Narrative Pacing, Pushing Discomfort, and Being a Jazz Playwright - Playwright's Spotlight with Roger Q. Mason

James Elden's Playwright's Spotlight

Another insightful episode in the bag. This week playwright Roger Q Mason stops by and unpacks the queer perspective of playwriting discussing how performance compliments writing (and vice versa), embracing and pushing discomfort as well as thematic layering and poetic expressionism. We also delve into the definition of being a "jazz playwright", writing from the root, transferring curiosity to the page, the process of getting your work out, writing interior life, and how to find a mentor. This, of course, is just a smattering of what you'll find within this interview, so listen to its entirety, and I promise you'll take away something new in the craft of playwriting. Enjoy!
Roger Q. Mason is a playwright and screenwriter whose work investigates the intersection of history, memory, and identity. They holds an MFA in Writing from Northwestern University, MA in English from Middlebury College, and BA in English and Theatre from Princeton University and their plays have been seen on Broadway at Circle in the Square (Circle Reading Series); Off/Off-Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop, New Group, American Theatre of Actors, Flea Theatre, and Access Theater. Their work has also been named finalist of the Geffen Playhouse Writers Room, BRIC Lab Residency, Lark Playwrights Week, and Screencraft Play Award, and their play The White Dress was semi-finalist for the 2018 Bay Area Playwrights Festival and the inaugural Shonda Rhimes Emerging Playwright Award.
To view the video format of this episode, visit the link below -
https://youtu.be/nc17OB7akhg
Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -
Circle in the Square Theatre School -
https://circlesquare.org
24 Hour Plays -
https://24hourplays.org
Contact information for Roger Q. Mason -
IG - @rogerq.mason
Twitter - @rogerqmason
Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight
Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com
PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com
PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer
Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la
FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions
Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight
Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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