Playwriting MFAs

[Starsandsound]

Also thanks about my play! Going to be a one act I think maybe a half hour I'm loving it so far but I need a someone who speaks colloquial Spanish to give it a read over.

[Starsandsound]

I just started a play(!) that will mimic the format of a role-playing video game. Trying to figure out exactly what the plot is and what characters I need besides the protagonist and "anima" character

Rogue too cool. Mine is about a girl who's grandmother has been asleep since she was a baby. She and her family live above an abandoned railroad track and her Tia (aunt) tells her that when the trains wake up her grandmother will too, so she decides to go and find the trains.

[roguesenna]

Rogue too cool. Mine is about a girl who's grandmother has been asleep since she was a baby. She and her family live above an abandoned railroad track and her Tia (aunt) tells her that when the trains wake up her grandmother will too, so she decides to go and find the trains.

 

nice! sounds very magical realism. I think mine is going to have a lot to do with trust and control and controlling someone's behavior through various means. I think there's going to be a lot of audience interaction, I'm just wondering how much I can get away with before the play becomes too unpredictable to produce. It's kind of weird because I think I want an audience member to be the protagonist -- at least for the first act -- and then have the play shift to the story of a different character that will be played by an actual actor. anyway, its still really mixed up and in early stages. when I get some pages I'll let people know.

 

I know some conversational Spanish (which I really need to work on) so I could read your play at least. Though I'm definitely not expert enough to critique your Spanish. I do have a playwright/actor friend who's fluent though. If you need eyes and you can't find any.

[lavendercloud]

NYC Midnight runs various multi-round writing competitions. This one (http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SC/Challenge.htm) has three rounds. You're given a genre, subject, and character assignment; in the first round, you have a week to write a twelve-page screenplay, and the top five from each heat move on to the next round. (There were about twenty-five people in my heat last year.) Then you have three days to write an eight-page screenplay, and if you move on to the final round, it's a five-page screenplay in 24 hours. Last year I got "horror" for rounds one and two and didn't make it past that. It costs $39 and the top prize is $1,500; you also get personalized feedback on each script. (It's not crazy in-depth, but it's helpful, I guess.)

 

Ooh, sounds like you guys are writing some really interesting things! Mine is about a couple who decides to give their friends year-end bonus checks based on how "good" their friends have been that year. It's wacky and may be the first comedy I've done in a while...or ever...lol.

[lavendercloud]

Okay, everyone, UCSD did make a decision. It's a no for me this year, which is definitely a disappointment. The email was really sweet and I got further in the process than I dreamed when I was hammering out my applications. I know I'll be much more prepared next year, and it's good to know that I'm a contender, even if no other program showed interest this year. (Still waiting for my Yale and UTA rejections, but I know what's coming.)

 

Thanks for all your support! It's been a crazy ride and I'm looking forward to getting back on the rollercoaster in the fall. I've already laid out my plan for how I'll be approaching things differently. Anyone else thinking about your plan of attack for next year?

[GlenwoodRed]

Sorry to hear that lavendercloud, we were pulling for you!

I know I'm not planning on doing much differently next year, except for maybe getting some different letters. I'm hoping that my age and greenness and "just getting out of undergrad" were some of the factors, and that a year or two separation will make a difference.

And honestly I'll probably only apply to Yale. They're all basically just as selective and Yale is the one I really want!

[Starsandsound]

Lavender I'm sorry to hear that! Next year for sure!!! Are you out too glenwood?

[wrighter]

Sorry to hear that lavendercloud! It sounds like you are in an awesome position for next year though!!!

[roguesenna]

Okay, everyone, UCSD did make a decision. It's a no for me this year, which is definitely a disappointment. The email was really sweet and I got further in the process than I dreamed when I was hammering out my applications. I know I'll be much more prepared next year, and it's good to know that I'm a contender, even if no other program showed interest this year. (Still waiting for my Yale and UTA rejections, but I know what's coming.)

 

Thanks for all your support! It's been a crazy ride and I'm looking forward to getting back on the rollercoaster in the fall. I've already laid out my plan for how I'll be approaching things differently. Anyone else thinking about your plan of attack for next year?

 

sorry to hear about UCSD, it's nice to know that you were a serious contender in such a competitive program though!

 

I am definitely thinking about my next plan of attack. I have been pretty much since I submitted my apps in late Nov/early Dec. Since I am aiming for a PhD (not an MFA like you guys), my plan will probably differ from yours, but so far this is what I've got going:

 

In this app round my research focus was kind of ambiguous. I have so many things that interest me I had a hard time choosing one thing, so I picked something that I though aligned well with each school and that I would have fun studying. This time I am focusing on something that has always been near and dear to me and that I have a solid history of work on -- circus arts.

 

So branching out from there, here's my plan:

• learn French
• continue my correspondence with a certain POI (who I initiated contact with last night) who has a similar background and research specialization (though I probably won't end up at his school because I doubt my partner could find work in Montreal)
• retake the GREs -- this time get a math tutor and have much more time to study
• possibly apply to join MENSA
• if NYU offers me MA, take it.
• if no MA, then focus on volunteering at local theatre and/or circus groups
• read all of the relevant research I can get my hands on
• try to write a new paper
• try to publish an old paper

so yeah. not sure if this is helpful to you guys, but that's my plan!

[lavendercloud]

Glenwood - interesting. My friend at Yale now got in there and at Brown one year out of undergrad; the previous year he'd only gotten into UC Irvine and our mentor told him he could do better. UCSD said they've never taken anyone straight out of undergrad. It'll definitely be an advantage.

 

What is it about Yale that makes it the only program you're really interested in? It's great but the only thing I think it has that no one else does is universal name recognition.

 

Rogue, having a more focused research area sounds like a great plan. I think that will be helpful for me too, to be able to articulate what kinds of plays I want to write - I think that was a big weakness for me this year. Is the GRE math score important for PhDs? I got a 170 V/156 Q and was very happy with that. I was a little disappointed in the 5.0 AW score, but it's hard to imagine what I could have done to improve it.

 

Edit: And thanks for the condolences, everyone!

Edited March 7, 2014 by lavendercloud

[Starsandsound]

yale rejection received officially. Not giving up hope!

Edited March 8, 2014 by Starsandsound

[Starsandsound]

On getting into a program this round that is

[Starsandsound]

Oh weekends. :/ the waiiiiit

[theotherlily]

Did anyone hear from SIU Carbondale?  Asking for a friend.

[lavendercloud]

Starsandsound, what programs are you waiting on? Sorry to hear about Yale. Did everyone who applied to UCSD get their rejections? I got my official one the other day.

 

I'm thinking about trying out for a show in a couple of weeks. It seems like acting is a good way to get your foot in the door with small, local companies. I haven't acted since my senior year of college, though...

[Starsandsound]

I am waiting on:

Cmu ( official rejection, assuming since I wasn't called for an interview)

Northwestern ( does a rolling call for interviews)

University of Ohio ( need to call to verify they have all my info)

Arizona state (need to send one more transcript)

Smith, top choice at the moment, will hear back in a few weeks.

I also have a theater company and I'm getting us ready for our next few showcases which should involve some large scale puppetry work. Trying to stay busy and productive.

Also workin on a few writing projects. You know... Moving along. What all is everyone else waiting on?

[roguesenna]

 

Rogue, having a more focused research area sounds like a great plan. I think that will be helpful for me too, to be able to articulate what kinds of plays I want to write - I think that was a big weakness for me this year. Is the GRE math score important for PhDs? I got a 170 V/156 Q and was very happy with that. I was a little disappointed in the 5.0 AW score, but it's hard to imagine what I could have done to improve it.

 

 

I don't think the math score is too important. I got a 167V, 148Q, 5.5AW and was pretty happy with that considering I signed up for the test about two weeks before I took it and barely studied. I just feel I could do better on the math if I actually tried and even though there's not a *ton* of room for improvement in the verbal and AW sections, there's a small chance I could improve if I worked at it. I'd like to have a higher cumulative score is all. A 170 though? WOW. I'm impressed.

 

Also workin on a few writing projects. You know... Moving along. What all is everyone else waiting on?

 

NYU. They informed their MAs, but I think my application is taking longer because they evaluated it for PhD first. Hoping I still have a chance at the MA. should find out by Sunday according to email sent out by coordinator.

[Starsandsound]

Oh goodness! Good luck!!!

Edited March 11, 2014 by Starsandsound

[mcw98]

Condolences lavendercloud!  Sounds like you are in excellent standing for next year though...

 

I am waiting to hear from Iowa and Juilliard and feeling VERY TENSE about it.  

[Starsandsound]

Seems like we should all hear back from schools by the end of this month at least... I can't wait til all the waitin is over. I'm a high strung mess- oof. I think Ohio is behind. I emailed and was told they're in the middle of sending out requests for interviews but it's a rolling process, much like northwestern. Seems like everyone's a little behind this year. I didn't get most of my apps in til the last minute so I guess that means waiting a little longer. I also didn't send any full length plays, only a sequence of one acts. Did anyone else apply that way?

I spoke to Arizona state also and was old that since my transcripts didn't get there before they considered scripts etc I would be wait listed- which isn't a bad place to be ( Guillermo Reyes was really kind about it.) not sure if that means I'm officially wait listed or what... It's still too early. Most of the timeline info I've received puts notifications towards the end of the month. How anyone gets through this process with a sound mind I'll never know! Ha. Still haven't received an official rejection from cmu, but maybe It's in the mail? Any news at all out there?

Edited March 12, 2014 by Starsandsound

[GlenwoodRed]

I'm sort of just tired of not being able to write my work, get it up extremely easily, get it published, write screenplays, write novels in my free time, live in the Northeast Kingdom with an apartment in the city, drink top-shelf scotch, play scrabble with Chris Durang, play golf with David Mamet, play hardball with Scott Rudin, and play footsie with Arthur Miller's cryogenically preserved techno-exo-skeleton.

[Starsandsound]

Glenwood I want to be your friend in real life. Why you live so far?

[wrighter]

Glenwood you made my night. 

[mcw98]

GlenwoodRed, thank you...

[lavendercloud]

Glenwood - you made me think of the time that my former boss told me "Hey, if you need something to do next year I can call up David Lindsay-Abaire and see if he needs a personal assistant." You described exactly what I thought that would be like if it actually happened.