Monthly Archives: January 2010

How to Write Stiff and Really Fake Dialogue

Posted on January 23, 2010 by

There’s nothing worse than listening to a performance filled with dialogue that does not ring true and does not feel and sound authentic.  The worse dialogue offenders in the history of drama are writers on television process shows like “CSI” … Continue reading →

Posted in Diction | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Magnifying the Human Condition

Posted on January 22, 2010 by

The universal human condition is one of suffering and it is the Playwright’s moral duty to bring that condition to light on the live stage.

Posted in Character | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Writing a Sixty Second Play

Posted on January 20, 2010 by

One task I give my amateur Playwriting students is to have them write a 60-second play in Two Acts using the Three Act structure.  That means you have around 30 seconds to set up the plot conflict points, 20 seconds … Continue reading →

Posted in Plot | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Acting in Slow Motion Creates Perpetual Momentum

Posted on January 20, 2010 by

One thing amateur actors lack is technique.  Sometimes trying to embed a foreign technique into a new actor can be a challenge.  One of the most important techniques any actor must have is the innate ability to control time and … Continue reading →

Posted in Character | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments