Writing a Play
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Category: Producing Theater
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URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3840
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Topic: Writing a Play
Posted By: chel
Subject: Writing a Play
Date Posted: 2/20/09 at 2:42pm
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I know there are oodles of books out there on how to write a play, but I'd like a personal touch from other community thespians.
I have a comedy working in my head. I'm wondering just how exhausted the subject is, what makes for a good comedy, what can I do to make it special?
Any advice on what to keep in mind? Any general goals or "rules"? What's funny to me might not be at all funny to an audience, how many people do you show it to and at what point in the writing do you look for opinions?
And finally...when you saw your baby produced on stage, were you happy with the result or did you feel like "oh my word, what was I thinking"?
 ------------- chel www.windhamtheaterguild.org |
Replies:
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 2/21/09 at 3:14pm
I've written three plays that were produced, just locally, no great shakes, but everytime I was very thrilled to see it on the stage. It didn't turn out exactly as visualized because there were live humans saying the lines. But in a way, it turned out BETTER than I had visualized because of what the actors brought to it. That's not to say that there weren't major flaws that still make me cringe but it was overall a positive experience. It's a very thrilling feeling to hear an audience roaring with laughter over jokes you wrote. The thing about humor is that it's so subjective. But also in my experience audiences REALLY want to laugh. Do some readings of the play as soon as you get a first draft to see how it works or doesn't work. |
Posted By: SpenceKenzer
Date Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:03pm
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Just some suggestions/opinions I hope might be helpful. Comedy is often harder to write than non-comedy (or drama, if you prefer), because everyone has different tastes in the humour they appreciate. This is why it is most important that YOU like it and think it's a good (or at least adequate) comedy. FIRST AND FOREMOST write your play so that YOU like it, and YOU would like to see it on the stage. Be a bit brutal on yourself - that is: - If you heard (or spoke) those lines on stage, would you think they were good, okay, or lame? - If you saw actors do those actions on stage, would you think they were good, okay, or lame? For test readings: The more of the play you have a completed draft for, the better your "test readings" will go. Completed draft scenes should be a minimum unit to have people read, at least at the start; completed draft acts or the completed draft play can be worked up to. While great characters and/or great dialogue will always be well received, make sure that your play "makes sense". No plot holes. Unless your play is experimental, a standard play structure (exposition, development, climax, denouement; preferably in that order) is essential. (I was involved in the workshopping of a new play in which the climactic event took place in the very first scene, making the rest of the play essentially denouement; it made the whole play seem tedious.) Can you describe "what your play is about" (not the plot outline, but the theme or the moral or the point) in ONE SIMPLE sentence? If so, does it sound like an interesting play to you? To your trusted friends? To complete strangers? ------------- --------------------<*> Saludos, my dahlinks, and you know who you are ... ! |
Posted By: chel
Date Posted: 2/27/09 at 10:17am
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That was all very helpful, thank you both.
I've never heard the term "denouement" in writing. I have some homework.
:) ------------- chel www.windhamtheaterguild.org |