Playwrighting Class Level 2 – Winter 2021

The Playwrighting Level Two class is an intensive training ground for more experienced writers seeking to advance their playwrighting skills through weekly assignments. Limited to only six students for personalized attention, this online course will expand on the structural and story fundamentals necessary to develop new work for the theatre. Playwrighting Level One or similar experience is required.

The essential elements of the Level Two class are:

• Using Dara Mark’s book, “The Inside Story,” as a reference, students will develop their skills through weekly writing assignments.
• Each assignment will be read in class by actors and analyzed and reviewed with your fellow students, every week.
• In this seven week class, students will build on the basics of writing for the theatre by developing more complex stories that could lead to one act or full length narratives.
• Students are expected to know the basics of playwrighting but the material will be refreshed as needed.
• Guest writers, directors, producers, and other theatre professionals will be joining the class via Zoom to share their top tips on the craft.
• Dates: January 9, 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13, 20, 2021
• Class Time: 12pm – 3pm
• All classes are held online using ZOOM.  It is preferential for students to use a desktop computer or laptop for a strong internet connection to this class.  Telephones and Tablets provide a less reliable internet connection.
• The cost for this class is: $250.00  Students will be able to pay for class online to The American ArtWorks Foundation.  Instructions will be sent to each student shortly after sign-up.

Please click Here to sign up. Thank you!

The Ohio Playwrights Circle is a project of the American ArtWorks Foundation.

 

Online Playwrighting Class Level 1 – Fall 2020

The Playwrighting Level One class is an intensive training ground for beginners and more experienced writers seeking to learn the craft of playwrighting through weekly assignments. Limited to only six students for personalized attention, this online course will cover the structural and story fundamentals necessary to develop new work for the theatre.

The essential elements of the Level One class are:

• Using Stuart Spencer’s book, “The Playwright’s Guidebook” as a reference, students will learn the basics of scene construction, dynamic exposition, formatting, and the differences and similarities of storytelling for the screen or stage.
• All students write new work every week, based on specific assignments tailored to the needs of the class and the students.
• During the seven week class, each student’s new scene will be read live by actors and analyzed by the writers for clarity and impact.
• It may not be best to use this class to workshop your special play. This is a class studying the basics of the craft that you can use in your work, but it is not a workshop for already written plays.
• Guest writers, directors, producers, and other theatre professionals will be joining the class via Zoom to share their top tips on the craft.
• The small class size (only 6 writers) provides individualized attention to the needs of each student as they read and review their weekly writing assignments.
• No previous experience is needed, just a desire to learn how to effectively tell a story in a live theatre setting.
• Dates: November 7, 14, 21, 28, December 5, 12,  & 19, 2020
• Class Time: 12pm – 3pm
• All classes are held online using ZOOM.  It is preferential for students to use a desktop computer or laptop for a strong internet connection to this class.  Telephones and Tablets provide a less reliable internet connection.
• The cost for this class is: $250.00  Students will be able to pay for class online to The American ArtWorks Foundation.

Please click Here to sign up. Thank you!

The Ohio Playwrights Circle is a project of the American ArtWorks Foundation.

A Zoom Round Table for Ohio Playwrights

OPC will host informal Round-Table discussions for Ohio playwrights on April 25, May 23, and June 27 at 2 pm, using the increasingly popular Zoom web platform.

We hope this is an opportunity to catch up with missing friends to share:

• An update on your current work
• How the Quarantines are affecting your writing
• How we might have digital readings of new works
• Future Plans for OPC

In order to join, please contact  our host Susan Robert, OPC Reader Coordinator, at least one day prior to the event to obtain the link and password needed. You may contact her at OPCreaders@gmail.com.

 

OPC Live Activities Cancelled Through June

Like many other organizations in the Theater World, the Ohio Playwrights Circle live activities have been cancelled through June of 2020.    We took this action at the beginning of March 2020.  Public health concerns are foremost at this time and we will announce additional activities for the coming season as circumstances change.

In the meantime , check out our Facebook page.  We will be posting resources and fascinating interviews with some of America’s best playwrights.  You will see some online classes and announcements of live and videotaped performances at the Globe Theater in London.

We also, will be looking to start an online round-table of Ohio Playwrights with a chance for writers to check-in and see who writing what and for a bit of advice and a morale  boost from fellow writers.  An announcement will come soon.

Keep writing!

New Play Readings – 2/16/20 – Free

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On February 16, 2020 at 2pm, the Ohio Playwrights Circle will present new script readings of original plays & scenes by local playwrights. If you enjoy the excitement and satisfaction of exploring new work and new writers, please join us and share your feedback with the authors and actors after the readings.

The Dayton Theatre Guild is the host for the OPC 2019 -2020 New Play Reading series, providing their theatre space for these readings at the Caryl D. Philips Theatre Scape, located at 430 Wayne Ave., Dayton Ohio 45410. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

The Ohio Playwrights Circle (OPC) exists to bring opportunities and education to Ohio playwrights. OPC is a project of the American Artworks Foundation.

A Dramatists Guild Playwriting Workshop

The Dramatists Guild of America – Ohio Region

& The Ohio Playwrights Circle

Present

A Playwriting Workshop and Producer’s Q and A

MARCH 1, 2020

4 – 6 pm, at The Human Race Theatre Company

2nd Floor Studio (Dayton, OH)

126 N Main St, Dayton, OH 45402

Admission is FREE

4 – 4:50pm  –

Reworking for the Stage: Adaptation and Revision

This talk is all about making progress on whatever project is currently keeping you up at night. Whether you’re daunted by the task of adapting an existing work for the stage, stuck on the draft between drafts of one of your plays, or maybe both, this talk is for you. Jeremy Llorence, Otterbein University’s playwriting professor, will share personal stories of his creative approaches in adaptation, revision, and the rehearsal process, while providing some of his tools and exercises for taking that net big creative step.

5 – 5:50pm –

A Producer’s Perspective: Q and A with Cleveland Public Theatre’s, Beth Wood

How do you get your foot in the door with a new theater? What are producers looking for? In what ways are the national conversations about new work changing? What’s next? Join Beth Wood, Associate Artistic Director of Cleveland Public Theatre, as she shares her impressions and reflections on over a decade producing new work. Les Hunter, Ohio Regional Representative of the Dramatists Guild of America, will moderate this session.

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Presented at The Human Race Theatre Company in conjunction with the 2 and 7pm performances of Gloria: A Life,  With Special performance discounts available for all participants on 3-1-2020.

1. Guild Members may present their membership card for 1 free ticket.
2. or a special 30% discount to the March 1, 2pm performance of GLORIA: A LIFE. Discount code is LIFE30
3. For the March 1, 7pm Sunday evening performance, it’s “Sawbuck Sunday”: any available seat 2 hours prior to curtain is $10.00!!

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Jeremy Llorence is a Black American playwright from Metro-Detroit. His ten-minute, one act and full-length plays have been seen in venues all over the Midwest, including Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Milwaukee, and Chicago. As a writer, he is interested in exploring topics of masculinity and place through both comedy and drama. As a teacher, he is interested helping students find the voices to tell the stories that matter most to them.

Beth Wood joined the CPT staff in 2007 and is a director, actress, administrator, designer, educator, and theatre technician. As a director of adventurous scripted work, she has been honored as a director of superior achievement by the Cleveland Critics Circle in 2016, 2015, and 2013, and has directed 17 productions, including seven world premieres and eight regional premieres, during her twelve-year tenure at CPT. In addition to her directing work, Beth supports four New Play Development series that invest in outside-the mainstream work and the artistic growth of Northeast Ohio creators.

TO SIGN UP CLICK HERE:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0F4CAEAD2CA4F94-aplaywriting

All writers and theatre-makers are welcome.  And don’t miss Gloria: A Life at The Human Race Theatre Company on the same day.