06/05/2026
On-line event. Summer Playwriting:
Playwriting from the Ground FloorAn Online Playwriting Intensive with Glenn Hergenhahn-Zhao
Tuesdays & Thursdays • June 30 – July 16
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Online via Zoom
Have you always wanted to write a play but weren't sure where to begin?
Whether you're a complete beginner, an experienced writer exploring a new form, or a theater artist looking to deepen your understanding of storytelling, Playwriting from the Ground Floor offers a practical, hands-on introduction to the craft of writing for the stage.
Over six evenings, playwright, director, and educator Glenn Hergenhahn-Zhao will guide participants through the essential building blocks of playwriting—from dialogue and stage direction to character, story structure, formatting, and script submission.
Every participant will complete multiple drafts and at least one polished one-act play.
What You'll LearnThe Nuts and Bolts of Playwriting
At its heart, a play is made from two elements:
Dialogue – what characters say
Direction – what happens on stage
From there we'll explore the practical tools playwrights use to create living worlds for actors and audiences.
Topics include:
Storytelling fundamentals
Character and dramatic action
Dialogue that sounds alive
Scene construction
Formatting professional scripts
Play submission opportunities
Revision techniques
Reading plays as a playwright
The Six Lenses of Playwriting
A unique focus of this course is the exploration of six foundational lenses that shape every theatrical world:
Time
How does time work in your play? Does it move forward, backward, pause, leap, or exist in memory?
Space
How does your play use the stage? What kind of world do your characters inhabit?
Language
How do your characters speak? How does language reveal personality, conflict, and reality?
Audience Dynamic
What relationship does your play have with the audience? Are they observers, participants, confidants, witnesses?
Rules
What visible and invisible rules govern your world?
Theatricality
What can only happen in a play? How do we use the unique magic of live performance to tell stories impossible in any other medium?
Through readings, discussion, writing exercises, examples from classical and contemporary plays, and guided feedback, participants will learn how playwrights use these six lenses to create compelling theatrical experiences.
Course Structure
Each session combines:
Lecture and discussion
Script analysis
Writing prompts and exercises
Story development workshops
Feedback on student work
Students will develop their own one-act play throughout the course, moving from initial concept to completed draft.
Who Is This Class For?
Beginning playwrights
Fiction writers interested in theater
Actors and directors who want to create original work
Teachers and educators
Theater enthusiasts curious about how plays are made
Experienced writers seeking a fresh perspective on storytelling
No previous playwriting experience is required.
About the Instructor
Glenn Hergenhahn-Zhao is an award-winning playwright, director, producer, and educator based in Bellingham, Washington. As Artistic Director of iDiOM Theater, he has overseen the development and production of hundreds of original plays and has taught playwriting, acting, directing, and theater creation for artists of all experience levels.
His approach combines practical craft, deep theatrical curiosity, and an emphasis on creating work that can live fully on the stage.
TUITION: $325
PAYABLE BY PAYAL once registration is complete
Write a play. Learn the craft. Discover what only theater can do.
