The Workshop Process

Caryl Churchill’s plays are wildly experimental in both their content (the events and message of the play) and form (how those events and messages are communicated). Noted for fragmented, surreal scenes and dialogue that is not assigned to any specific character, her plays are conceived using a unique process in which all those involved in the production work in equal collaboration. This process differs from the more traditional model of playwriting, in which a playwright conceives and writes a play on their own and then presents it to a creative team for production. While new play development often finds a playwright working closely with a director, actors, and designers as they revise their script, the workshop process used by Churchill involves direct collaboration between directors, actors, designers, and playwrights from the beginning. This guide will explain the workshop processes involved in writing and producing Caryl Churchill’s plays.

Terminology

• Form:The way in which a story is told in a play. It can be realistic or non-realistic.
• Content:The basic story and message that is communicated by a play.
• Workshop:The process of reading a new play out loud, receiving feedback, and making any necessary edits and revisions.
• Improvisation:The act of inventing or executing action or dialogue in the moment without preparation.

Key Dates & Events

• 1978: Cloud 9 is workshopped at Joint Stock Theatre Company.