James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
By James Elden
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Category: Performing Arts
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Subscribers: 2
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Episodes: 125
Description
Playwright Spotlight features a new playwright every episode to discuss the tools of the trade and solutions to the obstacles we face as writers in hopes of making us all better and more successful playwrights.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
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Immersive Theatre, Trust, Chaos, and Catching the Vibe - Playwright's Spotlight with Hank Jacobs
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Jun 16, 2026 |
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Building the Scene, Leaning on Exposition, and 99 Years of Theatre Americana - Playwright's Spotlight with Donna Scarantino
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Jun 02, 2026 |
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Taking Leaps, Wearing Many Hats, and the Development of The Playwright's Desk App - Playwright's Spotlight with William Smith
|
May 19, 2026 |
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Making Characters Sound Natural, Having Control of One's Work, and Beginning a Career in Playwriting Later in Life - Playwright's Spotlight with Paul Webb
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May 05, 2026 |
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"Dirty" Drafts, Creating Opportunities, and Knowing the End - Playwright's Spotlight with Evelina Fernandez
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Apr 14, 2026 |
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"Tends to be" Structures, Crazy Spaces, and Giving Characters What They Want - Playwright's Spotlight with Olivia Dufault
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Apr 07, 2026 |
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Agitating a Nerve, the Need to Overwrite, and Writing the "Impossible" - Playwright's Spotlight with Gabriel Rivas Gómez
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Mar 26, 2026 |
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"Pale for Weariness", Balancing Life vs Art, and Why Today's the Day -Playwright's Spotlight with Andy Batt
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Mar 10, 2026 |
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Site-Specific Plays, The Secret Sauce, and Opening Doors to Success - Playwright's Spotlight with Patrick Gabridge
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Feb 24, 2026 |
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Pansters and Plotters, Establishing Suspense Through Language, and the Secret of the First 25 Pages - Playwright's Spotlight with Travis Williams
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Feb 10, 2026 |
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Rings of Connection, Center the Work, and Building Trust and Sharing the Why - Playwright's Spotlight with Adrienne Torf and Raymond O. Caldwell
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Jan 27, 2026 |
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Awards, AI, Adjusting for Casting, and Always Maybe - Playwright's Spotlight with Catherine Butterfield
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Jan 13, 2026 |
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Gatekeepers, Pushing the Line, Independent vs Mainstream, and the Limitations of Specificity - Playwright's Spotlight with Isaac Laskin
|
Dec 09, 2025 |
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Defining Weird, Living in the Creative "World", and Letting Go of Creative Control - Playwright's Spotlight with Clara Rodriguez
|
Nov 25, 2025 |
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Writing the Absurd, Doubting Your Talent, and Recognizing Gifts and Weaknesses - Playwright's Spotlight with James Merolla
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Nov 18, 2025 |
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Narrative, Reversals, Mapping the Journey, and Running Away with the Circus - Playwright's Spotlight with Dietrich Smith
|
Nov 04, 2025 |
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Inspirational Feedback, Weight-Bearing Walls, and Recognizing and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome - Playwright's Spotlight with Sofia Streisand
|
Oct 28, 2025 |
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Applied Theatre, Writing Bilingual, and Dramaturgical Playwriting - Playwright's Spotlight with Ankita Raturi
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Oct 21, 2025 |
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Writing Theatrically, Working on the Puzzle, and the Ecosystem of Theatre - Playwright's Spotlight with Crystal Skillman
|
Oct 14, 2025 |
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Formulas and Slow Burners, the Process of Radio Dramas, and Making Mystery Interesting - Playwright's Spotlight with John Ballentine
|
Oct 07, 2025 |
|
Community, Distractions, and Writing Characters You Don't See on Stage - Playwright's Spotlight with Israel López Reyes
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Sep 30, 2025 |
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Film to Stage, Naturalism to Realism, and Finding Courage to Write - Playwright's Spotlight with David Kohner Zuckerman
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Sep 16, 2025 |
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Implementing Twists, Writing Red Herrings, and Keeping Your Audience Engaged - Playwright's Spotlight with Stuart Brown
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Sep 05, 2025 |
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The Musicality of Dialogue, the Magic of Writing, the Doorway Effect, and the Trick of Eliminating Parenthiticals - Playwright's Spotlight with Lawrence Connolly
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Aug 19, 2025 |
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The Business of Playwriting, Laying Breadcrumbs, and Dramatic Truth and the Math of Human Emotion - Playwright's Spotlight with Angelica Cheri
|
Aug 06, 2025 |
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Episode 100! Jersey Boys, an Egg Timer, Stage Effects, and Organizing Principles - Playwright's Spotlight with Rick Elice
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Jul 22, 2025 |
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Magical Realism and Heightened Language, Punctuation as Sheet Music, and Locking Opposite Characters in a Room - Playwright's Spotlight with Ashley Griffin
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Jul 15, 2025 |
|
Artistic Visas, Defining Success, and Networking to Find Opportunities - Playwright's Spotlight with Joel Trinidad
|
Jul 01, 2025 |
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Plays as Living Things, Staging in Unconventional Locations, and the Definition of Being a Writer - Playwright's Spotlight with Cameron Scott
|
Jun 17, 2025 |
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Writing a Play in Real Time, Necessity Breeding Creativity, and Journey to the Hollywood Fringe - Playwright's Spotlight with Faye Widjaja and Sohani Sawant
|
Jun 03, 2025 |
|
Adaptations, Archetypes, Writing Whimsy, and A Quantum Fantasia - Playwright's Spotlight with John Farmanesh-Bocca
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May 29, 2025 |
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Rhythm in Dialogue, Playing with Different Structures, and the Flaws of Rewriting on Stage - Playwright's Spotlight with Brad McEntire
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May 13, 2025 |
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Vomit, Unwritten Dialogue, Hip Hop Theatre, and the Delusions of Learning the Craft - Playwright's Spotlight with Rickerby Hinds
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Apr 29, 2025 |
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Painting a Room, Masterclasses vs Academia, and the Perils of Liking Your Own Writing - Playwright's Spotlight with June Thomson Morris
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Apr 22, 2025 |
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Voices, Overwriting, Stage Directions in Dialogue, and Infusing Your Writing with Heart - Playwright's Spotlight with Lisa Rosenbaum and Ronda Spinak
|
Apr 15, 2025 |
|
London, N.Y., and L.A. Markets, Great Hooks and Good Stories, and Stealing from the Greats - Playwright's Spotlight with Stephen Laughton
|
Apr 01, 2025 |
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Deadlines, Storytelling Through Post-Its, and Working with Sensitive Subject Matter - Playwright's Spotlight with Judson Jones
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Mar 25, 2025 |
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Two Ideas That Collide, Having a Wise, Magical Woman, and Selling Widgets and Building a Market - Playwright's Spotlight with Megan Gogerty
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Mar 18, 2025 |
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Hypnotic Language, the Rules of the Card Game, and Asking Big Questions - Playwright's Spotlight with Audrey Cefaly
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Mar 04, 2025 |
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Overcoming Disability, the Benefits of Distractions, and the Ramifications of a Character's Actions - Playwright's Spotlight with Peter Anthony Fields
|
Feb 18, 2025 |
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Collaborating with Your Characters, Resting Your Cards, and the Structure of Bernard Gerbanier - Playwright's Spotlight with Carolyn Gage
|
Feb 04, 2025 |
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Julliard, Monologues as a Marketing Tool, and the Math of Playwriting - Playwright's Spotlight with Adam Szymkowicz
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Jan 21, 2025 |
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Capturing the Audience, Archetypes & Character Flaws, and Being Done When You're Dead - Playwright's Spotlight with Laura Annawyn Shamas
|
Jan 07, 2025 |
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Stealing from the Best, Letting the Story Find You, and the Approach of "When Are We?" - Playwright's Spotlight with Allison Gregory
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Dec 24, 2024 |
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Prize Money vs Publication, Avoiding Scams, and the Effects of Changing Location - Playwright's Spotlight with Nick Amatuzio
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Nov 26, 2024 |
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Self Publishing, Offending Your Audience, Unconventional Marketing, and One Truth a Day - Playwright's Spotlight with Sharisse Zeroonian
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Nov 12, 2024 |
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From Lawyer to Playwright, Finding the Engine, and Working Backwards to Move Forward - Playwright's Spotlight with June Carryl
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Oct 29, 2024 |
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Taking the Leap, Intention, and the Play is the Thing - Playwright's Spotlight with Ethan Crystal and Garrett Poladian
|
Oct 22, 2024 |
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Living Voices, Loving Language, Pushing Boundaries, and Earning the Moment - Playwright's Spotlight with Jennie Webb
|
Oct 15, 2024 |
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Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, the Deadline Draft, and Learning from Classic Greek Playwrights - Playwright's Spotlight with Michi Barall
|
Oct 01, 2024 |
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Developing Premise, Breaking a Story, and Assembling the Team - Playwright's Spotlight with Ben Edlin and Deborah Aquila
|
Sep 17, 2024 |
|
Lying and Hiding, Writing Distinct Voices, and An Actual Formula to Success - Playwright's Spotlight with Nicholas Pilapil
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Sep 03, 2024 |
|
Confidence, Gatekeepers, Theatricum Botanicum, and Life on the Blacklist - Playwright's Spotlight with Ellen Geer
|
Aug 20, 2024 |
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Cliffhangers, Stage Magic, Relationships and Landing Productions - Playwright's Spotlight with Tom Jacobson
|
Aug 06, 2024 |
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Dramatic Questions, Shaping Your Play, and What Every Playwright Should Be Doing - Playwright's Spotlight with Catherine Filloux
|
Jul 23, 2024 |
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Libraries, Confidence, the Process of Revision, and Saving Your Darlings - Playwright's Spotlight with Olivia Sawatzki
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Jul 10, 2024 |
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Technology, the Dangers of Missing Deadlines, and Making Musicals Look Simple - Playwright's Spotlight with Ian Kim
|
Jun 25, 2024 |
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Set Up, Adaptation, Compensation, and Writing Good Suspense - Playwright's Spotlight with Barry M. Putt, Jr.
|
Jun 11, 2024 |
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Writing in Threads, Finding Momentum, and "Bad Pages Are No Pages" - Playwright's Spotlight with Boni B. Alvarez
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May 29, 2024 |
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Developmental Struggles, Embracing Rejection, and "Overnight" Success - Playwright's Spotlight with David Johann Kim
|
May 14, 2024 |
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Writing Transitions, Cracking the Story, and "Wait! What?" Moments - Playwright's Spotlight with Michelle Kholos Brooks
|
Apr 30, 2024 |
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Opera, Wit, Interruptions, and Reframing Your Story - Playwright's Spotlight with Oliver Mayer
|
Apr 16, 2024 |
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Opening Up the Text, Playfulness in Language, and "Saving As." - Playwright's Spotlight with Tira Palmquist
|
Apr 02, 2024 |
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Etiquette, Letting Go of Perfection, and Writing From a Slice of Life - Playwright's Spotlight with Becky Wahlstrom
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Mar 19, 2024 |
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Writing Natural Dialogue, Getting Back to Our Roots, and Why Theatre? - Playwright's Spotlight with Steve Fife
|
Mar 05, 2024 |
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Reflecting Life on Stage, The New York City Hustle, and Putting Away the Constraints - Playwright's Spotlight with Catya McMullen
|
Feb 21, 2024 |
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Purging Emotions, Deus Ex Machina, and Making the Case to Study Playwriting in Academia - Playwright's Spotlight with Luke Yankee
|
Feb 06, 2024 |
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Putting in the Time, Owning Your Home Town, and a Path to Success - Playwright's Spotlight with Donna Hoke
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Jan 23, 2024 |
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Segues, Dry Spells, & Branding, Confidence & Commitment, and What's Too Soon? - Playwright's Spotlight with Henry Phillips
|
Jan 09, 2024 |
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Sweating the Joke, Surprising Your Audience, and Fighting For Your Convictions - Playwright's Spotlight with Paul Greenberg
|
Dec 26, 2023 |
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Translation, Culture, and Non-Traditional Theatre - An American Playwright in Norway - Playwright's Spotlight with Ren Powell
|
Dec 11, 2023 |
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Truth and Trust, Compromise in Collaboration, and the Healing Process of Playwriting - Playwright's Spotlight with Stan Mayer
|
Nov 14, 2023 |
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Writing From Experience, the Music of Language, and the Fate of Theatre - Playwright's Spotlight with Richard Vetere
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Oct 31, 2023 |
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Writing From Grief, Hearing the Truth, and the Need for Validation - Playwright's Spotlight with Brynn Thayer
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Oct 12, 2023 |
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Playwriting Mechanics, Playing with Timelines, and Obtaining Representation - Playwright's Spotlight with Anna Ouyang Moench
|
Oct 03, 2023 |
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Parody, Writing the Fool Proof Play, and Writing for Young Performers and Audiences - Playwright's Spotlight with Dean O'Carroll
|
Sep 19, 2023 |
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Plagiarizing Yourself, Writing Layered Characters, and Making Scripted Dialogue Sound Spontaneous - Playwright's Spotlight with Garry Michael Kluger
|
Sep 05, 2023 |
|
Collaboration and Control, Freud on Cocaine, and Getting Your Play Realized - Playwright's Spotlight with Howard Skora
|
Aug 22, 2023 |
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Moving Forward, Developing Relationships, and Writing a la Mode - Playwright's Spotlight with Wendy Graf
|
Aug 08, 2023 |
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Storytelling, Playing with Structure, and the Pipe Burst of Playwriting - Playwright's Spotlight with John Patrick Bray
|
Jul 25, 2023 |
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Hitting the Flow State, Locking Yourself Away, and Staying in the Sh*t - Playwright's Spotlight with Bernardo Cubria
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Jun 27, 2023 |
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Assets and Flaws, Zodiac Signs, and Being an Economic Writer - Playwright's Spotlight with Vanessa Sterwart
|
Jun 13, 2023 |
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Handling Exposition, Arming Your Characters, and the Tension of Opposites - Playwright's Spotlight with Jonathan Dorf
|
May 30, 2023 |
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Setups and Payoffs, First Draft Dialogue, and Letting Go of Logistics - Playwright's Spotlight with Bob DeRosa
|
May 16, 2023 |
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Going into Hiding, the Catharsis of Playwriting, and Playing with Fundamentals - Playwright's Spotlight with Kathryn Keats
|
May 02, 2023 |
|
Adaptation, the Death of Theatre, and Always Get the Story Right First - Playwright's Spotlight with Itamar Moses
|
Apr 18, 2023 |
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Narrative Pacing, Pushing Discomfort, and Being a Jazz Playwright - Playwright's Spotlight with Roger Q. Mason
|
Apr 04, 2023 |
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Repertory, Residencies, and the Benefits of Previews - Playwright's Spotlight with Sunny Drake
|
Mar 21, 2023 |
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Diligence, Perseverance, and Overcoming Adversity - Playwright's Spotlight with Faye Widjaja
|
Mar 07, 2023 |
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Discovery, Deliberation, Decision, and Driving Action - Playwright's Spotlight with Matt Williams
|
Feb 21, 2023 |
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Psychology, Vulnerability, and the Romance of Playwriting - Playwright's Spotlight with John Mabey
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Feb 07, 2023 |
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Adaptation, Development, and Breaking Down the Story - Playwright's Spotlight with Barry Kornhauser
|
Jan 23, 2023 |
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Workshops, Styles, Tropes, and Politics Preventing Art - Playwright's Spotlight with Trey Nichols
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Jan 10, 2023 |
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Rhythm, Dance, Space in Beats, and Being a Lazy Writer - Playwright's Spotlight with Dagney Kerr
|
Dec 27, 2022 |
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Twists, Turns, Intent, and Creating Your Own Opportunities - Playwright's Spotlight with Paul Surace
|
Dec 13, 2022 |
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Action in Dialogue, Inspiring Designers, and the Seeds of Conflict - Playwright's Spotlight with Cyndy A. Marion
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Nov 29, 2022 |
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Etudes, Texture, and Driving a Different Route - Playwright's Spotlight with Michael Wright
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Nov 15, 2022 |
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Artistic Statements, Achieving Dimension, and the Great Elevator Play - Playwright's Spotlight with Gary Garrison
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Nov 01, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Steven Dietz
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Oct 18, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Mark Harvey Levine
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Oct 04, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Nina Mansfield
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Sep 20, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Dean Farell Bruggeman
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Sep 06, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Stephen Kaplan
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Aug 23, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Jonathan Cook
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Aug 08, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Brian Gene White
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Jul 26, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Paul Braverman
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Jul 12, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Steven Young
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Jun 28, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Joe Janes
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Jun 14, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Michael Gordon Shapiro
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May 31, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Charles Robertson
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May 17, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Kimberly Faye Greenberg
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May 03, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Gregory Crafts
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Apr 19, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Laura King
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Apr 05, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Nicky Silver
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Mar 22, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Dramatists Guild's Emmanuel Wilson
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Mar 08, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Arthur M. Jolly
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Feb 22, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight with Christopher Flowers
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Feb 08, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight featuring Susan Goodell
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Jan 25, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight featuring Hope Thompson
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Jan 11, 2022 |
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Playwright's Spotlight featuring Adam Hunter Howard
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Dec 28, 2021 |
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Playwright's Spotlight featuring Jeff Pearce
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Dec 14, 2021 |
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Playwright's Spotlight featuring Daniel Guyton
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Nov 30, 2021 |
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Playwright's Spotlight featuring David-Matthew Barnes
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Nov 16, 2021 |
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Playwright's Spotlight featuring April Littlejohn
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Nov 02, 2021 |
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Playwright's Spotlight Introductory Episode
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Oct 26, 2021 |