With this eBook you’ll get:
- 7 chapters on how to introduce playwriting fundamentals with engaging activities, many of them never-before-published
- 5 chapters of step-by-step curriculum on creating plays individually, creating plays in small groups, and creating plays as a class
- 1 chapter on peer review, revision and a playwriting rubric
- 7 chapters of bonus material including a playwriting checklist, professional advise, performance crash course, and opportunities for young playwrights
- 9 handouts to aid students along the way
How is this book different?
Similar to our best-selling Teaching Drama: The Essential Handbook, this book is written in a practical lesson-plan style that will instantly allow you to implement these tools into your classroom. Each chapter builds upon the next, and includes helpful shaded boxes offering teaching advice, side-coaching suggestions, text samples and vocabulary words.
What skills will my students learn?
.Below are just a few of the topics covered in the book:
- What is a play? Through the exploration of provided texts students will discover what makes playwriting unique from other forms of creative writing.
- Dialogue. Students will learn how to write character-specific dialogue that keeps audiences engaged.
- Conflict. Students will understand the importance of raising the stakes and how to use conflict in a way that builds interesting scenes.
- Plot Sequencing. Students will learn how to use a plot diagram to chart out the world of a play.
- Creating a Character (from a photo). Students will learn the 8 W’s of character development – then create an original character from an image.
- Creating a Character (from props). Students will learn that new ideas can come from anywhere – even everyday props in the classroom.
- Creating a Character (from improvisation). Students will engage in improvisational activities with the focus on serious character development. They will also understand how characters must move the plot forward.
- The Monologue. Students will learn the tools necessary to create a compelling monologue that rings true to their characters.
- Playwriting Tracks. In depth, step-by-step curriculum that will help you guide your students to create a play by either 1) Creating plays individually 2) Creating plays in small groups 3) Creating a play as a class
- Review, Revision, Rubric. Students will learn how to effectively review and revise their plays with peer participation and a provided rubric.
- Plus… Bonus Character and Dialogue Activities, a Performance Crash Course, Opportunities for Young Playwrights and Vocabulary List
About the Author
Sophia Chapadjiev is the Artistic Director of the Young Playwrights Festival at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center where she has been the Director of Education since 2007. She has faciliated professional development workshops at educational conferences around the U.S. As a playwright, her works have been produced in New York City and London. She has a BFA from Emerson and an MFA from NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program.
Download this resource today.
This book will provide you with everything you need to teach a semester of playwriting your students will never forget. All in a simple printable guide that’s affordable and instantly usable.
Sophia regularly travels to schools to give Professional Development workshops on playwriting that typically cost upwards of $1,500. Online courses on playwriting start around $400.
You can download Teaching Playwriting: The Essential Handbook, a book we guarantee will provide you with everything you need to teach well structured and highly rewarding classes in playwriting, for a tiny fraction of that cost.
At Beat by Beat, we’re passionate about raising the bar on the quality of resources that are available for young actors…and you’ll find this book to be no exception. Over 30,000 people a month visit the Beat by Beat website, discovering tools and resources which have brought joy to teachers and creativity to young actors around the world.
You have our personal guarantee that if you aren’t completely satisfied, if you don’t love this monologue book and use it all the time, call or email us within 30 days and we’ll refund every penny immediately.
Edward McKinley –
Five Stars
Excellent resource. Pitched to younger students, but easily adaptable to high school.
AmazonCustomer –
Great!!
This book is GREAT!!!! I use many of the ideas and lessons in my middle school drama classes. Highly recommend!
Elizabeth Mangham Crase –
Great guide
This is a fantastic guide for teaching Playwriting. I work at a children’s theatre as educational director and this has come in handy every year for Playwriting class and as a reference for writers during our new play festival