Acting Makes the Playwright Grow Stronger

It’s all part and parcel to working in the theater, and for a playwright, it’s a great opportunity in so many ways.

I’m talking about the acting gig, or in this case, reading a staged reading.

A friend emailed me and asked me if I’d read a part in a staged reading tomorrow night at the BCA. Lately I don’t always have the time because of school, but if I do have the time (and the energy) I jump at these chances. First, it keeps my acting chops oiled. Second, I’m participating in the development of a new script. Third, I’m working with some people who I truly like and respect and like to be around. What number are we on now?–Four: I’m hearing a new script and getting insight into another playwright’s work in ways that aren’t possible any other way.

If you’re interested, here’s a shameless plug of the event and also my own blog: Read more about it here.

This is Ilana jumping in here on your post here, John.

I wanted to point you and the other readers to DC playwright Gwydion Suilebhan’s recent blog posts on just this issue. First, read this.  Then, read this.  Interesting intersection with your own thoughts, John!

One Comment

jgf posted on June 9, 2011 at 11:42 am

just my two cents, but i think any extra knowledge of the workings of the stage can only help the playwright, but that’s just me…if you’ve had to make a twenty second costume change then run back on stage, worked backstage and had to help actors make those changes, you’d never write something like that into a script…

still, i have said if the devil wanted to make a deal with me at the crossroad at midnight, i’d first try to change the time to a more reasonable ten in the morning, then i’d trade all my acting abilities to be a really good guitar player…

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