Playwright doesn't want "help," thankyou

From Mr. Excitement: We've been here before. In his address to ART/NY, playwright Richard (Some Americans Abroad,New England) Nelson presents many of the same arguments against the play development process in North America that others have (perhaps he missed the discussion because he's been off in England). It's fine for a 57 year-old playwright to insist that he's learned his craft and doesn't need any "help," thankyou very much. It may or may not be true, but it's fine. What Nelson's speech ignores, though, is the value of dramaturgy, readings, and workshops to playwrights just starting out, and needing to learn their craft. Done well, the development process can be quite as good an education as, say, attending the Yale School of Drama, where Mr. Nelson currently teaches.

He's on firmer ground when he says the participation system in non-profit theatre should be re-examined. I expect, though, the "I'm the god around here" approach to playwriting has resulted in far more bad plays than works of unsullied genius.

Labels: ART/NY, play development, playwrights, playwriting, Richard Nelson, Yale School of Drama