M.F.A. in Playwriting Summer Program

Hollins’ M.F.A. program in playwriting is designed for those interested in playwriting as well as those who want an academic study of theatre with the playscript as the central foundation.
     Our unique summer program, with its emphasis on both scholarly research and creative writing, will enable graduates of the program to:

• produce dramatic works of the highest quality
• write and articulate clear, perceptive, and informed analyses of dramatic texts
• pursue careers in such professions as dramatic writing, dramaturgy, literary management, and arts instruction

Hollins offers an intensive, supportive, and challenging atmosphere that encourages academic excellence, a spirit of independent inquiry, a free exchange of ideas, and a love of learning. Our faculty of productive scholars and visiting faculty of established artists work together to help you achieve your academic, professional, and artistic goals.

Program Strengths

• You’ll work closely with Hollins’ visiting professional faculty, artists-in-residence, and guest speakers to develop the kind of personal and professional relationships that can lead to reading and production credits before graduation—an advantage few other programs offer.
• Studio Roanoke, an intimate black box theatre on the model of the New York storefront theatres that made the downtown theatre movement world famous for new work, provides opportunities for student playwrights, including full productions, Lunchbox Readings, and internships. Studio Roanoke allows M.F.A. playwrights to work with guest professional directors and local actors on pre-premier developmental workshop productions which are so important to getting early work ready for submission, production, or publication. Studio Roanoke produces eight new plays each season, at least half of which are written by students or playwrights associated with the MFA playwriting program at Hollins University. The theatre also hosts 11 new play readings, monthly poetry and live music events, and numerous special events by guest artists and visiting companies. Studio Roanoke is part of a growing network of theatres devoted to new play development.
• Students can also take advantage of No Shame Theatre, a weekly venue for new work with a proven 20-year history of innovative experimentation that has been a launching point for some of American theatre’s most important artists and groundbreaking plays. No Shame alums include Rebecca Gilman, Toby Huss, Camryn Manheim, Stuart Sherman, and many others. Plays developed at No Shame include The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, by Jeff Goode, and Mambo Mouth, by John Leguizamo. No Shame is part of a national network, and Roanoke's chapter has twice been invited to participate in the prestigious Piccolo Spoleto Theatre Festival in Charleston, South Carolina.
  
  

The New Works Initiative

The Playwright’s Lab at Hollins University is working with local arts organizations to find ways to increase the frequency and scope of new works programming available to Roanoke audiences. 
 
Imagine the value to our community if we can regularly bring prominent professionals from Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and other important theatre centers to our community to work with student playwrights and local actors to produce or showcase new plays in downtown venues.
 
Imagine the potential of making Roanoke a vibrant nationally recognized center for new play development as those projects are then taken back to the home theatres of our guest artists. It can be a reality, not just imagination, with your help.
 
Charitable contributions to Hollins University designated for The New Works Initiative will be used exclusively to fund productions and readings of new plays written by our graduate students, faculty, and guest artists.
 
To support the New Works Initiative of the Playwright’s Lab, please visit us online at: www.hollins.edu/giveonline.

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