Barrinton Stage Company Program for Veterans
Playwriting Workshop With Mark St, Germain
By: BSC - Oct 28, 2021
Barrington Stage Company will offer a Playwriting Workshop for Veterans under the direction of Barrington Stage Associate Artist and Award-Winning Playwright Mark St. Germain.
Classes will be held December 4-5 and 11-12 from 11:00am - 3:00pm at Barrington Stage Company’s Administrative Offices, 122 North Street, Pittsfield.
Workshop registration for Veterans interested is open through November 8. The program is free and open to 12 veterans. No writing experience necessary. https://forms.gle/sQ9RG2sc82bBJwsq9.
Mark St. Germain is resident playwright and founding Board Member of the Barrington Stage Company. At BSC, he has written the plays Eleanor, Freud’s Last Session, The Best of Enemies, Dancing Lessons, among others and co-conceived and created the story for A Crossing. He’s written for television and film and taught at many schools and play conferences.
In this 4-class seminar, students will explore the fundamental craft of playwriting with the goal of every student completing a ten-minute play. The culmination on the fourth and final day of class will be a rehearsal and performance by professional actors. To understand the mechanics of drama, participants will learn to create three dimensional characters and play structure. Classes will include lecture, group discussion and writing exercises.
Casey DiCicco of Soldier On, based in Pittsfield, MA, will serve as a liaison within her agency to recruit local veterans. BSC has commenced further outreach with the City’s Office of Veteran Services.
“Writing is therapeutic, putting you in touch with emotions that, sometimes surprisingly, emerge while trying to express yourself on paper. Telling stories can be cathartic for both storytellers and their listeners,” said Mark St. Germain. “By its nature, theater offers a sense of community; it succeeds only with collaboration of all involved. Creativity is nurtured from this partnership. Playwriting will encourage veterans to raise their voices, too often silent or ignored. For Barrington Stage, it’s another important outreach into our community.”