Playwriting Curriculum
Every morning, the students work on their writing in seminars – led by professional playwrights and educators offering individualized feedback – and in a "Writer's Room," a creative space where they learn how to collaborate, pitch and refine ideas, and give and receive critique from peers.
Students broaden their storytelling skills through a TV Pilot class, where they study television structure, analyze successful dramas and comedies, and develop concepts for their own pilot episodes.
Playwriting students also participate in afternoon Electives offered by the Theatre Arts Institute. This interdisciplinary approach exposes students to the broader theatrical process and various genres of performance. Past offerings have included:
- Shakespeare
- Improv
- Directing
- Clown
The curriculum is enhanced by attending plays, film screenings, master classes, and field trips, introducing students to professional artists, settings, and productions. Past master classes have included:
- Sketch Comedy
- Character Writing
The program culminates in a Staged Reading of each student's 10-minute play, directed and performed by professional theater artists, giving participants the opportunity to hear their writing performed and to experience the collaborative process of theatrical production firsthand.