Author, Theatre Artist, and Educator
It’s time to talk about the very real power of your potential. In science, potential energy is the stored, untapped energy that a body has by virtue of its stressors, structure, or position in relation to its environment. It’s energy that hasn’t yet been put to use, but that potential is formidable...and measurable. Think of... Continue Reading →
Yesterday I had a great time running a revision workshop for the eighteen writers in Philadelphia Young Playwrights’ Mouthful Monologue Festival. At this point in the process, the writers have done an amazing job working with their professional actor, director, and dramaturg to deepen their monologues by adding details and raising the stakes. While their... Continue Reading →
Last month I had the pleasure of subbing for one of my Philadelphia Young Playwrights teaching artists. When I asked him how I could best aid the class of awesome 8th graders, he told me that the students needed help infusing more action into their play ideas. Action can be tricky. In an age of... Continue Reading →
I recently had an amazing time visiting Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens with my Philadelphia Young Playwrights Ed Staff, where we were inspired by the work and process of creator Isaiah Zagar. On our guided tour (which I highly recommend), we learned that when Zagar creates his mural mosaics, he pulls tiles out of his bucket at... Continue Reading →
If you’ve ever had a writing teacher, you’ve most likely heard the phrase “kill your darlings” when it comes to revision. In respect to this, one of my theatre professors gave the following advice to my class years ago, “I always tell playwrights to turn to their favorite part of their play, and cut it.... Continue Reading →
When I saw the challenge this week on Making Learning Connected was hacking your writing, I knew that it was the week I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and into the realm of glorious bumbling. Despite the growing popularity of the term "life hack,” which is quickly widening the idea of... Continue Reading →
As I mentioned in my last post, I had the absolute pleasure and honor of directing a play by an amazing young playwright for the How I Learned to Write Festival, a program created by Philadelphia Young Playwrights. During the weeklong process, I can only hope this talented young writer learned as much from me... Continue Reading →
It’s not like I don’t get any writing done at home. After all, I’m sitting here at home as I write this right now! But when I’m home, I’m surrounded by things that all have the potential to pull my focus away. It might be the pets, it might be a dirty kitchen, it might... Continue Reading →
For me, writer’s block is a funny thing. Back before I started teaching, when I got writer’s block I just…well, I just dealt with it, wallowed in it, avoided it by not writing, it depended on my mood. After I started teaching and I watched my students come up against it, however, my attitude toward... Continue Reading →
One of my New Year's Resolutions was to write a form poem a week, using the guidance and challenges that writing a form poem can bring as a way to shake off my 2013 writer's rust and get back in the saddle. It was this charge to myself that lead to my discovery of an... Continue Reading →
Mae Early 