Ideas

Plays often start with a conviction, a belief, or some issue that a playwright wants to expose, examine, or discuss. In the plays we have read, such themes as suicide, HIV, dying, racism, self-deprecation, aging, dating, feminism, etc. have been used.

In order to begin your journey into writing plays, take a moment to brainstorm some ideas:

Brainstorming:

• If you were going to die tomorrow, and this play includes your last words to the human race, what MUST you say before you go? Make a list of things you HAVE to say to the world.
• Make a list of common, ordinary settings. Make a list of uncommon or unusual settings.
• Jot down time periods that interest you. Choose a time period other than our contemporary period.
• Make a list of secrets that people you don't know have. Assume a good friend told you these secrets. What are the secrets?
• Make a list of relatively well known stories, poems, books, or films that you hated (or loved) enough to poke fun at.