I talk about this all the time on The Playwriting Podcast because this is so important for you to remember as a playwright when you are in the process of writing a “play.” Even though I have had some very expressive communication on Twitter when I have posted about this, I will say it again, because it is true, and it will make you a better PLAY CREATOR.

A SCRIPT IS NOT A PLAY.

A written play is just a script, a map for the playwright, director, creative team and cast to bring it to life. A PLAY IS A LIVE EXPERIENCE! Never be married to your script for it is TWO DIMENSIONAL. It needs direction, actor choices, set, costumes, lighting, sound, venue and audience to bring it to the next level.

The rehearsal process is the most important process in the PLAY CREATION journey. It is where you discover what works, and what doesn't work. It is where you discover that your dialogue sucks at times and at other times, you discover that your dialogue is eloquent and witty. It is where your characters breathe, where you discover real behavior, and real emotion. It is where your characters discover what they are fighting for, and it is where the actors discover BIG FRIGGIN' holes in your play. It is trial and error time while your director and actors look at scenes in different ways, and sometimes they create something which is so much better than what was in your script! SO MUCH BETTER - you just gave them a MAP, and together, with the creative team, you created magic.

The good news is now you get to take credit for that magic as if you wrote it. That is fun. You built a map of an exciting story, and through creative collaboration, your story is now so much better.

Don't be addicted to your play. Anything about it. Often, in most full length plays I read, there are too many characters, too many subplots and lots of ”stuff.” In rehearsal, you can see what is too much, and what is too little. Focus on the thru line of the main character or characters and throw the rest away. Also, if you have too much LOCAL COLORING in your script, you will see it as soon as the actors start embodying your play. The actors, and the costumes, set and lighting will create the world - you don't have to color it with stories or dialogue that doesn’t serve the throughline of the play. Trust the creative team and remember that your play is a live experience!

Feel free to admit you wrote too much and CUT, CUT, CUT in rehearsal. When embodied, and developed by good actors and a wise director, you will clearly see what does not serve your play.

And you don't have to tell the audience anything!

Trust your creative team.

So stop writing ad infinitum in order to create the PERFECT play.

Get a director and some actors (on Zoom,) and start to bring your play to life, and see what your play will teach you.

So stop.

Get off your computer in your quest to WRITE the perfect play.

GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD,
and BRING YOUR PLAY TO LIFE!

"nuff said!"