Story Shape
The Turn in a Scene: Give the Moment a Before and After
A scene turn changes what a character can do next. Learn to locate the shift and shape a clear before-and-after on…
The collection
Story list
Explore scene shape, character, dialogue, stagecraft and rehearsal through focused pieces on the choices that help a live story hold together.
Dialogue
Solo Speech or Shared Dialogue? Choosing Who Carries the Information
Choose monologue or dialogue to shape what the audience knows, clarify who controls a scene’s information and make the…
Stagecraft
Painted Flats, Built Rooms and Flexible Stage Space
Compare painted flats, built rooms and flexible stage space to choose scenery that makes your production’s locations…
Characters
The Character-Backstory Trap: When Explanation Stops the Scene
The character backstory trap appears when history delays action. Turn biography into a present-tense choice so…
Rehearsal
A Table-Read Plan for a First Draft
A table-read plan for a first draft helps you hear where listeners lose the thread, keep feedback focused and leave…
Our point of view
A story should work in the room
We look for choices a writer or maker can test: what the audience sees, hears and understands at each moment.