This course will be a combination of practice, theory, and critical reflection—with a strong focus on tracking of individual process. Act One, Scene One: Beginning to Find Yourself in the World of Diverse, Modern Playwriting