Develop your work with confidence.
“George is a consummate pro, dedicated not just to the craft of playwriting, but to the advancement of the art form through advocacy, production, promotion, and practical projects like this book.” —DONNA HOKE, playwright
“Sapio knows the playwright’s work doesn’t end with the first draft. Here is a seasoned playwright who knows firsthand the joys and challenges of collaboration with the honest aim to make the play the best it can be.” —ARLITIA JONES, playwright
Why would you need this book?
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Reaching the play's potential. Personally, I hate that word. How many report cards said “George is not living up to his potential”? Despite what some might say, cranking out text is hard. It takes a long time to generate ideas. Making sure your ideas tell a story in the simplest way possible, so the mechanics are invisible and the story flows quickly and without drawing attention to itself is not easy. WTNP doesn't ask you to follow any particular guaranteed method. Nothing is guaranteed. But it asks that you look at your work in a way that allows you to decide for yourself if some of the text might be tightened, explication converted to action, characters fleshed out.
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Understanding what your audiences might think. (Much as you might love to) You can't be there at the end of every show asking everyone what they thought. So, having a cadre of professional colleagues looking at your text pre-production is a good thing. Actors, directors, and techies can anticipate things audiences will see, questions they will have, observations they come up with. It's a good way to keep ahead of future conversations about your work.
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You'll learn things. Not just about crafting a play, but about your own creativity and your methods of working. Know thyself as an artist and grow.
Workshopping the New Play; A Guide for Playwrights, Directors, and Dramaturgs includes everything the new playwright needs to know about developing a new play, from analysis through collaboration, how to pick and choose what ideas may be best for your piece, and how to promote constructive cooperation.
From structural analysis through table work, to test readings, promoting the work, and first productions.
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With essays from respected industry professionals.