About the Book:

Playwrights in Rehearsal is an inside look at the writer's role in the creative process of bringing his or her words to life on stage. Susan Letzler Cole, granted rare access to some of the major playwrights of our time, recounts her participation in rehearsal with Arthur Miller, Sam Shepard, Tony Kushner and Suzan-Lori Parks, and others.

She follows these writers from staged readings in small rooms to season-opening world premieres, as they work with such acclaimed directors as Joseph Chaikin, Mark Lamos, James Houghton and Garland Wright, and such distinguished actors as Kathleen Chalfant, Ellen McLaughlin, Charlayne Woodward, and Joseph Wiseman. Seeking to understand the playwright's role in the collaborative process of "rewriting" the script during rehearsal, Susan Cole examines the relation between the author's revision of the text and the director's re-imagining of the script.

Playwrights in Rehearsal vividly depicts both the pleasures and the tensions of playwrights working in company with actors, dramaturgs, and directors. In this revealing book, we see eight playwrights-who vary widely in age, fame, and dramatic technique-responding to the questions and dealing with the anxieties of their collaborators. As we watch and listen, and these writers watch and listen, plays come to life. Filled with anecdotes and insights into the life and work of the playwright, Playwrights in Rehearsal is an eye-opening delight for anyone interested in how plays are made.

What people say:

"...fresh approach.... both engaging and invigorating, has something to say to anyone interested in the process of how modern drama is made." — Manchesteronstage.co.uk

"The book's appeal to playwrights, directors, actors, and designers is abundantly clear as it provides insight on the collaborative process. However this book also serves as a wonderful resource for those producing the same or other works by the authors in Cole's study. She delves into the creative worlds of these playwrights, exploring such issues as Shepard's fascination with the culture of the American West and Kushner's passion for the relationship between theory and action. For this reason, the book is particularly useful for production dramaturgs or those studying these playwrights." — Theatre Topics

About the Author:

Susan Letzler Cole is Professor of English and Academic Coordinator of Dramatic Studies at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut. She is the author of Playwrights in Rehearsal.