Screenwriting : "Why You Should be Reading Plays" by Maurice Vaughan

When I was first getting into screenwriting in high school, I found plays a beautiful way of understanding how action and plot can be conveyed in a single location. I've wanted to write a play for years, but have never settled on the right story.

Cool, James Welday. You just motivated me to read stage plays. Well, you and the article did. :) I wanted to write a stage play once, but I never got around to it. I wrote one or two radio plays though. The formatting is a lot different than screenplays.

Hi Maurice, theater plays are fun

Have you read theater plays or written them, Billy Kwack? Or both?

Stage plays are a great way of learning how to tell a story in a limited location. When people ask “how do you write a limited location film” the answer should be “read plays”.

This is a great bit of advice.

Maurice Vaughan happy to help! lol I'd love to adapt a stageplay for the screen, and even have a play in mind, but of course, there is the rights issue.

Hi Maurice, after Film school, I volunteered at one for 3 years as a set builder and stage hand. A lot of fun

Definitely good for limited location and minimal casting. Also good to read for getting better at dialogue as long as you understand the medium is different and apply it accordingly. Tons of plays at your local library.

Have you made a video about limited location scripts, Craig D Griffiths?

Is the play based on a popular book or movie, James Welday?

Wow, that's cool, Billy Kwack! What did you do as a stage hand?

Great advice, Jeff Caldwell. I wouldn't have thought to check the library for stage plays. Thanks.

Maurice Vaughan no it's a pre-existing play that I'd love to adapt for the screen, "The 1940s Radio Hour" a musical by Walton Jones.

Hi Maurice, I was stage hand left, it's not easy with 250 people watching

Cant hurt. Only helps. I started reading Sam Shepard plays.

Oh, so stage hands are on the stage during the play, Billy Kwack?

You're right, Dan MaxXx. Can't hurt. Only helps. I don't know Sam Shepard made plays.

No problem, Maurice. Also you can watch movies based on them. August: Osage County, Glengarry Glen Ross, God of Carnage. I’m looking forward to The whale. Getting pretty good buzz.

Jeff Caldwell. Out of all those movies, I've heard of... none of them. Haha Thanks for the recommendations.

Hi Maurice, we are hidden, when the lights go out or curtains close, us stage hands boogie. Changing the set

This is really good advice plays being live rely heavily on character development which take the entire production forward. If you have a strong concept, structure and pace strong chracter development takes it over the top.

Reading always helps!

Was my job once as an stage actor...but we did Mazuranic, Ionesco, Beckett, Ribes...pretty far from industry standard screenwriting...

Oh ok, Billy Kwack. You can tell I don't know much about theater and plays. Haha I remember going to plays in elementary school though (field trips).

Drew Warren Delaine Your comment is basically how I approach writing micro-budget and low-budget contained scripts. There's not a lot of money (or space) for action -- or effects -- so I rely heavily on character development, strong concepts, structure, pace, and dialogue.

You're right, Geoff. Reading always helps.

"we did Mazuranic, Ionesco, Beckett, Ribes...pretty far from industry standard screenwriting." Do you the structure and quality of stage plays, Kiril?

Hi Maurice, same here, I use to go to them on school trips

One of my favorite plays in elementary school was "The Nutcracker," Billy Kwack.

Hi Maurice, I can't remember the ones I've seen, but the Nutcracker is popular

"Sleepy Hollow" was also one of my favorite plays in elementary school, Billy Kwack.

Hi Maurice, I know the movie but not the play

Hi Maurice, so reading plays are cool, there different. A lot of singing and dancing

Cool, Billy Kwack. I plan to download some stage plays soon. Which plays did you read?

I read a lot of plays as a kid/teen.

Do you think reading stage plays influenced your scripts, Christiane?

Hi Maurice, I have to read the play to know when my cues are, Cinderella, Annie and the Music man. Cinderella was the most popular

Maurice Vaughan Yes, definitely, and reading in general. I read a LOT, and often tried to imagine how to turn the stories I read into films.

I haven't heard of "The Music Man," Billy Kwack.

That's great, Christiane. I'm trying to read more scripts (besides the script consultant jobs). And, of course, stage plays.

I just found this website that has free stage plays: https://www.simplyscripts.com/plays.html

Hi Maurice, me too, before the play started I watched the movie

Thank you, Maurice, for sharing this excellent article from Thomas Blakeley. I agree that there is a great deal to be learned from Stageplays. The focus on good Dialogue is particularly important. The best play that I have ever read was 'The Diary of Anne Frank' (Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett). Located entirely in the attic, it is a brilliant example of 'Contained Location' and the emotions in the dialogue literally do bring an audience to tears.

Did you like "The Music Man" movie or play better, Billy Kwack?

You're welcome, Wayne Jarman. Thanks for the reference. I didn't know "The Diary of Anne Frank" was a play. I did see the movie, and I think we might've read the book in school.

A good thing to do is to make a note of the differences between stage and screen. The way audiences experience both mediums allows for some great opportunities in conveying a character’s thought process.

Thanks for the tip, Ewan!

Hi Maurice, definitely the play

Cool, Billy Kwack. I added "The Music Man" movie to my watchlist. I'll try to watch the play too.

Awesome Maurice, hope you like them

All of it Maurice Vaughan from concept, theme, structure, execution...Beckett had only one screenplay written in his career for his only film "Film"...yeah...he was that odd...

Thanks, Kiril Do you read stage plays regularly?

Unfortunately not anymore...

Might be something to start again, Kiril. I plan to read stage plays regularly (along with scripts).

@Maurice Thanks for InkTip share. Gave me idea to add a couple of scenes in a project “on line virtually” for added dimension. Re reading plays, studied them at Drama School & I averaged one a week but now never. Strangely, since taking up filming years later, if I watch a play everything feels SLO MO whereas before it felt in real time. Totally agree plays can have brilliant dialogue & cheap location but fluidity of movement on stage can be limited and occasionally wooden. On film I’m not consciously always worrying “exactly” where I put my feet. Obviously film actors moves are Scene Blocked & Rehearsed but on stage any slight deviation from the set plan has always seemed to me a more obvious error.