While its Broadway and Off-Broadway stages may be temporarily shut, Manhattan Theatre Club has continued to to engage with its young and adult audiences via its online education platform.
MTC continues its TheatreLink project, which guides students at partner schools to study and create theatre together remotely, with virtual readings of their plays throughout May (readings began in April). In addition, Write Now!, an after-school playwriting program for high schoolers, meets weekly via Zoom. Virtual readings of the students' plays will also take place this month featuring professional actors.
MTC's Student Monologue Challenge, which invites young theatremakers to write a one-minute monologue, has received nearly 300 entries from around the country. Students are asked to respond to the prompt: “There is something I need to say to you.” MTC shares selected monologues weekly on its website and via its social media channels.
For its adult writers, teachers, and students, MTC has launched the Family Drama Playwriting Workshop Series. The series is comprised of video modules that guide writers through the creative process, including Creating Strong Characters, Dramatic Openings, and Dramatic Conflict, among others. In addition, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Auburn (Proof) shares insights into his writing process and provides practical advice to anyone who wants to write a play.
