The notion of striking it big with an award winning Broadway play is certainly about as realistic as obtaining a recording contract with a major music label—it happens, but you have to solidify the right connections, go to a lot of parties, oh yeah, and be a genius writer of course. That is not to say that there is no career to be had in the field of playwriting however. Burgeoning theater troupes and playhouses are sprouting up across the entire US and gaining national attention.
The avenues for exhibiting a theatrical production are many. In Portland alone there are nine major theater companies—a small number, but a vast improvement from what one would call a theatrical wasteland—several of which have been receiving national attention (Imago Theater, Miracle Theater, and CoHo Productions to name a few), which isn’t to discount the numerous theater companies that have been popping up all over China Town and inner SE in the past couple of years. JAW: A Playwright’s Festival (http://www.pcs.org/jaw/), held annually at The Armory in the Pearl District is a festival, which exhibits works of up and coming playwrights in the Portland area, conducts workshops, and holds labs for individuals interested in the field of playwriting, directing, and the biz in general, while boasting free admission! It is promising that a theater culture has begun manifesting itself in the Portland-area because it has until recent years, been something of a dead horse. As promising as the inception of this said culture appears, there are still very few options in the realm of pitching plays to existing theatrical troupes/playhouses. Much like film, the hubs of the biz are the most promising outlets and destinations in regards to sheer number of options—Chicago alone has over 200 theater companies and troupes in the greater metropolitan area (http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2009/sep/28/chicago-american-theatre-second-city).
More so, Chicago boasts some of the most prestigious ensembles of stage actors in the country (http://www.steppenwolf.org/, http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/, and http://www.goodmantheatre.org/). But that is not to say that moving to one of these theater hubs is a necessary predecessor to a career in playwriting. Playwriting, like any other major creative writing project is rooted in self-starting, self-design, and a fantastic editor. Like novel writing, it is far more of a community project—although probably more obviously so as a physical performance is in fact involved. The written dialogue and stage directions comprise much of what the playwright’s focus becomes as a writer. How the play will look and sound (acting, set design, musical elements, and dance) are all things to be considered by the playwright. So, consider this English major/literary theorist/writer/aesthetics junkie: what should troops of English majors be doing post graduation? Joining a troupe as the next Stephen Sondheim, obviously.
The avenues for exhibiting a theatrical production are many. In Portland alone there are nine major theater companies—a small number, but a vast improvement from what one would call a theatrical wasteland—several of which have been receiving national attention (Imago Theater, Miracle Theater, and CoHo Productions to name a few), which isn’t to discount the numerous theater companies that have been popping up all over China Town and inner SE in the past couple of years. JAW: A Playwright’s Festival (http://www.pcs.org/jaw/), held annually at The Armory in the Pearl District is a festival, which exhibits works of up and coming playwrights in the Portland area, conducts workshops, and holds labs for individuals interested in the field of playwriting, directing, and the biz in general, while boasting free admission! It is promising that a theater culture has begun manifesting itself in the Portland-area because it has until recent years, been something of a dead horse. As promising as the inception of this said culture appears, there are still very few options in the realm of pitching plays to existing theatrical troupes/playhouses. Much like film, the hubs of the biz are the most promising outlets and destinations in regards to sheer number of options—Chicago alone has over 200 theater companies and troupes in the greater metropolitan area (http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2009/sep/28/chicago-american-theatre-second-city).
More so, Chicago boasts some of the most prestigious ensembles of stage actors in the country (http://www.steppenwolf.org/, http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/, and http://www.goodmantheatre.org/). But that is not to say that moving to one of these theater hubs is a necessary predecessor to a career in playwriting. Playwriting, like any other major creative writing project is rooted in self-starting, self-design, and a fantastic editor. Like novel writing, it is far more of a community project—although probably more obviously so as a physical performance is in fact involved. The written dialogue and stage directions comprise much of what the playwright’s focus becomes as a writer. How the play will look and sound (acting, set design, musical elements, and dance) are all things to be considered by the playwright. So, consider this English major/literary theorist/writer/aesthetics junkie: what should troops of English majors be doing post graduation? Joining a troupe as the next Stephen Sondheim, obviously.
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