A play I wrote while attending Brigham Young University (Finding Each Other Dead) was accepted by peer review and given a staged reading at the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez, Alaska in 2007. Attending the conference proved valuable to my work and to my contribution to the field of theatre arts. I also learned that the conference would be beneficial to other students in all aspects of the theatre.
The conference, held annually, is open to theatre professionals, students, educators, and members of the general public. It provides unique, hands-on learning experiences through readings, workshops, performances, and featured artists.
A play given a staged reading at the conference is subject to professional critique, peer review, talk-back sessions, and a one-on-one conference with a mentor. Feedback received during the reading and throughout the conference is useful for further revision of the play as well as application to new works.
In previous years the conference has featured playwrights such as Arthur Miller, August Wilson, and Edward Albee. This year I was privileged to work with such artists as Gary Garrison (executive director of the Dramatist’s Guild of America) and Marshall W. Mason (recipient of six Obie awards).
The workshops this year included The Social Politics of Theatre, How to Direct a Reading, The Playwright’s Bill of Rights (in which we constructed the Dramatists’ Bill of Rights, a document to become a basis of the new mission of the Dramatist’s Guild of America), Acting for the Camera, Directing, Writing the Rant (how to compose an effective stand-up routine), and a question-answer session about the Dramatists’ Guild (which outlined its risks and benefits). The workshops gave all those who participated the opportunity to freely express their views and ideas. We also shared our experiences outside of the workshops: I was able to talk to theatre professors and to address their concerns from a student’s standpoint. Other authors spoke of those with whom they had worked and of what they had learned and experienced throughout their careers. This aspect of the conference was one of many great opportunities to listen to other artists and to read their work.
My faculty mentor for this project, George Nelson, was correct when he told me that the conference was important for the advancement of my career and education. I plan to graduate from BYU in April of 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts Studies. At the conference I met several representatives of graduate schools that captured my interest. I am now almost certain that I will pursue a Master’s of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing from one of the universities I learned about at the conference.
At the conference I learned from others in my field not only how to perfect my written works but also how to steer my career path in a more profitable direction. The insights I gained will, I believe, strengthen my contribution to the field. I feel I gained more of the necessary confidence to share important messages with audiences.
George Nelson told me that my experiences at the conference would help other students in my field of study and would remind them of the value in discussing their work and objectives with other professionals. I would recommend the Last Frontier Theatre Conference for other students as well as for instructors. I would recommend it not only for those interested in playwriting but for students in all theatrical endeavors. I would strongly recommend it for those interested in directing and acting (especially since there are directing and acting workshops as well as many positions for readers). I would recommend the conference to all theatre students because of the benefits it offers. It is considered a retreat; a chance to be with other artists away from the influences of the world. Gary Garrison told us something to the effect of “this week you get to be a writer rather than what you normally are […] you’re not a Dairy Queen manager […] or a college student.” He meant that while we were at the conference we would be able to focus on the theatre and on our contributions to it. He also told us, “It improves your own thought process about your work to give responses to other people’s work,” and in this other students would be able to benefit from the interaction with other artists.
If a student were to make this trip in the future I would recommend flying from Anchorage to Valdez rather than driving (round trip via rental car was over 700 miles).
As part of an agreement I made with my benefactors, I am to share what I learned in every way possible. One of the ways I want to do this is here on Facebook. I will post semi-monthly notes (and blogs on myspace and my msn space that are similar) about what I learned at the conference. Please read them! Soon I want to add:
Pictures, links, Orientation Panel, Directing: Part I (regrettably, I was absent for Part II)
Gary Garrison: the Playwright’s Bill of Rights, Parts I and II
Question and Answer Segment: the Dramatists’ Guild of America
The Social Politics of Theatre: Parts 1 and 2
Jumpstarting Your New Play with Kia Corthron
Writing the Rant with Maggie Lally
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