The Art of Writing for the Theatre

Luke Yankee is a professional playwright, director, author, producer, the Head of Playwriting at California State University, Fullerton, USA, and an adjunct faculty member at Chapman University, USA.

Note on the Text

Introduction

1. Script Analysis
Why Do We Need Script Analysis?
Definitions and Terms for Script Analysis
Freytag’s Pyramid and the Dramatic Arc
A Crash Course in Aristotle’s Poetics
Script Analysis Exercises
Exercises

2. Playwriting
The Elements of Playwriting
What Does “Show, Don’t Tell” Mean?
The Significance of Exposition
The Good Title Test
The Mechanics of Writing a Play
How Do You Start?
How To Write a Ten-Minute Play
Other Play Formats
Conclusion
Exercises

3. Criticism
The “Why” of Theatre Criticism
“I Liked it” Doesn’t Matter
Writing a Critique for a Play
“Why Am I Bored?
A Sample Critique
Criticism as Entertainment
Remember: Artists Have Feelings, Too
When to Keep it to Yourself
What to Look for When Writing a Critique
Critiquing Other Forms
Exercises

4. The Interviews: Conversations with Acclaimed Playwrights, Critics, Librettists, and Lyricists
A Series of Master Classes
On Starting Out
“What Should I Write About?”
On Structure
A Writer’s Process
Readings and Play Development
On Taking Advice on your Script
On Collaboration
On Writing Musicals
On the Writer as “The Outsider Looking In”
On Critics and Theatre Criticism
Advice for New Writers
What Do You Love About the Theatre?


5. The Brass Tacks: Practical Tools of Writing for the Theatre
The “How To” Of A Writer’s Life
Read, See, and Hear
Theatre Blogs
Submission Opportunities for Playwrights
Cover Letters for Writers…and Beyond
Living Room Readings: The Value of Free Pizza
Virtual Presentations
A Map of Relationships
Opening Night Cards and Gratitude Letters: A Lost Art
Exercises

Conclusion

Further Reading
Notes
Biographies of Interviewees
Special Thanks
About the Author
Index