Have you ever wanted to write a play? Ever written a play and wondered how to improve it? Ever had an idea you wanted to see on stage? New Edgecliff Theatre is now offering a weekend intensive Playwriting course for anyone – from beginners who have never dabbled in playwriting, to professionals wanting to get back to the basics.
Taught by professional playwright (and NET’s Playwright in Residence) Catie O’Keefe, who’s plays have been performed and published in the US and UK, this course aims to get writers comfortable with writing monologues, short scenes, developing characters and plot, and finding their voice. For 10 hours, spread over a Saturday and Sunday, they’ll engage in thought provoking exercises, learn the necessary tools and challenge themselves to write for the stage.
Catie O’Keefe holds a BA in Theatre from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon USA and a Masters in Playwriting from Royal Holloway University of London. Her work has been performed in London at the Jerwood Centre, Southwark Theatre, Henley Fringe Festival, The Royal Court Upstairs, Theatre 503 and the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She participated in the Fall 2007 session of the Royal Court’s Young Writers Program and also the 2008 Invitation Class back at the Royal Court. The Space Between My Head and My Body premiered at London’s Theatre 503 and then transferred to the Underbelly Baby Belly 3 in Edinburgh (now available for purchase through Original Works Publishing). Her play Deception, Illusion and Nate has been performed in the US and as part of the Dyssing Monday’s Dyslexic festival in October 2008 and again in the Henley Fringe Festival in July 2009 in the UK. Extraction was produced in March 2010 at the Camden Etc. Theatre. An Apartment with Grace was one of six winners to be produced for The Louisiana State University Outworks Festival in April 2010. Her latest projects include a reading of The Burning Mann at the Aronoff Center in March 2011 with CPI, Darker, produced by NET in the 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival, and a reading of Extraction in New York with Davenport Theatrical. She is currently a recipient of the Peggy Ramsay Grant and continues to work in both the UK and the US.
Three weekend workshops are available for Fall 2011:
September 17 (9:30am-4pm)-September 18th (11am-4:30pm)
October 22 (9:30am-4pm)-October 23rd (11am-4:30pm)
November 17 (9:30am-4pm)-November 18 (11am-4:30pm)
All workshops will be held at Chase Public (in Northside: 1569 Chase Avenue, Suite 4, Cincinnati, OH 45220).
New Edgecliff Theatre’s Introduction to Playwriting course is open to anyone 16-22 years of age with an interest in playwriting. No previous experience is required. The cost for this weekend course is $90/participant. Composition books and writing utensils will be provided for all participants. Space is limited! Each workshop will be limited to 10 participants. To reserve your space, or for more information on both this and the follow-up 8 wk Extensive Playwriting Workshop, go to http://newedgecliff.com/education/playwrighting-workshop/. Payment is due prior to the first day of class.
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 