Playwrighting course offered at Centenary Stage this winter

HACKETTSTOWN — The Centenary Stage Company will offer a special Playwrighting Class this winter, which will be open to the public. The class will be taught by Playwrights Theatre of NJ Executive Director, John Pietrowski, and will be held on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m., from Jan. 20 through May 5. The cost of the class will be $250.

Intended for both beginning and experienced writers, this class will explore, through hands-on exercises, the elements essential to creating a vital play for the stage. Experienced writers with plays-in-progress will have ample opportunity to workshop their pieces; beginning writers will work towards the creation of a 10 to 20 page play. Instructional emphasis will be placed on the creation of interesting characters and events, and how they are rendered efficiently and effectively through both the textual and non-textual language of the theatre.

Playwrights will have the opportunity, if interested, to showcase their work during the annual CSC Playwrights Series festival in April. The festival is now in its 23rd year, bringing playwrights from all over the country to Hackettstown each spring to workshop and present their new work with a professional director and cast.

Interested writers should contact Catherine Rust (program director, Playwright Series) at 908-979-0900 ext 5, to register. A special early registration discount of $25 will be offered for all registrations received by Dec. 30.

Centenary Stage Company (www.centenarystageco.org) is the professional, AEA (Actors Equity Association) theatre in residence on the campus of Centenary College. CSC is a member of TCG (the national Theatre Communications Group), and NNPN, the National New Play Network.