For those interested in theater but not wanting to be on-stage, for writers looking to alter their medium to scripts and for creative, persistent people willing to commit to their ideas, playwriting may be the perfect creative outlet. From courses to The Pocket Playhouse, the University of Oregon has several ways to get involved.
UO offers two playwriting classes through the theater program, offered as both a major and minor. In Fundamentals of Playwriting, Professor Michael Malek Najjar teaches a 10-minute play format. “The fundamentals are rooted in these smaller ten minute platforms, which is kind of the going currency right now in American theater,” Najjar said.
In Advanced Playwriting, Najjar teaches musicals, one-act plays, two-act plays and more. There are a few basic prerequisites for these classes, such as Introduction to Theater, but Professor Najjar made it clear the department is willing to work with people interested in playwriting and make it happen.
On the recreational side, students can practice playwriting at The Pocket Playhouse. Professional playwright and Alum Ben Jones said The Pocket Playhouse helped him “get the stupid out.” Jones mentioned that every writer has a period of time in which their work is objectively bad (despite their best effort and intentions), so seeing his first few plays realized on the Playhouse’s stage truly helped him grow in his skills.
For a more competitive experience, playwrights can enter the New Voices Playwriting Competition. The competition only occurs every few years due to low interest levels, but Najjar said if interest levels go up, so will the frequency of the competition.
In this competition, scripts written by University of Oregon students are anonymously reviewed by a panel of faculty members. The winner will have a concert reading of the winning script and a fully rehearsed production in the Hope Theatre. If selected for production, the show will be a participating entry in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) and the scripts will be submitted to the KCACTF for consideration in play award categories.
Both Najjar and Jones expressed a desire for more interest in the playwriting culture at UO. Theater is a diverse ecosystem; it needs playwrights just as much as it needs actors and directors. Anyone interested in creative writing is encouraged to take a stab at play writing, as new material is always desired in theater.
To access UO’s playwriting resources, Najjar strongly recommends the Theatre Arts Department website, https://theatre.uoregon.edu/. If you have any questions, concerns or comments regarding the Theatre Department, you can access contact information through the website.
“We need you,” Najjar said. He said everyones’ talents aid the Department, and playwright or not, Najjar encourages students to explore the wonders of theater.
