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Writing the Horror or Sci-Fi Play
Learn the technique of writing genre plays and how to spur your own creativity to build new worlds.
Class Description
Instructors: Jacqueline Goldfinger (Playwright) Semester: Summer 2026 Session: 6 Online Sessions/6 Weeks New Students: $320 Returning PlayPenn or DGI Students: $280 Foundry & Entrepreneur Members: $256 DGI Certificate Students: $256 Did you know that the word "robot" was coined by a playwright? It first appeared in Karel Čapek's "R.U.R." (1920). There is along history of using sci-fi & horror to tell compelling stories that have endured for generations and while these genres are commonly used in literature, film, and television, they are often underutilized and overlooked on the contemporary stage. This class is for playwrights who either want to write a sci-fi or horror play, or already developing one and want support in the process. The first three weeks will focus on studying the structures and techniques of genre plays, followed by three of writing and revising your own work. JACQUELINE GOLDFINGER is an award-winning playwright, dramaturg, and librettist. Routledge released the revised and expanded second edition of her popular playwriting book, “Playwriting with Purpose: A Guide and Workbook for Playwrights” this summer. Her work has been produced around the world, including performances at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (USA), United Solo (Off-Broadway), Sydney Opera House (Australia), Contemporary American Theatre Festival (USA), École nationale de théâtre (Canada), BBC Radio 3 (UK), Disquiet (Portugal), Chiesa di Ognissanti (Italy), and Court Theatre (New Zealand). She’s taught playwriting and dramaturgy at University of Pennsylvania, UC Davis, and others. Jacquelinegoldfinger.com
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. TRAVEL FOR HYBRID CLASSES: Many of our classes are held online but for time to time we offer hybrid classes where a portion of the class takes places online and a portion of the class takes place in-person. Please note the cost of the class does not include travel or housing for students to attend the in-person sessions. As well, PlayPenn cannot cover the cost of travel or housing. 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: 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.
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.
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