February 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, April 6, 13, 20, 27

Mondays from 6:00pm – 9:00pm ET

IN-PERSON at ART/NY Studios Midtown, located at 520 8th Avenue

NEW STUDENT RATE: $580

RETURNING STUDENT RATE: $560

STUDIO FEE: $40

Due to the increasing cost of studio space, our in-person classes will now include a $40 studio space fee to help us offset these costs.

Whether you're writing your first play or your hundredth, it's not always easy to set the creative wheels in motion. This 10-week class will guide you through the development of your first draft. Open to new and returning students, this class will be run just like a real-life writing room, interacting with your instructor and classmates live either in person or via Zoom. 

More about class with Gina: Gina believes that the classroom is a place to get to know yourself, your process, and your creative language as a writer. Class sessions will include a combination of writing exercises and sharing sessions, where you read each other’s pages out loud and respond to that work. Writers will bring in sections of their play (12-18 pages) every third week as a way to delve into larger sections of storytelling. Gina will encourage you to think outside of chronological order when writing, embracing the energy of what is most exciting to you instead of creating a set course for yourself. As a way to set up strong habits as a writer outside the classroom, Gina will give writing assignments every week to help develop a creative routine between sessions. This class is an opportunity for writers to continue expanding both your creative practice and practical practice in the exploration of your work.

Learn more about Gina here.

Read more about First Draft here.

This class will be fully digital for sharing and reading pages. All pages will be shared via a class Google Drive folder, and we will use devices in class to read each other’s pages. Please come to class with a device (laptop, tablet, etc) and a charger/power cord for your device. If you are unable to bring your own device, please contact ESPA Administration.

February 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Mondays from 7:30pm – 10:30pm ET

via Zoom

NEW STUDENT RATE: $420

RETURNING STUDENT RATE: $380

The application process and personalized artistic statement are deeply dreaded, but required, aspects of most playwright development opportunities. This 6-week class will help you conquer the overwhelming task of writing about yourself and your work.

This class might be for you if:

• You are applying or planning to apply to play development labs, summer conferences, MFA programs, grants, or fellowships that require an artistic statement.
• Your current artistic statement isn’t highlighting your unique voice and vital perspective.
• You feel overwhelmed and defeated when applying for playwriting programs…or avoid applying for them altogether. 

In this class you will:

• Complete a mock application essay prior to the start of the workshop as a jumping-off point.
• Through a series of in-class and at-home exercises and discussions, develop ways to make your applications both personal and professional – and more competitive.
• Utilize the time between class sessions to rework your artistic statement so you can make strong revisions.
• Led by Stefanie, engage in discussions articulating how your work is both relevant and unique.
• Use all that you’ve learned over the semester to bring in and present a full application that you would like to submit in the future.

By the end of this class you will have:

• A solid working draft of a compelling artistic statement.
• A completed application of your choosing that puts into practice the skills you have learned.
• The know-how to mold and reshape your artistic statement and application to best fit any opportunity.

Learn more about Stefanie here.