Fundamentals of Playwriting with Jennifer Lane When
Using a balance of lecture, exercise and feedback, this two-session course will teach the basics of writing for the stage, including character, relationships, conflict, style, language, dramatic arc, and scene structure.
We will discuss how dramatic writing differs from other forms of writing and what tools a playwright has at her disposal (space, actor, text and technical elements). We will discuss what it means to make a piece of theater in this film- and TV-saturated culture. And, finally, we will discuss student writing.
Ideal for both seasoned writers who have never written a play before, and true beginners, this course will use examples from the contemporary canon, as well as provide writing prompts to get you started on a single scene or short play.
Participants will need to bring a pen and paper or laptop to class, and there will be writing between sessions. Pages will need to be printed and presented at the second class for critique.