Playing The Play: How We Wrote A Play By Playing Games
Mentor 1
Robin Mello
Location
Union Cinema
Start Date
27-4-2018 12:20 PM
Description
This presentation focuses on the collaborative writing process we developed while writing a full length play. We based this new research on our pilot project as well as further research we did over the past year. The pilot, Orphan Train (Spring 2016) required us to learn to work as a theatre company, conduct literature reviews, and read research already published on the topic. They were then charged with crafting an original and collaborative theatre piece focusing on the social issues and lived experience of the Orphan Train Movement. This work-in-progress was successfully presented to the public in April 2016. Data from the pilot show that we developed a strong creative group dynamic, healthy work ethic, and significant knowledge about the history of the Orphan Trains. We built on this foundation and used the outcomes from the project (nascent script, radio interview on Lake Effect, post-show discussions and lectures, dramaturgical and historical research from archives and other primary and secondary sources, and music pertaining to Orphan Train history) to pursue new research on the subject. During our earlier research on the Orphan Train Movement, we learned a method that our current research is based in. This method, “Devising”, rewards experimentation and teamwork. We have come to understand that devising, as a concept, could revolutionize not only playwriting, but many other fields of study, if properly applied. We have applied our research in a combination workshop/audition, which we used to bring in new cast members to help test our writing methods.
Playing The Play: How We Wrote A Play By Playing Games
Union Cinema
This presentation focuses on the collaborative writing process we developed while writing a full length play. We based this new research on our pilot project as well as further research we did over the past year. The pilot, Orphan Train (Spring 2016) required us to learn to work as a theatre company, conduct literature reviews, and read research already published on the topic. They were then charged with crafting an original and collaborative theatre piece focusing on the social issues and lived experience of the Orphan Train Movement. This work-in-progress was successfully presented to the public in April 2016. Data from the pilot show that we developed a strong creative group dynamic, healthy work ethic, and significant knowledge about the history of the Orphan Trains. We built on this foundation and used the outcomes from the project (nascent script, radio interview on Lake Effect, post-show discussions and lectures, dramaturgical and historical research from archives and other primary and secondary sources, and music pertaining to Orphan Train history) to pursue new research on the subject. During our earlier research on the Orphan Train Movement, we learned a method that our current research is based in. This method, “Devising”, rewards experimentation and teamwork. We have come to understand that devising, as a concept, could revolutionize not only playwriting, but many other fields of study, if properly applied. We have applied our research in a combination workshop/audition, which we used to bring in new cast members to help test our writing methods.
