Playwriting 101

The Play’s the Thing The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the dramatic “poet” (that’s us) had the power and the duty to “teach and please”

Short Plays A good ten-minute play is not a sketch or an extended gag, but rather a complete, compact play, with a beginning, middle and end. One main action or problem Keep to one set and as few scenes as possible

Acts/ Scenes First act: Protasis, exposition, or stasis. Second act: Epitasis, or complication. Third act: Catastrophe, or resolution.

Story Development Create a world that is true Write a conflict that builds as the play progresses Write characters that want something Write characters that have something at stake Create a “ticking clock” that puts the characters under pressure Make sure there is a good reason, an “event”, for your play Write dialogue that illuminates your characters and advances the plot

Story Development Cont’d Give each character a distinctive voice image a specific actor/actress you know - even if it’s someone who will never play the part - in the role. Do not have a character tell us something s/he can show us instead its much more effective to hide under the bed than to say “I’m afraid”. Give each character a “moment,” something that justifies that character’s existence in your play and that makes him/her attractive for an actor/actress to play

MAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOD Play Format Title and Author(s) Centered All CAPS (TITLE), mixed caps (Author) MAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOD By Jessica Kropp

Play Format Character Descriptions CAPS – CHARACTERS Mixed Caps – Descriptions DETECTIVE BROWN: 32 year old man, detective in the case of Joy Baker’s murder.  Very demanding and determined, and will get what he wants no matter what. MAXINE: Suspect, 16 years old, best friend of Joy Baker. Loves fashion and makeup and everything girly.

Play Format Setting (Mixed case unless you write a Character’s NAME) (A kitchen/living room somewhere in California. Early evening. MARGE, thirty something mother, stops to scrutinize the carton before pouring milk into a bowl of flour. On the table are four place settings, one of which includes a martini.)

Dialogue Format Dialogue, which is always mixed case, single spaced, typically runs margin to margin and follows the character name on the next line. A blank line follows between the dialogue and the next character’s name. COWGIRL The hamburger is ten feet tall. COWBOY It’s not there. I know, but it’s just dripping fat, and it’s sizzling. It’s on a sesame bun, and you can just smell it.

Dialogue Format Action should be italics and in (parentheses.) COWGIRL (pushes COWBOY) I ate everything you wanted. COWBOY I don’t care. (walks offstage) –also use DR, UL (disgusted) Whatever, Cowboy.

Continuing Dialogue If a character’s dialogue is interrupted by a page break, and continues on to the next page, you repeat the character name setup on the next page with the (cont’d) remark after the name. JILL And he fed the dog! Yeah, the dog… That population’s -----------------End of pg. 1---------------------- -----------------Start of pg. 2--------------------- JILL (cont’d) on the ups every day, and we’re gunna’ get buried in the garbage…

Interruptions When one character interrupts another, use a dash (-). BAXTER I don’t see how- JOHN I wonder what she’s thinking.

Interruptions cont’d Using ellipses (…) does not signify that a character has been interrupted, but rather that s/he hesitates or trails off of his/her own accord. PAC Could you…? CANDY Could I what? Well, I mean… If you wanted to…

Simultaneous Dialogue When characters speak at the same time, split your page into two columns. FLYER MAN Only diamonds do it, say it with me. FLYER MAN BEN Only diamonds do it. Only diamonds do it.

PAGES Will need 10 minutes of dialogue At normal type that is 10 pages Time it!! Put page numbers at the bottom before you print.