CLASS DESCRIPTION

What happens when playwrights consider the audience a core part of crafting their stories? What new opportunities and challenges arise when opening your imagination in this way? Drew Paryzer is excited to address these questions with students through exercises to explore different techniques when designing a play wrapped around an audience and altered based on their participation. 

This class is for you if you:

• Are interested in creating an immersive experience for audiences.
• Want to experiment with interactive technology and/or techniques in your plays.
• Need to find a new way to shape your stories and expand your imagination.
• Are interested in learning more about Drew Paryzer’s work and approach to writing.
   

What to expect:

• Presenting a final project to the class.
• Required readings and videos to discuss in class and on Google Classroom.
• Creating, sharing, and discussing your work and the work of your peers.
• Connecting and engaging with students and the instructor online via Zoom and Google Classroom.
   

Important Things to Note:

• When you sign up, you will receive an auto-confirmation email. About a week before the first session you will receive a detailed confirmation email with important information about the seminar including (1) Membership Programs Participation Form (2) The Zoom link (3) Pre-assignments from the instructor and (4) Information about the PWC Membership and Education Team.
• If you have not received this email within a week of the first session, please check your spam folder or reach out to Alayna and she will make sure you have the information you need for the seminar or class.
• All participants must complete and submit a Membership Programs Participation Form for each seminar or class they want to attend. A link to this form is included in the detailed confirmation email.
• This class will be using Google Classroom. Therefore, you must have or create a Gmail account to fully participate in the class.
• Payment plans are available as needed. Please contact the Membership Programs Manager, Alayna Jacqueline Barnes, to discuss payment options.

Class Modality: Hybrid Asynchronous - Alternates between online meetings and online lessons/assignments on your own via Google Classroom.

Class Type: Playwriting genre                 

Class Level: All levels are welcomed

Class Dates: Every other Thursday, March 28 through May 16

• 5 total "in-person" sessions: March 28th, April 11th, April 25th, May 9th, May 16th
• 3 total Google Classroom lessons: April 4th, April 18th, May 2nd

Class Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm CT 

(4:30pm PT, 5:30pm MT, 7:30pm ET)

Where: Online via Zoom, check out this quick video on the process.

Structure: Lecture/presentation, Discussion, Exercises, Breakout groups, Q&A, Student presentations

Questions: Email Alayna, Membership Programs Manager at alaynab@pwcenter.org

Captioning: For all sessions, we enable Zoom's auto-generated captioning. However, live captioning can be requested (with 2-weeks' notice) via the Membership Programs Participation Form shared in the detailed confirmation email.

Recordings: If you cannot attend a portion of the seminar, we have a Teaching Assistant and/or PWC facilitator taking in-depth notes. These written notes will be shared with all participants at the end of each session. (We record all of our sessions for internal use only. We do not share recordings with participants.)

Participants must register to join this class, Sign Up at the bottom of the page.

NOTE FROM DREW

A shared presence between audience and performer is integral to making theater what it is. Immersive/interactive further draws on this relationship by giving audiences greater freedom or agency within that relationship. Immersive/interactive as an entertainment field is drawing a ton of interest right now, and one I believe playwrights can speak to this form in a unique way. I also believe that whatever the American theater transforms into over the next few decades, immersive/interactive work should (will?) be a big part of it. Let’s get a head start!

INSTRUCTOR BIO

Drew Paryzer is a playwright and author of interactive experiences. His plays have been developed or presented at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Roundabout Theatre, and the Playwrights' Center. His immersive/interactive writing experience includes work as a Narrative Lead on Meow Wolf's Omega Mart and Convergence Station exhibits, an Immersive Storytelling Residency at UNC School of the Arts, and hybrid theatrical experiences at Chicago's Pivot Arts and Austin's Museum of Human Achievement. Drew has taught writing at Emory University and UT Austin, where he received an MFA in Playwriting. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, the playwright Megan Tabaque, and his mischievous cat Rylance. www.drewparyzer.com