James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
Playwright Spotlight features a new playwright every episode to discuss the tools of the trade and solutions to the obstacles we face as writers in hopes of making us all better and more successful playwrights.
James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight
Capturing the Audience, Archetypes & Character Flaws, and Being Done When You're Dead - Playwright's Spotlight with Laura Annawyn Shamas
Happy New Year! It's amazing how things come full circle. After having Steven Dietz' wife, Allison Gregory, on last episode, we were privileged enough to have Laura Annawyn Shamas on Playwright's Spotlight, who happened to work them both in Minneapolis at The Playwright's Center.
In this episode, Laura and I discuss a playwright's involvement in a piece, tech and costume "covers" (a term I just learned), "fourth" grade playwriting, inspirations, what makes a great director, and structure and staging. We also delve into approaching character and the symbology of names, virtual theatre vs live performance, surprising and caring about the audience, archetypes and character flaws, playing with structure, and developing and trusting a community of playwrights.
As always, it's an insightful episode that Laura shares her history and experience in the craft of playwriting. It's a wonderful conversation to motivate and inspire playwrights of every level to get to work. I hope you enjoy this episode of Playwright's Spotlight and, as always... keep writing.
Laura Annawyn Shamas (Playwright) is a 2023 winner of the Los Angeles New Play Project Award. Shamas has written over 40 plays, including Circular (published in 2024 by Next Stage Press), Portrait of a Nude, Lady-Like, Chasing Honey, The Other Shakespeare, Talking Leaves (winner, Garrard Best Play Award at Five Civilized Tribes Museum), and Amelia Lives (winner, Fringe First Award at Edinburgh Festival Fringe). Her short play, Seeds, won the Von Marie Atchley Award for Excellence in Playwriting from Native Voices. She worked as a dramaturge for Native Voices at the Autry for their Short Play Festivals from 2021-2023 and Festival of New Plays (2024). She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Theatre, the University of Colorado at Boulder with an M.A. in English/Creative Writing, and Pacifica Graduate Institute with an M.A. and Ph.D. in Mythological Studies. She is also on the American Theatre “List of Native Theatres and Theatremakers.” Her newest play Four Women in Red opens January 17th through February 23rd at the Victory Theatre Center in Burbank, CA.
To watch the video format of this episode, visit -
https://youtu.be/Uiu91mKKG74
Links to resources mentioned in this episode -
La MaMa New York -
https://www.lamama.org
Transformation Theatre -
https://www.transformationtheatre.org
Repro Eco Project -
https://reprofreedomarts.org/performances/works-in-progress/
Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html
James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html