Teachers & Writers Collaborative

by Kent Alexander

Kent Alexander worked as an artist-in-residence throughout New York City public schools and hospitals for Teachers & Writers Collaborative and the Open Classroom Collaborative. He also conducts writing and creativity workshops nationally. He is the author of numerous plays that have been produced across the US.

Teaching Playwriting

I know that playwriting can seem daunting when approaching it for the first time. Many students (and teachers, as well) find adjusting to the demands of the form is just too difficult to tackle and decide very early on that they hate plays. This is a shame because playwriting lends itself readily to students who desire to tell their stories through dialog and action.

Students, through writing short plays, can learn that dialog is a wonderful window into language and is something they can easily shape with practice. By giving student writers a clear and simple format that can be instantly assimilated, teachers can not only build student confidence in writing, but can also ensure that their students enjoy immense success understanding the components of fiction.

Step 1

I distributed a copy of the following excerpt from Wallace Shawn’s play Marie and Bruce to every student. In some classes, when possible, I assigned a student for each role and then had them read aloud. When this was not possible, I read both roles myself, allowing the individuality of each character to shine through.

MARIE AND BRUCE
Time: Morning
Place: Marie and Bruce’s home
At Rise: Marie is in a flowery dress and Bruce enters in his pajamas.

BRUCE
Hi, darling.

MARIE
Hi, Bruce.

BRUCE
Do you think we should throw out this coffee? Or keep it one more day?

MARIE
Oh, I don’t know, Bruce. What would you say about it? Let’s hear your opinion. Keep it for a day?—or just toss it out?

BRUCE
Well, why don’t I make a fresh pot right now—just so you’ll have some?

MARIE
Why, Bruce, how thoughtful! I didn’t know you were a saint—that’s really just terrific—you make a perfect saint.

BRUCE
Oh well—thank you—er—darling—I’ll just do this quickly.

(He starts to make the coffee. Silence.)

MARIE
Bruce—darling—I think you smell of urine, sweetheart.

(He keeps working on the coffee.)

I say, sweetheart, I believe your trousers have urine on them, dear. Do you think you should change them?

BRUCE
Darling, I’m trying to concentrate on making this coffee. Is that all right with you, sweetheart? Please don’t disturb me.

MARIE
But, darling—your trousers have urine on them today, dearest. I think they should be changed—don’t you?

BRUCE
I’m doing my best, darling. I’m doing my best. Simply the best that I can. Simply my best. Simply the best that I can. Now these aren’t the trousers I’m planning to wear. I’m planning to change them. But I need my concentration. I need to pay
attention to the thing that I’m doing. Do you follow me?

MARIE
Yes, Bruce. I think I do, dear. I think I do, dearest.

(BRUCE exits.)

Step 2

To stimulate discussion about the excerpt, I asked students to answer questions such as these:

1. How do we learn about Marie and Bruce? Does each use a special word when talking?
2. How does the writer show us the characters are family members?
3. What else can we guess about the people in this brief excerpt?
4. What do we know about the character’s economic situation? (Hint: the reuse of coffee)
5. What is the conflict in the story? Is there more than one?
6. Do we know where Bruce goes when he exits? Do we care?
7. Who seems to be in charge? Do we want to know more about these characters and what happens to them?

Next, I ask students what words in the play are familiar to them. Their responses help me make a simple point: This play uses real language and real situations to create characters who, in turn, have real problems that get solved, one way or the other.

Step 3

On the board, I write (large enough for all to see) the following:

TITLE (Can be any of your choosing)
Time (The time and day of the week your play begins)
Place (Where your play occurs—the location)
At Rise (What the characters are doing when the play starts)

I then explain that the following format will work for anyone and, if desired, can be easily adapted later. On the board, with the class participating, I fill in the Time, Place and At Rise. I also explain that when writing action in plays, “action” is always placed inside of parenthesis (like in the excerpt).

Step 4

I then ask students to create two characters (never the name of a classmate!) who must represent two members of the same family. Students are then asked to write a scene in which each character wants something from the other. By the end of the scene, one character should find a way to get what s/he wants. This scene should be a typical day in the life of the family. (You can brainstorm about the kinds of things families have squabbles about.)

When students are finished, I ask them to read their pieces aloud. I make sure that each play gets discussed in the same way we discussed the excerpt from Marie and Bruce. I also ask students to write down one thing that they can do to make their own play better!

This “refocusing” can then become the basis for subsequent revision. Here’s an example of a student play that was based on this exercise:

SHANIQUA’S PROBLEM

Time: 8 PM - Friday night
Place: A house in Queens, NY
At Rise: Shaniqua and her father are arguing in loud voices.

FATHER
Girl, you better be changing that outfit. You look like a skeezer!

SHANIQUA
This is what everybody is wearing. Besides, Tony likes it too!

FATHER
Then let Tony pay for it next time. Now, go back upstairs and change into something that looks decent.

SHANIQUA
But I’m not a baby anymore, Daddy! I’m almost 16 years old!

FATHER
You could wear that blue dress your mother bought you. I think you look nice in it.

SHANIQUA

(Starting to cry)

That dress is for church! If I wear it, everybody will laugh at me at the school dance.
I just know it.

(She sits down and cries real loud. Her dad sits down beside her.)

FATHER
I just want you to look good when you go out.

SHANIQUA
But I do look good, Daddy. You’re just behind the times. Please let me wear what
I like or I wont go.

FATHER

(Sighing real loud)

Make sure that you get home before 11 o’clock, Shaniqua, or I’ll ground you forever!

SHANIQUA

(Kissing him on the face)

Alright! I promise!

—Tonya Roberts

As you can see, students not only understand the form, but they also find a way to incorporate quirky dialog, as well. For more fun, have student writers cast their own plays—they can then be performed in class (staged or unstaged). Good luck!

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