Spring Break
Faculty member and husband's short plays find publication
Austin Buckner
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: University News
The process of writing, editing and finalizing a play script can be difficult and time consuming work. For a Northwest assistant professor, her hard work paid off.
Playscripts, Inc. has accepted two play scripts written by Northwest theatre assistant professor, Amanda Petefish-Schrag, and her husband, Ben Schrag, for publication.
"It's just really exciting," Ben said. "We've been writing these green shows for quite some time. It's a unique experience."
Green shows are usually 15 to 20 minute performances that get the audience ready for the main show, Ben said.
"Our goal was to get the audience up to speed with the language and educate them about Shakespearean works," Ben said.
"Shakespeare on the Green: Fun, Frantic and Slightly Fractured Introductions to Shakespeare Plays" is an anthology of five one-act green shows written by the couple for Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival, a professional company out of Iowa City, Iowa.
"The Imaginary Invalid: A Dramatical Primer" is based on the life of the neo-classic French playwright, Molière.
"This is another one-act play but stands on its own as opposed to being grouped with other plays like 'Shakespeare on the Green," Amanda said.
The road to publication is a long one. Amanda and Ben have been working on these plays for quite some time.
"My husband and I have been writing two green shows a year since 2003," Amanda said. "The collection of one-act plays in 'Shakespeare on the Green' had been performed before.
We edit and revise based on what we saw during the performances. Once they were performed a few times, we sent them to the publisher to see if anyone was interested and if the plays were marketable. We're thrilled that the publisher liked them."
According to its Web site, Playscripts, Inc. is an independent publisher of new plays, established in 1998 for the benefit of new authors.
"Playscripts, Inc. was perfect for us," Ben said. "Some publishers recommend plays to premiere in New York City. That's a ridiculous standard for new authors. Playscripts, Inc. helps new authors. It was really our best option."
Both "Shakespeare on the Green: Fun, Frantic, and Slightly Fractured Introductions to Shakespeare Plays and "The Imaginary Invalid: A Dramatical Primer" are tentatively scheduled for release by Playscripts, Inc. in 2009.
Playscripts, Inc. has accepted two play scripts written by Northwest theatre assistant professor, Amanda Petefish-Schrag, and her husband, Ben Schrag, for publication.
"It's just really exciting," Ben said. "We've been writing these green shows for quite some time. It's a unique experience."
Green shows are usually 15 to 20 minute performances that get the audience ready for the main show, Ben said.
"Our goal was to get the audience up to speed with the language and educate them about Shakespearean works," Ben said.
"Shakespeare on the Green: Fun, Frantic and Slightly Fractured Introductions to Shakespeare Plays" is an anthology of five one-act green shows written by the couple for Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival, a professional company out of Iowa City, Iowa.
"The Imaginary Invalid: A Dramatical Primer" is based on the life of the neo-classic French playwright, Molière.
"This is another one-act play but stands on its own as opposed to being grouped with other plays like 'Shakespeare on the Green," Amanda said.
The road to publication is a long one. Amanda and Ben have been working on these plays for quite some time.
"My husband and I have been writing two green shows a year since 2003," Amanda said. "The collection of one-act plays in 'Shakespeare on the Green' had been performed before.
We edit and revise based on what we saw during the performances. Once they were performed a few times, we sent them to the publisher to see if anyone was interested and if the plays were marketable. We're thrilled that the publisher liked them."
According to its Web site, Playscripts, Inc. is an independent publisher of new plays, established in 1998 for the benefit of new authors.
"Playscripts, Inc. was perfect for us," Ben said. "Some publishers recommend plays to premiere in New York City. That's a ridiculous standard for new authors. Playscripts, Inc. helps new authors. It was really our best option."
Both "Shakespeare on the Green: Fun, Frantic, and Slightly Fractured Introductions to Shakespeare Plays and "The Imaginary Invalid: A Dramatical Primer" are tentatively scheduled for release by Playscripts, Inc. in 2009.
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