February 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7, 14, 21, 28

Mondays from 6:00pm – 9:00pm ET

In-Person at ART/NY South Oxford Space, located at 138 S. Oxford St. in BROOKLYN

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.

More about class with Michael: This class is run in the spirit of a dramaturg running a workshop for playwrights. The class relies on students generating pages outside of class and attending each class. You will read each other's pages out loud and follow that with structured feedback led by Michael. Peer-to-peer conversation is central, along with hearing from Michael each week about your writing. Playwrights will be encouraged to write as many pages each week as they feel inspired to, and you'll commit to actively reading and discussing around 12 minutes of writing per student per week (typically 10-15 pages). The feedback Michael leads aims to illuminate what the pages have already accomplished, and not predict what you should do next. Weekly participation will keep you on the path toward a complete first draft. Michael will help you articulate the style and structure that your particular play wants to be told in by meeting you on your own turf and reflecting back to you what he sees in your writing—where it may want to push ahead, where it may be losing steam or clarity, and where certain playwriting tools (such as character, reversals, language, song, and physical action) may push a scene to the next level.

Learn more about Michael here.

Learn 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

March 3, 10, 17, 31, April 7

Mondays from 6:30pm – 9:30pm ET

via Zoom

NEW STUDENT RATE: $320

RETURNING STUDENT RATE: $280

This 5-week class is for theater artists of any discipline to learn about theater as a business in order to produce your own work and better understand the priorities for your work no matter your role within a production.

This class might be for you if you are:

• A theater artist of any discipline (actor, writer, director, designer, and more) looking to create and produce your own work.
• An emerging producer looking to better understand the nuts and bolts of the business.
• An artist looking to better understand the business in order to better your own work within any production and better understand the types of theaters in which you can work.

In this class you will:

• Demystify the way theater actually takes place as a business.
• Discuss the differences between commercial and not-for-profit theater.
• Have a startlingly realistic introduction to fundraising for both donations and investments.
• Learn about and put into practice budgets, contracts, and option agreements.
• Survey the distinctions between productions and production budgets from Showcase Code to Broadway.

By the end of this workshop you will:

• Understand the ins and outs of theater as a business--from indie theater to Broadway.
• Possess the tools to embark on any producing project in an informed and prepared way.
• Better understand how you as an artist are pitching yourself to different types of theaters by understanding their business models.

Learn more about John here.

March 17, 24, April 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, June 2

Mondays from 6:30pm – 9:30pm ET

via Zoom

NEW STUDENT RATE: $560

RETURNING STUDENT RATE: $540

For the playwright, dialogue is one of the key ways to fully express character, relationships, and the world of the play. Through a series of dialogue exercises led by playwright Matthew Paul Olmos, you’ll hone your skills of dialogue writing in order to engage your audiences in a more meaningful way.

This class might be for you if you:

• Are a playwright of any level looking to deepen your work and enhance your dialogue skills.
• Want to stay committed to your writing without the pressure of having to write or work toward a draft of a play.
• Want concrete deadlines and constructive feedback specific to your dialogue skills.

In this class you will:

• Complete exercises and assignments to explore the tools of dialogue, specifically addressing characterization, exposition, over-writing, rhythm, and subtext.
• Study dialogue in other plays as sources of inspiration.
• Engage in discussion with fellow writers, making connections with your artistic peers.

By the end of this class you will have:

• The tools to create engaging, fully-formed dialogue that will compel audiences to lean into your work, as opposed to passively listening.
• A strong understanding of dialogue and be ready to apply it to your next play or draft.

Learn more about Matthew here.