Writing Drama: Foundational Concepts, Skills, and Practice

This course uses readings of dramatic texts, brief lectures, writing assignments, and the performance of those writings to develop the skills required to write for the stage. Students learn the essentials of drama, including the design of effective plots, the creation of vivid characters, and the writing of performable dialogue. Students also explore the effects of drama’s necessarily collaborative process and varieties of stagecraft on the way playwrights shape their texts. Examples illustrate successful uses of key dramatic techniques and help students explore various approaches to expressing themselves fully and clearly through a range of open-ended exercises. Students also develop practical critiquing skills with the aim of helping themselves and their classmates create compelling plays that appeal to both theater professionals and theatrical audiences.