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Playwriting: Writing Producing and Selling Your Play
A practical guidebook for effective playwriting! This imaginative and enthusiastic book is designed especially for those having the desire to create, to entertain, and to express their emotions and ideas. It features a practical, down-to- earth emphasis on craft and structure rather than on theory as its step-by-step approach shows just what's involved in creating a stageworthy play. Coverage includes basic considerations such as plot and character development, theme and dialogue as well as production and publication considerations. Outstanding offers concrete writing guidelines; includes exercises that get the reader going and inspirational anecdotes; presents excerpts from such classics as Macbeth, The Glass Menagerie, and The Dumb Waiter that help the reader grasp key concepts; lists plays to read for instruction; includes valuable information not usually found in comparable collections.
- GenresNonfictionTheatreWriting
272 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1990
3 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Louis E. Catron
16 books9 followersLouis E. Catron was a professor of Theatre and Speech at William & Mary from 1966-2002 and Director of the William & Mary Theatre. He held a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University, and was the author of several plays and books on playwriting.
From a Faculty and Staff Announcement Email from Provost Michael Halleran on November 3, 2010:
"With deep sadness, I write to inform you that Professor Emeritus Louis E. Catron died on October 30, following a long illness. Catron was Professor of Theatre, Speech, and Dance at William & Mary for more than 35 years. A beloved and highly esteemed instructor, Professor Catron is remembered as "a special teacher who continued to nurture former students years after they left William & Mary."
Distinguished as both a teacher and director, Professor Catron received the Virginia Council of Higher Education's Outstanding Faculty Award, was twice named an "Outstanding Educator of America," and was elected to the William & Mary chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. He directed more than 50 William & Mary Theatre productions, setting attendance records with many of his musicals.
In addition to his active teaching career, Professor Catron was also an accomplished playwright whose works were performed thousands of times around the world. He wrote several books, many of which became standard college texts. A special source of pride to Professor Catron was that many of his students went on to become successful actors, playwrights, screenwriters, and novelists, penning more than 40 books themselves.
A graduate of Millikin University, Professor Catron earned his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University. After serving in the Navy during the Korean War, he found success as an actor before embarking upon a teaching career. He first joined the College in 1966, earning promotions to associate professor in 1969 and professor in 1974. Upon his retirement from William & Mary in 2002, he was named Professor of Theatre, Speech and Dance, Emeritus. In retirement, he continued to teach courses for the Christopher Wren Association and was active in the community, volunteering for Meals on Wheels and Faith in Action.
Professor Catron is survived by his son, two brothers, and a sister. A memorial service is scheduled at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 7, at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church on Jamestown Road.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Louis E. Catron Scholarship Fund for Artistic Development which supports W&M students who focus on studio art, creative writing, applied music, or theatre arts. Gifts should be directed to the Office of Development, College of William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795."
https://scrc-kb.libraries.wm.edu/loui...
https://www.wm.edu/as/charlescenter/s...
From a Faculty and Staff Announcement Email from Provost Michael Halleran on November 3, 2010:
"With deep sadness, I write to inform you that Professor Emeritus Louis E. Catron died on October 30, following a long illness. Catron was Professor of Theatre, Speech, and Dance at William & Mary for more than 35 years. A beloved and highly esteemed instructor, Professor Catron is remembered as "a special teacher who continued to nurture former students years after they left William & Mary."
Distinguished as both a teacher and director, Professor Catron received the Virginia Council of Higher Education's Outstanding Faculty Award, was twice named an "Outstanding Educator of America," and was elected to the William & Mary chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. He directed more than 50 William & Mary Theatre productions, setting attendance records with many of his musicals.
In addition to his active teaching career, Professor Catron was also an accomplished playwright whose works were performed thousands of times around the world. He wrote several books, many of which became standard college texts. A special source of pride to Professor Catron was that many of his students went on to become successful actors, playwrights, screenwriters, and novelists, penning more than 40 books themselves.
A graduate of Millikin University, Professor Catron earned his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University. After serving in the Navy during the Korean War, he found success as an actor before embarking upon a teaching career. He first joined the College in 1966, earning promotions to associate professor in 1969 and professor in 1974. Upon his retirement from William & Mary in 2002, he was named Professor of Theatre, Speech and Dance, Emeritus. In retirement, he continued to teach courses for the Christopher Wren Association and was active in the community, volunteering for Meals on Wheels and Faith in Action.
Professor Catron is survived by his son, two brothers, and a sister. A memorial service is scheduled at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 7, at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church on Jamestown Road.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Louis E. Catron Scholarship Fund for Artistic Development which supports W&M students who focus on studio art, creative writing, applied music, or theatre arts. Gifts should be directed to the Office of Development, College of William & Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795."
https://scrc-kb.libraries.wm.edu/loui...
https://www.wm.edu/as/charlescenter/s...
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 11, 2012
This book is an amazing companion, and an amazing eye opener for anyone who wants to go into playwriting. It teaches techniques about structure and plot, and if these techniques are developped by the reader it drastically improves the quaality of the writing. Yes, there is a lot of work for you to do other than reading this book, but if you follow the exercises in this book you will find your craft being stronger. A great read for people who don't know too much about theater. A word to the wise: Pick up a copy of Macbeth and A Streetcar Named Desire alongside this book, and read those plays first. Those are the two most referenced plays in the book, and it's helpful to be able to fully apply her readings. Highly recommended for any beginner/ person who has been out of the business for a while.
December 31, 2015
An outdated, egomaniacal waste of time. I’ve slowly accumulated a lot of “how to” writing books but I’ve never read one where the author was so self involved and full of themself as this was. The book takes tired old basics and tries to dress it up with overly descriptive language not suited for a writing manual. I also found that they way the author describes new playwrights was to compare them to simplistic silly little children which also rubbed me the wrong way. I really didn’t learn a thing I didn’t already know from my theatre classes in high school. I see this reviewed as the most important tool for a playwright but I highly disagree. Anyone who has attended a grade 9 English class could tell you all that you learn here: one star.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews