Writing in Theatre

Please keep in mind that these are only general guidelines; always defer to your professor's specifications for a given assignment. If you have any questions about the content represented here, please contact the Writing Centers so that we can address them for you.

In addition to the cardinal virtues of clarity, conciseness, and cohesiveness, the Theatre Studies Department values originality of expression and the ability of a writer to incorporate literary prolepsis (counterarguments that “anticipate the skeptic”). The Theatre Studies Department values introductions that grab the reader’s attention using creative means such as ‘hooks’ and personal narratives. The department values conclusions that summarize central arguments, introduce new ideas for further consideration, and deliver an emotional impact/appeal.

A successful writing assignment in the Theatre Department is typically characterized by:

• Active voice


• A heavy dependence on theoretical language


• Concise writing, characterized by ‘getting to the point’


• Not only comprehend, but demonstrate how those concepts can be applied on the stage


• Transitions


• Italicized play titles


• Correct verb tense: present tense for texts, past tense for production history


• And, in the case of argumentative papers, a thesis statement that answers the questions “what”, “why?”, and “how?” and not just the question “what?”

Successful writing assignments in the Theatre Department will typically eschew the following:

• Passive voice
• A heavy dependence on prepositional phrases.


• Convoluted, vague, or unclear prose


• Plot summary, especially plot summary that is not directly connected to advancing the argument


• Plagiarism


• Meandering, or indirect, statements that help the writer form their initial draft of a paper but are usually removed by the final version. Examples of such statements include: “These elements give the play a certain feel…” and “Plays are written in a certain way…”

Preferred Bibliographic Style

The preferred bibliographic style for Theatre is MLA. The resources below can help guide you in this citation process.

• See Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) for general guidelines on MLA citing, formatting, and style.
• See Cornell University’s Online Library for media-specific examples of MLA citations both in-text and in a works cited page.
• See the following sample paper from Purdue OWL for a prototype of an MLA-cited paper.
• If you want a hard-copy guide of MLA citation, see MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers,7th Edition by Joseph Gibaldi, or the St. Martin’s Handbook by Andrea Lunsford, Edition 2010.
• Also, feel free to visit the writing center to make use of our resources, knowledge and support!

Common Writing Assignments

The following are some common writing assignments expected from core courses in the Theatre Department.

• expository essays (e.g. compare and contrast)
• persuasive, argumentative, or ‘position’ papers
• reflective essays
• assignments requiring students to experiment with academic tone and formality
• assignments requiring students to use secondary sources or review current productions
• Theatre production criticisms and reviews
• Research papers covering specific artists, time periods, genres, or artistic methods

Key Terms

See a Theatre term that you do not recognize? Try looking it up in Tupelo Community Theatre’s Glossary of terms.

Helpful Resources

• Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing by John Trimble

• Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White

• The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri

• Elements of Style by Suzan-Lori Parks

DePaul Theatre Studies Department Links

• DePaul Theatre School

Resources for Theatre Writing

• Preparing to Write a Play Review (UW--Madison)
• Writing a Play Review (UW--Madison)
• The Art of Dramatic Writing: How to Write a Play (1942)

View a list of tutors who specialize in writing in theatre