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Olivia Dufault took time to sit under the Playwright's Spotlight before the opening of her latest play - "For Want of a Horse." In this discussion, we unpack her introduction and journey into playwriting, learning from past influencers, learning through evolution and gaining focus yet learning from lack of collaboration. We explore her path of starting new work, entering the flow state and giving characters what they want, her impetus of learning structure and the lessons of overwriting, writing in "crazy spaces" and achieving the suspension of disbelief. We delve into the influence and tapping into Greek tragedies, the concept of "Tends to Be" structures vs unconventional approaches, motivation through music as well as keeping outlandish characters real. We wrap things up sharing her experience finding fellowship opportunities and the benefits of them being in-person, the time for being comfortable to share, creating your own group, and building your own community. These are only a few topics amongst others that playwrights of all levels will benefit from. Enjoy!

For Want of a Horse opens at the Echo Theater Company in Atwater Village in Los Angeles on April 18 thru May 24. For tickets, visit - https://echotheatercompany.ludus.com/index.php

Olivia Dufault is a playwright, screenwriter and comic book writer. Her plays include Year of the Rooster and The Tomb of King Tot, both named “Critic’s Pick” by The New York Times, and The Messenger. Her plays have been performed at the Ensemble Studio Theatre/Youngblood, the Flea Theatre, the Marin Theatre, the 52nd Street Project, the Theater for the New City, UpStart Theater, and the Stray Dog Theater, among others. In addition to the Venturous Playwrights Fellowship, she is the recipient of a Playwrights of New York Fellowship, a Sloan Commission, the David Colicchio Emerging Playwright Award, the Lipkin Playwriting Award, and three Harle Adair Damann Playwriting Awards.

To watch the video format of this episode, click - https://youtu.be/iI_QnnUkB0s

Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -

The Pony Playwriting Contest - https://www.equusippe.com

Youngblood Theatre - https://www.ensemblestudiotheatre.org/youngblood

Echo Theater Company - https://www.echotheatercompany.com

Socials for Olivia Dufault -

IG - @livdufault

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la

FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

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Gabriel Rivas Gómez dropped into the Playwright's Spotlight a week before the opening of his latest play Level Up! We discussed his origin story falling into playwriting, his journey into finding his voice and telling a story, and the lessons of agitating a nerve. We also dove into overcoming obstacles and elemental struggles, the need to overwrite and cutting scenes, character driven vs plot driven pieces as well as lies vs truths and how to reveal the latter. We unpack writing and passing off the "impossible", looking vs feeling real, the "Top Ten List" approach, and other tricks for a playwright's toolbox, the artist vs editor's mindset, "fixing" a blank page, journeys and arcs and how to achieve them, the benefits of smart actors, overcoming the urge to compete, and how design may affect changes to the script. Gabriel offers a wealth of insight that every playwright can absorb and apply right away. I hope you find his experience useful. Enjoy!

For tickets to Level Up!, please visit - https://www.latinotheaterco.org/levelup

Gabriel Rivas Gómez received his M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from USC in 2007, where he was mentored by Oliver Mayer, Velina Hasu Houston, and Luis Alfaro. His plays, including Chasing Monsters, Circus Ugly, Swarm Cell and Scar Tissue have been produced in various Los Angeles theaters. Scar Tissue was subsequently published in “The Best American Short Plays of 2010-2011.” He developed his play, Carnivores, as an inaugural member of the Latino Theatre Alliance Writer’s Circle. He is tenured faculty at Glendale Community College.

To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/_GeAXFS_TVA

Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -

Latinos Alliance/Writers Circle - https://howlround.com/latino-theater-alliancelos-angeles-writers-circle

New Play Exchange - https://newplayexchange.org/get-started

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la

FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

After an enthusiastic recommendation from former guest, Cameron Scott, Andy Batt streamed into a late night EDT interview of Playwright's Spotlight, and, as always, what an insightful and inspirational conversation it was. In this interview, we discuss the origins and evolution of Andy's own playwriting and how it influenced the development of the MadLab theatre company and venue. We breakdown MadLab's themes and schedule, premises and rhythms as well as the market of Columbus, Ohio. We also discuss the the draw of original works, submission requirements, mistakes, details, process, and rejections, the importance of format (or lack there of) in addition to physical and dramatic action. We wrap our conversation with criticisms or love of the classics and absurdists, simplicity vs complexity, and advice for taking that "leap".

Andy Batt started in theatre in 1997 with no experience, training, and have never even thought about
doing a play before, and after a couple years of the acting bug, his best friend and mentor brought him over to MadLab, a non-profit organization where they started producing original work together. Now, almost 30 years later, he has done almost every job there is to do in theatre - from acting, directing, and playwriting. In 2009, he was able to shepherd MadLab through the process of buying its own space in downtown Columbus, OH. Each year they produce five to seven original productions including "Theatre Roulette", the longest-running shorts festival in Ohio.

For tickets to MadLab's 2026 Theatre Roulette season visit - https://ci.ovationtix.com/35811

To view the video format of this episode, visit the link below - https://youtu.be/g65kmGtSrI0

Links to sites and resources mentioned in this episode -

MadLab - https://www.madlab.net/index.html

Lenaea High School Theatre Festival - https://www.lenaea.org/

Play Submissions Helper - https://playsubmissionshelper.com/

Websites and socials for Andy Batt and MadLab Theatre -

www.madlab.net

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/andy.batt.18
IG - https://www.instagram.com/andypbatt/

Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's Spotlight

Punk Monkey Productions -
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer


Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir -
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoirla
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
- @playnoir_la

FB - fb.com/playnoir
- fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions


Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod
IG - @playwrights_spotlight


Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html

Support the show