Dear Dramatist – Winter 2025
Less is more. A pen on top and pencil on bottom pointing at each other against a orange background

D

ear Dramatist is a new column that invites Guild members to submit questions about craft and career to be answered by DG staff and industry professionals. Whether you’re looking for theatre resources in your area, advice on honing your craft, or tips on navigating a career in theatre writing, the Guild is here to help! Submit your “Dear Dramatist” question here.


Dear Dramatist,

How do you know what to fix while revising your work?

Jake Vitarelli
New York, NY


I record myself speaking the lines of everyone in my play or musical. It’s my chance to indulge in being all the characters. (I’m telling you, if they had Legend-In-Your-Own-Mind Tonys, I’d have multiple awards for Best Book, Score, Lead Actor, and Supporting roles.) Seriously, though—when I record myself, I don’t listen to the recording immediately after; I come back hours or even a full day later. This allows me to hear whether the language flows, whether things are making sense, and whether I, at least, am interested in what happens next. Then, once I revise my work, I go back to polishing up my Legend-In-Your-Own-Mind Tonys acceptance speech.

KIRSTEN CHILDS


Dear Dramatist,

What are the pros and cons of being a self-producing artist? 

Nicolette Blount
Amherst, MA
 

25 years ago, I joined five other playwrights to form Playwrights 6 and produce our own work. Best decision ever!

 

PRO
You have control: from budgets to casting to marketing.

CON
It’s your job to raise money, assemble a team, and put butts in seats.

PRO
You build community and meet the most sublime theatre artists.

CON
You occasionally meet some truly miserable theatre artists.

PRO or CON
That first review by a major critic (who may or may not be your spouse, mother, bestie, or frenemy)

LARRY DEAN HARRIS


Dear Dramatist,

Where can I find regional theaters looking for new work?

Laura Clift
Knoxville, TN


Check out “Where Can I Submit My New Work?” in the Summer 2024 New Plays Issue. You can find it, along with other past editions, in our online archive.

AMELIA FRENCH