SEMESTER
PLAYWRITING FOCUS
NTI SEMESTER
Expand your craft and refine your voice at the home of new play development.
16 Credit Hours
As an NTI Semester student with a Playwriting Focus, you will learn the process and craft of playwriting as well as the business of producing your own work under the guidance of some of America’s best contemporary playwrights.​
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In addition to the classes and workshops taken with other NTI students, you will attend specialty courses that delve further into topics such as style and structure. Taking on various roles during Theater Labs and seeing work in New York City and around the region will help you broaden your perspective on what theater can be. You’ll also have opportunities to have your work developed during Playwrights and Librettists week and through Company Project.
Whether you are just starting as a playwright or have been writing for a while, you will leave your NTI Semester with a portfolio of plays and a better sense of who you are as a writer.
COURSE CREDITS
The NTI Semester Playwriting Focus confers credit for the following academic courses totaling 16 hours:
Script Analysis and Playwright Mentorship (NTI-356)
An exploration of the art of dramatic structure, production dramaturgy, and the dramaturge’s role today. Recognized playwrights offer workshops and master classes in addition to weekly classes. The class allows students to see new works and meet emerging and established playwrights, directors, and dramaturges.
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Professional Development for Writers (NTI-357)
An intense examination of professional development; including “the business of the business,” producing one’s own work, pursuing graduate studies, and submitting to play festivals. Playwrights spend a week in NYC seeing a wide range of theater and speaking with literary managers and artistic leaders.
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Advanced Playwriting (NTI-453)
Students work with professional writers on a range of styles and genres to hone writing skills and develop a portfolio ready for submission. Playwrights learn lyric writing, composition, short film structure, and musical book writing.
Play Lab (NTI-454)
Weekly scripts are created reflecting the range of contemporary playwriting styles and musical styles. A final 30-minute play is presented at Playwrights Week. The final lab involves production, but focuses on the process of collaboration: presentation of new work while working and communicating with actors and directors in rehearsal.
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Connecticut College is the founding partner and the college of record for the National Theater Institute programs. To learn more about credits and transcripts, please click HERE.
*The NTI Semester Playwriting Focus was previously titled "Advanced Playwriting" pre-2025.
SAMPLE SCHEDULE
Every week at NTI looks a bit different as schedules are worked around our incredible faculty and artists. Scroll through to see what your week could look like as an NTI Semester student with a Playwriting Focus.