James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
James Elden
Playwright Spotlight features a new playwright every episode to discuss the tools of the trade and solutions to the obstacles we face as writers in hopes of making us all better and more successful playwrights.
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Top 10 James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Rhythm in Dialogue, Playing with Different Structures, and the Flaws of Rewriting on Stage - Playwright's Spotlight with Brad McEntire
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
05/13/25 • 82 min
Longtime-listening playwright Brad McEntire streamed into the Spotlight to discuss his experience and approach to the craft. We discuss the exercises and lessons from studying under Will Power at Southern Methodist University and the Dallas Theatre Center, playing with the rhythm of dialogue, what beginning playwrights don't do or practice, and whether or not you can achieve impossible stage directions with a small budget. We also delve into his background as a literary manager, his process of one-person shows and the difference between solo performances and personal stories, the one-person structure as well as playing with different structures, tackling solo long-form improv, staging your own one-person show and finding opportunities for them. We wrap things up with the flaws of rewriting on stage and his podcasts - The Cultivated Playwright and Brad McEntire Plays and - and the difficulty of monetization. Brad's energy is contagious and his insight is valuable. Enjoy!
Brad McEntire is a playwright, solo performer, and stage director. He is the author of more than a dozen plays, including Que Sera Giant Monster, I Brought Home a Chupacabra, Dinosaur and Robot Stop a Train, Raspberry Fizz, Langdon the Seasonal Barista, I Have Angered a Great God and The Yeti in the Airport Lounge among others. He is a satellite member of The Playwrights' Center and studied playwriting with Will Power as part of the Dallas Playwrights Workshop at Southern Methodist University.
He has toured his original one-person shows Cyrano A-Go-Go, Chop, Robert's Eternal Goldfish and The Beast of Hyperborea performing in venues and festivals all over North America. Since 2008 he has served as artistic director of the small-batch theatre company Audacity Theatre Lab, and in 2015, McEntire served as the first theatre-artist-in-residence at the Kathy George Indie Artist Residency in Ashford, Oregon. He holds a B.F.A. from the College of Santa Fe and a M.A. from Texas Woman's University. He has a YouTube channel where he talks about theatre, including playwriting and solo performance.
To watch the video format of this interview, visit - https://youtu.be/m1U8hBL9S50
Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -
Playwrights' Center - https://pwcenter.org
Jerome Fellowship - https://pwcenter.org/programs/jerome-fellowships/
McKnight Fellowship - https://pwcenter.org/programs/mcknight-fellowship-in-playwriting/
Dallas Theater Center - https://dallastheatercenter.org
Undermain Theatre - https://www.undermain.org/
New York City Fringe - https://frigid.nyc/new-york-city-fringe/
Edinburgh Fringe - https://www.edfringe.com
Minnesota Fringe - https://minnesotafringe.org
Hollywood Fringe - https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/
Elgin Fringe Festival - https://www.elginfringefestival.com
Website and socials for Brad McEntire -
www.bradmcentireplays.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BradMcEntire
IG - @dribblefunk
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Brad-McEntire/author/B00IX2B7P4?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
Painting a Room, Masterclasses vs Academia, and the Perils of Liking Your Own Writing - Playwright's Spotlight with June Thomson Morris
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
04/22/25 • 55 min
Just over the week before the World Premiere of her first play celebrating the Centennial celebration of Coral Gables, Florida, multiple Emmy-winning journalist June Thomson Morris beamed into the Playwright's Spotlight. In this interview, we discuss attempting one's first play, overcoming obstacles, and experiencing your work come to life for the first time. We also explore how journalism nurtures playwriting, learning from Masterclass vs Academia, narrowing framing and foregoing storylines, June's family story and its influence of her play, transitioning form a screenplay to a stage play, and character description and providing intention. It's an inspiring and motivational discussion that proves life doesn't end when one pursuit ends and that all of our aspirations are always within reach. Enjoy!
For tickets to the VIP Centennial Celebration visit - https://site.coralgableschamber.org/atlas/events/973263/details
For tickets to Greetings from Paradise at the Miracle Theatre, visit - https://purchase.actorsplayhouse.org/EventAvailability?EventId=1801
June Thomson Morris is a playwright, multiple Emmy-winning journalist, storyteller, and Miami native. She has spent her life uncovering and preserving history through the power of narrative. Her latest project, Greetings from Paradise, is more than a play—it’s a time machine, transporting audiences back to the roaring 1920s, when Miami was booming, fortunes were being made (and lost), and the idea of paradise was up for grabs.
To view the video format of this episode, visit the link below - https://youtu.be/da56vUbTP1E
Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -
Miracle Theatre/Actors Playhouse - https://www.actorsplayhouse.org
Masterclass - https://www.masterclass.com
Contact and website for June Thomson Morris -
www.junemorris.com
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Lying and Hiding, Writing Distinct Voices, and An Actual Formula to Success - Playwright's Spotlight with Nicholas Pilapil
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
09/03/24 • 80 min
If there was a formula that could tell you how to become a successful playwright, this episode is it. Nicholas Pilapil dropped into the Playwright's Spotlight for an insightful approach to becoming a working playwright. His approach to workshops lays out a pathway of motivation and accountability. We discuss confidence versus hubris, his approach to selecting playwrights for his workshop, the benefits of seeing theatre, telling the story, character description, set, and beats, as well as how to creating distinct voices. This was such a motivating chat that I believe lays out a foolproof way to becoming a working playwright. Let me know if you agree. Enjoy!
Nicholas Pilapil is an alum of The Writers’ Room at the Geffen Playhouse, IAMA Theatre Company’s Emerging Playwrights Lab, The Vagrancy Playwrights Group, and artEquity. His plays include The Bottoming Process and if all that You take from this is courage, then I’ve no regrets and was the winner of the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival. His work has also been developed with Geffen Playhouse, Abingdon Theatre Company, Playwrights Foundation, American Stage, Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA, The Workshop Theater and Artists at Play.
For tickets for God Will Do the Rest playing through September 29th, visit -
https://www.latinotheaterco.org/godwilldotherest
To watch the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/49Xf3MSTcmE
Links to resources mentioned in this episode -
Artists at Play -
https://artistsatplay.org
Los Angeles Theatre Center -
https://culture.lacity.gov/cultural-centers/los-angeles-theatre-center-latc/
Geffen's Writers Room -
https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/tickets/new-plays/the-writers-room/
IAMA -
https://www.iamatheatre.com/
Boston Court Theatre -
https://bostoncourtpasadena.org
Website and Socials for Nicholas Pilapil -
https://www.nicholaspilapil.com
Twitter/X - @nicholaspilapil
IG - @nicholaspilpil
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nepilapil
TikTok - @nicholaspilapil
Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Developing Premise, Breaking a Story, and Assembling the Team - Playwright's Spotlight with Ben Edlin and Deborah Aquila
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
09/17/24 • 58 min
Ben Edlin and Deborah Aquila came by the studio to sit in the Playwright's Spotlight before the World Premiere of the collaborative play -TH*IR*DS. In this interview, we discussed the long process of developing this play over the course of seven years, the changes made, the possibility of it becoming a pilot but returning the concept to the stage, their process and procedure, and breaking a story. We also touch obstacles in collaboration, Ben's need to "enter the cave", choosing words and punctuation, assembling the team, and the changes that occur during table work as well as the challenges of flipping from playwright to actor when cast in your own piece. It's a insightful discussion that gives both perspectives of a collaborating team. Enjoy.
BEN EDLIN is a playwright and actor who trained at Dartmouth College and The Aquila Studio in Los Angeles. He is also a founding member of THE THREE WEEKS NOTICE COLLECTIVE, with whom he recently premiered his play, “Conversations in Exile,” an original adaptation of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters.” His newest play, THIRDS opened September 6th and runs through September 29th at The Zephyr Theatre in Los Angeles.
DEBORAH AQUILA is casting director and is the mind behind the story of THIRDS. A graduate of NYU's TISCH SCHOOL of the ARTS and THE STELLA ADLER CONSERVATORY, she’s cast films including "THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION," "PRIMAL FEAR," "KISS THE GIRLS," and "LA LA LAND.” She is a proud member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, BAFTA, and the Casting Society of America (CSA) and has been nominated 18 times for the Artios Award by the CSA, winning for the features Red, My Week with Marilyn, CODA and La La Land.
For tickets to TH*IR*DS, playing through September 29th, 2024, visit -
https://thirdstheplay.com/
To watch the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/06ioaeHchCY
Links to resources mentioned in this episode -
The Aquila Studio -
https://www.theaquilastudio.com
Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Stealing from the Best, Letting the Story Find You, and the Approach of "When Are We?" - Playwright's Spotlight with Allison Gregory
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
12/24/24 • 99 min
This week I had the pleasure of having a fascinating conversation with Allison Gregory on this recent episode of Playwright's Spotlight and her approach of writing about historical and mythological characters and exploring outside their known stories. We delved into the philosophy of "when we are", letting the story find us, the power of the #2 pencil and writing longhand, stealing from the best, obtaining the rights to other's works and public domain. We also discuss commissioning adaptations, tried and true material, embracing constructs, and knowing the audience of children's theatre. It's a wonderful chat I hope everyone feels motivated and inspired by. Enjoy!
Allison Gregory’s work has been produced nationally and internationally for multigenerational audiences by a fusion of professional theaters, academic stages, and nontraditional spaces. She has received commissions and development from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Kennedy Center, South Coast Repertory, Indiana Repertory Theatre, the Playwrights’ Center, the Skirball Foundation, Geva Theatre, Seattle Rep, ACT Theater, Orlando Shakes, the National New Play Network (NNPN), Hedgebrook, the New Harmony Project, and Banff Playwrights Lab. Her plays range from satires centering on underrepresented historical figures to contemporary interpretations of mythology, intimate dramas, and exuberant, innovative theatre for young people. Her plays are published by Dramatic Publishing, Playscripts, Concord Theatricals, Smith & Krauss, and Rain City Press and include – Not Medea, Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook, and Judy Moody & Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt.
To watch the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/B9pW5OH7L14
Links to resources mentioned in this episode -
Child's Play -
https://www.childsplayaz.org
Seattle's Children's Theare -
www.sct.org
Website and Socials for Allison Gregory -
Website-
www.allisongregoryplays.com
Facebook-
https://www.facebook.com/allison.gregory.71
Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Action in Dialogue, Inspiring Designers, and the Seeds of Conflict - Playwright's Spotlight with Cyndy A. Marion
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
11/29/22 • 86 min
Fresh in the middle of her trip from New York for the West Coast Premiere of her new play Broken Story, playwright Cyndy A. Marion stopped by a Playwright's Spotlight for an in-house interview. In this episode, we discuss transitioning from director to playwright, learning structure, taking creative license when writing about real life events, honesty in marketing, and what makes theatrical staging. We also talk about complex sets and inspiring designers as well as adding action to dialogue, musicality in a monologue, writing surprises, repping yourself, and making the work. This discussion is a great resource for playwrights who may be considering a bicoastal production as well as the usual approach to the craft. I hope you enjoy this episode.
Cyndy A. Marion is the Producing Artistic Director of The White Horse Theater Company for which she recently directed the world-premiere production of her play YOU ARE PERFECT. She is a Board Member of The Players, Co-Founder of the Producers Circle and a member of the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society as well of the The Dramatists Guild. Her new play, BROKEN STORY, is currently running its West Coast Premiere at The Sherry theater in the North Hollywood Arts District.
To view the video format of this episode, visit the link below -
https://youtu.be/64yZmoZuzh0
Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -
Emily Owens Press Agent -
http://www.emilyowenspr.com
White Horse Theater Company -
https://www.whitehorsetheater.com/
The Sherry Theater -
https://www.thesherry.org/
New Play Exchange -
https://newplayexchange.org/
Dramatists Play Service -
https://www.dramatists.com
The Players -
https://theplayersnyc.org/
Socials for Cyndy A. Marion -
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cymarion
Twitter - @cymarion
IG - @cyndy.marion
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Playwright's Spotlight with Nicky Silver
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
03/22/22 • 125 min
In this episode, I speak with Broadway playwright Nicky Silver about the joy of making something, finding success after 30, and the hindrances of trigger warnings. Nicky also shares his influences and his desire to be in the theatre. This is a deeply insightful and personal conversation teetering at times between heartbreak and hilarity. It was an honor to spend two hours with a man possessing charm and wit and who is so open and willing to share . I hope you enjoy this episode and encourage you to seek out Nicky Silver's work if you weren't familiar with him prior to this episode.
Nicky Silver is a Broadway playwright whose plays verge on absurdity and dark humor and feature subject matters some might find taboo. His plays include The Maiden's Prayer, Pterodactyls, Fat Men in Skirts, The Altruists, Raised in Captivity, Too Much Sun, and The Lyons - the latter two starring Linda Lavin and The Lyons landing him on Broadway. He currently resides in London where the stage reading of his current play The Einstein Letter was quite well received.
To watch the video version of this episode, click the link below -
https://youtu.be/rzwYNe3BJLw
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Playwright's Spotlight with Dramatists Guild's Emmanuel Wilson
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
03/08/22 • 86 min
In this episode, James speaks with Executive Director for Creative Affairs and Membership of the Dramatists Guild - Emmanuel Wilson. They discuss the benefits and resources provided by the Guild as well as recommendations for protecting your work through copyright. They also cover reasons for joining the guild, being ready for Broadway, avoiding being taken advantage of, and the common pitfalls of the industry.
Emmanuel Wilson is a playwright. producer and lifelong resident of New York City. He founded the Blue Rose Stage Company at age 18, serving as its artistic director for six years. At TADA! Youth Theatre, he served as artistic associate and literary manager, commissioning and supporting new works. In 2003, he was selected as a New Generations Future Leader by Theater Communications Group. In 2017, he joined the staff of the Dramatists Guild where he serves as the Executive Director for Creative Affairs and Membership, where he's overseen the membership grow from 6,500 members to over 8,500 in just three years.
To watch the video format of this episode on YouTube, please follow the link below -
https://youtu.be/GDe_gsAeDOM
Links for the Dramatists Guild and sites discussed in this episode -
Dramatists Guild -
www.dramatistsguild.com
Playwright's Bill of Rights -
https://www.dramatistsguild.com/rights
Copyright 101 -
https://www.dramatistsguild.com/copyright
Contact -
[email protected]
Socials for Dramatists Guild -
Twitter - @dramatistsguild
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dramatistsguild/
IG - @dramatistsguild
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Playwright's Spotlight with Arthur M. Jolly
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
02/22/22 • 90 min
In this episode, James speaks to playwright Arthur M. Jolly about the five basic elements of drama and human relationships as well as the benefits of being a member of the New Play Exchange and his experience participating in The Last Frontier theatre conference in Valdez, AK. James loosens up about his pet peeve of using "perhaps" and maybe" in stage directions, and Arthur tells us why "we're all writers" and suggests "when in doubt, set the car on fire."
Arthur M. Jolly is a former stunt performer and coordinator as well as winner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting for his screenplay The Free Republic of Bobistan. He has written over 70 plays including A Gulag Mouse, The Ithica Ladies Read Media, Long Joan Silver, How Blue is My Crocodile, and two collections of short plays - Guilty Moments andThin Lines. His plays have been produced across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. He has won the Joining Sword and Pen competition three times, the Todd McNerney National Playwriting Award, the Region IV David Mark Cohen Playwriting Award and was a finalist for the Woodward/Newman Drama Award. In 2016, 2017, and 2019, he was invited by Houston's Alley Theatre to participate in the inaugural Alley at Ucross Residency. He is a member of the WGA Caucus, The Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights, and The Dramatists Guild. His recent play The Lady Demands Satisfaction is due to be published February 2022.
To watch the video version of this episode, follow the link below -
https://youtu.be/Xz9UGSoqXeI
Links to sites mentioned in this episode -
Babes with Blades -
https://babeswithblades.org/
Next Stage Press -
www.nextstageprss.com
The Lady Demands Satisfaction -
https://nextstagepress.net/the-lady-demands-satisfaction/
Nicholl Fellowship -
https://www.oscars.org/nicholl
The Last Frontier Theatre Conference -
http://www.theatreconference.org
New Play Exchange -
https://newplayexchange.org
Miami City Theatre Summer Shorts Festival -
https://www.citytheatre.com/summer-shorts
Youth Plays -
https://www.youthplays.com/
Loft Ensemble -
https://www.loftensemble.org/
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Writing services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
Set Up, Adaptation, Compensation, and Writing Good Suspense - Playwright's Spotlight with Barry M. Putt, Jr.
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
06/11/24 • 75 min
Barry M. Putt, Jr. beamed into the Playwright's Spotlight from New Jersey to discuss the medium of the audio drama, a throwback and homage to radio plays of the 30s and 40s. We breakdown the differences in elements of traditional playwriting vs the audio drama, i.e., setting up the scene, dialogue, sound effects, music, etc. We also talk about converting plays from stage to audio drama, the process of writing them as well as compensation and the opportunities in that market. We also touch on length, episodic vs feature, beats and silences in the medium, the hiring process for staff writers, popular genres, writing good suspense and character as well as establishing character flaws and adapting from other sources such as dime magazines. We wrap things up by touching on some of the traditional aspects of playwriting. Whether its audio dramas or traditional stage plays, Barry offers insight that I think you will find beneficial, and as always... Enjoy!
Barry M. Putt, Jr.'s plays have been performed in Canada, France, the UAE, and throughout the U.S and his comedy, “A Different Blend of Friendship” won the New Jersey Wordsmiths Award. Other plays include – Seafood Salad, The Grumbletonians, Inside Out, and Gutter Rat. He has also scripted more than 50 audio-drama productions for companies including Colonial Radio Theatre, Radio Theater Project, and Voices in the Wind Audio Theatre. His book on the craft of audio-drama writing entitled "Stories Told through Sound" is published by Applause Books. He is a member of the Witherspoon Circle, the Dramatists Guild, and the Authors Guild and has a degree in Dramatic Writing from NYU and in English Literature from Centenary University.
The video format of this episode can be viewed at -
https://youtu.be/y2hIkY8sbTs
Links to resources mentioned in this episode -
Shoestring Radio Theatre -
https://www.shoestring.org
Next Stage Press -
https://www.nextstagepress.com
Voices in the Wind -
https://www.voicesinthewind.ca
Richard Wade, U.S. Marshal -
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/richard-wade-u-s-marshal/id1549613880
Website and Socials for Barry M. Putt, Jr. -
Website -
https://www.barrymputtjr.com
FB - https://www.facebook.com/barry.m.putt
IG - @barrymputtjr
@puttbarry
X - @bmputt
Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html
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FAQ
How many episodes does James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight have?
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight currently has 94 episodes available.
What topics does James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight cover?
The podcast is about Acting, Drama, Writing, Podcasts, Playwriting, Education, Arts, Theatre and Performing Arts.
What is the most popular episode on James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight?
The episode title 'Moving Forward, Developing Relationships, and Writing a la Mode - Playwright's Spotlight with Wendy Graf' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight?
The average episode length on James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight is 82 minutes.
How often are episodes of James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight released?
Episodes of James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight?
The first episode of James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight was released on Oct 26, 2021.
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