Whether you're writing your first play or your hundredth, it's not always easy to set the creative wheels in motion. This 8-week class will guide you through the development of your first draft. Open to new and returning students, this class will be run just like a real-life writing room, interacting with your instructor and classmates live either in person or via Zoom.
This class might be for you if you:
In this class you will:
By the end of this class you will:
REGISTRATION AND SCHEDULE: In-Person Class
Section A:
Instructor: Gina Femia (Writer, Kilroy's List and Leah Ryan Prize honoree)
Tuesdays from 6:00pm – 9:00pm ET
June 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, August 6, 13
Gina believes that the classroom is a place to get to know yourself, your process, and your creative language as a writer. Class sessions will include a combination of writing exercises and sharing sessions, where you read each other's pages out loud and respond to that work. Writers will bring in sections of their play (around 20 pages) that they have questions about in alternating weeks as a way to delve into larger sections of storytelling. participate and learn how to effectively give feedback and take ownership over your processes by crafting specific questions you have for the pages you bring in. Gina will encourage you to think outside of chronological order when writing, embracing the energy of what is most exciting to you instead of creating a set course for yourself. As a way to set up strong habits as a writer outside the classroom, Gina will give writing assignments every week to help develop a creative routine between sessions. This class is an opportunity for writers to continue expanding both your creative practice and practical practice in the exploration of your work.
Gina often writes in poetic realism, and their work includes themes of queerness, sexuality, and gender exploration. Writers of all levels and styles are encouraged and welcome.
Class will be held at ARTNY Studios, located at 520 8th Avenue.
Please see our Covid Policy for all in-person classes.
**Please note: This class will be fully digital for sharing and reading pages. All pages will be shared via a class Google Drive folder, and we will use devices in class to read each other's pages. Please come to class with a device (laptop, tablet, etc) and a charger/power cord for your device. If you are unable to bring your own device, please contact ESPA Administration.
REGISTRATION AND SCHEDULE: Online Classes
Section B:
Instructor: Matthew Paul Olmos (Writer, so go the ghost of mexico, part one at La Mama, American Nationalism Project developed through NYTW)
Mondays from 6:30pm – 9:30pm ET
June 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, August 5, 12
Matthew believes in putting the playwright in charge of their own process, with each writer asking questions regarding what they were working on specifically or are needing support with, as opposed to giving prescriptive notes. In the beginning, students will bring in 8-10 pages to share each week, and depending on the needs and wants of the group, this may evolve into students alternating weeks to bring in larger sections of work. As a class, you'll read the work, give space for the playwright to ask questions, then share your experience with the pages and (if useful to the playwright) offer neutral questions/opinions. Though the class is primarily focused on bringing in pages, you might be encouraged to write for sake of discovery – such as writing exploratory scenes that would never be in the final play, trying exercises on your scene to see what it unearths.
Matthew most often writes in a theatricality where the rules of naturalism don't necessarily function in the way we are used to. He does a lot of research for his work, so some of his historically-driven plays use realism, but the world of the play is still often very theatricalized.
Section C:
Instructor: Calamity West (Writer, Roundabout/Underground, The Goodman, Williamstown)
Tuesdays from 7:00pm – 10:00pm ET
June 25, July 2, 9, 16, 30, August 6, 13, 20
This course is designed for writers looking for a supportive, enthusiastic, and collaborative environment to put their playwriting fundamentals to the test. Being run as a true writer's workshop, this course asks that playwrights enter the space with an idea for their new play. Together with Calamity, you'll develop living documents for each of your works that will help you navigate your way through your individual creative processes along with developing road maps for your dramatic works. Playwrights will be expected to complete weekly writing exercises for character development in addition to generating new pages for your first draft. By the end of this course, you will have a better understanding of your individual process, the confidence to enter a workshop space within the industry itself, and most importantly - a complete first draft.
About the online platform for this class:
Zoom Meeting is easy to start, join, and use to collaborate online in a personable way via desktop or mobile without complicated set-ups. The Zoom Meeting Host (your ESPA instructor or administrator) sends out a meeting link and at the time of your class, you just click the link to launch the virtual classroom via your web browser. In the Zoom Meeting, each participant can share their webcam so that you're not only hearing your instructor and classmates but seeing them too, making it feel similar to being in one of the studios at ESPA. Other exciting collaborative Zoom features include Breakout Rooms in which students can meet in smaller groups, "Raise Your Hand" feature to better facilitate balanced conversation, Video Sharing, and File Transfer for your assignments. If you can't log in via a computer, there are also options to phone into the meeting so you can still participate in the class even if you find yourself without computer or internet access. And Zoom has an Apple and Android app, making it possible to take part in class from any device.
Gina Femia
Matthew Paul Olmos
Calamity West
PRICING
Returning Students: $480
New Students: $520
Learn about our Payment Plans.
FOR MORE INFO
Learn more about How It Works. For more information, please call 212.840.9705 or email espa@primarystages.org.