Online Class: Rewriting Your Draft

As soon as you finish your last line of dialogue, the need for rewrites begins. This 10-week class will help you tackle the revision process and develop a stronger version of your play. Open to new and returning students located anywhere in the world, this class will be run just like a real-life writing room, interacting with your instructor and classmates live via Zoom.

This class might be for you if you:

• Have a fully completed draft of a full-length play and you are ready to begin rewrites. (If you are unsure if your play fits the parameters of this class, please contact us!)
• Want to be challenged in a classroom environment that is run like a professional playwriting workshop.
• Are a new or returning Primary Stages ESPA writer.

In this class you will:

• Start by articulating and addressing your goals for this new draft.
• Present pages that are read aloud in class, receiving feedback and response to your work from the group, filtered through a series of prompts given by your instructor.
• See below for details on how each section of this class will be run!

By the end of this class you will:

• Have a stronger draft of your play.
• Be adept at giving and receiving useful feedback to work that is in-process.
• Have the tools you need to transform any first draft into a more streamlined, compelling work that’s ready to be heard.
• Be ready to apply for  The Second Draft.

About the online platform for this class: 

Zoom Meeting is easy to start, join, and use to collaborate online in a personable way via desktop or mobile without complicated set-ups. The Zoom Meeting Host (your ESPA instructor or administrator) sends out a meeting link and at the time of your class, you just click the link to launch the virtual classroom via your web browser. In the Zoom Meeting, each participant can share their webcam so that you're not only hearing your instructor and classmates but seeing them too, making it feel similar to being in one of the studios at ESPA. 

Other exciting collaborative Zoom features include Breakout Rooms in which students can meet in smaller groups, "Raise Your Hand" feature to better facilitate balanced conversation, Video Sharing, and File Transfer for your assignments. If you can't log in via a computer, there are also options to phone into the meeting so you can still participate in the class even if you find yourself without computer or internet access. And Zoom has an Apple and Android app, making it possible to take part in class from any device.