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SAWITRI Theatre “Mechanics of Playwriting: Crafting the First Draft”– A hybrid playwriting workshop to guide your idea to a script.

Posted by SAWITRI Theatre, Mississauga

Over the eight weeks of the workshop, participants are guided to turn their inchoate ideas into a fully-formed first draft.
Participants can expect to explore different playwriting techniques used in various forms including Western Naturalistic Theatre, South Asian Folk Theatre, Drama Ancient Greek and Sanskrit Theatre, Absurdist Theatre, and Shakespearean drama. In addition to learning dialogues, plots, and characterization, some of the topics covered during the workshop are: Writing Visually, Structures of Time and Space, Integrating Research into your Writing, Metaphors in Theatre, and Learning to read like a playwright.  To apply, please fill the following google form:

Mechanics of Playwriting Workshop FAQ

  1. What does the workshop entail?

An in-depth, rigorous, idea-centric and craft-focused 8 session workshop from 1st Feb – 29th March, 2025. At the end of the workshop, the playwrights should have a 60–90-minute full length play. While not limited to these, the objective is to equip playwrights with the knowledge of how to create characters, write dialogues and visualize the stage, and provide them with guidance regarding the next steps for playwriting – what to do after writing a play, who to approach, potential contest opportunities etc.

  1. Who is the workshop for?

An emerging playwright with 0-5 years of experience. Anybody who is well established may not benefit from this workshop as they may already have the techniques and the experience.

  1. Who is the facilitator?

Abhimanyu Acharya is an award-winning playwright and fiction writer. He has been trained at, supported by and/or has collaborated with the following theatre companies: MT Space (Kitchener), Boca Del Lupo (Vancouver), SAWITRI Theatre (Mississauga), Red Beti Theatre (Hamilton), Grand Theatre (London, ON), First Steps Theatre (London, ON), Indian Ensemble (Bangalore), Bhasha Centre (Bangalore), Rage Theatre (Mumbai), Studio Tamasha (Mumbai), Triveni Theatre (Ahmedabad). His plays have been performed in different cities in the U.S., Canada, and India. He has won the Majdi Bou-Matar Bursary, Brecht 2023 commission, Read at the Fringe contest at Eden Mills Writers Festival, Sanhita Manch Playwriting Award, and Sahapedia-UNESCO fellowship, amongst others. He is a postdoctoral associate at Western University, and Creative Writing Specialist at Kings University College in London, Ontario. 

  1. When is the workshop scheduled for?

1st Feb – 29th March, 2025 (Every Saturday, except 15th February)

  1. How will the workshop operate in a hybrid manner?

There will be 8 sessions in total. Five of these sessions will be online via Zoom. Three sessions will take place in-person at AN1 Studios, Mississauga. The presence in all these sessions will be mandatory.

  1. What is the duration of each session?

The duration for each session would be 3 hours i.e. 10 AM – 1 PM

  1. Where will the workshop take place?

The three in-person sessions will take place at AN1 Studios, 2465 Cawthra Road, Unit # 132, Mississauga, ON.

  1. What are the fees for the workshop?

$240 CAD + HST

  1. What language would the workshop be conducted in? Does the play have to be in a specific language?

While the workshops and the class assignments will be conducted in English, the play could be written in any language the author is comfortable in.

  1. How does the participant register for the workshop?

During registration, participants should share 1) Either a Scene from a play they intend to write (not more than 4 pages) OR 2) A one-page synopsis of the play they intend to write.  The writing sample (the scene or the synopsis) would have to be either originally written in or translated (from the playwright’s language) into English/Gujarati/Hindi. Writing sample format: Times New Roman, 12 pt. Double spaced.

Please note: The registration will be considered incomplete without a writing sample.

  1. What is the deadline for the registration for the workshop and for sending the sample?

The deadline for registration will be 30th November 2024.

  1. How many people will be selected for the workshop?

The workshop has an intake capacity of 5 people. Since the number is limited, we urge all the participants to apply as soon as possible.

  1. When will the participants be informed about their selection?

21st December 2024.

  1. If selected, what is the next step?

If selected, you will receive the email about the payment. The payment has to be made by 10th January, 2025. Failure to make the payment by the deadline will result in your spot going to the next person on the waitlist. After the payment, you will be given a schedule and breakdown of the upcoming workshop.

  1. Is there any bursary or financial aid for the fees?

While we are not offering any bursaries at the moment, if you are someone in need and cannot access the workshop purely for financial reasons, please reach out to us at admin@sawitri.ca

  1. Is there a refund for the fees?

There will be no refund after the first session after the workshop.

  1. Will there be a make-up class for any session that a participant misses?

There will be no make up session/s for any classes that a participant misses. If the  cancellation is initiated by SAWITRI Theatre, there will be a make-up class. Scheduling of the make-up class will depend on the availability of the workshop facilitator and the majority of the participants.

  1. What happens after the workshop is over?

At the end of the workshop, a Reading Festival will be held in the summer of 2025, where participants from the workshop will get an opportunity to have a staged reading of their plays with actors. Dates of the Reading Festival are to be advised later.

 

 

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