Chicago Dramatists Announces Online Summer Class Lineup & 20% Discount

By: A.A. Cristi May. 12, 2020

Chicago Dramatists has announced its summer line up of writing courses! All classes this summer session will be held online, via Zoom, and they are offering a record number of new classes. For the summer session, they are offering a 20% discount on select classes, when students use promo code SummerQuarter20 at checkout. This offer is only good when applied before June 8. (The courses that make use of this discount are specified below).

All Chicago Dramatist classes, led by our highly experienced and supportive faculty, are dedicated to the writer - their vision, their voice, their process. This exciting schedule includes classes designed for storytellers of all kinds, from new writers just beginning their creative journey, to seasoned dramatists dedicated to furthering their craft. Whether your interest lies in solo-storytelling, playwriting, musical theatre, or screenwriting, they have classes tailor made for you.

Chicago Dramatists has been a cornerstone of Chicago's vibrant theatre scene for over 40 years. It is the perfect place for artists of all kinds to find a dynamic home. So join in, and bring your theatrical voice to life.

See the full class list at: https://chicagodramatists.org/classes/

New Classes

Writing Music For Musical Theatre - Diana Lawrence

**NEW MUSICAL THEATRE COURSE**

7 Tuesdays: June 16 - July 28

6:00pm - 9:00pm (Central Time)

(Online)

This 7-week course offers composers and songwriters an exploration of the craft of composition for musical theatre. Participants will gain creative and structural tools for dramatic songwriting by both studying existing work and developing work of their own.

Appropriate for songwriters and composers at all career stages, each class session includes a balance of new course content presented by the instructor, and the chance for writers to present their own work. While weekly assignments will focus on the creation of new music, the class will also give participants the opportunity to share work from existing projects and present revisions of previous work for response.

Experienced writers gain new tools to sharpen their compositional voices, while newcomers explore foundational concepts that allow their voices to start singing. All writers will be encouraged to take bold musical risks, and a supportive and communal class environment will allow them to do so while receiving productive feedback. The all-important weekly deadline to present work inspires productivity in everyone.

Structure As Storytelling - Kristin Idaszak

**NEW PLAYWRITING COURSE**

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

7 Wednesdays: June 24 - August 5

6pm - 9:00pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Structure as Storytelling will allow students to deepen their understanding of how structure works and to deploy it strategically within their writing. Through this course we will look at plays with a variety of structures and break them down to understand how and why they are functioning.

Writers will also try implementing these structures in our own writing, and investigate questions such as: How does structure influence storytelling? Why choose one structure over another? When does structure come into the writing process? At the end of this course, students will have a deeper understanding of what structure is; be able to deploy structure more strategically in their own writing; and have explored different structures through various exercises.

Creating Compelling Characters - Francine J. Sanders

**NEW SCREENWRITING COURSE**

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

7 Thursdays: July 9 - August 20

6pm - 9pm (Central Time)

(Online)

At the heart of every great screenplay is a compelling character. A character that we care about, have empathy toward, and want to spend time with. This new 7-week course, taught by Francine J. Sanders, is a workshop-based class designed to help writers create and develop strong characters. Through exercises, writing activities, and screenings, students will learn strategies and techniques for building multi-dimensional characters that will fuel their stories and come to life on the page. Weekly sessions will focus on characterization, dialogue, world-building and workshopping in a small, collaborative environment. Students will also learn the basics of screenplay format and visual storytelling. At the end of the class, students will have a draft of a short character-driven script and a reservoir of characters and story ideas for future development.

Romantic Comedy! - Mary Ruth Clarke

**NEW SCREENWRITING COURSE**

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

7 Sundays: July 12 - August 23

1pm - 4pm (Central Time)

(Online)

For screenwriters, playwrights, or teleplay writers, this is a class about the romance and comedy of searching for love, falling in love, being in love, staying in love...and maybe even failing in love. Romantic comedy is both ancient and shiny new. In our evolving times, between technology and the freedom to love whomever one chooses and in whatever form that takes, writers have a wonderful opportunity to express what romantic comedy means now.

We will do a deep dive into what makes for a successful romantic comedy, in all its iterations. What are the particular demands of the genre? We'll examine case studies of successful rom com plays, screenplays, and television shows. And the majority of each session will be spent on student's romantic comedy ideas, outlines, character development, and scripts in progress.

Master Class: End of Play - Emilio Williams

**NEW PLAYWRITING COURSE**

7 Tuesdays: July 21 - September 1

6pm - 9:00pm (Central Time)

(Online)

This is a special master class with Chicago Dramatist Resident Playwright Emilio Williams. Up to 8 playwrights will work on the final drafts of their plays. Students will be chosen by an application process.

National Application Deadline: Midnight June 15th. Interviews Week of June 22nd. The course includes 5 zoom group workshops of 3 hours each and 2 private advisories of 30 minutes each.

Application Materials

A paragraph about yourself.
A paragraph about your play.
A paragraph about the current stage of your draft.
A paragraph about your needs and hopes for your play and this class.

See The Class Info Page: https://chicagodramatists.z2systems.com/np/clients/chicagodramatists/event.jsp?event=409&

Apply At: https://form.jotform.com/201276246008146

The Playwright's Craft (Advanced) - Emilio Williams

**NEW PLAYWRITING COURSE**

7 Wednesdays: July 22 - September 2

6pm - 9pm (Central Time)

(Online)

This class is designed for playwrights who have completed, at least, one draft of a full-length play. The class will deal with how to overcome the obstacles to develop a sustainable writing practice. We will discuss how the text can be improved through the use of theatrical devices such as props, sound, lighting, costumes, and scenic design. We will focus on the craft of structure, on developing three-dimensional characters and excellent dialogue. We will also learn how to self-edit our final drafts. The course will include the opportunity to workshop original material in class.

The Poetics of Playwriting - Marisela Orta

**NEW PLAYWRITING COURSE**

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

7 Saturdays: July 25 - September 5

10am - 1pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Poet and playwright Federico García Lorca once said, "A play is a poem standing up." Lyricism, Structure, Imagery, Metaphor, and Repetition are poetic tools used by many contemporary playwright to deepen their storytelling and theatricality. Led by Playwrights' Center Core Writer and nationally-produced playwright Marisela Treviño Orta, this class will examine specific poetic elements and how different playwrights use them in their storytelling.

Over the course of seven-weeks, students will read five assigned plays and participate in class discussion to explore how to employ these narrative tools in their own writing. Using writing exercises and assignments, students will have the opportunity to experiment with these new tools to deepen their own playwriting craft. In this supportive class environment, we will learn by doing-we will experiment with these tools and take risks to push our writing in new directions. At the conclusion of the course, students will present a new scene that utilizes one or more of the poetic elements and receive feedback both from peers and the instructor.

Summer Class Line Up

Sound & Fury: Solo & Story Development - Arlene Malinowski

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

7 Tuesdays: June 9 - July 21

6pm - 9:15pm (Central Time)

(Online)

This hands-on workshop is for writers, actors & storytellers at all levels who want to work on the development of a solo show or story for the stage. This can include work at any stage of development from an idea to a finished piece. The class will focus on finding your unique voice and the voice of your story, plot, structure, character development, and techniques to manipulate storyteller/audience relationship. Each week offers an opportunity to develop material, class exercises and one on one coaching, cheerleading with the goal of getting your work in the world. We will work hard and have big fun!

Playwriting Fundamentals - Marsha Estell

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

7 Sundays: June 14 - July 26

1pm - 4pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Looking to kick off your playwriting career? Get started with "Playwriting Fundamentals," at Chicago Dramatists! Study the core essentials of writing your first play, and cover everything from dramatic structure, to character development, to writing realistic and vibrant dialogue! Led by Marsha Estell, this course is dedicated to helping you find your unique voice as a dramatist. Class members will write and workshop a 10-minute play, applying all that they've learned, over the course of the class!

Scene Shop: Thursday Sessions - Will Dunne

7 Thursdays: June 25 - August 27

6:30pm - 9:30pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Scene Shop: Saturday Sessions - Will Dunne

7 Saturdays: June 27 - August 29

10am - 1pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Now starting its 14th year at Chicago Dramatists and led by Resident Playwright Will Dunne, author of "The Dramatic Writer's Companion" and other books, "Scene Shop" is an ongoing professional resource for experienced writers.

Self-contained weekly sessions offer character, scene, and story tools to help you write and revise your script, professional actors to read the work you bring from home, and constructive group feedback in a supportive setting. If you ever need to miss a session, you can always make it up in the other "Scene Shop" section that week. Workshop members are eligible to participate in the "Scene Shop Showcase," a night of staged readings presented twice yearly in the Russ Tutterow Theatre. Available Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.

Crafting The Musical Theatre Song - J. Seb Fabal

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

6 Saturdays: August 1 - September 5

10am - 1pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Explore the basic song forms that are the building blocks of successful musicals. This six-week workshop is designed to strengthen storytelling and songwriting fundamentals while encouraging writers to develop their original work. Writers share songs from a musical they're currently writing or create new songs based on the song forms studied each week. This workshop is for all levels of musical theatre writers and is designed to support composers, lyricists, and book writers.

Intermediate Playwriting - Marsha Estell

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

7 Sundays: August 2 - September 13

1pm - 4pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Students will delve deeper into the components of dramatic structure, evaluate conflict, identify and discriminate theatricality, differentiate use of stage direction, and articulate how you use plasticity of the stage within format-applying it all by writing the first draft of a one-act play or the first act of a full-length play. Students will:

Develop a personal point-of-view.
Create multi-dimensional, complex characters.
Demonstrate how text, action, and conflict move the play forward.
Demonstrate an understanding of the power of re-writing.
Practice giving thoughtful, and constructive feedback on scripts.

Prerequisite - Playwriting Fundamentals, or permission of the Instructor.

Marketing Your Solo Show & Yourself As An Artist - Arlene Malinowski

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

6 Tuesdays: August 4 - September 8

6pm - 9:15pm (Central Time)

(Online)

This class is designed for those who want to market a solo show or story event and yourself as an artist. This hands-on workshop is for writers, actors and storytellers of all levels. Topics include: How to develop your personal brand. Strategies for Advertising & Marketing. Getting your work from the Page to the Stage. Putting together a website, blog, Twitter, video blogging, FB. The 411 on fundraising and crowdsourcing. Tips and techniques on how to fill the seats.. Putting together a Press- Kit, Fringe Festivals, venues in Chicago, getting your work reviewed and protecting your writing. Guest lecturers from those who have done it well. Cheerleading & Big Fun!

True Storytelling - Janna Sobel

**20% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE**

7 Thursdays: August 6 - September 17

6pm - 9:00pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Storytelling belongs to all of us. It lives in our DNA. This 7-week online storytelling class highlights what you already know about great storytelling, and offers easy-to-master tools that enhance your natural abilities. Ideal for performers, public speakers, and professionals of all kinds, this class offers skills that you can use in general and professional communication, along with strengthening your ability to tell engaging, entertaining, motivating personal stories. Using dynamic games and exercises, participants overcome performance anxiety and gain confidence in their authentic presence. Participants also develop 3 stories over the course of the workshop, and receive direct, constructive feedback. Class is fun, supportive, challenging, and transformative: a solid way to connect and play during this unusual time. On the final night of class, students will present their work in an online Live Storytelling show that lets them invite friends and family.

Scene Shop Sampler: Thursday Sessions - Will Dunne

3 Thursdays: September 10, 17, 24

6:30pm - 9:30pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Scene Shop: Saturday Sessions - Will Dunne

3 Saturdays: September 12, 19, 26

10am - 1pm (Central Time)

(Online)

Want to see how "Scene Shop" Play Development works? This special three-session sampler series lets you experience our longest-running playwriting workshop without having to commit to full-quarter enrollment and cost. Come on in and give it a try.

Led by Resident Playwright Will Dunne, author of "The Dramatic Writer's Companion," you'll gain character, scene, and story tools to help you write and revise your script, hear professional actors read the work you bring from home, and receive constructive group feedback in a supportive setting. Available on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.

Comments

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Videos


		The Thanksgiving Play Ensemble Theater In Honor of Helen Zell at Steppenwolf (4/25-6/02)
		Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Paramount Theatre (4/24-6/16)
		https://www.choosechicago.com/event/romance-language-french-songs-for-lovers/ Rockwell on the River (5/16-5/16)
		Chicago Cabaret Week 3rd Annual, 10-day Festival Chicago Area Venues (5/10-5/19)
		Swingin’ on a Star, Chicago Cabaret Week Mother's Day Brunch Le Piano Chicago (5/12-5/12)
		Jesus Christ Superstar Theater at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College (6/07-6/23)
		DRUMLine Live! The Center for Performing Arts (2/15-2/15)
		DREAM The Center for Performing Arts (2/28-3/01)
		The Hot Wing King Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre (6/20-7/21)
		Die Hard 4 Your Luv The Factory Theater (5/31-7/13)
VIEW ALL SHOWS ADD A SHOW


News on your favorite shows, specials & more!