No right way to write: My experiences at playwriting summer camp

Writing has been, for a very long time, a huge part of me. I’ve filled countless notebooks with random phrases, topics and plot diagrams. So, when I saw the advertisement by the Garden Theatre for a summer writing program, I jumped at the chance.

I attended The Right Way to Playwright, a camp where seventh- through 12th-graders can learn and grow as writers. Over the course of five days, we were challenged in ways of language and self-expression. The ultimate goal was to perform for parents and other camp directors.

But the journey is more important than the destination; we experienced writing, directing and the benefits of having each other.  

COMFORT ZONES

From the first day of camp, everyone agreed to be courteous and respectful to one another. We’d be sharing our writing with each other, which is a terrifying experience. Without needing to say it, we all promised to be kind to one another during a vulnerable time.

Our days often began with playing games. What could be mistaken as a childish time-waster actually woke us up and got us on our toes. The games depended on what writing standards we’d be covering that day. Some games made us create dialogue off the top of our heads, while others required sharp thinking.

We usually started writing with a prompt given by our counselors. I would imagine myself in a scenario and create what came next.

What would you do if a mysterious key appeared in your backpack? What would a minor character in a fairytale say if he or she had the chance to talk? How would you describe yourself in a new place or in your favorite place?

Once or twice a day, we would have time to work on independent writing projects. Fewer than 10 people attended The Right Way to Playwright, so we were able to receive immediate feedback and advice on what we wrote. Some of us were more inclined to write scripts, and some wanted to write books.

I decided to try something out of my comfort zone and learn songwriting. With help from my counselors and online instruments, and after numerous drafts, I crafted my own lyrics.

Our counselors were accomplished writers Megan and Chris Russell. Megan Russell has more than 30 books published, many of them young adult and fantasy novels. Chris Russell writes music and edits her work.

Their experience gave us a way to discuss the process of writing and eventually publishing our work.

CRAFTING OUR OWN SHOW

We couldn’t forget about our presentation at the end of the week. We had up to 20 minutes to perform but weren’t quite sure how to fill the time slot. Eventually, we decided to write a short play that we would direct and act in ourselves.

Our camp split in half to write the two acts. Group 1 wrote the first, and Group 2 wrote the second. We decided both acts would have an Old Western theme, but each act would have its own subgenre, decided by the writers.

I helped to write the second act. We decided to have our act feature slap-stick comedy. We plotted two duels, and our protagonist would win both. In our show, the protagonist wins every duel — but in unconventional ways that he didn’t really have anything to do with. The first opponent would get hit in the head with a rake. We were considering dropping a prop anvil on the second opponent’s head when someone suggested using a fake pie. The opponent would get hit with a banana cream pie and would be defeated by an allergic reaction to bananas.

I ended up volunteering to get hit in the face with a pie. It was a spur-of-the-moment idea, and I thought it would be a funny experience. How many people get hit in the face with a pie onstage? I was really excited.

The idea presented some problems. We couldn’t have a real pie because of safety and health regulations. My counselor then decided to bring an empty pie tin and fill it with whipped cream. Our protagonist would raise the pie at a certain angle so it wouldn’t fall. I had to “walk into it” while pretending it was the other actor’s fault.

Slapstick comedy wasn’t the only thing we had to figure out. Fight choreography was one of the hardest parts of the show. In Act 1, our main character duels another character with swords. Those actors were taught how to make the fight look realistic without hurting each other. It took many tries, but we came up with a system: the swords would strike each other twice, then the protagonist would try to block his opponent’s attack.

THE FINAL PERFORMANCE

The day of the performance arrived. A hum of excitement filled the air. There was so much left to be done. I wasn’t sure if we could finish in time.

We realized we were sharing the stage with the set pieces and puppets of the Garden Theatre’s “Little Shop of Horrors,” which was opening that same night. This presented us with several new issues.

We didn’t know how much of the stage we would be able to use. Would our blocking be affected? We weren’t sure if we would have access to the wings, or whether we could cross using the back of the stage. I was supposed to drag a defeated opponent backstage. I had no idea what to do.

By the time we performed, I felt ready. Suddenly, my glasses were in my pocket and whipped cream was charging toward my face. We never practiced with whipped cream. I didn’t have to act shocked at all. It was all I could do to keep from laughing onstage. I didn’t think the whipped cream would get all over me. But here I was, pretending to have an allergic reaction while whipped cream dripped from my face.

At the end of the performance, I found out this was the first playwriting camp Garden Theatre has ever done.

“One of my favorite parts of my job is dreaming up the different camps and class offerings for our students, said Amanda Payne, the director of education at Garden Theatre. “When I met Chris and Megan and learned about their writing careers, I got a nugget of an idea. I pitched the camp concept to them, and they were all in. We are so fortunate to have such talented artists working with us in our Garden Education program.”

I had an amazing time at The Right Way to Playwright. Everyone was so talented and cool under pressure. I learned lots from my counselors, and I was inspired by my campmates. The camp left me with a renewed passion for all types of writing.

My counselors told me: “There’s no right way when it comes to writing.”

I’m going to keep writing and experimenting, because there really is no right way to do it. As long as it continues to make me happy, I know I’m doing it right.