Tutorial: 4 hours per week
In this course, students engage in a variety of learning activities such as lectures, group discussions and group work, in-class and self-directed writing, craft analysis and peer-to-peer workshopping. Students’ work with playwriting will be developed in a workshop environment; verbal participation and collaboration are essential to this course.
- Student manuscripts
- Contemporary play texts
- Documentaries and Theatrical Productions available online
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Write plays that observe industry standards for playwriting, while also learning to avoid imitation or cliché;
- Identify techniques common to new play creation, such as character analysis, story structures, experimental approaches and dialogue;
- Write proposals for a theatre project for a specific community of their choosing;
- Identify skillful responses to the needs of actors, audiences, communities, venues or collaborators commonly found the field;
- Understand and reflect upon how professional creators solve common problems of craft and form;
- Communicate useful, supportive feedback to peers in a creative writing workshop;
- Demonstrate an understanding of revision as essential to the writing process;
- Evaluate suggestions from an instructor and peers, applying these suggestions to revisions.
Assessment is based on course learning outcomes and follows the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. A detailed evaluation schedule will be provided in the Course Outline. This is a graded course.
Students will complete three to four creative assignments, with at least one submitted for workshop. Creative work will account for a minimum of 60% of the final grade.
Additional evaluation may include participation, in-class writing, presentations, written or oral responses, and engagement with theatre events.
Example Evaluation Scheme
Creative and Written/Oral Work – 80%
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In-class writing – 10%
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Creative projects (short and extended works) – 50%
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Revision of selected work – 10%
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Proposal or presentation – 10%
Participation – 20%
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Attendance and engagement – 10%
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Self and/or instructor evaluation – 10%
Total – 100%
Instructors may include attendance and active participation as part of the graded performance. Expectations and grading criteria must be clearly defined in the Course Outline.
Textbooks and materials are to be purchased by students. A list of required textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester. Example texts may include:
Fefu and Her Friends by Maria Irene Fornes
365 Plays/365 Days by Suzan-Lori Parks
This Is How We Got Here by Keith Barker
Transmission by Tanya Marquardt
The In-Between by Marcus Youssef
Sila by Chantal Bilodeau
What you Won’t Do for Love by David Suzuki, Tara Cullis, Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes
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