Introducing our 2015 Young Playwrights
Kayleigh, Hannah, Gillian
Introducing our 2015 Young Playwrights, Kayleigh, Hannah, and Gillian.
Let's get to know the girls a little bit better...
Gillian Nyland, 8th grade
Q: What made you want to do this program?
A: I was asked by Courtney.
Q: What’s your favorite genre to write for?
A: Drama - sad stuff.
Q: How did you get the idea for the play you're currently working on?
A: Well, I was going to do a car crash; a boy and a girl in high-school who are dating get in a car crash and the girl gets paralyzed. So it would be about how they work through the complications of that. What I’m doing now is on a totally different of end of spectrum -- three girls end up in the future, but only one girl is conscious of the change. A comedy.
Q: What’s your process like?
A: I have to be drinking something. Tea, coffee, soda, water, lemonade, juice…
Q:Are you interested in pursuing writing?
A: I’m not sure.
Q: What is your favorite play?
A: Twelfth Night
Hannah Kelly, 12th grade, School of the Arts
Q: How has this been different from when you did the program last year?
A: It’s definitely been different because Jason has been teaching from the beginning. Last time we did improv to learn about scenes. Jason teaches it in a more character-based way.
Q: What is your favorite genre to write for?
A: I want a mix - drama with some funny stuff in there.
Q: How did you get the idea for the play you are working on now?
A: I wrote a short story for school last year and it had some really good dialogue so I decided to see if I could turn it into a play. It’s about two guys in the ‘60s sitting in an office waiting to be drafted for the Vietnam War.
Q: What’s your personal process for writing?
A: My process is entirely deadline based.
Q: Are you interested in continuing to pursue writing?
A: Yes.
Q: What is your favorite play?
A: The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Kayleigh, 16 years old, homeschooled
Q: Have you written any plays before?
A: I write short stories and I’m currently working on a book.
Q: What made you want to do this program?
A: I heard that they were doing something with writing and theatre. And I heard about the six word thing and I was like “challenge!” I just sat in Burger King and literally wrote whatever came into my brain…most of it was horror story stuff.
Q:What is your personal process for writing?
A: I work best late at night when I’m hyped up on sugar. I get to this certain point where I feel like I have a cold and when I hit that point and can’t do anything else and I just have to go to bed. I’m usually up to 3 or 4 am.
Q: What’s your favorite genre to write for?
A: Steampunk
Q: How did you get the idea for the play you're currently working on?
A: Mine came from a short story I was writing around Halloween time. I was not very proud of my artwork at the time. I wanted it to be a horror story and it turned out to be this story of how a postman delivers a letter to a girl who is a ghost.
Q: Have there been any ideas or points in particular that any guest lecturers or Jason have said that have really resonated with you?
A: When Tom and Judy gave us the whole list of tips about playwriting and then told us to break all of those rules.
Q: Just for fun, what's one of your favorite plays you've read?
A: I’ve seen Peter Pan and A Few Good Men. I like reading anything Shakespeare.
