Class Description
“In truth, theater is also fiction, is also poetry, is also painting, is also dance..." says playwright and educator Paula Vogel. Intro to Playwriting is a six-week course designed for beginners who want to write their first stage play, and intermediate playwrights seeking a refresher on the fundamentals. In the company of supportive peers, you will learn the craft of dramatic writing and implement those skills with generative writing exercises.
Each week, you are invited to read craft essays, listen to podcast interviews of contemporary playwrights, and analyze plays by a collection of diverse dramatists (both in identity and style) such as Hansol Jung, Charly Evon Simpson, and Karen Zacarías. For workshop, each of you will have two opportunities to hear your work read a loud by your peers for constructive, writer-centered feedback.
By the end of the course, you should expect to come away with a collection of monologues, scenes of dialogue with stage directions, and a stronger hand at world building, character development, plot, and the magic that is the theatre. You should also expect to have a one-on-one meeting with the instructor to talk about your work as well as answer any questions on an individual level. In parting, you will receive a list of curated resources to keep you motivated and connected to the theatre community, as well as a non-exhaustive list of submission opportunities for new plays.
Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.
For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.
This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!
Zoom Participation:
Students are not required to turn their camera on, but are encouraged to participate any way they feel comfortable through functions such as the live chat, emoji reactions, and unmuting the microphone. Learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
We ask that instructors enable closed captioning and send a transcript of the session after class. You can also enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting. If your instructor forgets to send the transcript, just send ’em an email!