Dream Dreams, See Visions

Intense spiritual pleasure accompanies the creation of a play. The simple goal is entertainment; pleasure in the audience is your reward.

 
 

"Imagination," says Rollo May in The Courage to Create, "is the outreaching of the mind. It is the individual's capacity to accept the bombardment of the conscious mind with ideas, impulses, images and every sort of psychic phenomena... It is the capacity to 'dream dreams and see visions,' to consider diverse possibilities, and to endure the tension involved in holding these possibilities before one's attention. Imagination is casting off mooring ropes, taking one's chances that there'll be new mooring posts in the vastness ahead."

One is an artist or one is not. Inspiration, intuition and artistic intelligence cannot be taught. An artist's God given sensibilities can be honed and heightened by exposure to great art, exposure to the hearts and minds of others, and by informed, self reflective criticism of one's own work.

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How I became a Playwright (A cautionary tale!)

I woke one October morning early, 5:50 a.m., and was propelled to my ancient Kaypro computer by an unfamiliar urge. Soon I was lost in a frightening, comforting, ascending world. Time dispensed with itself; it had lost all meaning. Eventually, I noticed I was cold. And hungry. I glanced at my watch. It was 1 p.m.

I had neglected to eat. I was still in my bathrobe. I had forgotten to turn up the heat. Chilled to the bone, I rose to make lunch, and fell in a heap on the floor. I had not moved in my chair for over seven hours. My legs were too stiff, from the cold, to support me. I didn't care. I had written seven pages of startling dialogue. I had dreamed dreams. I had seen visions. I lay there thinking . . . 

"God help me! I've become a playwright!" 

Warm Wind in China was being born.

 

In Warm Wind In China, "Stetson's mind casts itself delightfully back, and up, to a place which the theatre does not much believe in any more: his sweet prince is sung to rest as if by angels." DAWN RAE DOWNTON The Canadian Theatre Review (CRT57)   Rob MacLean and Eugene Sauve in the Charlottetown production of Warm Wind In China, directed by the playwright.

In quick succession, two more full length plays emerged: Queen of the Cadillac, and Sweet Magdalena.

Since that day in 1986, twelve full length plays have emerged, reached completion, have been produced or are on a production path. I am now a dedicated, full-time playwright, thank God who - in Her/His wisdom - seems indeed to have helped!

Why risk writing plays when, using essentially the same craft tools, you can make a decent to extravagant living writing dramatic text for film or television?   Too often, film is theatre's spiritually deprived distant relative, and television film's idiot cousin! I've written for film, the stage, radio and television and enjoy success in all four dramatic forms.

Theatre is the ancient fountain from which all dramatic art flows.

I say, to learn dramatic craft go to the source.

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Discipline breeds ritual behavior, creates shelter, sustains full engagement with art and imagination.

In the recent past I have accepted and completed commissions from The National Arts Centre of Canada, Alberta Theatre Projects, The Confederation Centre of the Arts, The Canadian Stage Company, Rising Tide Theatre, The Ship's Company Theatre, The Atlantic Theatre Festival, and Theatre Prince Edward Island among others.

Deadlines, schedules, contracts, and personal expectations help. But finally, regular work habits spread over long periods of time underpin  the creation of  plays.

Common wisdom holds that it takes two years to write a play  —  a draft emerges over the period of several weeks or months, is put aside for a time, re-drafted after informed criticism, public or private readings, etc. In general, six or seven drafts and more, render a play audience worthy.

I work daily at being a playwright from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m.  It's important to find the time of day or night when one's imagination,  intellect and stamina are most acutly attuned. Make your work time interruption free — sacred.  Write every day. If you're not creating a new play, use this time to work at improving craft. Or read. The finest work arises from writers who are well read.

Success follows when the rigorous application of craft supports inspiration. 'Though I write full time,  I also continue to direct for some prime theatres and artists and, in the last fifteen years,  have honed natural dramaturgical skills.

The most effective analysis of dramatic text  is constructive, rigorous and generous. Useful analysis is informed by acute empathy with play and playwright; the two are not separable. The goal of all dramaturgy is effective criticism cleanly, simply rendered. The most effective critical tone arises from the text.

Cast your dramaturg with the utmost care. (See Michael Weller, Favorite Quotes) Avoid "If I'd written this, I would have..." or "I really love your play the way it is. Now change it" like the plague.   (See Adam Barkin's extremely helpful comments, Hearing What You've Said: The Rare Skill of the Dramaturg, last entry in Playwrights I've Assisted)

This is not to say useful commentary need be simplistic, cloying, hide-bound or self congratulatory.  However, because of the nature of what we do  —   particularly its formative stages   —   playwrights are uniquely vulnerable, and young plays easy prey to unfavorable, subjective judgment crudely rendered.

No one tells us to be playwrights. We are simply humans compelled to wear our hearts on our sleeves and expose our inmost thoughts for the entertainment of  the general public. (See Brecht Favorite Quotes)  The fragile territory between our private and public worlds is largely uncharted. Every new work  is exploratory. Choose your traveling companions carefully. And remember, you have the map. It's your jeep. You chose the route, the destination, the schedule. And you will be the first to know when the expedition has arrived.

Unlike film and television, where screenwriters are often treated like something the producer would scrape off the sole of his shoe,  theatre belongs to the playwright. Though he or she is mortal, the play remains the play for ever.  The play belongs to the playwright.

A play introduces the present to the future, while giving voice to the past.

Good plays survive brilliant and disastrous productions unaltered. You are its creator. It is your personal property. You have the last word.

(See Playwrights I've Assisted)

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Physical, Spiritual, Emotional and Intelectual

My approach to dramatic writing is informed by formal professional experience as a dramaturg, professional directing experience, and by brief illuminating acting career. Over time, I have learned to discover the body, mind, heart and soul of a play.

When I consider character development, I remember psychologist Abraham Maslow's contention that personality is beneficially analyzed from physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectual perspectives. To these, I add social: i.e., where does your play sit in social terms? From what social conditions does it arise?

Apply these principles to the series of timed exercises I've developed, described in What You Get From Me. You'll find flat characters rounding up to new levels of power and complexity.

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New Play Development

I take great pleasure the intellectual discipline, personal care and intimacy of the play  development process. I favor dramatic narrative which fosters a clear understanding of  the who, what, where, and when of story, the how and why of plot. I've developed exercises which help lay bare the mysteries of character-generated plot. I help both emerging and established playwrights discover the central image of their work, and  from there explore with them symbolic meaning leading to the over arcing metaphor... the soul of the play.

Dramatic action remains the greatest of theatrical mysteries. We know it arises from  hubris, blocked will, determination, and forward motion. We know that every action has an effect on character and plot, then promptly results in a new action. Dominoes, say some.

Cyclones, say I.

I help identify and refine the central conflict of new work. I have developed a series of character generating perspective exercises, which help introduce an audience to your  play's people in much the same way they emerged from you in the writing process, i.e., fresh, energetic and alive. (See What You Get From Me)

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