Newman Plays

How to Develop New Plays

In addition to writing and developing plays, John Dilworth Newman has also researched and written about the process of developing new plays.  He is the co-author of Tell Your Story:  The Plays and Playwriting of Sandra Fenichel Asher, an anthology that focuses on how Asher has developed her own works in partnership with schools, theatres, and other theatre artists.  Newman has written numerous articles on developing new plays with young people in journals including Teaching Theatre , Stage of the Art, and Insight/Incite.  He wrote his doctoral dissertation at New York University on the Bonderman National Youth Playwriting Symposium in Indianapolis, which cultivated some of the best new plays and playwrights for young audiences over three decades.

To order Tell Your Story:  The Plays and Playwriting of Sandra Fenichel Asher, please contact Dramatic Publishing at www.dramaticpublishing.com.  More information on the book, including excerpts, can be found by following this link:

http://www.dramaticpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=2297.

Newman Plays is currently seeking permission to publish some of Dr. Newman’s articles on new play development on this site.  In the meantime, here are the references for those articles.  Teaching Theatre, TYA Today, and Stage of the Arts can be found in many university periodical collections.  Incite/Insight is an on-line journal, currently reserved for members of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education.

Newman, J. (2011). Connecting with Communities on the Road to Ware.  Incite/Insight, American Alliance for Theatre and Education, www.aate.com

Newman, J. (2010). Doug Cooney:  Nobody’s Perfect. Incite/Insight, American Alliance for Theatre and Education, 25-27. www.aate.com

Newman, J. (2010). New Play Development at Highland High School. Incite/Insight, American Alliance for Theatre and Education, 26-34.  www.aate.com

Newman, J., Asher, S. F. (2008). Write It, Read It:  Creating a Student Playwriting Slam. Teaching Theatre, Educational Theatre Association (Thespians), 19(2), 24-28.

Newman, J., Bruner, B. (2007). Welcome to Our Theatre:  What Guest Directors Can Do For You. Teaching Theatre, 18(2), 1, 11-17.

Newman, J., Sharpe, L., Cerling, E. K., McNeill, H. (2007). Developing Developers: High School Teachers Learn the Craft. Stage of the Art, American Alliance for Theatre and Education, 18(1), 13-15.

Newman, J., Criman, N. (2005). Practicing What You Preach: When Teachers Act with Students. Teaching Theatre, Educational Theatre Association (Thespians), 16(2), 9-15.

Newman, J. (2004). Working With Playwrights In Our Schools. Stage of the Art, American Alliance for Theatre and Education, 16(1), 14-17.

Newman, J. (2003). Staged Readings. Educational Theatre Association, 14(2), 13-16. www.edta.org

Newman, J. (2003). The Bonderman and Beyond:  Developing New Works for Young Audiences. Stage of the Art, American Alliance for Theatre and Education, 15(Winter 2003), 9-12.

Newman, J. (2001). Purgatory in Bonderman, Indiana. TYA Today, ASSITEJ-USA, 15(2), 9-11.

Newman, J. (2001). The Bonderman:  A Teacher’s Experience at a Playwriting Symposium Yields Classroom Results. Teaching Theatre, Educational Theatre Association, 12(4), 1-2, 13-16.

Newman, J. (2000). Theatre for Young Audiences:  The Good Scripts Are Out There. Teaching Theatre, Educational Theatre Association (Thespians), 11(3), 8-12.