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The Art of Theatrical Imagination

Learn to expand your language as a theatrical innovator, creating work only possible onstage.

Class Description

Instructor: Mathilde Dratwa ("Dirty Laundry", WP Theater, Audible) Semester: Winter 2026 10-Week Session New Students: $600 Returning PlayPenn or DGI Students: $525 PlayPenn Foundry or Cohort Members: $480 DGI Certificate Students: $480 What makes a play theatrical? Are you using all the tools available to you as a storyteller for the stage? In an age dominated by screens of every size, the ability to craft breathtaking live experiences will set your work apart in a market where audiences are craving connection, immediacy, and wonder. Are you able to make magic using the mechanics of theatre beyond language - light, sound, bodies, and space? Are you able to stop time on stage? In this class, students will investigate how theatricality shows up on the page in form, in style and in the ways a script calls on actors, directors, designers, and audiences to co-create an experience. Together, we’ll experiment with everything from minimalism to spectacle, from metatheatrical games to stage magic, discovering how each choice can deepen resonance and meaning. Our entry point is curiosity. Whether you’re beginning something new or reshaping an existing draft, you’ll leave with pages that fully embrace the stage as your medium. This class is an invitation to think beyond story and into the uniquely live, communal magic of theatre. Week 1: What Makes It Theatre? Week 2: Space as Stage Partner Week 3: The Audience as Collaborator Week 4: Spectacle vs. Minimalism Week 5: Playing with Form Week 6: Magical Realism & Metatheatricality Week 7: Style & Genre as Theatrical Lens Week 8: Character & Theatrical Voice Week 9: Revision for the Stage Week 10: Building Toward a Draft Mathilde Dratwa (playwright) is a Belgian playwright and screenwriter based in Brooklyn. Her plays include "Dirty Laundry" (WP Theater, Audible, Henley Rose Award, Kernodle Award), "Milk & Gall" (Theatre503, London), and "A Play about David Mamet Writing a Play about Harvey Weinstein". Her work has been developed and presented by the Ground Floor at Berkeley Rep, the Ojai Playwrights Conference, Roundabout Theatre Company, Rattlestick, Berkshire Theatre Group, American Players Theatre, LAByrinth Theater Company, Cape Cod Theatre Project, and the Young Vic.

Enrollment Policies (Time Zones, Payment Plans, and Refunds)

ONLINE SCHEDULES & TIME ZONES: Most of our classes are delivered 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 their 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

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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.

Mathilde Dratwa, Che’Rae Adams

Winter 2026 Classes

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