Course
Young Playwrights Summer Intensive
Duration: 8 Weeks — 2 Classes per Week (14 Sessions)
Final Week – Stage reading preparation and showcase
Target Group: Ages 15–19 years old
Program Type: Nonprofit Summer Playwriting Program
Course Objective and Introduction
The Young Playwrights Summer Intensive is an eight-week creative writing and theater program designed to introduce young adults to the art and craft of playwriting through an inclusive, hands-on learning experience. Students will explore diverse playwriting styles; study works by playwrights from a range of cultural and social backgrounds and develop their own original short plays.
The program emphasizes collaboration, self-expression, and exposure to professional theater through writing workshops, guest artist sessions, and interactive field experiences. By the end of the course, each participant will have written, revised, and prepared a short play (5–10 minutes) for a final staged reading performed by professional and student actors. Students will leave the program with a deeper understanding of storytelling, confidence in their creative voices, and a sense of connection to their community and peers.
Learning Goals
- Understand and apply key playwriting elements: character, dialogue, structure, and theme.
- Explore diverse playwriting styles and voices from global and multicultural perspectives.
- Develop an original short play through guided exercises and feedback.
- Experience collaboration with peers, actors, and theater professionals.
- Build confidence in creative expression, communication and public presentation.
Program Overview
Each week introduces a new playwriting style and builds toward the completion of a short play. Every session includes:
- Icebreaker or Ensemble Exercise
- Writing Lesson and Style Focus
- Creative Writing Exercise
- Play Study from a Culturally Diverse Writer
- Creative Pedagogy Tool (guest artist, collaborative activity)
Week 1 – Foundations of Playwriting and Storytelling & Ensemble Building
Focus:
- Introduction to playwriting and ensemble trust.
- Understanding what makes a play: story, conflict, and character.
- Ensemble-building and creative trust exercises.
- Writing Exercise: “A Moment That Changed Me.”
- Play Study: August Wilson’s Fences (selected scenes).
- Guest Artist: Local playwright discusses finding your voice.
- Group Photo
Style:
- Realism
Play Study:
- Fences by August Wilson (African American realism and family legacy)
Week 2 – Character, Motivation, and Dialogue
Focus:
- Building believable characters and exploring emotional truth.
- Dialogue and subtext: writing what’s said and unsaid.
- Writing Exercise: Character monologue and two-person scene.
- Guest: Community leader shares life and professional experience.
Style:
- Realism
Play Study:
- Cost of Living by Martyna Majok (Polish American playwright exploring disability and intimacy) Creative Activity: Character interviews and improvisation.
Week 3 – Structure and Conflict
Focus:
- How plays move and build tension.
- Understanding dramatic structure: beginning, middle, and end.
- Exploring conflict as the engine of drama.
- Writing Exercise: Outline and first draft of short plays.
Style:
- Expressionism
Play Study:
- Los Vendidos by Luis Valdez (Chicano playwright blending satire and expressionism)
Guest Artist:
- Director leads a workshop on staging conflict.
Week 4 – Theme and Voice
Focus:
- Discovering personal voice and thematic depth.
- Writing authentic dialogue that reveals character
- Writing Exercise: Rewrite a scene focusing on dialogue flow.
Style:
- Poetic / Symbolist Theatre
Play Study:
- David Henry Hwang’s FOB or Yellow Face.
Week 5 – Social Commentary and Collaboration
Focus:
- Writing with purpose and community awareness.
- Exploring how personal and cultural identity shape storytelling.
- Writing Exercise: Integrating theme into character and plot.
- Peer Review: Sharing drafts and giving constructive feedback.
Style:
- Documentary / Verbatim Theatre
Play Study:
- Fires in the Mirror by Anna Deavere Smith (African American playwright using real interviews to explore identity and conflict)
Guest Artist:
- Community playwright discusses writing from heritage
Week 6 – Play Revision
Focus:
- Refining scripts and preparing for performance.
- Techniques for revising and refining scripts.
- Collaborative writing and peer editing.
- Writing Exercise: Second draft and scene polishing.
Style:
- Contemporary Hybrid (mixing forms and voices)
Play Study:
- Is God Is by Aleshea Harris (African American playwright blending tragedy, absurdism, and revenge narrative)
Guest:
- Community leader shares – What does community mean to me?
Week 7 – Revision & Preparing for Stage Reading
Focus:
- Introduction to stage directions, pacing, and actor collaboration.
- Rehearsal process: how playwrights work with directors and actors.
- Writing Exercise: Final revisions and formatting scripts.
Style:
- Student’s Choice (apply learned styles)
Play Study:
- Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau (African American playwright exploring education, race, and systemic injustice)
Guest Artist:
- Stage manager or director leads rehearsal workshop.
Week 8 – Reflection and Showcase
Focus:
- Reflection on playwriting experience and personal growth
- Why do we write plays? How do plays enrich our society?
- 360 playwriting review – playwriting as a team approach.
- Stage reading
Program Outcomes
By the end of the 8-week program, participants will:
- Understand and apply multiple playwriting styles.
- Complete and revise an original short play.
- Experience collaboration with peers and professionals.
- Gain confidence in creative expression and public presentation.
- Build a foundation for continued artistic growth.
Recommended Core Resources
- The Playwright’s Guidebook by Stuart Spencer
- Backwards & Forwards by David Ball
- Playwriting: Brief & Brilliant by Julie Jensen
- The Playwright’s Workbook by Jean-Claude van Itallie
- Young Playwrights 101 (Young Playwrights Inc.)
- HowlRound.com — articles and videos on contemporary playwriting
- New Play Exchange (NPX) — access to diverse contemporary scripts
Result
A culturally rich, inclusive, and experiential 8-week playwriting program that nurtures young voices, builds creative confidence, and connects emerging playwrights to the professional theater community through writing, collaboration, and live performance.
Outcomes
The participants will:
- Complete an original short play (5–10 minutes).
- Gain practical experience in writing, revising, and collaborating with theater professionals.
- Develop confidence in public speaking and creative expression.
- Build lasting connections with peers and mentors in the Queens arts community.
Ready to see your story come to life on stage? Over eight weeks, you’ll join a supportive community of young writers, explore plays from across cultures and perspectives, and develop your very own original short play—with guidance from experienced theater artists. No experience required. Just curiosity, creativity, and a story to tell. Spaces are limited to keep every voice heard. Secure your spot today.