Theatre Camp: Scriptwriting and Developing an Original Play in a Small Group

In this theatre camp, we will look at what it takes to create an original play, how to write a script for the stage, and then we will actually write our own collaborative original play and virtually perform it to close out the end of our camp experience. This a perfect course for any budding playwrights, or storytellers, regardless of their experience. 

Working as a team, our small group will learn what goes into scriptwriting and how to format a workable script, as we work together to build a story line, create characters, and workshop our own original play, scene by scene, until we finish our two weeks with a completed script. Then we can spend our final day(s) together rehearsing and virtually performing our script, so we can celebrate all the hard work we put in, and get to experience our play in action.

Miss Kara has extensive theatre experience, including directing plays at her university in London, working for a theatre company as stage manager and lighting/sound director and touring south Florida, and running the stage crew at the middle school where she worked. 

She has successfully facilitated students writing their own original plays in a small group, and has the special "wheel of ideas" to diplomatically settle any intense creative differences.

This camp will not only unleash the creative side of our playwrights, but also teach patience, how to work successfully with others, and how to appreciate ideas and contributions from their peers, as well as having their own ideas and thoughts celebrated and included in the project. By the end, we will have successfully created something that is totally original and totally Ours!

Days One and Two: Introducing ourselves, breaking the ice, getting to know each other and sharing some of our interests. Then we will read a short play together, and analyze how a script works, including the formatting and structure, props, stage directions, and setting. We will practice reading with expression/acting as we go.

Day Three: Discuss our ideas for an original play, narrowing down our options to a final theme and a rough draft story line.

Day Four: Discussing and creating characters, their personality traits, physical traits, and what drives them (motivation) as a character. Each playwright will be given the chance to develop their own character within our chosen theme, and will get to take the lead when introducing their character to the group, while getting helpful feedback from each other.

Days Five-Seven: We will "storyboard" our play, scene by scene, and decide what actually happens in our play.

Days Eight and Nine: We will actually write our script, paying attention to format and stage directions, and making sure our characters' personalities come through. We will break up different scenes so everyone has a chance to write dialogue. Miss Kara will piece together the final product and post it in the classroom for everyone to print their own copy.

Day Ten: We will perform our play virtually and enjoy the fruits of our labor. We will get to practice our lines and revisit what we learned on days one and two about reading with expression and the difference between reading and acting. This will be a very relaxed, fun, no pressure chance for each of us to celebrate together how hard we worked together over two weeks.