Module Identifier DR34230  
Module Title CREATIVE WRITING FOR THE STAGE  
Academic Year 2006/2007  
Co-ordinator Dr Mary F Brewer  
Semester Semester 1  
Course delivery Lecture   1 x 2 hours  
  Other   9 x 2 hour Workshop/Seminars  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Assessment First Assignment: Script (performance of which should total approximately 15-20 minutes playing time) First Assignment: Script (performance of which should total approximately 15-20 minutes playing time) 25%
Semester Assessment Second Submission: Script (performance of which should total approximately 40 minutes playing time)55%
Semester Assessment Critical Reflection on Creative Development20%
Supplementary Assessment A completed or revised First Submission A completed or revised Second Submission Critical Reflection on Creative Development  

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should have:
1. a meaningful understanding of the nature of the dramatic, and of dramatic structure.
2. The ability to write monologues
3. The ability to write a short, well-structured piece of drama
4. A clear understanding of the relationship of the audience with the work on stage and how this differs from the relationship that exists between the audience and the screen.
5. Some knowledge of the history of Western theatre.
6. An understanding of appearance and reality in the Theatre: the conflict between what's said and what's meant; between what's said and what happens: the relationship between text and sub-text.
7. An awareness of production considerations inherent in translating text from page to stage.


Brief description

A series of workshops/seminars, which will include analysis of dramatic technique and the craft of playwriting, as well as playwriting exercises and writing assignments. The focus of the module will be the development of technique. The additional proposals are that the students submit an earlier piece of writing for assessment, which will in turn receive feedback to inform their development of a major submission; students will also keep a writer's notebook from the beginning of the module which will assist them in their reflections and which they will submit; and that they reflect critically within the module on their contribution and experience of the process, in terms of the module's learning outcomes, in an oral examination. The notebook and oral examination will together count for 20% of the assessment for the module.

Aims

The existing module DR33120 currently represents an under-examination of the learning process within the context of the Department's other practical provisions. We want to instigate and assess a more consistent reflection on, and application to, the learning process, with particular regard to the final major submission. The changes proposed have been made in collaboration with Mr Dic Edwards and are based on his long-standing professional experience, both as a dramatist and as a teacher of Creative Writing (as Convenor for Creative Writing at UW Lampeter).

Content

The module will be taught through a series of 10 x 2-hour practical workshops during which students will be expected to engage in a series of writing exercises specifically aimed at applying to a practical context the concepts and ideas discussed during the workshop/seminars for this module. The topics covered in workshop/seminars will be as follows:
1. Dramatic content (conflict, tension, irony)
2. Dramatic theory (from Aristotle to Brecht, and Bond)
3. Examples of theatrical practice 1 (Pinter and Miller)
4. Examples of theatrical practice 2 (Bennett and Mamet)
5. Structure (focus and clarity)
6. Dialogue and characterization
7. Appreciation of the specific technical facets of practical theatre 1: Rhythm, tone and awareness
8. Appreciation of the specific technical facets of practical theatre 2: Staging, set design, costume, lighting and sound
9. Classical and contemporary theatre writing: A comparative approach
10. A reflection on writing processes

Module Skills

Problem_solving This element is not assessed directly. However, all scriptwriting involves problem solving: what type of character will best convey a particular theme? What plot devices will most effectively propel the story to the next plot point? The effectiveness with which the author has solved problems is evident in the quality of the finished product.  
Research skills The element is not assessed directly. However most scripts involve some form of specialized knowledge that the student must research independently.  
Communication All assessed assignments require a high level of written communication. Lectures include segments on how to communicate effectively in these media, and the overall assessment of a piece includes assessments on how well the concept has been communicated.  
Improving own Learning and Performance Students are expected to drive their own learning and to develop their own unique creative approaches. Part of the assessment for the Script is how well students have improved the work from their first submission.  
Team work Students will have the opportunity to access and give feedback on each other¿s work.  
Information Technology Not assessed, although it is the Department¿s expectation that students present their work in word processed format.  
Application of Number Not assessed or developed.  
Personal Development and Career planning Career planning is not assessed. However, it will be developed through discussion of the expectations the media places on a writer, what types of approaches to the media are construed to be professional, and what type of work is most likely to enhance the student¿s writing prospects.  
Subject Specific Skills None in addition to those noted under 3 above  

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6