Special Thanks As the saying goes, “It takes a village.” I couldn’t have completed this book without the following people: First, to Erica Stevens Abbitt, Jackson Bryer, Gigi Gibson Bolt, Peter Ellenstein, Austin Pendleton, Peter Filichia, and Alan Safier for putting me in touch with some of the extraordinary people I interviewed for this book. And to the playwrights, lyricists, librettists, and critics who gave their time so generously and who shared so much about their craft. I was walking on air after each and every interview. To Marco Gomez from L.A. Stage Alliance and my former student, Teresa Howick, for their unselfishness in letting me use their materials. To my husband, Don Hill, and my good friend, Brian Rohan, for continually reminding me I could do this. Paul Kennedy, your photograph from the original production of The Last Lifeboat is one I will always treasure. I’m so grateful to have it on the cover. My dear friend Sue Terry came out of retirement to help me with the clearances and permissions. How special is that? To Connor Smith, and Jaye Florence Jones for their help with proofreading, the bibliography, and for catching all the little details I somehow missed. To my publisher, Mark Dudgeon and his assistant, Ella Wilson, for their expert guidance and faith in me. Most of all, a special, heartfelt, expression of gratitude to my editor, Jim Volz, for his constant support, loving enthusiasm and for shepherding me through my first textbook. You are all amazing and I cannot thank you enough. * * * The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge the permission granted to reproduce the copyrighted material in this book. Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. However, if any have been
Special Thanks 189 inadvertently overlooked, the publishers will be pleased, if notified of any omissions, to make the necessary arrangement at the first opportunity. The third-party copyrighted material displayed in the pages of this book are done so on the basis of “fair dealing for the purposes of criticism and review” or “fair use for the purposes of teaching, criticism, scholarship, or research” only in accordance with international copyright laws and are not intended to infringe upon the ownership rights of the original owners.
About the Author Photo credit: David England Photography Luke Yankee (yes, it’s his real name) is a critically acclaimed author, playwright, director, and producer. His memoir, Just Outside the Spotlight: Growing up with Eileen Heckart, has been called “One of the most compassionate, illuminating showbiz books ever written” and was named “One of the Ten Best Celebrity Memoirs of All Time” (Michael Musto, Village Voice and PaperMag). It is published by Random House with a foreword by Mary Tyler Moore. His play The Last Lifeboat is published by Dramatists Play Service and has received more than fifty-five productions in the United States and Canada. Other plays include Marilyn, Mom & Me, The Man Who Killed the Cure, Confessions of a Star Maker, The Jesus Hickey, and A Place at Forest Lawn. His television specs and pilots have all won or have been finalists in major contests, including Sundance, Warner Bros. TV Writers’ Workshop, and Scriptapalooza. His screenplay version of The Last Lifeboat was one of ten scripts chosen internationally for the DreamAgo Screenwriting Workshop in the Swiss Alps. As a professional director and producer, Mr. Yankee has worked on- and Off-Broadway at
About the Author 191 venues ranging from Radio City Music Hall to the MS Crystal Symphony, assistant directed six Broadway shows, and has served as the artistic director of two regional theatres. He is the head of playwriting at California State University, Fullerton, where he also teaches classes in script analysis and theatre criticism. In addition, he teaches playwriting and musical theatre performance at Chapman University and has taught writing and acting workshops all over the United States and abroad. www.lukeyankee.com
Index 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 19 acknowledgement, specialness of opening night 166–7 actions 44, 53–6, 73 Adler, Stella 4 All My Sons (Miller) 50 Angels in America (Kushner) 18 antagonists 13–15 examples of 13–14 function of 14–15 nonhuman 15 villains 15 Antigone (Sophocles) 13–14 Aristotle 10 catharsis 30–1 on character 28–30 on plot 28–30 Poetics 27–39 As You Like It (Shakespeare) 31–2 Atkinson, Brooks 136 audiences 54 climax for 23–4 cueing 44–5 exposition for 21 foils to help 16 Backwards and Forwards (Ball) 10, 61 Baldwin, James 134 Ball, David 10, 61 Balm in Gilead (Wilson) 11 Beauty Queen of Leenane, The (McDonagh) 46 behavior 68, 73 Berghof, Herbert 51 biography for show program 160–2 major stage credits 161 personal life 161–2 recent roles and strongest credits 161 training 161 blogs, theatre 153 Boal, Augusto 113 Bock, Jerry 126, 130–1 The Body Beautiful (Bock and Harnick) 126 Bond, James 11 Brantley, Ben 88, 107 advice for new writers 143 biography of 179 on critics and theatre criticism 135–6 on theatre 145 on the writer’s process 119 brass tacks 2, 151–68 Bryan, David 128 Busch, Charles 106 advice for new writers 142 biography of 179 on what to write about 110–11 on “what you love about theatre” 147 on the writer’s process 121 Canby, Vincent 135–6 catharsis 30–1 characters 28–30, 48–9 Chase, Elyot 85 Chekhov, Anton 54 Christie, Agatha 63 circumstances of scene/play 51–2 climax 23–4 collaboration 51 conflicts in plot 17–19 exposition 20
Index 193 importance of 20 man versus fate 19 man versus machine 19 man versus man 17 man versus nature 18 man versus self 18 man versus society 19 Corthron, Kia 107 biography of 179–80 on taking advice on script 125 on what to write about 113 cover letters 154–63 Coward, Nöel 85, 87 Crimes of the Heart (Henley) 66 critique/criticism writing for play 2, 77–100 analysis 82 avoid peppering 80 body of paper 81 Brantley, Ben on 135–6 as entertainment 87–8 criteria for 91–100 acting 92 choreography 97 costume design 94–5 direction 92–3 ensemble acting 98–9 hair and makeup design 96 language 100 lighting design 95 musical direction 97–8 overall design 96 playwriting 93–4 projection design 99 scenic design 94 sound design 95–6 special effects 100 feelings 88–90 Filichia, Peter on 137 Gardner, Lyn on 136, 138–40 Hunter, Samuel D. on 137–8 introduction of 80–1 Lindsay-Abaire, David on 138 other forms 100 other important points 82–4 sample 85–7 statement/summary 81 summary and conclusion 82 when to keep it to yourself 90–1 “why” of 2, 77–80 Crucible, The (Miller) 50 Cyrano De Bergerac (Rostand) 10 Dahl, Roald 65 Death of a Salesman (Miller) 18, 50 De Bergerac, Cyrano 11, 14 denouement in drama 25–7 Deus Ex Machina 31–2, 34–5 dialogue 45–6 realistic writing 47–8 DiPietro, Joe biography of 180 on collaboration 128 on theatre 147–8 on what to write about 112–13 on writing musicals 131–2 dramatic action 54–6 dramatic arc of story; see Freytag’s pyramid dramatic irony 64–6 dramatic tension 61–6 of mystery 63–4 of relationships 62 of surprise 63 of task 62–3 DuBois, Blanche 14, 46, 105 elements of playwriting 43–54 actions 44, 53 audience cueing 44–5 characters 48–9 collaboration 51 dialogue 45–6 given circumstances of scene 51–2 personality profiles 52–3 realistic dialogue writing 47–8
194 Index rhythm 46–7 specificity 53–4 tone of scene 47 emotions 30–1 Enneagram 52–3 exposition 20–1, 61 significance of 56–7 in ten-minute plays 71–2 falling action in drama 24–5 “Feck” 46 Fiddler on the Roof (Bock and Harnick) 126, 128 Filichia, Peter 89, 106 biography of 180–1 on critics and theatre criticism 137 on readings and play development 123–4 on “what you love about theatre” 146 foils in plays 15–16 examples of 16 Footloose (Snow and Pitchford) 19 formatting 73–5 one-person show 74 playwriting 58 ten-minute play 73 writing is rewriting 74–5 Frankenstein (Shelley) 19 Freytag, Gustav 20–7, 40 Freytag’s Pyramid 20–7 climax 23–4 denouement 25–7 exposition 20–1 falling action 24–5 inciting incident 21 resolution 25 rising action 21–3 example of 22–3 significance of 22 Fugard, Athol 46 Gardner, Lyn 88 biography of 181 on critics and theatre criticism 136, 138–40 on “what you love about theatre” 147 Gillis, Gwen 160 Glass, Philip 118 Glengarry Glen Ross (Mamet) 46 gratitude letter 167–8 Guindi, Yussef El 134 Guirgis, Stephen Adly 108 advice for new writers 140 biography of 181–2 on what to write about 109 on the writer as “the outsider looking in” 134–5 Hagen, Uta 52 hamartia 28–9 Hamlet (Shakespeare) 13, 16, 18, 24, 29–31, 139 Hamlet, Prince 11 Hansberry, Lorraine 134 Harnick, Sheldon 108 advice for new writers 143–4 biography of 182 on collaboration 130–1 on readings and play development 122–3 on taking advice on script 126 on writer’s process 117 on writing musicals 132 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 32 Heckart, Eileen 49–50 Henderson, Mark 85 Henley, Beth 47, 66, 105 biography of 182–3 on readings and play development 123 on taking advice on script 126 on what to write about 109 on writer’s process 119 Henry V (Shakespeare) 9–10, 40 Hitchcock, Alfred 64–5
Index 195 House by the Side of the Road, A (Williams) 73 Howick, Teresa 85–7 hubris 29 Hunter, Samuel D. 106 advice for new writers 141 biography of 183 on critics and theatre criticism 137–8 on structure 115–16 on what to write about 111 on “what you love about theatre” 146–7 on writer’s process 118 Hwang, David Henry advice for new writers 141, 143 biography of 183–4 on taking advice on script 125 on what to write about 111 on writer’s process 120 Ibsen, Henrik 27 I Love Lucy 19 I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (DiPietro) 90, 137 Importance of Being Earnest, The (Wilde) 26, 86 Inge, William 19 internet 88 interviews 2, 103–48 Brantley, Ben 107, 119, 135–6, 143, 145 Busch, Charles 106, 110–11, 121, 142, 147 Corthron, Kia 107, 113, 125 DiPietro, Joe 112–13, 128, 131–2, 147–8 Filichia, Peter 106, 123–4, 137, 146 Gardner, Lyn 136, 138–40, 147 Guirgis, Stephen Adly 108–9, 134–5, 140 Harnick, Sheldon 108, 117, 122–3, 126, 130–2, 143–4 Henley, Beth 105, 109, 119, 123, 126 Hunter, Samuel D. 106, 111, 115– 16, 118, 137–8, 141, 146–7 Hwang, David Henry 111, 120, 125, 141, 143 Khalidi, Ismail 116–17, 127, 142 Lindsay-Abaire, David 109–10, 115, 121–2, 131–4, 138, 144 Margulies, Donald 107–9, 114, 117, 120–1, 124, 129–30, 135, 140–1, 146 Norman, Marsha 113, 115, 118, 122, 124, 126–8, 133–4, 142–3 Solis, Octavio 112, 116, 118, 129, 145–6 Wallace, Naomi 112, 114–15, 120, 123, 134, 144 Zippel, David 105, 126–7, 133 Intimate Apparel (Nottage) 16, 22 Into the Woods (Sondheim and Lapine) 18 Jovi, Bon 128 Kennedy, Adrienne 134 Kent, Jonathan 85 Kerr, Walter 89, 137 Khalidi, Ismail advice for new writers 142 biography of 184 on collaboration 127 on structure 116–17 King, Stephen 63 Kinky Boots (Lauper and Fierstein) 19 KISS (“Keep it simple, stupid”) 67 Kushner, Tony 18 Lapine, James 18 Last Lifeboat, The (Yankee) 34–7, 57–8, 67 Lear, King 18 Lindsay-Abaire, David advice for new writers 144
196 Index biography of 184–5 on collaboration 131 on critics and theatre criticism 138 on structure 115 on what to write about 109–10 on the writer as “the outsider looking in” 134 on the writer’s process 121–2 on writing musicals 132–3 living room readings 163–4 logline writing 156–7 Lohman, Linda 31 Macbeth (Shakespeare) 12 McDonagh, Martin 46 MacDonald, Katherine 57 Mamet, David 46 Man Who Killed the Cure, The (Yankee) 5–6 map of relationships 165–6 Margulies, Donald 107–9 advice for new writers 140–1 biography of 185 on collaboration 129–30 on readings and play development 124 on structure 117 on what to write about 114 on “what you love about theatre” 146 on writers as “the outsider looking in” 135 on the writer’s process 120–1 Miller, Arthur 18, 49–51 Miranda, Lin-Manuel 171 “A Moment of Clarity” (Williams) 73 Moncrieff, Algernon 85 mood of scene; see tone of scene Myers-Briggs 52 narratives 9–10 ‘Night, Mother (Norman) 44–5 nonhuman antagonists 15 Norman, Marsha 44–5, 47, 72 advice for new writers 142–3 biography of 185–6 on collaboration 127–8 on readings and play development 122, 124 on structure 115 on taking advice on script 126 on what to write about 113 on the writer’s process 118 on writing musicals 133–4 Nottage, Lynn 16, 22 Oedipus the King (Sophocles) 13, 15, 19, 29–30, 63, 65, 91 Oleanna (Mamet) 46 O’Neill, Eugene 18, 114 one-person shows 74 Othello (Shakespeare) 14, 17 Our Town (Wilder) 11 personality profiles 52–3 Picnic (Inge) 19 Picture of Dorian Gray, The (Wilde) 13 playwrights, submission opportunities for 154 playwriting 2, 43–75 acts/scenes/intermissions 58 behavior in 68 dramatic action 54–6 for all spaces 55–6 showing versus telling 54–5 start quickly 55 dramatic irony in 64–6 dramatic tension in 61–6 elements of 43–54 actions 44, 53 audience cueing 44–5 characters 48–9 collaboration 51 dialogue 45–6
Index 197 given circumstances of scene 51–2 personality profiles 52–3 realistic dialogue writing 47–8 rhythm 46–7 specificity 53–4 tone of scene 47 exposition, significance of 56–7 formatting 58 mechanics of 58–68 other play formats 73–5 resume 157–60 script layout 58–61 settings 66–7 special effects 66–7 stage directions 67 start of 68–70 subtext 68 for ten-minute plays 70–3 title test 57 plot 10, 17–19 and character 28–30 conflicts in 17–19 exposition 20 importance of 20 man versus fate 19 man versus machine 19 man versus man 17 man versus nature 18 man versus self 18 man versus society 19 master 17 status quo, disruption in 19 Poetics (Aristotle) 27–39, 46, 116–17 catharsis 30–1 character 28–30 Deus Ex Machina 31–2, 34–5 plot 28–30 Private Lives (Coward) 85, 87 protagonists 11–13 identification 12 misconceptions about 11–12 qualities of 12 true 12 Pulp Fiction (1994) 157 Real Thing, The (Stoppard) 68, 104 Rear Window (1954) 157 relationships, map of 165–6 resolution 25 resume, playwriting 157–60 rhythm 46–7 rising action in drama 21–3 example of 22–3 significance of 22 Ritt, Martin 50 Roberge, Rob 57 Rodriguez, Ellen 89 Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare) 22, 25–6, 39–40 Rostand, Edmond 10 script analysis 2–40 antagonist 13–15 Aristotle’s Poetics 27–39 conflict in drama, importance of 20 foil 15–16 Freytag’s Pyramid 20–7 narratives 9–10 need for 2–9 plot 10, 17–19 protagonists 11–13 status quo, disruption in 19 terms and definitions 9–20 script interpretation 4 Shakespeare, William 12–14, 64 “Show, don’t tell,” meaning of 54–6 Shrek: The Musical (Tesori and LindsayAbaire) 131 showing versus telling 54–5 Simon, John 88–9 sketches 70–1 “slice of life” play 73 Solis, Octavio biography of 186–7
198 Index on collaboration 129 on structure 116 on what to write about 112 on the writer’s process 118 on “what you love about theatre” 145–6 Something Rotten! (Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick) 19 Sondheim, Stephen 18, 69, 108 special effects 66–7 specificity 53–4 stage directions 67 Stanislavski, Konstantin 47 status quo, disruption in 19 Stein, Howard 107 Stephens, Simon 139 Stephens, Toby 85 Stoppard, Tom 68, 104 Streetcar Named Desire, A (Williams) 14, 16, 46 submission opportunities for playwrights 154 subtext 68 Sullivan, Dan 129–30 suspense versus surprise 64–5 synopsis writing 155–6 Tempest, The (Shakespeare) 18 ten-minute play 70–3 action 73 ask questions in 71 behavior 73 character development 71 conflict 71–2 creative 72 exposition, limit of 71–2 extraneous details, cut out 72 formatting 73 “A Moment of Clarity” (Williams) 73 risks taking 72 sketches 70–1 “slice of life” play 73 timing of 70 The Terminator series 19 Tesori, Jeanine 131 theatre, writing for 1 antagonist in 13–15 biography for show program 160–2 blogs 153 for collaboration 51 cover letters 154–63 criticism 2, 77–100 interviews 2, 103–48 logline 156–7 playwriting 2, 43–75 practical tools 2, 151–68 protagonists in 11–13 read/see/hear 152–3 resume, playwriting 157–9 sample writing 162–3 script analysis 2–40 synopsis 155–6 Theatre of the Oppressed (Boal) 113 Theatre Services Guide 154 title test 57 Tolstoy, Leo 17 tone of scene 47 Toy Story (1995) 157 tragedy 28–30 Two Block Rule 91 Tynan, Kenneth 136 View from the Bridge, A (Miller) 49–50 villains 15 virtual presentations 164–5 Visit, The (Dürrenmatt) 19 von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang 79 Wallace, Naomi advice for new writers 144 biography of 187 on readings and play development 123 on structure 114–15
Index 199 on what to write about 112 on the writer as “the outsider looking in” 134 on the writer’s process 120 Ward, Anthony 85 Wilde, Oscar 13, 26–7 Wilder, Thornton 11 Williams, Philip Middleton 73 Williams, Tennessee 46, 105 Wilson, August 134 Wilson, Lanford 11 Wright, Craig 79 Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook, The 154 Writer’s Market 154 writing 74–5 “Writing is rewriting” 74–5 writing samples 162–3 Zippel, David 105 biography of 187 on collaboration 126–7 on writing musicals 133 Zoom, online platform 164–5
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