Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Writing and Re-writing and making it up as I go

Now I am in that awful stage in one play of writing, rewriting, analyzing. This is boring, and my only friends are the Cry Havoc Podcast: http://www.cryhavoccompany.org/podcasts/ .

I need to get some live actors to read it and stage small parts of it. My goal is to pay a theatre and some actors for their time, so I can feel good about donating to local theatre even if it's really, really bad.  I am hoping to get this part completed in August, then start submissions in last August, early September.*

The scheduling of the readings will be easy, and mapping out what to work on when; I've done that for years with stage management and company management. However, everything I've learned about playwriting I've learned from watching plays, listening to podcasts, and listening to plays on YouTube. It feels like I am just making this up as I go along. My friends have seemed to enjoy my play, at least somewhat, but I'm hoping at least somebody out there will at least think it's pretty good. I enjoy what I'm doing, so I'm committed to doing it even though I'm terrible, but it would be a nice surprise if I turn out to be okay.


I like this quote from Benedict Cumberbatch (it's on IMDB, so I'm assuming it's really him, it could be totally made up):

Hollywood-style stardom was never my goal, yet it seems to be happening due to particular projects. I don't seek. I don't avoid. I just follow my path, doing my best.


I'm not seeking Hollywood stardom, but I think there is a good lesson to keep going and do my best. I have friends that have kept this path since college, and it's amazing the work they do. I'm in awe.

My to do list for 2014 (that will bleed into 2015) is to see all my theatre friends perform or visit the theatre(s) they work in. If I am writing plays, I am least more appreciative of the work they do. If I am paying actors to read my scripts, or renting a smaller playhouse, actors have rent money and theatres got a donation. So, at least if I'm terrible, I'm doing my best to do good along the way. I won't seek, I won't avoid, I will follow this path, and do my best.

*My friend who is a manager at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival called me a producer for doing this. Well, that's a start, right?

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