Playwriting II is designed to take the art of playwriting from something you've tried to something you do.
You’ve taken a class. You’ve written scenes. Maybe you’ve even written a play. Now you want to delve more deeply into the art of playwriting. Playwriting II is designed to take the art of playwriting from something you’ve tried to something you do. We will use a series of prompts, assignments, and in-class exercises to further develop your writing. We will study modern masterpieces like Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman, Naomi Wallace’s One Flea Spare, and Sarah Ruhl’s The Clean House to deepen your understanding of what makes great plays great. Finally, we will explore what steps we can take to try and make our own work great.
Thursday, October 10, 17, 24; Wednesday, October 30; Thursday, November 7, 14, 21: 6-9pm
Independence Learning Lab at Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street
All students must have taken a PlayPenn class or have previous playwriting experience.
John Yearley is the author of The Unrepeatable Moment (“Thought provoking…exhilarating…painfully hilarious” – New York Times, “Yearley is a master” – Huffington Post), Leap (Mickey Kaplan New American Play Prize), Ephemera (John Gassner Award), Another Girl (PlayPenn), and Bruno Hauptmann Kissed My Forehead (Abingdon Theatre). His latest play, Eight Minutes, Twenty Seconds, was workshopped by LABryinth Theatre Company and performed at Temple University. Work for young audiences include The Last Wish (Macy’s New Play Prize for Young Audiences) and an adaptation of Sophocles’ Antigone. Short plays All in Little Pieces and A Low-Lying Fog are available through Samuel French. He currently writes for the animated TV show Treasure Trekkers. Previous TV/film work include the PBS Kids show Arthur, and a stint as a “script doctor” for New Line Cinema. He teaches playwriting and TV writing at Temple University, Drexel University, and the Barrow Group in NYC. Member of the Dramatists Guild, Writers Guild, and twice a MacDowell Fellow.
$450
Tuition
Register Here
Click the link below to visit our Reservation Page, where you can view all classes and register for this course. For questions or to inquire about payment plans, please email classes@playpenn.org.
When you register for a PlayPenn class before September 20, 2019 you’ll be invited to submit your unproduced, full-length play for consideration for a professional staged reading. PlayPenn will produce one student’s play as a reading with a professional director, professional actors and a PlayPenn dramaturg in Philadelphia in early 2020. Only plays that have not had a professional production or reading will be considered. PlayPenn will cover the cost of the reading, but the student is responsible for their own housing and transportation. If you register for a class by the deadline, additional details will be emailed to you along with a submission form.