By Bill Hirschman
Playwrights Tina Howe, Lauren Gunderson, Robert Caisley and Steve Yockey are the headliners among an experienced group of speakers this weekend in Miami at the annual CityWrights conference for professional and aspiring playwrights as well plus entertainment lawyers and arts educators.
The conference organized by City Theatre, the creator of Summer Shorts, begins Wednesday night and lasts through Saturday night. It includes hands-on work sessions, readings of plays-in-progress by guest authors, keynote speeches and many opportunities for one-on-one networking and advice from playwrights, directors, producers, literary agents and attorneys. Groups represented include the National New Play Network, the Dramatists Guild, Washington Square Arts & Films, Samuel French Publishing, Susan Schulman Literary Agency and the acting ensemble from the Summer Shorts Festival.
Most seminars are scheduled at the EPIC Hotel, 270 Biscayne Boulevard Way in Miami.
The weekend kicks off early with a launch party at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Sabadell United Bank where the finalists and winners of the City Theatre National Award for Short Playwriting will be presented.
Thursday includes an all-day track, “Kill all the Lawyers? When Theater and the Law Collide” which carries Florida Bar-approved CLE credit , but will also explore how the law, business and art intersect.
Friday features a one-day intensive workshop taught by Young Playwrights Inc., on how to empower teachers to develop their skills teaching theater, English and language arts.
Saturday features workshops on everything from self-producing to using new technology. This includes master playwrights teaching three-hour seminars on the craft for writers of all experience levels.
CityWrights is part of the City Theatre’s summer festival. For registration fees and sign-up, visit www.citytheatre.com or call (305) 755-9401.
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