Intensive Playwriting

N.B.: The Village Playwright May Intensive Playwriting course is now full. But we are taking names for our wait list.

What do Shakespeare, Terrance McNally, and Irene Marie Fornes know about play writing that you don't?

Attend the Village Playwrights Intensive Playwriting four week course and find out. You'll learn the techniques for writing a compelling play and hone your skills in an LGBTQ friendly environment.

Join us May 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm at the CAP21 Studios, 18 W. 18th St., NYC and become a better Playwright.

Here are some of topics that will be addressed in the VILLAGE PLAYWRIGHTS’ 4 WEEK INTENSIVE PLAYWRITING WORKSHOP

The workshops will also focus on the basic 5 act play structure and definitions of:

  • Play structure, including major dramatic question

  • Scene structure

  • Story development

  • Character development

  • Plot driven plays vs character driven plays

  • Levels of theatrical language

Discussion and Various artistic philosophies that can be in applied to enhance ones play writing. Some possible theorists include:

  • Brecht

  • Artaud

  • Nietzsche

  • Panofsky

In addition:

  • Discussion of published works which might include certain films as well as text analysis and comparisons

  • Completion of a 10 minute play through writing exercises Understanding how to apply constructive criticism

  • Development of your own 10 minute plays, short plays, one-act plays and full-length works.

Set in a master class environment, playwrights are expected to bring in a select number of pages of their works in progress to be read aloud and workshopped by the group. Each session will focus on the individual needs of its members. The first session will focus on the basics, and individual objectives answering the question: “What do you hope to gain?”

To cover the cost of renting the room, there is a $50 fee. Space is limited to 10 and seats are going fast, so please RSVP to Droosachs@gmail.com.

The course will be conducted by Drew Sachs, who received his MFA in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied with Milan Stitt, Tina Howe and Laine Robertson. He was a semifinalist at the Eugene O'Neill Conference with his works I AM NOT BREAKFAST and HADRIAN'S FAVORITE. His short play CHRIS SQUARED was part of the Boston Theater Marathon IX. Other productions of his works include ANYA, A BOROUGH PARK ANTIGONE and THE KNOCK, both produced by The Drilling CompaNY. His play WHO ARE YOU DANCING WITH NOW? received honorable mention at the Kennedy Center Play Writing Competition. STABBING O.J., a play focusing on the Anita Bryant scandals of the 70’s, was produced at Queens College, as part of The College Plays which later went on to the Samuel French. Other works include MISS UNDERSTANDING (finalist; Nantucket Short Play Festival), “You Never Miss What You Never Had” (PBS Television). Drew’s THE THREE RINGS OF CARMEN, a re-telling of George Bizet's opera Carmen, was commissioned and produced by the Lexington School for the Deaf and his earliest work SCOTT FREE was produced in New York City by Steppin' Out Rep. As an instructor, Drew has taught play writing at Carnegie Mellon University, Adelphi University, Roundabout Theatre Company’s Teaching Artist Program and iDEAS. Drew was the co-literary manager for Epiphany Theater Company and served on the script selection committee for The Bronx Council of the Arts. He currently facilitates a playwrights' intensive group at Polaris North, a theater cooperative, and was a member of the playwrights group at Abingdon Theater. Drew is a nationally duly certified sign language interpreter for the Deaf, and has studied theatrical interpreting at Julliard and Gallaudet University. He was part of the ASL team who worked on Charles Mee’s FETES DE LA NUIT at The Ohio Theater. Drew is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America.