To research screenwriting tenets within playwriting contexts and institutions with playwriting courses

Summary of Key Findings

In Canada, the U.S. and the U.K, the playwright and their voice are revered. Canada’s Nationalist movement proved the making of Canadian Theatre In Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. the playwright is developed by a range of initiatives, which are delivered by theatre companies, dedicated play-development agencies and festivals. Some are also writer driven.

Writers’ groups are a cost-effective, low maintenance developmental activity, which engender a sense of community, foster collaborations, promote collegiality and provide a framework for critical response. New Dramatists, which was established in 1949, has set the tone for the development of playwrights across the U.S. by empowering them to drive their own development.

Successful models are those that encompass development of playwrights in the company of fellow playwrights. Writer residencies in theatre companies need not impact on the finances of the theatre company. They give the playwright a ‘home’, a sense of community and confidence. The immersion into theatre life afforded by theatre internships is invaluable to the development of the playwright. One-act play festivals assist the playwright to develop from short form to long form.

The role of the dramaturg is respected in Canada but generally not in the U.K. Production is instrumental in developing playwrights. Playwrights should be allowed to fail In the U.S., playwrights drive their own feedback after their play is read In the U.K., with some theatre companies developing playwrights by stepping them through the process of writing for smaller spaces to larger ones.

The RSC often immerses a playwright in their company culture before commissioning them.

Many of the companies and institutions that teach playwriting have affiliations with and are associated to universities. This assists with activities like staging script development conferences cost effectively.

Change comes through passion, a sense of justice and focus Canada’s Recommender Grants program is successful for both the theatre company and the playwright.

The development of playwrights in Toronto relies on theatre companies not tertiary institutions. Playwrights in the U.S. are trained to work as both playwrights and TV writers, making a writing career financially viable. Playwrights in the U.S. are targeted by TV companies to work in their drama departments

Keywords: plays, stage plays, playwriting, playwrights, theatre, theater, play development, dramaturg, dramaturge, writer residencies, writer retreats, dramatic writing, drama, writers' groups.