Playwriting

Inspiration & Exploration

A play is a story told live, in real time, by actors in front of an audience — and you are about to learn how to write one. Start by attending a live performance or watching a recorded one online. Pioneer Theatre Company in Salt Lake City posts information about student discounts at pioneertheatre.org, and the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City offers free online resources. Watch a free recorded play on the National Theatre's YouTube channel — search "National Theatre at Home free." Pay attention to how the story unfolds through dialogue and action, not narration. Read one scene from any published play — try the free digital library at Standard Ebooks (standardebooks.org) for classic plays by Oscar Wilde or Anton Chekhov. Notice how each character sounds different from the others. You're ready for the next step when you can describe what happens in one scene of a play and name what the main character wants most.

Tools & Techniques

Playwriting has its own specific format that is different from writing a story or a screenplay. Plays use character names centered or flush left above each speech, and stage directions in italics or parentheses. Download the free software "Fade In" (free tier) or use the completely free web tool "WriterDuet" to format your script correctly from the start. Watch the free BBC Maestro sample lessons on dramatic writing on YouTube — search "BBC Maestro playwriting free." Study the three essential ingredients of any scene: a character who wants something (the goal), something that stands in the way (the obstacle), and a change by the end (the turn). Read the free resource "Ten-Minute Play Structure" available on the Dramatists Guild website at dramatistsguild.com. You're ready for the next step when you can write one scene in correct play format, even if it is only one page long.

First Creations

Write your first complete ten-minute play — a short two-character scene with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Keep it simple: two characters, one location, one problem to solve. Give each character a clear goal that conflicts with the other character's goal. Maybe one character wants to leave and the other desperately needs them to stay. Use only dialogue and minimal stage directions — let the words carry the story. Read your play out loud as you write it to hear whether it sounds like real speech. Ask a friend or sibling to read it out loud with you when you finish — hearing another voice will immediately reveal what works and what feels awkward. Free playwriting prompts are available at youngplaywrightsinc.org. You're ready for the next step when you have a complete, readable ten-minute play that someone else has read aloud with you at least once.

Style Development

Now study what makes plays truly memorable — character depth, subtext, and theatrical surprise. Subtext is when a character says one thing but means something completely different, like saying "I'm fine" when they clearly are not. Read one full play by a contemporary playwright — try "The Wolves" by Sarah DeLappe, available as a preview in Google Books, or download free plays from the New Play Exchange at newplayexchange.org (free to read). Notice how the best plays use setting and props to carry meaning — every object on stage should matter. Try rewriting one scene from your first play in a completely different style: make a serious scene funny, or a funny scene tense. Utah's own Plan-B Theatre in Salt Lake City champions new and local playwrights — browse their website at planbtheatre.org for inspiration from writers in your state. You're ready for the next step when you can identify subtext in a scene you did not write and use it purposefully in a scene you did.

Refine Your Craft

You are now writing at a level where feedback from others will supercharge your growth. Share your play with two or three trusted readers and ask them these specific questions: What does each character want? Where were you confused? What was your favorite line? Take notes without defending your choices — just listen. Study the structure of longer plays by reading the free guide "Playwriting: An Introduction" available through your Salt Lake County Library digital system on Libby or Hoopla. Try writing a scene in which no one says exactly what they mean — every line must do double duty, revealing character while hiding the real emotion. Attend a free reading at Salt Lake Acting Company or Pygmalion Theatre, both of which regularly host developmental readings where playwrights share new work. You're ready for the next step when you have received written feedback from at least two readers and revised one scene based on that feedback.

Portfolio Piece

Your portfolio piece is a polished, complete one-act play of ten to twenty pages. This play should reflect your own voice, your own interests, and something true about the world as you see it. Consider writing about your community — Utah's mountains, its diverse neighborhoods, its mix of cultures and histories — because the most specific stories often feel the most universal. Revise your script at least three times: once for story logic, once for character voice, and once for dialogue rhythm. Format the final version using WriterDuet or a similar tool so it looks completely professional. Submit your play to a free youth playwriting competition — the Young Playwrights Inc. contest at youngplaywrightsinc.org accepts scripts from writers under eighteen for free. Print and bind one physical copy for your portfolio. You're ready for the next step when you have a formatted, revised, print-ready play script that you would be proud to hand to a professional director.