Power In The Theater
A lot of playwrights seem to be obsessed with power. They believe the theaters have all the power. I suspect this attitude is partially based on the bad social theories being taught in universities. Critical…
Should Theater Nurture Artists?
Should theater nurture artists? To ask this question seems hopelessly naive since theater does exactly squat to nurture artists. The theater community takes everyone for granted. They take actors for granted. And they take playwrights…
Maintaining Enthusiasm
Writing plays can be very discouraging. Every book I’ve read on playwriting has been discouraging. Most playwriting books emphasize that your chances of getting a play produced are very slim. Every rejection of a script…
Carnage Film Review and Analysis
Last evening I saw the film Carnage on DVD. The film is based on the play God Of Carnage by French playwright Yasmina Reza so it is relevant to theater. The play has only four…
Moral Muddles
I think a playwright is in greater danger of getting into a moral muddle than other writers. In general a playwright can more easily get muddled in his thinking because he is forced to give…
Enjoying Dramatic Writing Without Theater
Now that most theaters have been shut down due to the plague, i.e. COVID-19 or the coronavirus, everyone is wondering how to keep theater alive without doing a live show. This is something I have…
Shamanism
I have a keen interest in shamanism and have read scores of books on the subject. However, this should not be seen as an interest in comparative religion or spirituality for its own sake. What…
On Talent
Talent has always been valued in the Performing Arts. I’m not sure it is still valued now that the Left finds greater virtue in diversity and equality. Many liberals find even the slightest suggestion of …
The Sound Inside – Book Review
I need to write a few book reviews to demonstrate that I read plays. I have a genuine love for dramatic writing so I do read lots of plays. I bought The Sound Inside by…
The Value of Objectivity
Although it may seem strange for a playwright to write about the value of objectivity, it is relevant to theater. Theater is inherently an illusion. Actors are pretending to be the characters and the stage…