Intermediate Playwriting ($199)
Every script, every new play is a theory. I don’t know if it’s going to work, which means a
writer has to go in like a tailor, and listen to the actors and say, trim this more, or give her more. If it is perfectly tailored for the first cast it will be universal.” In this six-week course, you will get to sharpen your craft, learn revision techniques, and hear your work read aloud by professional actors. Each week, the instructor will share a short craft lesson, lead group discussions, facilitate breakout rooms, and guide you through writing exercises with skill focused prompts. There will be some outside assignments, including reading plays and short craft essays. The reading list will focus on work that push outside of traditional play structure, with notable works by Sharifa Yasmin, Hansol Jung, and Dave Harris. By week three, we will transition in
to workshop where you will have the opportunity to hear your work read aloud by professional actors and receive on-the-spot feedback. Using the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process, workshops will aim to nurture the growth of a play in early development. Your instructor will organize one-on-one meetings for extensive feedback, as well as individual time to dig into you as an artist. The course will culminate with a session focused on the business of playwriting. The instructor will share professional knowledge about the development of a new play, the submission process, artistic statements, and equip you with resources to take your theatre work to the next level. This class is intended for intermediate and advanced level playwrights who are familiar with the theatrical form
KIRA ROCKWELL is a neurodivergent playwright and educator. She is an Artist Fellow in Dramatic Writing with the Mass Cultural Council, a Recipient of Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting Award, Second place recipient of the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, and more. Selected plays include OH TO BE PURE AGAIN (world premiere Actor's Express); THE TRAGIC ECSTASY OF GIRLHOOD (workshop premiere Boston Playwrights’ Theatre); and WITH MY EYES SHUT (published with Original Works). Her work has been developed with The Kennedy Center, National New Play Network, Great Plains Theatre Commons, among others. Commissions with Ensemble Studio Theatre, Actor's Express, and Moonbox Productions. She holds a BFA in Theatre Performance, and an MFA in Playwriting from Boston University. As an educator, Rockwell has taught at Brandeis University, Wheaton College, and centers across New England. Before graduate school, Rockwell worked at the intersection of mental health and arts education. Through a trauma-informed, healing-centered lens, she aims to nurture communal spaces that disrupt passivity and empower agency. www.kirarockwell.com