Join the Dramatists Guild at the AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) Conference for four panels that explore the craft and business of writing for the stage!
The AWP Conference & Bookfair is the annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers of contemporary creative writing. It includes thousands of attendees, hundreds of events and bookfair exhibitors, and four days of essential literary conversation and celebration. This year's conference takes place from Wednesday, March 8 to Saturday March 11 in Seattle, Washington.
Scroll down to discover our panels, two of which will take place in person and two of which will take place online.
Visit Our Booth and DG Night Out
If you're in Seattle, we encourage you to come to our DG Night Out on March 8 and help us kick off the conference weekend with your fellow writers. And come visit us in the AWP Bookfair. We'll be at Booth 732, ready to greet you with free DG merch and resources!
In-Person
Excerpt Readings by Seattle Theatre Writers
Friday, March 10
1:45pm – 3pm PST
Rooms 440-442, Summit Building
Seattle Convention Center, Level 4
Seattle's Tony Award-winning theatres and underground production companies have fortified the Emerald City as a cultural hub for new writing in the American theatre. At this event, we’re excited to amplify the voices of those who call Seattle home, by offering readings of several excerpts from dramatic works crafted by the wonderful theatre writers who live and work in the city.
Panelists: Kate Danley (moderator), Nabra Nelson, Gloria Majule, Maggie Lee, Miriam BC Tobin
Playwriting 101: Accessing Emotional Honesty in Storytelling
Saturday, March 11
3:20pm to 4:35pm PST
Rooms 440-442, Summit Building
Seattle Convention Center, Level 4
Do you want to learn how to write for the stage? Discover how to tell theatrical stories, from a place of emotional honesty and authenticity!
Geared towards students who are looking to access their inner storyteller and write their very first stage play, this educational workshop is meant for first-time playwrights. Theatre lovers, writers from other genres/practices, actors, or anyone who would like to learn the art of crafting an effectual piece of theatrical writing, are all welcome to attend.
Panelists: Jordan K. Stovall (moderator), Candrice Jones, E. M. Lewis, Roger Q. Mason, Jewelle Gomez
Virtual
Adapting a Piece of Literature for the Stage
How do you translate the immersive world of a literary work into a living, breathing piece of theatre?
This conversation will explore the difference between the two forms of storytelling; we’ll provide craft tips and share insights into how some theatre writers have approached this challenge in their own work. In addition, moderator Jessica Lit, Director of Business Affairs for the Dramatists Guild of America, will offer advice on the logistics of licensing and related practical considerations.
Panelists: Jessica Lit (moderator), Lauren Gunderson, Roger Q. Mason, Matthew Spangler, Caridad Svich
Please note that this session has been prerecorded, and will be available to watch on-demand online from March 8, 2023 to April 8, 2023.
Spoken Word, Poetry, and Language as Theatre
Poetry is an art form steeped in oral storytelling. Spoken word and slam poetry can serve as intimate, passionate dialogues between a writer and their audience.
Join us for a conversation with playwrights who have translated their passion for these art forms into their works for the stage in powerful, new ways. At this session, we intend to explore theatre’s roots in poetry, the performance of poetic language, the crossover of when theatre becomes literature, the politics of publication, and what constitutes work becoming a part of the canon.
Panelists: Roger Q. Mason (moderator), Elaine Romero, Ayla Xuan Chi Sullivan, Dave Harris
Please note that this session has been prerecorded, and will be available to watch on-demand online from March 8, 2023 to April 8, 2023.