In all its iterations — plays, screenplays, comedy, tragedy, whatever the heck The Bear is — drama is created with the intention of collaboration. Yes, the playwright or screenwriter is the original creator of the story, but they are creating what is essentially a blueprint for other artists to bring their skill set to spring this story alive on the stage or screen.
The writer benefits just from hearing the dialog come to life — does it sound natural, is it too repetitive, are the jokes landing, do the words flow trippingly on the tongue? But the added benefit is getting invaluable feedback from the actors and listeners — fellow writers in a supportive writer’s group, an audience gathered for a staged reading.
Participants are invited to submit a 3-5 page scene to the instructor, who will select several submissions to be read by professional actors at the workshop. Comedy, tragedy, and everything in between is acceptable. This workshop will benefit writers in any genre. Attendees will learn and discuss the benefits of the collaborative process of hearing your work read aloud and how to manage feedback.
Submission criteria: Plays, Screenplays, Teleplays. 2-3 characters would be wonderful (but no worries if there are more). Maximum 5 pages. If this is part of a larger work, participants should also send brief bullet points that will get us up to speed on what we need to know. Please see the manuscript/contest page on our website for more information: https://ocww.info/page-18211
Formatting Criteria:
Click here for formatting criteria for the Dramatists Guild.
Click here for formatting guidelines for screenplays or teleplays
Mary Ruth Clarke is a screenwriter and playwright, best known for Meet the Parents film franchise, starring Robert De Niro. She is on the faculty of the Second City Film School and heads up the screenwriting/television program at Chicago Dramatists and Story Studio. She is a screenplay consultant for clients in LA and Chicago.
