How do I become a playwright?

Question

I wan tot know if there is a school or a major I can take in college or high school that can advocate me in my oopucation as a playwright.

Answer 1

Some thoughts in response to your question, and the above answers:

1) The one thing everybody's forgetting: WRITE PLAYS! If you want to be a playwright, sit down and start writing plays. So what if they stink--everybody's plays stink at first. (Read Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus". No, don't.) You learn to write plays by writing plays, and then hearing them read out loud by people. You hear what works, what doesn't, and you write it again. And again, and again, until you learn how to do it.

2) So: start small. Learn to master the 2-character scene, in one room, that never changes time, in which one person wants something from the other person, tries to get it, and either gets it or doesn't. And then write another one and another one and another one. Don't start by trying to write some huge full-length epic--learning to write a solid 10-minute (which is 10 pages) scene is plenty at your age.

3) With all love and respect to the literary out there, English is a lousy major for a playwright. English is for Authors Of Literature. Playwrights are Builders Of Plays. (That's what the word literally means.) Anyone who tells you to be an English major doesn't understand the difference.....English is for people who want to Be Read. Playwrights want to Be Performed. Best possible class to take if you want to be a playwright? ACTING. You'll not only read plays, but you'll feel how they work from the inside, and how they work in performance. You're writing for actors, not readers--so be one for awhile. Worked just fine for Shakespeare and Moliere. Next best class to take? DIRECTING. Think you know how to put a play together? Try making one work on stage. And then, yes, Theatre History--reading (as somebody rightly said) as many plays as you can from throughout history, and even more importantly SEEING THEM produced. Never met a good playwright yet who was an English major--but plenty who were theatre majors, especially acting.

4) BUT, back to my original point: you may learn the how and why in school, but the only true way to learn to write plays is to write them and hear them with actors--particularly if you get to work WITH the actors. Depending on your circumstance, you may learn that by finding a local theatre company and working with them--finding people in your area who love theatre, and are willing to read your play out loud for you in exchange for pizza. In the end, a college degree will not get your plays produced. Only your work will do that. SO WRITE!

And good luck with it.

Answer 2

Take all the drama classes you can, and ace your English class. Stop watching movies for a while and go see a lot of plays. Get a feel for what works and what doesn't onstage. Also, read all the plays you can get your hands on -- all kinds from Greek tragedies to modern comedies. Good luck!

You might also be interested in the Young Playwrights' Festival at Playwrights' Horizons in New York City.

Answer 3

There are not a lot of college playwriting programs in the US, so majoring in theatre or English (or both) is probably a good way to go. Or join a playwright's group in your area, and write with them. Also, write a lot on your own, go see a lot of plays, and talk to other playwrights (Yahoo has a couple of listservs that I find helpful).

FYI, I majored in English w/ a minor in Theatre, and that was enough to be eligible for a Master's program in Playwriting.

Answer 4

Since 1989 Edward Albee, Pulitzer prize winning dramatist, has taught classes in Playwriting and production at the University of Houston (Texas), School of Theatre during the Spring semester.

Each Fall he selects a group of plays from those submitted to him for development in workshop format. This year, the classes and workshops have been led by renowned playwright Lanford Wilson.

Purchase plays so you can understand "play structure," back story, character development, plot, etc.

When you have an idea for a play write it down.

Call the community colleges in the city where you live and ask if they teach playwriting.

If they don't, call the theater department, of the universities in your city, and ask if they teach playwriting. Spend a lot of time reading plays. You can check-out plays at your public library.

You can purchase plays from: http://www.http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/

Answer 5

I would like to give you short cut to become a play writer.Any one can become a writer who have read 3000 books on any subject.Since you have liking towards play write you start reading good and famous play write.There are two Good writers like James Hilton and Shakespeare and perhaps Arther Miller who wrote " Death of a salesman " if you read them again and again I assure you you will become a good play writer.Watch good plays - one act play which will give you good idea for writing.GOOD LUCK DEAR !

Answer 6

English and creative writing courses. Get out and experience life so that you have something to write about.

Answer 7

English is a good major for such things. However, first you'd better work on your spelling.

Answer 8

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