New Plays

2013 has been a very busy year for me writing wise. An adaptation, a full length, and three one acts. It’s great to be able to get so much writing done and get new plays into the world. All my plays can be found at theatrefolk.com

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In the world of Backspace, writing is a struggle, a battle, a war. Writers go off to the front lines to fight Ideas who resist at every turn. They stare at the Blank Page and must stand strong when she starts talking back. They look for anything and everything to move their writing forward.

The front is littered with writers who have given up. Will our four young writers face the same fate? Every word is another word closer to Victory!

An excellent theatrical experience for any cast or any class. The play explores personification in a unique and vivid manner. Where else can you bring a typewriter to life?

 

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Teen life – backwards, forwards and inside-out. From dealing with the tractor beam of insecurity and doubt, to dealing with parents who couldn’t hear you if they tried. From fighting pimples to fighting the hallway. From knowing math skills aren’t going to get the girl to knowing that happy teenagers exist. They may not get the laughs, or the drama, or the big monologue, but they’re there.

This play explores many forms. We’ve got everything from kitchen sink, to absurd, to movement, to audience participation, to song. There’s even the opportunity to add your own scene in the mix!

 

 

ShuddersomeThe thumping of a heartbeat. The creek of a door. The howl of a bitter wind. The gong of a clock tower. The clang of alarm bells. The sound of beating wings getting closer and closer…

Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known works. Included are The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death.

Poe’s words rise from the page like corpses from the grave. Be careful. Do you hear that tap, tap, taping?

Multi-length versions of the script to fit every need.

 

And before the end of June…..

  • Monster Problems – Some people magnify their problems so much, they become monsterous.
  • The Gift  – Inspired by the short story The Gift of the Magi

Theatre Ontario Workshops

I am so excited to be teaching two playwriting workshops at Theatre Ontario. Click the links for more details!

Playwriting: Idea to First Draft 

Sometimes the hardest step in the playwriting process is the first. Where do I find inspiration? How do I develop an idea? What if my idea fizzles out halfway through?

This workshop takes you from the idea stage to confidently writing a first draft. You will leave this workshop with at least a first scene and a defined path toward the first draft of a play. You will also leave with tools and techniques for inspiration and idea development.

Part One: Inspiration and Idea
Part Two: Conflict and Character
Part Three: The first draft

Playwriting: How to self-edit and critique

Plays are not written in the first draft. Plays come to life in rewrites. But re-write how? What if we don’t know how to move our work forward? What if we don’t know how to critique our own work? What if we aren’t sure how to process feedback from others? This workshop offers tools and techniques for playwrights who have a play “under construction.”

Note: For this workshop participants will have to submit a script by March 15, 2013 so the facilitator can read and have feedback ready for the session.

What’s up?

Such a busy fall!

  • My adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe stories – The Tell Tale Heart and Other Strangeness  premiered at St Roch Secondary School in Brampton Ontario. It will go on to be presented as part of the Sears Drama Festival.
  • My take-off on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, entitled Cobweb Dreams had a workshop at Havergal College in Toronto and will go on to premiere at the school in May.
  • I taught playwriting workshops at the Educational Theatre Assocation’s Annual Conference, the Florida Association of Theatre Educators Conference and the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators Conference.
  • I adjudicated the Secondary School One Act competition as part of the Virginia Theatre Association Festival.
  • I’ll be working with student playwrights as part of the playworks program at Arizona Thespians.

And many more things that aren’t quite set yet! More adjudicating, more teaching, more plays. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

 

 

Celebration Time

There’s much to celebrate this month! Five plays of mine have advanced to the Regional Showcase of the Sears Drama Festival. That means I have five shots at moving on to the All Ontario Showcase where I’ll be teaching workshops in May.

  • Tuna Fish Eulogy – Regional Showcase, Central – Mayfield Secondary School
  • Jealousy Jane – Regional Showcase, West – Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School
  • Tuna Fish Eulogy – Regional Showcase, West – Elmira District Secondary School
  • The Bright Blue Mailbox Suicide Note – Regional Showcase, East – Donald A Wilson Secondary School
  • And the PREMIERE production of  Chicken. Road. – Regional Showcase, West – Listowel District Secondary School

The great thing is that I’ll be able to see all five productions. Regional Showcase is a tougher festival to win as all the productions had to win their district to advance. But I have my fingers and toes crossed.

2012

Happy New Year! Good things coming up in 2012.

  • Teaching workshops at the Missouri, Indiana, and Alabama State Thespian Festivals.
  • The Liberty High production of Jealousy Jane has been invited as a feature production at the Florida Junior Thespian Festival.
  • I’m the Speech and Drama adjudicator for the 2o12 Stratford Kiwanis festival.