Playwriting Workshop for Middle School

In this workshop, you’ll dive into the art and craft of playwriting. We’ll cover playwriting basics, including character, conflict, structure, setting, dialogue and formatting. Because theater is live, we’ll set aside time for interactive improvisation games and other brainstorming activities to spark your creativity. We’ll read aloud a contemporary play, and we’ll read and simply stage short plays, scenes, monologues, and our works in progress. You’ll get hands-on learning as we create simple props and set designs to bring specificity to our scripts. In the end, you’ll join your classmates to showcase what you’ve learned together in a collage performance of our work for family and friends.

What You’ll Learn

• The basic structure of a play and how playwrights can follow it — or not! 
• How to create a setting, develop character and dialogue, and show (not tell) conflict and a character’s backstory 
• How to listen and respond respectfully to your fellow playwrights’ writing 
• Strategies for sparking your creativity — brainstorming, improv games, listening, journaling, world building, writing prompts, and more

Who Should Register 

This course is for incoming sixth to eighth graders. It's not for those who need remedial writing help, and all students should have a high level of English language proficiency.

More Information

This in-person course is taught on the UW Seattle campus. We recommend bringing a laptop to class if you have one. 

There’s a nonrefundable $50 registration fee each quarter you register. See the FAQs page for details about registration, refunds, waitlists and more

Details

Jul 27–Aug 7, 2026 3A	Day Mon–Fri	Time 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
	Location UW Seattle	Cost $780
	Instructor Dora Lanier	Register

Jul 27–Aug 7, 2026 3B	Day Mon–Fri	Time 1 p.m.–4 p.m.
	Location UW Seattle	Cost $780
	Instructor Dora Lanier	Register