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Rodney Robbins and Reader’s Theater

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

Should playwrights allow their plays to be produced as reader’s theater? I think this depends on the play and the playwright but for me, Rodney Robbins, I’m all for it. Why? Why, after slaving for hours over a hot keyboard, flipping through the thesaurus for just he right word, and struggling with stage directions and scene descriptions, why would a playwright agree to such a thing?

Because reader’s theater works
Because it helps a show find an audience
Because it allows beginning actors to enjoy great plays
Because it’s fun

Readers theater is way more powerful than it has any right to be. Readers theater strips a play down to the essentials and if the story and characters are there, a LOT of it comes through. Sure the costumes and sets and lights and sounds are nice, but the essential essence of a great play is right there in the dialog and descriptions. It’s often all you need.

Readers theater is cheep. You could literally stage 10 reader’s theater productions for the price of one full stage production. Sure, I want ALL my plays and musicals to come fully alive on stage. At the same time, if I could get 10 times the audience, for the same money, I’d be interested. Readers theater also allows young actors, students and busy moms and dads a chance to step out of their ordinary lives and be part of the show. Imagine–a couple of rehearsals, a few hours of script analysis and you’re done! How many more people would participate in theater if that’s all the commitment they needed to get started?

Readers theater is fun. I like doing it, and I like “watching” it. I mostly hear cold readings so for me, these are kind of like a radio play. However, add a bit of scene study, a few light cues and actors with expressive faces and you’ve got a visual performance of surprising power.

Maybe it’s a confidence thing, but I’m confident that my plays hold up structurally and artistically even when stripped to the bare bones. If you love reader’s theater and are looking for a new show, check out my new play here, or my new musical.

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New Play Has Audience “Entranced”

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

The Charlotte Script Workshop is a group of writers and actors that get together once a month and read up to 30 pages from new screenplays and stage plays. It’s a hoot and this month, they read my new play “House of Many Rooms.” This play is a small cast, one set dramedy about a young math with multiple personalities.

New Play Strong Points

Thanks to some wonderful cold readings by Charlotte’s talented actors, the overwhelming comment from this sophisticated group was that they were “Entranced!” Other positive comments included:

Fun script
Skillful and cleaver dialog
Good clues and foreshadowing
Nice “family” relationships between characters
Sympathetic POV character (Dr. Branson)

“House of Many Rooms” Areas to Improve

Of course, the whole point of “workshopping” a play is to find and correct weak areas. The audience had the same primary concern I had–the character introductions dragged a little in Act I, especially the monologues by Cookie, the motherly personality. This was a valid point, and one I was concerned about myself. Of course, I didn’t spot that Cookie was the worst offender so thanks for that everyone! Having only read Act I, the audience also wondered how, even IF, I would be able to tie it all together in Act II. Since I wrote the whole thing, I know the story will come together beautifully in the second half.

Genre

I also specifically asked the group what genre they would put this story in. My thought was that “House of Many Rooms” was a psychological drama or a mystery with some funny bits. However, the actors took my material and got a lot more laughs from it than I imagined. Everyone else said it was a definitely a dramedy. Okay. I’d rather promote a dramedy than a tragedy any day.

Future Productions

So, what’s next for “House of Many Rooms”? A few easy corrections and a hopefully a full, concert style reading at a local college or a full production at a local playhouse. For more information, go to: MyNewPlay.com. You can also contact Rodney Robbins via e-mail.

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Theater Publicity Tip–Be Useful

Posted on August 3, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

The thing about reporters, they need content, but they don’t need you. They need content to make their readers, listeners, viewers happy, but you and your story are secondary. Your story only matters to them, if it matters to their audience. So, to make theater publicity (film publicity, any kind of publicity) work, your story has to matter to the audience.

It ain’t about you or me. It’s about THEM.

Ouch!

I’m a playwright who lives with three chronic illnesses. Wah-wah-wah! Nobody cares. I know three keys to holding down a full time job while living with three chronic illnesses. These secrets can help anyone who is crunched for time or energy. Interesting.

I write plays and ride a motorcycle. Big freakin’ woop! I’ve crashed so many times that I finally learned the secrets that every parent must teach their new driver. Interesting.

What? You say–these topic aren’t anything to do with my new play! No, they are useful topics that benefit the audience, while informing them that Rodney Robbins is a new playwright with something to say.

Try it yourself. What do you do every day, that is super easy for you, but that would be really useful for a wide range of people? Organizing? Managing people? Getting meals made in a snap? Think of serving the audience first, and promoting yourself second, and I believe you’ll get the media coverage you need.

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“House of Many Rooms” Review

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

My new mystery, “House of Many Rooms,” just came back from a reviewer. This reader was a widow, a well educated, professional woman, who did community theater for years and won several awards for her acting. When she handed the script back, she almost didn’t want to look at me. “It’s very sad,” she said, “very sad.” “Well,” I asked, “did you like any of the funny bits?” “Oh, yes,” she allowed, “it has funny bits, and I really REALLY liked the ending, but it was very sad.”

I knew parts of “House of Many Rooms” were apt to make the audience cry. I cried when I wrote it. Still, her reaction surprised me.

Is it healthy to make people feel so much for your characters?
Is it good that what they remember is the sad parts from near the end of act two, the most dramatic moments the whole play built up too?
Is it smart to leave the audience with such a twist of an ending that they smile with recognition and tell their friends, “Oh, I LOVED the ending”?

I have to say, “Yes!”

As a playwright, it is my job to make my audience identify with and feel for the characters. How else can they get into the action? If my audience remembers the sad part that I’ve been building toward for more than an hour, and isn’t caught by some annoying detail or doubt from act one, that’s a good thing. That’s kind of the point in writing a drama/thriller–the drama has to build to a climax. With all that drama, if I choose to give the audience a last minute parting gift, something wonderful they can smile about and take home in their hearts, that’s a good thing.

The play had some funny bits, but was sad, very sad, with a wonderful ending. I can live with that.

PS
I am actively looking for theaters to perform this play. I think it is perfect for college and community theaters looking for a small cast, one set drama. If you are interested, call me at 828 area code, 461-1306 EST here in the United States.

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Would You Dare Write This?

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

Dare to try something new. Something like writing a skit and music for a British Ukulele Orchestra. Don’t believe you, or anyone else, could pull off such a wacky stunt? Look again because I’ve seen them and they are wonderful. Check out the video below, and you’ll see why.

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Rodney Robbins–World’s Slowest Playwright

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

I know, I know–I move like a sleepy old possum. If I do, it’s because I AM a sleepy old possum. You see, I have a rare muscle disorder called Periodic Paralysis and it sure seems like everything causes me to become weak or paralyzed. Sleeping too little. Sleeping too much. Doing to little. Typing too much. Even a little cold. Anything approaching too much heat. I gotta tell ya, it makes it hard to work, write plays and stories and do publicity all at the same time! The good news is that your life is probably easier.

So, drop me a line and tell me what you’ve accomplished lately. I’d especially like hear your theater publicity success stories:

Tell me how you got your picture in the paper
Tell me about your newest press release headline
Show me your blog entry (send a link)
Send a picture of you and your favorite reporter
Let me see you in costume
Send me a link to your song on YouTube.com

Publicity can be almost as much fun as live theater. So, while I’m having an off day (or six), send me something to cheer me up. I’d love to hear from you.

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Song Lyrics to “Grama’s Panties”

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

Rosanne Cash

She didn’t write these silly song lyrics, but the structure she used in her wonderfully sad song “Motherless Children” got me thinking. These are the lyrics I started thinking about. Right now, these are the words to a silly children’s poem. If I can ever get the videos done for “House of Many Rooms,” I hope to get back and make this one into a funny little song. Check out “Grama’s Panties,” then listen to Rosanne Cash’s “Motherless Children” and you’ll hear a song structure you can use in your own song writing.

Grama’s Panties

Big and pink. Grama’s panties.

Hope they don’t stink. Grama’s panties.

What is Grama wearing now?

Stretchy rubber waist. Grama’s panties.

Don’t get ‘em near my face. Grama’s panties.

What’s Grama wearing now?

Something’s out of place. Grama’s panties.

A frilly bit of lace on Grama’s panties.

I hope she’s wearing more than that now.

Posted in Music and Lyrics, Songwriting | Leave a comment

“House of Many Rooms” New Play Video

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

Rodney Robbins here. If you’re curious about my new play “House of Many Rooms,” just turn up your speakers and check out the video below. I talk a little bit about the play and the cast, then move right into reading scenes one and two. I can only read one or two scenes at a time because YouTube.com only allows users to post video of 10 minutes or less. Fun stuff. I’ll be using more character voices in other scenes–just to keep in moving. Enjoy.

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Rodney Robbins Philosophy of Art

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

Hello. Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright here. I was just reading a biography of Oscar Wilde. According to Smith, the biographer, Wilde believed “the artist’s mission was to create beauty and confront injustice and do so with a flourish.” Nice.

My hero G. B. Shaw said, “My method is to take the utmost trouble to find the right thing to say, and then to say it with the utmost levity.” I like that one even better.

I’ve thought of several variations on what I do. “First you dream it up, then you write it down.” That’s a pretty good description of how I write. So is this: “I look into other worlds and write down what I see.” I also like this description of what I do, “I write fantastic stories, with realistic characters and a twist!” For more information about me, read the Rodney Robbins Fun Autobiography here.

So tell us:

What is your philosophy of art?
Your mission?
Your purpose?
What is your reason for being?
What tickles YOUR belly button?

Click on the “Comment” link below and share your ideas.

Posted in Famous Playwrights, Media Hooks | 1 Comment

Tracking Your New Play

Posted on May 9, 2010 by Rodney Robbins, the Singing Playwright

When you do all the work of writing a new play, you enjoy a sense of pride and want to finish the job and send your new play out to theater companies. Of course, you’ll want to track your submissions. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Here is how famous Western novelist Louis LaMour did it with his books, and he tracked 105 books to publication. (To read more about my new play, click here.)

Tracking Your New Play

Get a notebook: a simple spiral wound or bound book works fine.
At the top of the page, write down the name of the play.
Make three columns: one for the theater company, one for yes, one for no.
When you send out a new play script, write in the company name.
As you get a firm answer yes or no, write in the date.

That’s it!

Now, if you want to get clever, you could include the date you submitted the play, and you might write down a list of a dozen companies you are going to submit to, then work you way down the list. The key here is to keep it simple and keep the water churning. Send those scripts out and keep following up (politely and not too often) till you get an answer. Remember, if you are going to get a no, you want to get it right away so you can move on. Don’t let the sales aspect of being a writer stop you. Just keep it simple and start on that next play. That’s what Louis LaMour would do.

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My New Play