Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Plays”
I was discussing the use of time in playwriting with my friend Madeline, when I remembered the book How Plays Work by David Edgar. Edgar’s chapter on structure covers the different uses of time and how they affect a play’s theme and meaning. Real time is a favorite structure of mine. I used it in Bystanders, and I’m using it …
“Bystanders,” my first audio play, dropped Monday, September 14, and is receiving rave reviews from listeners. Here’s a sampling: “Great all around – poignant play, the direction, acting and in-the-room presence sound design. Well done all!” ~ D.H. via email “Just listened with goosebumps to this excellent production—wonderful work by all! Gripping story, wonderful acting and keen direction, terrific sound …
I find information about the subconscious and creativity enormously interesting. I have learned that giving requests to my subconscious before bed, then meditating on them and writing them down in the morning, is a way to rewire the brain for creativity. “Never go to sleep without a request to your subconscious.” — Thomas Edison I take a few moments before going …
I’m enjoying rereading David Edgar’s “How Plays Work,” which is packed with delicious information and knowledge. He writes in the chapter on Genre, of the importance of what people (characters and audience members) know when, which he calls the “choreography of knowledge.” His example is one of my favorites: “It’s worth noting how brilliantly Sophocles choreographs the information available to …
One of the things I do when I write a play is assemble a Tumblr with all of my inspirations and research. It helps me keep everything in one place while I write. It’s also invaluable as a place to refer those people who ask, “What inspired you?” or don’t believe you when you write, for example, character who’s stalked …
I’m moving into an intense rehearsal and recording period in August. First up is “Bystanders” for Central Works. It was scheduled to premiere as a live play in October, but is uniquely suited to audio. There is a single moment that is viscerally visual, but the play has a lot of storytelling that lends itself to soundscape, and the climax …
One way the Enneagram can be useful is in identifying motivations for different characters. Each Enneagram Type has a secret fear, which isn’t true, but which drives their actions and reactions. These underlying false fears can be helpful in choosing characters’ behavior over the course of the play. One: Mistakes are unacceptable. Two: I am not lovable. Three: I am …
I’ve been using the Enneagram to type my characters for nearly a decade. It’s a fantastic way to ensure my characters are believable, and act like real people … while allowing me to identify realistic fears, backstories, and behavior patterns for them. I learned a few years back that Theresa Rebeck uses the Enneagram, too, when she mentioned it on …
Ian Finley explains the typical structure of a play in simple terms. Ian holds an MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of Performing Arts. In addition to teaching for 19 years, seven of which have been at Research Triangle High School, he is a professional actor and playwright, named the NC Piedmont Laureate in Playwriting in 2012. Photo of an Amish …
I’m enjoying the book, “There Must Be Happy Endings,” by Megan Sandberg-Zakian. It is described as her “personal odyssey through the American theater landscape.” Happy endings are a conundrum because they so often seem to defy real life. For example, “Hairspray” seems to conclude with an upbeat celebration that racism is ended. While there is something to celebrate – a …