Presents an interview with children's playwright Aurand Harris, who shares thoughts about his work, advises playwrights, and offers a cautionary note on the future of children's theater. (SR)

This collection presents techniques for tapping a broad range of literary sources to inspire young writers. Drawing upon poetry, folk tales, story jokes, and more, Literary Ideas walks students in grades 3-8 through the process of creating new stories and developing them as scripts for choral readings, readers theatre, and classroom plays. The…

An independent television screenwriter gives practical suggestions on writing and becoming a professional screenwriter. (PD)

Reports on the first Young Playwrights Festival presented by the Dramatists Guild and the Circle Repertory Company. The seven plays--directed, acted, and staged by professionals--were written by young people between the ages of 8 and 18 and were selected for production from more than 700 submissions. (PD)

This research concerns itself with making the imagination work; with developing, in university playwrights, a freedom to fantasy; and with encouraging them to give artistic form to their fantasies. (Author/RK)

Discusses the value of teaching playwriting. (PRA)

Describes six process guidelines for new play development to assist freshman dramaturges exploring new play development. Notes that the six guidelines form a paradigm for new dramaturges collaborating with a playwright. Suggests the paradigm, coupled with enthusiasm for the unknown and a taste for adventure, will build dramaturges informed to help…

Asks the question of what stories playwrights may use. States that dramatists have a deep commitment to explore the truth about life. Discusses questions regarding stories in the public domain, and issues of exclusive intellectual property. Concludes that the decision to use a story is a political one more than an ethical one. (PA)

For over ten years, London's National Theatre, under the banner of "Connections", has been commissioning ten professional playwrights per year, each to write a play for young people. The plays are workshopped and performed by secondary schools, colleges and youth theatres across the United Kingdom and Ireland, and are presented in a…

Describes a fifth grade teacher's approach to producing plays with her class. The script for a Christmas play about Santa and the metric system is included. (JMB)

Presents a list of the various texts of Williams's plays which were published prior to 1977, including plays produced but not yet published. Notes the existence of unpublished versions of printed plays when such were used for a production. (JMF)

Defines "adaptation" as the transformational process of taking a narrative work and dramatizing it. Stresses the importance of knowing what to leave out and knowing what to leave in. Suggests thinking of "adopting" rather than "adapting." States that artistic freedom is the playwright's right. Emphasizes the…

Explores the distance all dramatists travel to one extent or another and in their own ways to arrive at a play for children--the questions asked, the ideas sparked, the progression followed. (SR)