SHORTS AND BRIEFS, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded: A Collection of Short Plays and Brief Principles of Playwriting

by Gregory W. Fletcher

"Shorts" - a collection of short plays, offering roles for actors from the teens to the fifties. Visit an agency that offers once in a lifetime placements, a family errand that turns downright embarrassing, a subway ride that changes lives forever, a dog park for extended families, a breakfast nook that turns negative to positive, an unexpected war zone where a soldier is unprepared for battle; a double date where a surprise kiss almost topples everything, a last attempt to regain a romantic spark, and a staircase where two estranged siblings become reunited.

"Briefs" - a collection of brief principles of playwriting, intended for students of theater, and new or established playwrights who would like to explore the short play genre.

The first edition has been used by Alfred University, Cornell University, CUNY-Kingsborough Community College, Lock Haven University, Marshall University, Niagara University, University of Oregon, University of Central Arkansas, and many others. This revised and expanded edition has added two new briefs, revised several of the plays, and expanded the glossary, which will serve and inspire many more drama students and aspiring playwrights.

168 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 9, 2014

Reviews

[John Vanderslice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a useful primer on writing short plays. The "briefs" part of the book includes a collection of short essays that explain various technical and aesthetic elements of writing plays, as well as essays about the practical realities of the world of the theatre. Fletcher's terminology is sometimes unique to himself but on the whole the briefs are excellent. Many of the "shorts"--that is, plays more typically referred to as "ten-minute plays"--are excellent too, but when reading the book, especially for use in a classroom (my situation), one longs for a greater variety of plays and playwrights. So if teaching this book to a creative writing class I would recommend pairing it with a text featuring an eclectic mix of playwrights, including the more experimental and absurdist of these. But in and of itself Shorts and Briefs is quite a good book.

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has great Shorts, but I think I found so much interesting information on play writing and tips on the industry in the Briefs that this book was worth it for those alone. The Shorts are the icing on the cake!