The Playwrights’ Toolbox at St Peter's College Summer Workshops
The Playwrights’ Toolbox: Kelley Jo Burke In this four day intensive playwriting course, we will explore new strategies for all stages of the playwriting process, from first conception to refining dialogue and plot. The goal is to build a individualized writers' "toolbox", appropriate not only for those just beginning playwriting, but for those who wish to enrich their already established playwriting practice. Each day will begin with a writers' workshop session, adjusted to the needs of the participants, but which will generally include a brief discussion of an aspect of playwriting, exercises and moderated peer response to the previous day's takeaway exercises. Students are encouraged to bring dramatic works-in-progress with them, as afternoons will be given to not only writing in response to the mornings' discussions, but for work on on-going scripts and individual dramaturgical sessions with the instructor. Evening readings of scenes in progress will be organized for the benefit of, and at the request of the participants.
Areas of focus are: Kick starting the creative process, authenticity of voice, mapping the plot, and moving your imagination from page to stage. Participants should submit a short bio, telling me a bit about yourself, what you want from the course, and your experience with writing for the stage, and a sample (Min. 500 words) of your playwriting. Date: August 16, 9:30 a.m. – August 19, 4:30 p.m. 2012 Cost: $395 Minimum of 6 and maximum of 12 participants Kelley Jo Burke is an award-winning (most recently the City of Regina Writing award for Ducks on the Moon and the Saskatoon and Area Theatre Award for Excellence in Playwriting for The Selkie Wife,) playwright and poet, a director, storyteller, documentarian, and broadcaster for CBC Radio. She dramaturges, directs and produces for stage and radio and is the host/producer of CBC Saskatchewan’s radio arts performance hour SoundXchange. She has also written and produced a number of documentaries for CBC Radio’s Ideas. Her published plays include Ducks on the Moon: A Parent Meets Autism, The Selkie Wife, Jane's Thumb, and Charming and Rose: True Love, and her poetry and essays have appeared in Grain, CVII, The Fiddlehead, and in a number of anthologies.