1. Who wants to be a playwright?
Play Writing!
Who wants to be a playwright?

2. Jack Sharkey- 1931-1992 A.K.A. (Pseudonyms)
Monk Ferris, Rick Abbott, Mark Chandler and Mike Johnson
Writer of “…laugh-a-minute, zany, screwball farces.”
Lots of fast-paced action and ambiguity- mistaken identity
Lots of detailed facts supported by research
Real characters with slight flaws in judgement
Low to middle comedy
Rated PG to PG-13
82 plays published

3. *Tim Kelly- 1937-1998 A.K.A. (Pseudonyms) Vera Morris and Robert Swift
Most Prolific American playwright*
Over 350 published plays
Over 3000 plays in production per year throughout the world
Lots of Action- in many different genres
Fun characters and stories
Low to middle comedy
Rated G- appropriate for any audience*
Use of much cliché, and popular sayings (phraseology)

4. Ev Miller- 1935- English teacher in North Dakota for 35 years
Modern American writer of Realism.
Based on real people and events
Real, true-to-life characters with real issues
Dramatic writer, with moments of comic relief- not forced
Rated G- appropriate for any audience*
Usually a strong theme that comes from his writings
Deeper characters who reveal lots about themselves
Social awareness plays

5. Play-writing assignment
5 – 10 minutes in length.
Patterned after the style of one of the three playwrights.
Consider Plot- Beginning, middle and end to story
Write in “Play” format
20+ minutes of independent writing time each class period
Not to be memorized
You will direct other students in your play- make sure that all students are included in some way
School appropriate

6. Rubric

7. Play-Writing Deadline = Today (50 Pts)
Sharkey
Kelly
Miller