The playbill

All writing

Explore writing on performance, stagecraft, playwriting, rehearsal and playgoing. Each piece starts with a particular theatrical question and leaves room to keep looking.

Dimly lit room with a woman holding a letter sitting on a chair facing a man on a couch, audience blurred in background

Performance

The Audience Can Hear a Pause Before It Understands It

A held silence in performance redirects attention, builds expectation, and changes the line that follows. Learn how…

Nov 3, 20265 min read

Two actors conversing on bare stage while two others act in a detailed room setting with warm lighting

Stagecraft

Bare Stage or Built Room: Two Ways to Direct Attention

Bare stage or built room: learn how each setting directs attention, then choose the theatrical details your audience…

Nov 1, 20268 min read

Audience sitting in dark theater watching dimly lit dining room stage set with wooden chairs and open door

Playgoing

How the Proscenium Arch Frames a Stage

Learn how the proscenium arch frames stage action, directs your attention, and gives you practical clues for reading a…

Oct 28, 20265 min read

Playwriting

A Script Is Not a Blueprint for One Performance

Learn how to interpret stage directions, preserve essential cues, and adapt staging choices so the audience can follow…

Oct 22, 20267 min read

Five diverse adults sitting around a wooden table reading documents in a warmly lit room

Rehearsal

A First Read-Through: Listen for the Turns

A first read-through works better when you track each shift in intention and relationship, giving actors and director…

Oct 18, 20267 min read