Directing and Playwriting Workshops
Training for directors and playwrights can be hard to come by, but it's a vital component in any thriving theatre. After all, writers and directors are the people who lead the actors—and even more importantly, craft the content!
The Director's Workshop
The Director's Workshop is a comprehensive approach to honing your directing skills and presenting superior plays! Covering all of the topics takes an entire semester. However, each unit (listed below) can stand on its own and be presented in 1-2 hours. George recommends the classes marked with an asterisk (*) if you're looking for short seminars for a conference.
- *Acting for Directors: We'll review the basic techniques used by skilled actors, and discuss ways to use them in coaching your team.
- More About Acting: "Part 2" is an in-depth treatment of acting techniques, along with hands-on exercises to help you understand an actor's work.
- Script Analysis for Dummies: Taking apart a script is vital if you're going to effectively tell a story onstage! Script analysis is one of the most neglected parts of amateur directing—but the payoff from using these techniques can be enormous.
- *"Where Do I Put My Actors?" (Basic Blocking): One of the director's first jobs, in cooperation with the actors, is to determine the movement in a play. Here are techniques you can use to create blocking full of dramatic impact!
- Advanced Blocking: You'll put your newly-acquired blocking techniques into practice by working with your classmates on short scenes.
- Sets, Costumes, Props, and You: We'll cover the fundamentals of technical theatre, including basic set design, costume design, and props management. (This is a brief overview from the director's perspective, not a comprehensive survey of technical theatre.)
- Lights, Sound, and Stage Managers: Here's a quick look at the way electrical toys, like lights and sound boards, can enhance the next production you direct. We'll also look at the role of the stage manager, and how he/ she can be your best friend!
- Polishing the Performance : What should you do with a play after you block it? You make it even better, of course! Here's a handful of rehearsal techniques to get the most out of your actors.
- *Making Your Next Play Even Better!: Have you ever noticed a problem with an actor during polishing rehearsals, but not known how to solve it? This class will present an overview of common acting mistakes, and give you tools to fix them.
- Putting It All Together/ Final Rehearsals: Explore the role of the director during the most difficult part of the rehearsal process—the time when you "let go" and turn your baby over to the actors! The way you empower performers during this phase can make or break a production.
- Directing Practicum: Students will have the opportunity to stage short scenes for their classmates.
- *Drama Ministry—Let's Get It Started: What are the practical considerations involved in beginning a drama ministry? You'll hear from a professional director who has started drama ministries from scratch in two large churches. George will also discuss some philosophical considerations behind an effective drama ministry, and a few tips for working with the pastor.
- Drama Ministry—Choosing Great Scripts: How do you separate the Good from the Bad and the Ugly? We'll discuss the components of a winning script.
(Each session above lasts 1-2 hours, depending on the number of hands-on exercises. The entire Director's Workshop is available as a semester-length course.)
Writing Great Dramas
Writing Great Dramas introduces participants to the process of crafting short plays of 10 minutes or less. Since strong scenes are the building blocks of all plays, the principles taught here are also applicable to longer works.
- Part I—Characters in Conflict: Discover the key ingredients in a compelling drama! This workshop will explore time-honored techniques for crafting an effective plot and intriguing characters—even within the limits of a 10-minute drama sketch. You’ll hone your skills through hands-on exercises, then leave with new tools for your next writing project!
- Part II—Dialogue, Beats, and Themes: We’ll focus on writing realistic dialogue and crafting "mini-scenes" (beats) within the script. We’ll also explore different ways to weave relevant themes into your work—without banging your audience over the head with a message. (Optional: We can also cover some of the challenges that arise in writing one-act and full-length plays.)
- Playmaking: How can you turn real-life experiences into compelling drama? We'll work through a process of discovering the key elements in a true story from your life, then discuss how to bring that narrative to the stage.
- Master Class: Bring a work-in-progress to class with you! Selected participants will have a chance to see their ten-minute play in an informal staged reading, and receive feedback from both the instructor and classmates.
(Each session above lasts 1-2 hours, depending on the number of hands-on exercises.)
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