Veterans Playwriting Workshop
The Playhouse’s Veterans Playwriting Workshop (VPW) is an 8-week writing program that gives veterans the opportunity to develop their playwriting skills. Led by Navy veteran, poet and playwright Gill Sotu, the workshop explores various genres and methods of playwriting and storytelling techniques. VPW is open to veterans, those on active duty or in the reserves, military spouses and national interpreters.
LEVEL 1
In Level One of the Veterans Playwriting Workshop, we explore the basic building blocks of storytelling as well as how to write specifically for the stage. Participants will also learn the essentials of creating interesting characters, an engaging plot, and how to test a script. In the class, participants will also get feedback from the instructor as well as their peers. Level one culminates in a PRIVATE reading of their script from local professional actors.
Upcoming Dates: Wednesdays, January 21-March 11, 2026. 6:00-8:00 pm
LEVEL 2
In Level Two of the Veterans Playwriting Workshop, participants will work on a new script. We learn more advanced concepts in idea generation, storytelling, and character building. We will also discover best practices in world-building, fine-tuning dialogue, and editing your work. In the class, participants will get feedback from the instructor as well as their peers. Level two culminates in a private rehearsal followed by a PUBLIC reading of their script from local professional actors.
Upcoming Dates: May 6-June 24, 2026. 6:00-8:00 pm
LEVEL 3
In Level Three of the Veteran’s Playwriting Workshop, two-three participants from Level 2 will be chosen to develop their own one-act play. They will work for eight weeks with a teaching artist mentor to develop the play, be assigned a director and cast, attend a week of rehearsals, and have their work advertised and showcased in a public staged reading.
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Success Story
Shairi Engle was one of the participants in the inaugural VPW, where she started developing her play Tampons, Dead Dogs and Other Disposable Things. Her play ended up winning the 2019 Arts in the Armed Forces’ (AITAF) prestigious Bridge Award, which recognizes “an emerging playwright of exceptional talent within the United States military.” The work was praised in an announcement made in May by AITAF Founder and award-winning actor Adam Driver and was chosen by final selecting judge and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner, who called the piece a “tough, disturbing, enraging, consistently surprising, smart, very funny and ultimately moving and revelatory play.” Congrats, Shairi!
