I have begun to write ten minute plays. I used to be interested in playwriting but I eventually got discouraged. I have decided to get back into playwriting because there are new opportunities. After I have written enough ten minute plays I can gather them into an ebook and sell it on Amazon. I have to admit, this does not seem very worthwhile because every book of plays I have recently purchased had no reviews on Amazon. Anyway, writing a ten minute play only requires writing ten pages of dialogue so it does not require much effort.
During my research for trips to major cities, I gathered a lot of information on theaters. I know the location of various theaters in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. I even include theater in my language learning by buying plays written in French, German or Italian and books about French theater. I recently bought a book on Italian theater. I have been expanding my New York City travel notes to include more Off Broadway theaters and I may visit the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood on my next trip because there are many small theaters there.
I have bought a few books to help me to write and market ten minute plays. I have a fairly large collection of play collections but I did not have a collection of ten minute plays so I bought, 2010 The Best 10-Minute Plays (Contemporary Playwrights Series) edited by Lawrence Harbison. I picked this book because it has fifty one plays and it is fairly contemporary. It should give me a good idea of what subject matter and style are popular for ten minute plays.
 2010 The Best 10-Minute Plays (Contemporary Playwrights Series): Lawrence Harbison (Editor), Lawrence Harbison: 9781575257723: Books
ISBN: 1575257726 |
I also bought the latest copies of the dramatist market guides. I’m familiar with these market guides from my previous playwriting which must have been way back in 1995 because that is the old editions I have. I bought the Dramatists Sourcebook, 26th Edition and the The Dramatists Guild Resource Directory 2012.
 Dramatists Sourcebook, 26th Edition: Theatre Communications Group: 9781559363778: Books
ISBN: 1559363770 |
 The Dramatists Guild Resource Directory 2012 (Dramatists Guild Resource Directory: The Writer’s Guide to the): Dramatists Guild of America: 9781585104604: Books
ISBN: 1585104604 |
These books should also help me to research all the obscure theaters in the cities that I visit. The Dramatists Guild Resource Directory even includes independent bookstores for some reason. One institution that I’m particularly interested in is the New Dramatists so I bought a book of their best plays.
 New Dramatists: The Best Plays by the Graduating Class of 2000: Todd London: 9781575252698: Books
ISBN: 1575252694 |
So far I have written two 10 minute plays. I intend to write my next play based on some of the online drama that I have witnessed on YouTube. YouTube loves drama. Various online communities are an endless source of drama. It would be hysterical to bring some of that online drama to the stage.
