The views expressed in the Writer-in-Residence blogs are those held by the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Open Book: Toronto.
Workshop ... Day One
Submitted by eshields on October 22, 2012 - 8:58am
Yesterday I launched into a workshop at Tarragon Theatre for a new play I’m writing. Two actors, a director and me in a room for three weeks. I’ll take my play apart scene by scene, action by action, beat by beat then word by word looking to find greater clarity in it than when we began. There’s always a danger I could dismantle my play past the point of return; that I’ll no longer be able to find my way through it clearly. The dream is that the play comes together and I write a draft I can take into the first day of rehearsal (whenever that might be).
Before the end, things will get messy and frustrating and I will go through more than one spell of hating my play. I’ll have to cut bits I love and write new bits that feel so new they’re difficult to hear. Our Public Readings are November 9th and 10th.
Wish me luck.
