Graduate Colloquium (402-0-30)

Topic

New Play Collaboration

Instructors

Shoshana Cooper

Erin Courtney

Meeting Info

Wirtz 215 Instruct Black Box 3: Thurs 11:00AM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

This class is a collaboration between the MFA and undergraduate directing students and MFA playwrights. Students in this advanced writing class will workshop a complete draft of a play. Up to 60 pages of the full draft will be read out loud in class and MFA directing students will workshop and present scenes from the play afterwards. The playwriting and directing students will serve as actors during the reading and workshopping of the play. Playwrights are expected to use a recent work.
The purpose of this class is to learn how to build and nurture the playwright/director relationship. This relationship is among the most important in the theater. Working with a text by a living playwright presents much different challenges than working on a play by Ibsen or Shakespeare.
We will discuss how to negotiate the playwright/director relationship and interrogate every aspect of this relationship in a safe and open setting.

Registration Requirements

Please contact Shana Cooper for permission numbers for directors (Erin Courtney for Playwrights). Permission numbers are reserved for MFA directors and playwrights as well as one invited director per year. If you are interested in being a director in this class and have completed Fundamentals of directing in addition to other experience please contact Shana Cooper.

Class Materials (Required)

Materials will be provided over email and on canvas. No cost