PlaywritingPlaywriting

• Playwrights:Playwrights:

AT HOME: Master, AT HOME: Master, initiator, in initiator, in control, control, characters characters cascade through cascade through his headhis head

• In the theatre:In the theatre:

lonely figure, lonely figure, huddling over a huddling over a legal padlegal padin the back rowin the back rowscarcely scarcely noticednoticedcertain the certain the theatre dilutes theatre dilutes his ideashis ideas

Playwright’s positionPlaywright’s position

• CentralCentral--initiates --initiates everythingeverything--pivotal figure--pivotal figure

• PeripheralPeripheralactors, actors, directorsdirectorsartists forget artists forget himhim

• Most important Most important characteristic?characteristic?

INDEPENDENCEINDEPENDENCE

We are ALL playwrightsWe are ALL playwrights

• In our dreamsIn our dreams

Night and DayNight and Day• Can come from Can come from anywhere,anywhere,

• And do!And do!

Two aspects, First:Two aspects, First:

• Literary:Literary:

WRIGHT: WRIGHT: a a makermaker like a like a wheelwrightwheelwrightmakesmakeswheelswheels

Second:Second:

• Non-literary: a Non-literary: a

• ConceptualizationConceptualizationof the interaction of the interaction of a myriad of of a myriad of elements: elements: speech, scenery, speech, scenery, costume, staging, costume, staging, music, spectacle, music, spectacle, silencesilence

BOTH: literary/non-BOTH: literary/non-literaryliterary

• Alusion, Alusion, complexity, poetic complexity, poetic imagery, rhythmic imagery, rhythmic speech,speech,

• PLUSPLUStheatrical “stuff”theatrical “stuff”

• Literary Literary brilliance is not brilliance is not enoughenough

Playwriting as Playwriting as “event writing”“event writing”

• Action is core Action is core of every playof every play

• Basic building Basic building blocks of playsblocks of plays

• Tools for Tools for action:action:

• 1) Dialogue1) Dialogue• 2) physical 2) physical actionaction

Actions: various kindsActions: various kinds

• Related events: Related events: Linear, Linear, continuous, continuous, chronological, chronological, cause-effect,cause-effect,Related events:Related events:non-linear, non-linear,

Qualities of a Fine Qualities of a Fine PlayPlay

• CredibilityCredibility

actions flow actions flow from from characters’ characters’ needs and wantsneeds and wants

• IntrigueIntrigueWHAT NEXT?WHAT NEXT?

• SpeakabilitySpeakabilityfor the EARfor the EARfrom characterfrom character

• StageabilityStageabilityintrinsicintrinsic

• FlowFlowmeansmeans something something

R I C H N E S SR I C H N E S S

• SpecificSpecificconcreteconcretecompellingcompellingaffectingaffectinga trip to a trip to another world,another world,the world of the world of the the imaginationimagination

Depth of Depth of characterizationcharacterization

• EACH character: EACH character: an independence an independence of INTENTIONof INTENTION

• Depth, Depth, complexities,complexities,uniqueness of uniqueness of real human real human beingsbeings

Depth:Depth:

• Validity of Validity of purpose purpose

(however (however twisted the twisted the character)character)

Case Study Case Study dramadrama

GravityGravity

• Theme of Theme of serious and serious and lasting lasting relevance to an relevance to an audienceaudience

• Is there a play Is there a play in Abu Ghraib? in Abu Ghraib?

• YesYes

PertinencePertinence

• Concern with Concern with the human the human predicamentpredicament

• Aging, loss, Aging, loss, discord, discord, insecurity, insecurity, ambition, ambition, violenceviolence

CompressionCompressionEconomy and IntensityEconomy and Intensity

• Many locales to Many locales to one or twoone or two

• Many “characters” Many “characters” to severalto several

• Dramatic Dramatic intensity: harsh, intensity: harsh, abrasive, abrasive, explosive, explosive, physical or calmphysical or calm

CelebrationCelebration

• Affirms LIFEAffirms LIFE• Solidarity of Solidarity of public public communioncommunion

• JoyJoy• Splendor, not Splendor, not “uplifting”“uplifting”