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Playwriting Foundations for Adults

As Montréal’s leading English-language professional theatre for audiences of all ages, we’re excited to offer for the first time weekly multi-level classes for adults. 

Our GTS Adult Classes will give adults the opportunity to explore theatre – whether for the first time or after years in the field – in a playful environment led by some of Geordie’s favourite passionate and caring professional artists. 

GTS offers a variety of ways for people of all ages to experience the impact of theatre while encouraging strong skills in confidence, creativity and craft.

Course description:

A brilliant idea may arrive in a gust of inspiration. But a strong play is built upon solid, well-planned foundations. This multi-level course will introduce new and emerging playwrights to the essentials of writing for the stage. We’ll explore dramatic structure(s), plot, character, action, and conflict with a view to each student crafting a short one-act play by the end of the course.  

If you already have an idea for a play, or are simply curious about the nexus of story and stage, this course — through vibrant in-class discussion, dynamic exercises, focussed readings, monologuing and dialoguing — will prove an inspiring, anchoring and patient companion for your first steps into the world of playwriting.

Course details:

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            Meet Your Instructor

            Nick Carpenter’s plays, radio plays (CBC), short stories and librettos have been presented across Canada, the US, the UK and Germany. Recently a member of Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal’s Cross-Cultural Adaptation Lab, he is developing a new work inspired by the Catalonian liturgical drama El Misteri d’Elx. His play Arco took second place in Infinitheatre’s 2021 Write-on-Q Competition. Nick wrote the screenplay to the film Maz (Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, 2018). His play Stained Glass won the Canadian Peace Play Competition in 2008 and was shortlisted for the Prism International Residency Award (2003). He is an alumnus of Tapestry Opera’s Lib Lab, the Banff Playwrights Lab, Theatre Centre Residency and Writers’ Units at NAC/GCTC and PWM (Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal). 

            Nick teaches and coaches at the National Theatre School of Canada. As a dramaturg and mentor he has worked with PWM, NACO (National Arts Centre Orchestra), JMC (Jeunesses Musicales Canada) and currently, with Teesri Duniya’s Fireworks program. 

            Nick has been nominated for two METAs (Montréal English Theatre Awards) for his work as a Musician and Supporting Actor. He enjoys a parallel career as a composer, musical director and musician for the stage, and is a co-founder of Summersett (summersettband.com).