Theatre has many aspects of writing. Whether it be for personal fun or a serious document, there are many things thespians and theatre tech students have to write. In this essay, I will explain the types of writing Professional Theatre Majors have to encounter everyday, the skills required to execute them, and share my experiences with these writings.
When I think of theatre writing, playwriting is the first thing that comes to mind. Movies, plays, television shows and musicals are made up of some of the same ingredients but are just produced on different scales. Some of the tools needed to be a good playwright or screenwriters are a deep imagination, being creative, knowledge of audience, and a unique style of writing that stands out. The popular types of plays to that can be written today are comedies, tragedies, and many more. Great plays have an overarching theme and leave the audience thinking. I have yet to write a script myself but I do feel excellent scripts are the foundation for theater not just the techniques that actors bring.
But scripts are only words and basic stage actions layed out into a story sequence. Once these works are published it is up to the actor to bring the show to life. Character analysis is a set of questions that help with the dissection of a role that can be a page or longer in length, it provides information to give the actor a way to connect with the character without having to do method acting. “The technique, however, will help you find a character, which in turn informs how you approach the text/script/written word.”(Gardner) A well developed character should be easy to explain to anyone if you take the time to make them entertaining. When you analyze a character, you bring new ideas about the themes and or anything relevant to the character as an actor. I enjoy writing my answers to these questions in an essay format. These questions are built from Konstantin Stanislavski’s method for acting. This is the best outlet for an actor to use and is a tool that should be used with every role an actor encounters.
Thespians are often required to write dramaturgies on plays that they perform and to help us study the dramatic components of every story. When we write a dramaturgy here at A&T, we are trying to get a deeper understanding of the world of the author and the world of the play. Dramaturgs get paid to read, write, and advise productions. “The primary job of a dramaturg is conducting historical research, lending historical accuracy to a production.” (Strauss) one interesting thing to know about dramaturgy is that you honestly do not need a theatre degree to be one, in fact it is encouraged to be some type of liberal arts major. I personally dislike dramaturgies, they can be long and sometimes hard to research for.
Research papers are a must in the dramatic arts. There are stories behind the stories that we love. We mostly write these types of papers in Theatre History or African American Drama.. Research for some works is difficult to find because art history can be omitted or erased.
Critiques and reviews are a common form of writing for Theatre Majors. We required to see every show and share our thoughts on the art being presented. I have done critiques all throughout my time in high school choir, so this style of writing does not scare me. Critiquing productions requires a vast knowledge of your own field. I find that the best critiques that I have written have a comedic element through the entire essay. On the opposite end of the spectrum, reviews provide insight on the longevity as well as quality of a show. Reviews of shows offer an unbiased opinion that can either build or destroy your production. Actors often have a tough time with critics because sometimes the actor can be their own worst critic.
A true arts advocate should be able to write under a professional criteria that will secure federal moines and support for any art form. Being able to write a grant is a needed skill for the entirety of Arts. Most local theaters will write a grant to bring in extra funds for programs and shows. Grants for the arts come from government funds a.k.a your tax dollars. The Arts is always the first thing cut from schools and the community.. Laws are always changing. Writing effectively and speaking up can be the difference in law making. We are strongly encouraged to stay informed about the government and speak to our senators. We can change the world with just our words.
As I bring this essay to a close, I hope that I shared some great information on the types of writing a theatre major will face, touched on my personal experiences, and wrote about the required skills. As stated by Lyn Gardner, “Great acting, like great writing, is often in the eye of the beholder, but audiences almost always know when they are in the presence of something special.” This assignment has introduced myself to some new ideas and facts. I’m happy that theatre majors do write more than people realize.
