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Solo Show Writing/Performance Intensive
Learn to build a solo show through sustained writing, rehearsal, and performance.
Class Description
New Students: $840 Returning PlayPenn or DGI Students: $750 Foundry & Entrepreneur Members: $696 DGI Certificate Students: $696 PlayPenn's new Solo Show Writing & Performance Intensive is a hybrid program for artists of all levels who want to develop, refine, and ultimately present an original solo show. The program includes 12 weeks of remote instruction, a brief mid-program break, and a required three-day in-person rehearsal and public presentation presented as part of our 2026 New Play Development Conference in Philadelphia. Unlike most writing courses, this intensive is designed to prepare scripts for production. Participants leave with a substantially developed script and the experience of rehearsing and presenting their work. Drawing on decades of experience in new play and solo show development, this intensive is led by our Artistic Director, Che'Rae Adams. Participants must be able to attend the final three days in person on July 18, 19, and 20. This culminating experience includes rehearsal, technical preparation, and live performance, making this program distinct in that it moves work from the page to the stage. REMOTE PHASE I: WRITING & GENERATION April 7 – May 12 This phase focuses on generating new material and building effective writing practices for solo performance. Weekly exercises are assigned from the text, original material is generated by the students, and detailed feedback is provided by the instructor. Students are expected to generate 5–7 new pages of original material each week. Emphasis is placed on voice, clarity, and foundational storytelling. REMOTE PHASE II: STRUCTURE, STYLE & REFINEMENT June 2 – July 7 This phase is designed for students continuing their work on a solo show script. Classes focus on structure, style, and the principle that form follows function. Students continue to generate new material while refining existing work, with feedback provided through group discussion and critique. Students are expected to continue generating 5–7 new pages per week, with increased attention to revision, pacing, and preparing scripts for production. IN-PERSON REHEARSAL & PRESENTATION IN PHILADELPHIA July 18 – 20 The intensive culminates in an in-person performance presented as part of our 2026 Conference. This final phase includes one hour of individual staging for each student scheduled on July 18 or July 19, a three-hour technical rehearsal with the full ensemble and a two-hour public presentation on July 20.
Enrollment Policies (Time Zones, Payment Plans, and Refunds)
ONLINE SCHEDULES & TIME ZONES: Most of our classes are offered online and open to participants worldwide. Our website automatically displays class start times based on your device’s current location, so you will always see the correct time no matter where you are. If you are traveling for work or personal reasons, please verify the local time shown on your device on this registration page before joining the class. For example, if a class begins at 7:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time (ET), it will appear as 4:00 PM PT when viewed from the U.S. West Coast, or 11:00 AM the next day if you are in Sydney, Australia. Many of our instructors are based in the U.S. Eastern Time (ET) zone, but not all. Once again, please double-check the local time shown on your device on this registration page before joining the class if you are traveling. IN-PERSON SCHEDULES & TIME ZONES: If the class is held in person, please note that the start time is based on the time zone of the city where the class takes place. If you book the class while traveling, be sure to use the class’s local time zone rather than the time zone of your current location. CLASS LINK: The hyperlink to join your respective online class(es) will be emailed to you separately from your class registration confirmation, closer to the first session. PAYMENT PLANS: PlayPenn believes that cost should never be a barrier to learning. Flexible payment plans are available, and we’re happy to work with students to find a solution that fits your needs. To inquire about setting up a payment plan, please email using the form on the Upcoming Class main page. REFUND POLICY: At PlayPenn, we are proud to collaborate with exceptional artists who generously make time in their busy schedules to teach our classes. In addition, to ensure a high-quality, personalized experience, we keep class sizes intentionally small. In order to offer a small-group class experience and pay our professional instructors consistently, please note all sales are final and tuition is not refundable. PlayPenn is not able to offer a voucher/credits towards a future purchase. Please consider this before making your purchase. Please visit our Refund Policy webpage to learn more about our other policies.
Class Schedule
Learn More About Your Instructor
Our teaching artists are all working professional writers—award-winning playwrights and musical theatre creators—who bring real-world experience, insight, and passion to every session.
Get to know our artists by clicking a name below to read their full bio.
