Writing for Freedom!

Workshop Description

Making art that critiques the moment is often isolating, perilous, and thankless work. But know that it is necessary. We writers hold a mirror up to culture; we show it who it was, who it is now, and who it can become. We dream of better worlds where liberation, equity, and inclusion are not only possible but real, normal, and commonplace. And while we make that work, we need spaces where we can feel safe and seen, build accountable writing practices, and commune with people who will affirm and challenge our work. "Writing for Freedom" is a six-week online artistic orchard led by Roger Q. Mason that nurtures the needs of playwrights and storytellers who demand social change and meaningful cultural transformation through their work. Our workshop will fortify writers with the richness of the past to digest what’s happening in our present and dream the culture forward. We will turn our artistic visions into cultural movements through art: -We will identify the history of political theater, the role of the playwright as an activist, and the key elements of dramatic structure; -Learn how to use language, symbolism, and character development to effectively communicate your message and inspire change; -And discover how to research and integrate real-world issues into compelling, character-driven narratives. OVER FIVE WEEKS, WE WILL: -Discuss a different playwright from the past and present who has used their artistic practice to inspire social action. We will talk through those writers’ artistic strategies and deduce how their examples can reinforce workshop participants’ current projects. -During each session, two workshop participants will share current drafts-in-progress or treatments/outlines of drafts for upcoming work. Using a rigorous feedback model that centers theatrical imagination and audience impact, we will guide the writers on clear paths for revision or development, based upon their creative needs. FINAL SIXTH WEEK – PERSONALIZED MENTORSHIP: Each participant will be scheduled for a 30-minute one-on-one brainstorming consultation with Roger to deeply explore your specific goals and obstacles. In our individual sessions, we will identify strategies for working with directors, actors, and designers who share a vision for social change. Finally, both in workshop and in session, we will create development, project sharing and licensing plans that foster your work’s life on stage and in the community long after the workshop ends.